Abstract: A fastening apparatus includes a fastening device (1, 3) that heats in a non-contacting state, and then applies pressure to, a shaft part (11b) or shaft body (111) while it is inserted through the through holes (W10, W20) of workpieces (W1, W2), thereby forming at least a second head part (11c) of a fastener (11). The fastening device (1, 3) includes: a fastening die (15) that forms the second head part (11c); and a shaft-part pressure-applying device (9) that applies the pressure to the fastening die (15). A determining device (5) determines whether the fastener (11) is defective or not by calculating a load curve defined by the time and the load during which the pressure was applied and then determining whether an amount of change per unit of time in the load curve after a reference load has been exceeded is within a range of a predetermined reference value.

Abstract: A fastening apparatus includes a fastening device (1, 3) that heats in a non-contacting state, and then applies pressure to, a shaft part (11b) or shaft body (111) while it is inserted through the through holes (W10, W20) of workpieces (W1, W2), thereby forming at least a second head part (11c) of a fastener (11). The fastening device (1, 3) includes: a fastening die (15) that forms the second head part (11c); and a shaft-part pressure-applying device (9) that applies the pressure to the fastening die (15). A determining device (5) determines whether the fastener (11) is defective or not by calculating a load curve defined by the time and the load during which the pressure was applied and then determining whether an amount of change per unit of time in the load curve after a reference load has been exceeded is within a range of a predetermined reference value.

Abstract: A stent that includes a stent body, which includes a strut formed from a cylindrical base material. The strut possesses a manufactured minimum outer diameter when the strut is formed from the cylindrical base material. The stent body is configured to be compressed onto an outer surface of an expandable member of a catheter. The stent body is configured to be expanded radially outward by applying a nominal pressure directed by a manufacturer within the expandable member. The strut possesses an expanded outer diameter when the stent body is expanded by the expandable member at a pressure which is two atm lower than the nominal pressure. The manufactured minimum outer diameter of the strut is equal to or larger than expanded outer diameter of the strut when the stent body is expanded by the expandable member at the pressure which is two atm lower than the nominal pressure.

Abstract: A method for producing a semiconductor device (20) is disclosed. The semiconductor device (20) includes: 1) a semiconductor substrate (1, 2), 2) a hetero semiconductor area (3) configured to contact a first main face (1A) of the semiconductor substrate (1, 2) and different from the semiconductor substrate (1, 2) in band gap, 3) a gate electrode (7) contacting, via a gate insulating film (6), a part of a junction part (13) between the hetero semiconductor area (3) and the semiconductor substrate (1, 2), 4) a source electrode (8) configured to connect to the hetero semiconductor area (3), and 5) a drain electrode (9) configured to make an ohmic connection with the semiconductor substrate (1, 2). The method includes the following sequential operations: i) forming the gate insulating film (6); and ii) nitriding the gate insulating film (6).

Abstract: A silicon carbide semiconductor device (90), includes: 1) a silicon carbide substrate (1); 2) a gate electrode (7) made of polycrystalline silicon; and 3) an ONO insulating film (9) sandwiched between the silicon carbide substrate (1) and the gate electrode (7) to thereby form a gate structure, the ONO insulating film (9) including the followings formed sequentially from the silicon carbide substrate (1): a) a first oxide silicon film (O) (10), b) an SiN film (N) (11), and c) an SiN thermally-oxidized film (O) (12, 12a, 12b). Nitrogen is included in at least one of the following places: i) in the first oxide silicon film (O) (10) and in a vicinity of the silicon carbide substrate (1), and ii) in an interface between the silicon carbide substrate (1) and the first oxide silicon film (O) (10).

Abstract: A silicon carbide semiconductor device (90), includes: 1) a silicon carbide substrate (1); 2) a gate electrode (7) made of polycrystalline silicon; and 3) an ONO insulating film (9) sandwiched between the silicon carbide substrate (1) and the gate electrode (7) to thereby form a gate structure, the ONO insulating film (9) including the followings formed sequentially from the silicon carbide substrate (1): a) a first oxide silicon film (O) (10), b) an SiN film (N) (11), and c) an SiN thermally-oxidized film (O) (12, 12a, 12b). Nitrogen is included in at least one of the following places: i) in the first oxide silicon film (O) (10) and in a vicinity of the silicon carbide substrate (1), and ii) in an interface between the silicon carbide substrate (1) and the first oxide silicon film (O) (10).

Abstract: There is provided a gas sensor element, including a solid electrolyte layer, a pair of sensor electrodes arranged on a front side of the solid electrolyte layer, a pair of sensor leads arranged on a rear side of the solid electrolyte layer and connected to the respective sensor electrodes; and insulating layers, one of which is arranged between one of the sensor leads and the solid electrolyte layer and the other of which is arranged between the other sensor lead and the solid electrolyte layer. The sensor electrodes have rear end portions located on the insulating layers and overlapping front end portions of the sensor leads, respectively. The sensor leads are denser than the sensor electrodes and have front ends located in the same positions as or positions rear of front ends of the insulating layers, respectively. There is also provided a gas sensor with such a gas sensor element.

Abstract: A silicon carbide semiconductor device (90), includes: 1) a silicon carbide substrate (1); 2) a gate electrode (7) made of polycrystalline silicon; and 3) an ONO insulating film (9) sandwiched between the silicon carbide substrate (1) and the gate electrode (7) to thereby form a gate structure, the ONO insulating film (9) including the followings formed sequentially from the silicon carbide substrate (1): a) a first oxide silicon film (O) (10), b) an SiN film (N) (11), and c) an SiN thermally-oxidized film (O) (12, 12a, 12b). Nitrogen is included in at least one of the following places: i) in the first oxide silicon film (0) (10) and in a vicinity of the silicon carbide substrate (1), and ii) in an interface between the silicon carbide substrate (1) and the first oxide silicon film (O) (10).

Abstract: A silicon carbide semiconductor device (90), includes: 1) a silicon carbide substrate (1); 2) a gate electrode (7) made of polycrystalline silicon; and 3) an ONO insulating film (9) sandwiched between the silicon carbide substrate (1) and the gate electrode (7) to thereby form a gate structure, the ONO insulating film (9) including the followings formed sequentially from the silicon carbide substrate (1): a) a first oxide silicon film (O) (10), b) an SiN film (N) (11), and c) an SiN thermally-oxidized film (O) (12, 12a, 12b). Nitrogen is included in at least one of the following places: i) in the first oxide silicon film (O) (10) and in a vicinity of the silicon carbide substrate (1), and ii) in an interface between the silicon carbide substrate (1) and the first oxide silicon film (O) (10).

Abstract: A silicon carbide semiconductor device (90), includes: 1) a silicon carbide substrate (1); 2) a gate electrode (7) made of polycrystalline silicon; and 3) an ONO insulating film (9) sandwiched between the silicon carbide substrate (1) and the gate electrode (7) to thereby form a gate structure, the ONO insulating film (9) including the followings formed sequentially from the silicon carbide substrate (1): a) a first oxide silicon film (O) (10), b) an SiN film (N) (11), and c) an SiN thermally-oxidized film (O) (12, 12a, 12b). Nitrogen is included in at least one of the following places: i) in the first oxide silicon film (O) (10) and in a vicinity of the silicon carbide substrate (1), and ii) in an interface between the silicon carbide substrate (1) and the first oxide silicon film (O) (10).

Abstract: There is provided a gas sensor element, including a solid electrolyte layer, a pair of sensor electrodes arranged on a front side of the solid electrolyte layer, a pair of sensor leads arranged on a rear side of the solid electrolyte layer and connected to the respective sensor electrodes; and insulating layers, one of which is arranged between one of the sensor leads and the solid electrolyte layer and the other of which is arranged between the other sensor lead and the solid electrolyte layer. The sensor electrodes have rear end portions located on the insulating layers and overlapping front end portions of the sensor leads, respectively. The sensor leads are denser than the sensor electrodes and have front ends located in the same positions as or positions rear of front ends of the insulating layers, respectively. There is also provided a gas sensor with such a gas sensor element.

Abstract: A silicon carbide semiconductor device (90), includes: 1) a silicon carbide substrate (1); 2) a gate electrode (7) made of polycrystalline silicon; and 3) an ONO insulating film (9) sandwiched between the silicon carbide substrate (1) and the gate electrode (7) to thereby form a gate structure, the ONO insulating film (9) including the followings formed sequentially from the silicon carbide substrate (1): a) a first oxide silicon film (O) (10), b) an SiN film (N) (11), and c) an SiN thermally-oxidized film (O) (12, 12a, 12b). Nitrogen is included in at least one of the following places: i) in the first oxide silicon film (O) (10) and in a vicinity of the silicon carbide substrate (1), and ii) in an interface between the silicon carbide substrate (1) and the first oxide silicon film (O) (10).

Abstract: A silicon carbide semiconductor device (90), includes: 1) a silicon carbide substrate (1); 2) a gate electrode (7) made of polycrystalline silicon; and 3) an ONO insulating film (9) sandwiched between the silicon carbide substrate (1) and the gate electrode (7) to thereby form a gate structure, the ONO insulating film (9) including the followings formed sequentially from the silicon carbide substrate (1): a) a first oxide silicon film (O) (10), b) an SiN film (N) (11), and c) an SiN thermally-oxidized film (O) (12, 12a, 12b). Nitrogen is included in at least one of the following places: i) in the first oxide silicon film (O) (10) and in a vicinity of the silicon carbide substrate (1), and ii) in an interface between the silicon carbide substrate (1) and the first oxide silicon film (O) (10).

Abstract: A silicon carbide semiconductor device (90), includes: 1) a silicon carbide substrate (1); 2) a gate electrode (7) made of polycrystalline silicon; and 3) an ONO insulating film (9) sandwiched between the silicon carbide substrate (1) and the gate electrode (7) to thereby form a gate structure, the ONO insulating film (9) including the followings formed sequentially from the silicon carbide substrate (1): a) a first oxide silicon film (O) (10), b) an SiN film (N) (11), and c) an SiN thermally-oxidized film (O) (12, 12a, 12b). Nitrogen is included in at least one of the following places: i) in the first oxide silicon film (O) (10) and in a vicinity of the silicon carbide substrate (1), and ii) in an interface between the silicon carbide substrate (1) and the first oxide silicon film (O) (10).

Abstract: A method for producing a semiconductor device (20) is disclosed. The semiconductor device (20) includes: 1) a semiconductor substrate (1, 2), 2) a hetero semiconductor area (3) configured to contact a first main face (1A) of the semiconductor substrate (1, 2) and different from the semiconductor substrate (1, 2) in band gap, 3) a gate electrode (7) contacting, via a gate insulating film (6), a part of a junction part (13) between the hetero semiconductor area (3) and the semiconductor substrate (1, 2), 4) a source electrode (8) configured to connect to the hetero semiconductor area (3), and 5) a drain electrode (9) configured to make an ohmic connection with the semiconductor substrate (1, 2). The method includes the following sequential operations: i) forming the gate insulating film (6); and ii) nitriding the gate insulating film (6).