Abstract: A distance measuring device includes a first member disposed to face a measurement target, which is a conductor or a semiconductor, in a non-contact manner; and an electrostatic capacitance sensor provided at the first member, and configured to measure a distance to the measurement target. The first member is formed of a conductive member, and the electrostatic capacitance sensor is grounded via the first member.

Abstract: A bonding apparatus includes a first holder configured to attract and hold a first substrate from above; a second holder located lower than the first holder and configured to attract and hold a second substrate from below; a moving mechanism configured to allow a first one of the first holder and the second holder to approach a second one of the first holder and the second holder; a rough adjustment device configured to roughly adjust a position in a rotational direction of the first substrate before the first substrate is attracted and held by the first holder; a fine adjustment device, including at least one first driver configured to rotate the first holder by displacing a piezoelectric element, configured to finely adjust, with the at least one first driver, the position in the rotational direction of the first substrate attracted and held by the first holder.

Abstract: A bonding apparatus includes a first holder, a second holder, a striker and an ionizer. The first holder is configured to attract and hold a first substrate from above. The second holder is disposed below the first holder and is configured to attract and hold a second substrate from below. The striker is configured to press a central portion of the first substrate into contact with the second substrate. The ionizer is disposed above the second holder.

Abstract: A substrate positioning device includes a holder configured to hold a substrate; and a rotating mechanism configured to rotate the holder. The rotating mechanism includes a rotation shaft fixed to the holder; a bearing configured to support the rotation shaft in a non-contact manner; a base configured to fix the bearing; a first driver configured to rotate the rotation shaft; a damping mechanism comprising a fixed member connected to one of the base and the rotation shaft, and a moving member connected to the other and configured to be slid with respect to the fixed member, the damping mechanism being configured to generate a damping force against a relative motion between the rotation shaft and the base; a locking mechanism configured to lock the moving member; and a second driver configured to micro-drive the damping mechanism to which the moving member is fixed.

Abstract: A bonding apparatus includes a first holder; a second holder; a horizontally moving unit; an elevating unit; an inclination measuring unit; and a controller. The first holder is configured to attract and hold a first substrate on a bottom surface thereof. The second holder is disposed under the first holder and configured to attract and hold a second substrate on a top surface thereof. The horizontally moving unit is configured to move the first substrate and the second substrate relative to each other in a horizontal direction. The elevating unit is configured to move the second substrate up and down between a proximate position and a spaced position. The inclination measuring unit is configured to measure an inclination of the second holder. The controller calculates a position of the second substrate in the horizontal direction based on a measurement result of the inclination measuring unit.

Abstract: A bonding apparatus configured to bond substrates to each other includes a first holder, a second holder, a moving unit, a housing, a scale member and a read head. The first holder attracts and holds a first substrate from above. The second holder attracts and holds a second substrate from below. The moving unit moves a first one of the first holder and the second holder with respect to a second one thereof in a first horizontal direction and a second horizontal direction orthogonal to the first horizontal direction. The housing accommodates therein the first holder, the second holder, and the moving unit. The scale member is disposed within the housing and has gradations indicating positions in the first and the second horizontal directions. The read head is moved as one body with the first one, and reads the gradations to measure the position of the first one.

Abstract: A bonding apparatus includes a first holder, a second holder, a moving unit, a housing, an interferometer, a first gas supply and a second gas supply. The first holder is configured to attract and hold a first substrate. The second holder is configured to attract and hold a second substrate. The moving unit is configured to move a first one of the first holder and the second holder in a horizontal direction with respect to a second one thereof. The interferometer is configured to radiate light to the first one or an object moved along with the first one to measure a horizontal distance thereto. The first gas supply is configured to supply a clean first gas to an inside of the housing. The second gas supply is configured to supply a second gas to a space between the interferometer and the first one or the object.

Abstract: A substrate positioning apparatus includes a holder and a rotating device. The holder is configured to hold a substrate. The rotating device is configured to rotate the holder. The rotating device includes a rotation shaft, a bearing member, a base member, a driving unit and a damping device. The rotation shaft is fixed to the holder. The bearing member is configured to support the rotation shaft in a non-contact state. The bearing member is fixed on the base member. The driving unit is configured to rotate the rotation shaft. The damping device includes a rail connected to the base member and a slider connected to the rotation shaft, and is configured to produce a damping force against a relative operation between the rotation shaft and the base member by a resistance generated between the rail and the slider.

Abstract: A bonding apparatus includes a first holder, a second holder, a first interferometer, a housing, a gas supply and an airflow control cover. The first holder attracts and holds the first substrate. The second holder attracts and holds the second substrate. The first interferometer measures, by radiating light to the second holder or a first object which is moved along with the second holder in the first horizontal direction, a distance to the second holder or the first object in the first horizontal direction. The housing accommodates therein the first holder, the second holder and the first interferometer. The gas supply is provided at a lateral side of the housing, and supplies a gas into the housing. The airflow control cover is provided within the housing, and redirects a part of a flow of the gas supplied from the gas supply toward a first path of the light.

Abstract: A substrate positioning apparatus includes a holder and a rotating device. The holder is configured to hold a substrate. The rotating device is configured to rotate the holder. The rotating device includes a rotation shaft, a bearing member, a base member, a driving unit and a damping device. The rotation shaft is fixed to the holder. The bearing member is configured to support the rotation shaft in a non-contact state. The bearing member is fixed on the base member. The driving unit is configured to rotate the rotation shaft. The damping device includes a rail connected to the base member and a slider connected to the rotation shaft, and is configured to produce a damping force against a relative operation between the rotation shaft and the base member by a resistance generated between the rail and the slider.

Abstract: A coating apparatus includes: a slit nozzle including a retention chamber that retains the coating material; a moving mechanism that moves the slit nozzle; a pressure regulation unit that regulates a pressure inside the retention chamber; and a control unit that controls the moving mechanism and the pressure regulation unit to relatively move the slit nozzle with respect to the substrate while changing the pressure inside the retention chamber toward an atmospheric pressure from a negative pressure, wherein the control unit is configured to control the pressure regulation unit so that a change in the pressure inside the retention chamber in a start zone including a coating start position and an end zone including a coating end position becomes slower than a change in the pressure inside the retention chamber in a middle zone except the start zone and the end zone.

Abstract: A coating apparatus includes: a slit nozzle including a retention chamber that retains the coating material; a moving mechanism that moves the slit nozzle; a pressure regulation unit that regulates a pressure inside the retention chamber; and a control unit that controls the moving mechanism and the pressure regulation unit to relatively move the slit nozzle with respect to the substrate while changing the pressure inside the retention chamber toward an atmospheric pressure from a negative pressure, wherein the control unit is configured to control the pressure regulation unit so that a change in the pressure inside the retention chamber in a start zone including a coating start position and an end zone including a coating end position becomes slower than a change in the pressure inside the retention chamber in a middle zone except the start zone and the end zone.

Abstract: Provided is a coating apparatus which includes: a slit nozzle provided with a discharge port at a lower side of the slit nozzle, and configured to discharge a coating liquid from the discharge port; a moving mechanism configured to move the slit nozzle relative to a substrate; a sealing unit formed to extend along a longitudinal direction of the discharge port, and including a top surface which is brought into contact with the discharge port to seal the discharge port; a solvent reservoir configured to retain a solvent; and an immersing mechanism configured to immerse the sealing unit into the solvent retained in the solvent reservoir.

Abstract: A catalyst component for producing polyolefin, a catalyst for producing polyolefin using the catalyst component, and a process for producing polyolefin in the presence of the catalyst. The catalyst component comprises a metallocene compound represented by formula (1): ##STR1## All the symbols in formula (1) are defined in the description.