Abstract: A high-quality GaAs-type crystal thin film using an inexpensive Si wafer with good thermal release characteristics is achieved. Provided is a semiconductor wafer comprising an Si wafer; an inhibiting layer that is formed on the wafer and that inhibits crystal growth, the inhibiting layer including a covering region that covers a portion of the wafer and an open region that does not cover a portion of the wafer within the covering region; a Ge layer that is crystal-grown in the open region; and a functional layer that is crystal-grown on the Ge layer. The Ge layer may be formed by annealing with a temperature and duration that enables movement of crystal defects, and the annealing is repeated a plurality of times.

Abstract: There is provided a method of producing a semiconductor wafer by thermally processing a base wafer having a portion to be thermally processed that is to be thermally processed. The method comprises a step of providing, on the base wafer, a portion to be heated that generates heat through absorption of an electromagnetic wave and selectively heats the portion to be thermally processed, a step of applying an electromagnetic wave to the base wafer, and a step of lowering the lattice defect density of the portion to be thermally processed, by means of the heat generated by the portion to be heated through the absorption of the electromagnetic wave.

Abstract: There is provided a semiconductor device including a first channel-type first MISFET formed and a second channel-type second MISFET: a first source and a first drain of the first MISFET and a second source and a second drain of the second MISFET are made of the same conductive substance, and the work function ?M of the conductive substance satisfies at least one of relations respectively represented by (1) ?1<?M<?2+Eg2, and (2) |?M??1|?0.1 eV and |(?2+Eg2)??M|?0.1 eV, where ?1 represents an electron affinity of an N-type semiconductor crystal layer, and ?2 and Eg2 represent an electron affinity and a band gap of a crystal of a P-type semiconductor crystal layer.

Abstract: There is provided a fabrication technique of a MOS structure that has a small EOT without increasing the interface trap density. More specifically, provided is a method of producing a semiconductor wafer that includes a semiconductor crystal layer, an interlayer made of an oxide, nitride, or oxynitride of a semiconductor crystal constituting the semiconductor crystal layer, and a first insulating layer made of an oxide and in which the semiconductor crystal layer, the interlayer, and the first insulating layer are arranged in the stated order. The method includes (a) forming the first insulating layer on an original semiconductor crystal layer, and (b) exposing a surface of the first insulating layer with a nitrogen plasma to nitride, oxidize, or oxynitride a part of the original semiconductor crystal layer, thereby forming the interlayer, together with the semiconductor crystal layer that is the rest of the original semiconductor crystal layer.

Abstract: Provided is an optical device including a base wafer containing silicon, a plurality of seed crystals disposed on the base wafer, and a plurality of Group 3-5 compound semiconductors lattice-matching or pseudo lattice-matching the plurality of seed crystals. At least one of the Group 3-5 compound semiconductors has a photoelectric semiconductor formed therein, the photoelectric semiconductor including a light emitting semiconductor that emits light in response to a driving current supplied thereto or a light receiving semiconductor that generates a photocurrent in response to light applied thereto, and at least one of the plurality of Group 3-5 compound semiconductors other than the Group 3-5 compound semiconductor having the photoelectric semiconductor has a heterojunction transistor formed therein.

Abstract: There is provided a semiconductor wafer including a base wafer whose surface is entirely or partially a silicon crystal plane, an inhibitor positioned on the base wafer to inhibit crystal growth and having an opening that reaches the silicon crystal plane, a first crystal layer made of SixGe1-x (0?x<1) and positioned on the silicon crystal plane that is exposed in the opening, a second crystal layer positioned on the first crystal layer and made of a III-V Group compound semiconductor that has a band gap width larger than a band gap width of the first crystal layer, and a pair of metal layers positioned on the inhibitor and the second crystal layer. The pair of the metal layers are each in contact with the first crystal layer and the second crystal layer.

Abstract: A burst signal generator generates a burst signal that is a variable length portion whose length changes in accordance with fluctuations in data input at a predetermined period. An OFDM modulator generates an OFDM signal (including a guard interval portion and an effective symbol portion) that is a fixed length portion containing data corresponding to n (n is a positive integer) times or 1/n of the predetermined period. A frame includes the variable length portion and the fixed length portion. This makes a transmission signal actually have a frame period almost equal to the period of a signal synchronized with the clock of a player, including the fluctuations.

Abstract: To improve the flatness of the surface and improve the reliability of a semiconductor device when expitaxially growing semiconductor crystal layers of different types on a single silicon wafer, provided is a semiconductor wafer which includes: a base wafer having a silicon crystal in the surface thereof, the silicon crystal having a first dent and a second dent; a first Group IVB semiconductor crystal located in the first dent and exposed; a second Group IVB semiconductor crystal located in the second dent; and a Group III-V compound semiconductor crystal located above the second Group IVB semiconductor crystal in the second dent and exposed.

Abstract: A digital camera includes: a mirror box that defines a space in which a light flux from a photographic lens is guided to an imaging unit; a mirror unit that is arranged inside the mirror box and is configured to rotate between a viewing position in which the mirror unit is inserted in a photographic light path from the photographic lens to the imaging unit to reflect the light flux and a photographing position in which the mirror unit is retracted from the photographic light path; and an opening section that discharges from the mirror box air that is moved when the mirror unit is rotated.

Abstract: A semiconductor wafer includes a base wafer, a first crystal layer, a second crystal layer and a third crystal layer. The first crystal layer has a first surface having a same orientation as the base wafer, and a second surface having a different orientation from the first surface, the second crystal layer has a third surface having the same orientation as the first surface, and a fourth surface having the same orientation as the second surface, the third crystal layer is in contact with a part of the third surface and the fourth surface. A thickness ratio of the second crystal layer in a region adjoining the first surface to a region adjoining the second surface is larger than a thickness ratio of the third crystal layer in a region adjoining the third surface to a region adjoining the fourth surface.

Abstract: Electronic device is provided, including: a base wafer whose surface is made of silicon crystal; a Group 3-5 compound semiconductor crystal formed directly or indirectly on partial region of the silicon crystal; an electronic element including a portion of the Group 3-5 compound semiconductor crystal as active layer; an insulating film formed directly or indirectly on the base wafer and covering the electronic element; an electrode formed directly or indirectly on the insulating film; a first coupling wiring extending through the insulating film, having at least a portion thereof formed directly or indirectly on the insulating film, and electrically coupling the electronic element with the electrode; a passive element formed directly or indirectly on the insulating film; a second coupling wiring extending through the insulating film, having at least a portion thereof formed directly or indirectly on the insulating film, and electrically coupling the electronic element with the passive element.

Abstract: A method of controlling communication in a communication system includes a plurality of communication devices and a controller that transmits multi-channel data to the plurality of communication devices, executed in a communication device group to which power is supplied without passing through the controller, the method comprising the steps of determining a master communication device in the communication device group that sends the multi-channel data received wirelessly from the controller to other communication device included in the communication device group, according to wireless connection conditions between the controller and each communication device included in the communication device group, and sending, by the master via a wired connection, the multi-channel data received wirelessly from the controller to the other communication device included in the communication device group.

Abstract: A semiconductor wafer includes a base wafer, a sacrificial layer that is lattice-matched or pseudo lattice-matched to the base wafer, a first crystal layer that is formed on the sacrificial layer and made of an epitaxial crystal of SixGe1-x, (0?x<1), and a second crystal layer that is formed on the first crystal layer and made of an epitaxial crystal of a group 3-5 compound semiconductor having a larger band gap than the first crystal layer. The base wafer is, for example, made of single-crystal GaAs. The sacrificial layer is, for example, made of an epitaxial crystal of InmAlnGa1-m-nAs (0?m<1, 0<n?1, 0<n+m?1).

Abstract: To improve the flatness of the surface and improve the reliability of a semiconductor device when expitaxially growing semiconductor crystal layers of different types on a single silicon wafer, provided is a semiconductor wafer which includes: a base wafer having a silicon crystal in the surface thereof, the silicon crystal having a first dent and a second dent; a first Group IVB semiconductor crystal located in the first dent and exposed; a second Group IVB semiconductor crystal located in the second dent; and a Group III-V compound semiconductor crystal located above the second Group IVB semiconductor crystal in the second dent and exposed.

Abstract: A communication apparatus performs communication of data using assigned time slots within a frame. In a case where data cannot be transmitted in a transmission time slot that has been assigned in order to transmit data, a time slot later than this transmission time slot is reserved as a time slot used to transmit the data, this later time slot being reserved within the frame having the transmission time slot in which the data cannot be transmitted.

Abstract: A sensor includes: a base wafer containing silicon; a seed member provided directly or indirectly on the base wafer; and a photothermal absorber that is made of a Group 3-5 compound semiconductor lattice-matching or pseudo lattice-matching the seed member and being capable of generating a carrier upon absorbing light or heat, where the photothermal absorber outputs an electric signal in response to incident light to be introduced into the photothermal absorber or heat to be applied to the photothermal absorber. A semiconductor wafer includes: a base wafer containing silicon; a seed member provided directly or indirectly on the base wafer; and a photothermal absorber that is made of a Group 3-5 compound semiconductor lattice-matching or pseudo lattice-matching the seed member and being capable of generating a carrier upon absorbing light or heat.

Abstract: Data is transmitted by using continuous frames each of which includes a variable-length part having a length that varies depending on an input period and a fixed-length part containing data of one input period. The transmitted continuous frames are received, a frame period is detected, and data is reproduced based on the detected frame period.

Abstract: A compound semiconductor epitaxial substrate and a process for producing the same are provided. The compound semiconductor epitaxial substrate comprises a single crystal substrate, a lattice mismatch compound semiconductor layer and a stress compensation layer, wherein the lattice mismatch compound semiconductor layer and the stress compensation layer are disposed on the identical surface side of the single crystal substrate, there is no occurrence of lattice relaxation in the lattice mismatch compound semiconductor layer, as well as the stress compensation layer, and Ls representing the lattice constant of the single crystal substrate, Lm representing the lattice constant of the lattice mismatch compound semiconductor layer, and Lc representing the lattice constant of the stress compensation layer satisfy the formula (1a) or (1b).

Abstract: Provided is an optical device including a base wafer containing silicon, a plurality of seed crystals disposed on the base wafer, and a plurality of Group 3-5 compound semiconductors lattice-matching or pseudo lattice-matching the plurality of seed crystals. At least one of the Group 3-5 compound semiconductors has a photoelectric semiconductor formed therein, the photoelectric semiconductor including a light emitting semiconductor that emits light in response to a driving current supplied thereto or a light receiving semiconductor that generates a photocurrent in response to light applied thereto, and at least one of the plurality of Group 3-5 compound semiconductors other than the Group 3-5 compound semiconductor having the photoelectric semiconductor has a heterojunction transistor formed therein.

Abstract: The semiconductor wafer includes: a base wafer; and an inhibition layer that is disposed on the base wafer as one piece or to be separate portions from each other, and inhibits growth of a crystal of a compound semiconductor, where the inhibition layer has a plurality of first opening regions that have a plurality of openings penetrating the inhibition layer and leading to the base wafer, each of the plurality of first opening regions includes therein a plurality of first openings disposed in the same arrangement, some of the plurality of first openings are first element forming openings each provided with a first compound semiconductor on which an electronic element is to be formed, and the other of the plurality of first openings are first dummy openings in which no electronic element is to be formed.