Abstract: The present invention relates to a pigment composition containing a pigment and chondroitin sulfate or its salt, in which a content of chondroitin sulfate or its salt is equal to or larger than 0.1 part by weight (pbw) over 1 pbw of the pigment, and such pigment composition is available in the use for drug medicines and the like, and exhibits better dispersibility.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a pigment composition containing a pigment and chondroitin sulfate or its salt, in which a content of chondroitin sulfate or its salt is equal to or larger than 0.1 part by weight (pbw) over 1 pbw of the pigment, and such pigment composition is available in the use for drug medicines and the like, and exhibits better dispersibility.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a pigment composition containing a) a pigment, and b) a polyvinyl alcohol/acrylic acid/methyl methacrylate copolymer or an aminoalkyl methacrylate copolymer, and such pigment composition is available in the use for drug medicines and the like, and exhibits better dispersibility.

Abstract: A scanner sharing device includes a scanner device connection terminal for a scanner device to be connected thereto, a plurality of computer connection terminals for a plurality of computers to be connected thereto, a connection switching unit selectively connecting one of the plurality of computer connection terminals with the scanner device connection terminal, and a switch control unit controlling the operations of the connection switching unit. When the scanner sharing device is in an automatic switching mode, the switch control unit maintains the connection between the computer connection terminal associated with that one computer and the scanner device connection terminal until the switch control unit receives a processing completion signal.

Abstract: A semiconductor substrate treating method is disclosed that can selectively remove contaminants or unnecessary substances present on the surface of a semiconductor substrate. Also disclosed are a semiconductor component of enhanced reliability produced by this method and an electronic appliance incorporating the semiconductor component. The semiconductor substrate treating method comprises the step of treating a semiconductor substrate with a treating fluid containing NH4OH and HF wherein the relationships 0.30?X/Y?0.78 and 0.03?Y?6.0 are satisfied, where X represents a concentration [mol/L] of NH4OH in the treating fluid and Y represents a concentration [mol/L] of HF in the treating fluid. Preferably, the treating fluid is substantially free from H2O2. The semiconductor substrate has a surface, at least a part of which is composed of high melting point metal.

Abstract: A scanner sharing device includes a scanner device connection terminal for a scanner device to be connected thereto, a plurality of computer connection terminals for a plurality of computers to be connected thereto, a connection switching unit selectively connecting one of the plurality of computer connection terminals with the scanner device connection terminal, and a switch control unit controlling the operations of the connection switching unit. When the scanner sharing device is in an automatic switching mode, the switch control unit maintains the connection between the computer connection terminal associated with that one computer and the scanner device connection terminal until the switch control unit receives a processing completion signal.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device. In the method, a thin film is formed on an Si substrate having face orientation (100), that part of the thin film, which lies on an element-isolating region, is removed. Then, the Si substrate is subjected to selective etching, making a trench in the substrate to isolate an element, by using the thin film as mask and a mixture solution of hydrofluoric acid and ozone water.

Abstract: There is disclosed a wafer cleaning method comprising supplying a cleaning water to a wafer cleaned with a chemical solution, measuring the resistivity of a solution including the chemical solution and cleaning water, and differentiating the measured value with respect to time, and cleaning the wafer continuously with the cleaning water until the time differential value of the resistivity becomes equal to or less than a preset value and is held at that values for preset time.

Abstract: An etching method of subjecting a base material to an etching process using an etching agent containing hydrogen fluoride and ozone is disclosed. The base material has a first region constituted from silicon as a main material and a second region constituted from SiO2 as a main material. The etching method includes the steps of: preparing the base material; and supplying the etching agent onto the base material to form a step between the first and second regions using a feature that an etching rate of silicon by the etching agent is higher than an etching rate of SiO2 by the etching agent, so that the height of the surface of the first region is lower than the height of the surface of the second region.

Abstract: An image reader (100) has a removable memory device (2) which stores authentication information for performing identity authentication of a user. An image reader body (1) has an authentication processing unit (6) performing the identity authentication to identify whether a user is the authorized person by checking authentication information (8) stored in the removable memory device (2) and registered authentication information (9) in advance in the image reader (100) with each other. Only when the authentication by the authentication processing unit (6) is successful, a document (3) is read by using the image reader (100), and a digital signature or approval information is added to image data (15) which has been read.

Abstract: A semiconductor substrate treating method is disclosed that can selectively remove contaminants or unnecessary substances present on the surface of a semiconductor substrate. Also disclosed are a semiconductor component of enhanced reliability produced by this method and an electronic appliance incorporating the semiconductor component. The semiconductor substrate treating method comprises the step of treating a semiconductor substrate with a treating fluid containing NH4OH and HF wherein the relationships 0.30?X/Y?0.78 and 0.03?Y?6.0 are satisfied, where X represents a concentration [mol/L] of NH4OH in the treating fluid and Y represents a concentration [mol/L] of HF in the treating fluid. Preferably, the treating fluid is substantially free from H2O2. The semiconductor substrate has a surface, at least a part of which is composed of high melting point metal.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device. In the method, a thin film is formed on an Si substrate having face orientation (100), that part of the thin film, which lies on an element-isolating region, is removed. Then, the Si substrate is subjected to selective etching, making a trench in the substrate to isolate an element, by using the thin film as mask and a mixture solution of hydrofluoric acid and ozone water.

Abstract: A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus for cleaning a semiconductor substrate comprises a high-temperature circulation type chemical bath which is filled with a chemical to be used for cleaning of a semiconductor substrate and in which the chemical is circulated and reused, a draining mechanism which drains the chemical in the chemical bath therefrom, an auxiliary fluid supplying mechanism which adds to the drained chemical regarded as a waste chemical an auxiliary fluid, and thereby heats the waste chemical, a heat exchanger in which the heated waste chemical is stored temporarily and a new chemical is allowed to flow, and which cools the waste chemical and raises temperature of the new chemical by heat exchange, and a pipe in which the new chemical having the temperature raised in the heat exchanger is supplied to the chemical bath.

Abstract: An etching method of subjecting a base material to an etching process using an etching agent containing hydrogen fluoride and ozone is disclosed. The base material has a first region constituted from silicon as a main material and a second region constituted from SiO2 as a main material. The etching method includes the steps of: preparing the base material; and supplying the etching agent onto the base material to form a step between the first and second regions using a feature that an etching rate of silicon by the etching agent is higher than an etching rate of SiO2 by the etching agent, so that the height of the surface of the first region is lower than the height of the surface of the second region.

Abstract: There is disclosed a wafer cleaning method comprising supplying a cleaning water to a wafer cleaned with a chemical solution, measuring the resistivity of a solution including the chemical solution and cleaning water, and differentiating the measured value with respect to time, and cleaning the wafer continuously with the cleaning water until the time differential value of the resistivity becomes equal to or less than a preset value and is held at that values for preset time.

Abstract: A first aspect of the present invention provides a white level setting system for an image scanner. The system compares an analog image signal obtained by scanning an original or a white reference with a predetermined analog white level signal, to provide a digital image signal corresponding to an image on the original, calculates a white level for the next scan line according to the digital image signal, and employs the white level for the next scan line. A second aspect of the present invention provides a binarization system for an image scanner. The system divides read image data into predetermined unit blocks, finds rates of changes in gray levels in each of the blocks, detects edges of the image data according to the rates of changes, determines a slice level for each of the blocks according to the gray levels of the edges, and converts the image data of each of the blocks into binary data according to the slice level.

Abstract: A color filter for a liquid crystal display device comprises an optically transparent substrate, a transparent conductive layer formed on the substrate, and a color layer formed on the transparent conductive layer with red, green and blue pixels arranged in a predetermined pattern. The color layer comprises pigments for coloring purpose and transparent conductive particles having a hydrophobic surface. The transparent conductive particles are included from 5% to 50% by volume of the color layer. The color layer may preferably have a specific resistivity of from 10.sup.-1 .OMEGA..multidot.cm to 10.sup.8 .OMEGA..multidot.cm. The transparent conductive particles comprise base transparent conductive particles having a hydrophobic compound bound on their surface by coupling or graft polymerization.

Abstract: The present invention provides a white level setting system for an image scanner. The system compares an analog image signal obtained by scanning an original or a white reference with a predetermined analog white level signal, to provide a digital image signal corresponding to an image on the original, calculates a white level for the next scan line according to the digital image signal, and employs the white level for the next scan line.

Abstract: A fault tolerant communication control processor in a time division multiplex communication system is set up with microprocessor units executing communication control programs, line control units processing the transferred data for transmission or reception by channel and time slot control units for assigning the channel addresses to time slots. The time slot control units are operative to control the information of correspondence between channel addresses and time slots. When any one of the time slot control units receives new instructions for channel assignment from a microprocessor unit, it is operative to execute exclusive control by informing the other time slot control units not to use the newly instructed channel.