Abstract: A controller is connected to a substrate processing apparatus and an exposure apparatus. A pilot substrate subjected to a series of processing as preprocessing is transported to an inspection unit. An inspection result determination part compares inspection results received from the inspection unit with substrate condition data so that a condition change instruction part changes the processing condition of each processing unit when no requirement is satisfied. This operation is so repeated that a processing control part executes actual processing according to recipe data when the inspection results satisfy the requirement. Thus, the efficiency a step of changing the processing condition of each processing part in response to the inspection results in the inspection part is improved in preprocessing executed in the substrate processing apparatus.

Abstract: A substrate treating apparatus is provided for eliminating wasteful consumption of a treating solution in a treating mode in which the treating solution is delivered in a strip form to a substrate from a treating solution delivery nozzle sweeping over the substrate. In a first aspect of the invention, collecting vessels are arranged around a developing cup surrounding a wafer supported by a wafer holder. The collecting vessels collect part of a developer delivered from a discharge opening of a developer delivery nozzle outwardly of a surface of the wafer. In a second aspect of the invention, collecting vessels are arranged below a developer delivery nozzle, with collecting openings of the collecting vessels opposed to a discharge opening or openings of the delivery nozzle. The collecting vessels are moved longitudinally of the discharge openings according to a position of the developer delivery nozzle relative to the wafer.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a coating section, a developing section, a heat-treating section and a transport mechanism. The coating section has first processing units each for performing a coverage process to supply a photoresist solution to a substrate and cover a surface of the substrate with the photoresist solution, a second processing unit for spinning the substrate, after the coverage process, at high speed to make the photoresist solution into a film, dry the photoresist film, and clean the substrate. All substrates are processed with the same coating conditions to suppress differences in quality among the substrates. The first and second processing units perform the respective processes concurrently to improve the throughput of substrate processing.

Abstract: A photothermograpahic material is disclosed having light-sensitive silver halide grains, an organic silver salt, a reducing agent and a binder, wherein the photothermographic material comprises a silane compound represented by formula (1) or (2): formula (1) (R1O)m—Si—[ (L1)xR2]n formula (2) wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7 and R8 represent each an alkyl group, an alkenyl group, an alkynyl group, an aryl group or a heterocyclic group; L1, L2, L3 and L4 represent each a bivalent linkage group; m and n are each an integer of 1 to 3, provided that m+n is 4; p1 and p2 are each an integer of 1 to 3 and q1 and q2 are each 0, 1 or 2, provided that p1+q1 and p2+q2 are each 3; r1 and t are each 0 or an integer of 1 to 1000; and x is 0 or 1. The photothermographic material is used on a support.

Abstract: A heat-developable light-sensitive element is disclosed. The element comprises a non-light-sensitive organic silver salt and a light-sensitive silver halide and an average radius r of the sphere of influence is from 0.35 &mgr;m to 10 &mgr;m when the element is exposed to light of from 35 &mgr;J/cm2 to 50 &mgr;J/cm2 and developed by a developing drum at a temperature of 123°±3° C. for a time of 16±3 seconds.

Abstract: 1. A photothermographic material is disclosed, comprising on a support light sensitive silver halide grains, an organic silver salt, a reducing agent and a binder, wherein the photothermographic material comprises a silane compound represented by the following formulas.

Abstract: A substrate treating method and apparatus for treating a substrate by supplying a developing solution thereto while spinning the substrate. A nozzle having a plurality of discharge openings for discharging the developer is disposed such that the discharge openings are at different distances from the spin center of the substrate. The developer is discharged from the nozzle while the latter is moved radially of the substrate. The discharge openings then describe loci not overlapping one another over the substrate. The developer is evenly supplied over the substrate to promote the uniformity of development on the substrate surface.

Abstract: A silver halide photographic light-sensitive material is disclosed. The light-sensitive material comprises a transparent support having thereon a hydrophilic colloid layer comprising a silver halide emulsion layer and an electric conductive layer, in which the electric conductive layer contains colloidal particles of a kind of metal oxide and at least one layer of the hydrophilic colloid layer contains a leucocompound of a blue dye.

Abstract: A film dissolving liquid is ejected from a needle-shaped nozzle onto a peripheral edge portion of a substrate surface of a SOG film, while being subjected to the film dissolving liquid. The substrate is rotated in order to dissolve and remove the SOG film from the peripheral edge portion of the substrate. The film dissolving liquid is a solvent or mixture of two or more solvents selected from the group cyclohexanone, .gamma.-butyrolactone, ethyl lactate or ethyl pyruvate. As a result, a swelling of the SOG film is not created at the edge portion of the substrate. A crack is not therefore created at the edge portion of the SOG film, and generation of particles due to a damage at the film swelling portion thereof is prevented.

Abstract: A substrate spin coating apparatus for forming a coating film on the upper surface of a spinning substrate includes a spin chuck for supporting and spinning the substrate while holding same substantially in horizontal posture. A scatter preventive cup surrounds lateral and lower regions of the spin chuck, and defines an opening in an upper central region thereof for allowing entry of air flows. An exhaust vent is provided for downwardly exhausting the air flows, and a nozzle is provided for supplying a coating solution through the opening of the scatter preventive cup to the upper surface of the substrate. The scatter preventive cup includes an air passage formed in a bottom region thereof and opening toward a lower surface of the substrate. An air flow adjusting unit is connected to the air passage for adjusting an air flow to a predetermined temperature and supplying the adjusted air flow to the air passage.

Abstract: A substrate spin treating method and apparatus having a cup cleaner device for cleaning a scatter preventive cup, which cleaner device does not require attaching and/or detaching of a cleaning jig. The cleaner device is driven through engagement with a spin chuck which operates at a low torque that is provided for normal substrate spin treating operation. During the normal spin treating operation, only the spin chuck is driven by a rotary shaft, with the cup cleaner device being disengaged from the spin chuck and its driving rotary shaft. For a cup cleaning operation, the spin chuck and scatter preventive cup are vertically moved relative to each other to place the cup cleaner device at a cup cleaning height and to drivingly connect the cup cleaner device to the rotary shaft through a torque transmitter.

Abstract: A composite sintered material of a mixed-phase structure comprising fine particles of hard compound compactly and uniformly dispersed in grains of matrix of titanium or titanium alloy. The material is outstanding in abrasion resistance, strength, toughness, etc., and also has high resistance to corrosion by molten nonferrous metals and is therefore reduced in the likelihood of dissolving out into the melt.The sintered material is produced by uniformly mixing together a metal powder for forming the matrix of the desired sintered material and a powder for forming particles of hard compound to be dispersed, molding the powder mixture into a block under pressure, atomizing the block while melting the block and sintering the resulting powder.

Abstract: A silver halide photographic light-sensitive material is disclosed which comprises a support and provided thereon, a light-sensitive silver halide emulsion layer containing silver halide grains, the silver halide grains are chemically sensitized by a selenium compound and spectrally sensitized by a dye represented by formula (S-1): ##STR1##

Abstract: A developer for developing a silver halide photographic material is disclosed. The developer comprises a compound represented by Formula 1 or Formula 2; ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3, and R.sub.4 are each a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms provided that both of R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are not hydrogen atoms at the same time; R.sub.5 is a hydroxy group, an amino group or an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms; R.sub.6 and R.sub.7 are each a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 5 carbon atoms, an acyl group having 1 to 18 carbon atoms or a --COOM.sub.2 group, provided that both of R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are not hydrogen atoms at the same time, in the above M.sub.1 is a hydrogen atom, an alkali metal atom or an ammonium group; m is an integer 0, 1 or 2; and M.sub.2 is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, an alkali metal atom, an aryl group or an aralkyl group having not more than 15 carbon atoms.

Abstract: Ultra-high-strength refractory silicon carbide fiber having a decomposition temperature of not less than about 1800K, a breaking strength of not less than about 5 GPa, and a modulus of elasticity of not less than about 300 GPa is disclosed, which is obtained by irradiating a precursor comprising organosilicon compound fiber with an ionizing radiation in a mixed carrier gas comprising a reactive gas and a first inert gas to render the precursor infusible and calcining the irradiated precursor in a second inert gas. Irradiation damage can be minimized, and no oxygen is incorporated into the fiber.

Abstract: A direct positive silver halide photographic light-sensitive material which is improved in gradation and suitable for rapid processing comprises a support having thereon a silver halide emulsion layer containing surface-fogged type direct positive silver halide grains, wherein said direct positive silver halide emulsion layer comprises two or more silver halide emulsions substantially different in sensitivity and/or gradation; the ratio of the total area of (111) face to and total surface area of grains in said emulsions is not less than 50%; and the average silver iodide content of grains in said emulsions is not more than 5 mol%.

Abstract: There is disclosed a direct positive silver halide light-sensitive material which can be processed in ultra-rapid processing and have a higher sensitivity, a lower Dmin, an excellent antistatic property and less flactuation of the properties in storing. The light-sensitive material contains an electron-accepting compound in a silver halide emulsion layer, and a fluorinated surfactant and/or at least one of the compounds represented by Formulas I-a to II-b in a photographic component layer: ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 to R.sub.4 represent independently a hydrogen atom, a lower alkyl group, an alkoxy group, a carboxy group, an alkoxycarbonyl group, a sulfo group, a halogen atom, and a nitro group, provided that at least one of R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 is a carboxy group, an alkoxycarbonyl group or a sulfo group.