Abstract: A process of forming a silicon thin film includes the steps of: irradiating a pulsed rectangular ultraviolet beam on an amorphous or polycrystalline silicon layer formed on a base body, to thereby form a silicon thin film composed of a group of silicon single crystal grains which are each approximately rectangular-shaped and which are arranged in a grid pattern on the base body. In this process, the moved amount of a ultraviolet beam irradiating position in a period from completion of an irradiation of the rectangular ultraviolet beam to starting of the next irradiation of the rectangular-ultraviolet beam is specified at 40 &mgr;m or less, and a ratio of the moved amount to a width of the rectangular ultraviolet beam measured in the movement direction thereof is in a range of 0.1 to 5%. Further, a selected orientation of the silicon single crystal grains to the surface of the base body is approximately the <100> direction.

Abstract: A semiconductor device comprising a source/drain region and a channel region formed in a silicon thin film composed of a group of silicon single crystal grains which are each approximately rectangular-shaped and which are arranged in a grid pattern on the base body, where a selected orientation of the silicon single crystal grains to the surface of the base body is approximately the <100> direction.

Abstract: Disclosed is a semiconductor laser capable of preventing diffusion of a p-type dopant to an active layer while performing sufficient carrier blocking, even when Zn is used as a p-type dopant, and obtaining high emission efficiency and high output by minimizing light absorption in a p-type cladding layer. This semiconductor laser includes an active layer and p-type cladding layer on an n-type semiconductor substrate. The concentration distribution of a p-type dopant from the active layer to the p-type cladding layer has a maximum value at a distance of 50 to 250 nm from the end of the active layer.

Abstract: A process of forming a silicon thin film includes the steps of: irradiating a pulsed rectangular ultraviolet beam on an amorphous or polycrystalline silicon layer formed on a base body, to thereby form a silicon thin film composed of a group of silicon single crystal grains which are each approximately rectangular-shaped and which are arranged in a grid pattern on the base body. In this process, the moved amount of a ultraviolet beam irradiating position in a period from completion of an irradiation of the rectangular ultraviolet beam to starting of the next irradiation of the rectangular ultraviolet beam is specified at 40 &mgr;m or less, and a ratio of the moved amount to a width of the rectangular ultraviolet beam measured in the movement direction thereof is in a range of 0.1 to 5%. Further, a selected orientation of the silicon single crystal grains to the surface of the base body is approximately the <100> direction.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process of forming a silicon thin film used as an active layer of a thin film transistor, which process is improved for enhancing a quality and a productivity of the silicon thin film. At a physical vapor deposition step, an amorphous silicon thin film is physically formed on a substrate in vacuum. Then, at a laser annealing step, directly after formation of the amorphous silicon thin film without the need of dehydrogenation, a laser light is irradiated to the amorphous silicon thin film, to convert the amorphous silicon thin film into a polycrystalline silicon thin film. After that, the polycrystalline silicon thin film thus converted is processed to form a thin film transistor. In the physical vapor deposition step, an amorphous silicon thin film may be formed by sputtering using a target made from a silicon crystal body or a silicon sintered body.

Abstract: Method of forming a uniform polycrystalline semiconductor thin film by laser annealing. The method is started with preparing a substrate having an insulating layer which has a relatively low thermal conductivity and a thickness of more than 20 nm. Then, an amorphous silicon thin film having a relatively high thermal conductivity is formed to a thickness of less than 35 nm on the insulating layer. Thereafter, the amorphous silicon thin film is irradiated with laser beam to impart thermal energy to the film. In this way, the amorphous film is converted into a polysilicon thin film. Since the thickness of the amorphous silicon film is less than 35 nm, polysilicons having uniform grain diameters can be grown.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for fabricating a thin film semiconductor device are disclosed. An a-Si:H thin film produced on a wafer is melting-recrystallized by irradiating a laser beam to it in a laser annealing chamber to produce a polycrystalline Si thin film. The wafer is then transported to a CVD chamber without exposing it to the outside air. A gate insulating film is produced on a clean surface of the polycrystalline Si thin film in the CVD chamber. In another case, an a-Si:H thin film is melting-recrystallized in the laser annealing chamber to produce a polycrystalline Si thin film and then the wafer is transported to a hydrogenating chamber without exposing it to the outside air. Thereafter the polycrystalline Si thin film is plasma hydrogenated in the hydrogenating chamber.

Abstract: An ultrasonic treatment apparatus has an applicator for generating ultrasound for an object to be treated, an ultrasonic probe arranged in the applicator for acquiring tomographic image information of the object to be examined and/or destroyed, and an applicator support for supporting the applicator such that the applicator is movable in several directions. This ultrasonic treatment apparatus further includes a provision for changing an approach direction of the applicator between a downward approach and an upward approach to achieve suitable treatment of the object to be treated, a monitor for displaying the tomographic image information of the object supplied from the ultrasonic probe, and an approach direction indicator for indicating a condition of the approach direction of the applicator, whether in the downward approach or in the upward approach on the monitor.

Abstract: A crystallized, stable histidine-hydrogen peroxide adduct intermolecular-bonded at 1:1 ratio is provided.

Abstract: This invention relates to a magnetic recording medium in which a protective film prepared by plasma polymerization of an organic compound such as dibenzyl or diphenyl which exhibits a solid phase at room temperature and under atmospheric pressure is formed on a thin ferro-magnetic film. This invention also relates to a method of manufacturing the magnetic recording medium. The protective film has a high wear resistance and excellent anti-corrosion properties.

Abstract: According to this invention, there is provided an improved method of dyeing fibrous products characterized in that, in the dyeing of fibrous products using an oxidation-reduction dyeing type dye and an aqueous alkali solution of thiourea dioxide as a reducing solution, the reduction of the dye with the said aqueous alkali solution of thiourea dioxide is carried out in the presence of one or more substances selected from the group consisting of saturated aliphatic ketones having 3 to 10 carbon atoms, saturated aliphatic ketocarboxylic acids having 3 to 10 carbon atoms and alicyclic ketones having 3 to 10 carbon atoms.

Abstract: According to this invention, there is provided a method of dyeing fibrous products characterized in that, in the dyeing of fibrous products using an oxidation-reduction dyeing type dye and an aqueous alkali solution of thiourea dioxide as a reducing solution, the reduction of the dye with the said aqueous alkali solution of thiourea dioxide is carried out in the presence of one or more dialdehyde compounds selected from dialdehyde compounds represented by the general formulaOHC--R--CHO (I)in which R is a saturated or unsaturated aliphatic or aromatic organic compound radical.

Abstract: According to this invention, there is provided a method of stabilizing an alkaline aqueous solution of thiourea dioxide characterized in that one or more substances selected from the group consisting of aliphatic ketones, alicyclic ketones and aliphatic dialdehydes are added to the said alkaline aqueous solution of thiourea dioxide.