Abstract: An apparatus discharges a discharge liquid in the form of droplets from apertures by mechanically deforming piezoelectric elements by a normal drive signal. The droplets are discharged from the apertures by a cooling drive signal, which is different from the normal drive signal.

Abstract: An oscillator circuit is formed of a differential LC resonant circuit formed of an L load differential circuit including inductance-variable portions and a capacitor element, and a positive feedback circuit formed of N-channel MOS transistors. The inductance-variable portion is configured to vary the inductance by selecting a plurality of switch circuits arranged between a plurality of arbitrary positions on a spiral interconnection layer and the input/output terminal, and thereby can control an oscillation frequency. The inductance-variable portions form an inductor pair when the switch circuit among the switch circuits coupled between the first input/output terminals is turned on together with the switch circuit.

Abstract: An oscillator circuit is formed of a differential LC resonant circuit formed of an L load differential circuit including inductance-variable portions and a capacitor element, and a positive feedback circuit formed of N-channel MOS transistors. The inductance-variable portion is configured to vary the inductance by selecting a plurality of switch circuits arranged between a plurality of arbitrary positions on a spiral interconnection layer and the input/output terminal, and thereby can control an oscillation frequency. The inductance-variable portions form an inductor pair when the switch circuit among the switch circuits coupled between the first input/output terminals is turned on together with the switch circuit.

Abstract: An oscillator circuit is formed of a differential LC resonant circuit formed of an L load differential circuit including inductance-variable portions and a capacitive element, and a positive feedback circuit formed of N-channel MOS transistors. The inductance-variable portion is configured to vary the inductance by selecting a plurality of switch circuits arranged between a plurality of arbitrary positions on a spiral interconnection layer and the input/output terminal, and thereby can control an oscillation frequency. The inductance-variable portions form an inductor pair when the switch circuit among the switch circuits coupled between the first input/output terminals is turned on together with the switch circuit.

Abstract: A spiral inductor in which, where a spiral interconnect and an underpass interconnect intersect with each other, at least one layer of an electrically conductive film that forms the spiral interconnect is the underpass interconnect. The spiral interconnect has a smaller number of electrically conductive layers in the intersecting portion and has a wider interconnect width than the spiral interconnect in a non-intersecting portion.

Abstract: An oscillator circuit is formed of a differential LC resonant circuit formed of an L load differential circuit including inductance-variable portions and a capacitive element, and a positive feedback circuit formed of N-channel MOS transistors. The inductance-variable portion is configured to vary the inductance by selecting a plurality of switch circuits arranged between a plurality of arbitrary positions on a spiral interconnection layer and the input/output terminal, and thereby can control an oscillation frequency. The inductance-variable portions form an inductor pair when the switch circuit among the switch circuits coupled between the first input/output terminals is turned on together with the switch circuit.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: an inductor (1) provided with a conductor interconnection formed spirally on a semiconductor substrate (10); and a shield (6a) that is provided with a continuous conductor interconnection provided along the outer periphery of the spiral pattern of the inductor (1) while opening a portion of the conductor interconnection, and that is electrically connected to ground potential.

Abstract: A spiral inductor in which, where a spiral interconnect and an underpass interconnect intersect with each other, at least one layer of an electrically conductive film that forms the spiral interconnect is the underpass interconnect. The spiral interconnect has a smaller number of electrically conductive layers in the intersecting portion and has a wider interconnect width than the spiral interconnect a non-intersecting portion.

Abstract: An oscillator circuit is formed of a differential LC resonant circuit formed of an L load differential circuit including inductance-variable portions and a capacitor element, and a positive feedback circuit formed of N-channel MOS transistors. The inductance-variable portion is configured to vary the inductance by selecting a plurality of switch circuits arranged between a plurality of arbitrary positions on a spiral interconnection layer and the input/output terminal, and thereby can control an oscillation frequency. The inductance-variable portions form an inductor pair when the switch circuit among the switch circuits coupled between the first input/output terminals is turned on together with the switch circuit.

Abstract: An apparatus discharges a discharge liquid in the form of droplets from apertures by mechanically deforming piezoelectric elements by a normal drive signal. The droplets are discharged from the apertures by a cooling drive signal, which is different from the normal drive signal.

Abstract: A transfer mark structure for a multi-layer interconnecting process for avoiding the influence of dishing when a groove pattern for multi-layer interconnection is formed, and for improving the accuracy and stability of reading the transfer mark used for transfer in the following step so as to align with a location of transfer in the preceding step, and a method for producing such a transfer mark for the multi-layer interconnecting process. The underlying layer 102 immediately under the transfer mark 22 for photoengraving formed in the step of connecting between interconnecting layers 16 has a groove-like pattern.

Abstract: Transfer gate transistors are formed on a main surface of a semiconductor substrate. The transfer gate transistors have impurity regions for serving as source/drain regions. A first interlayer insulating film having a substantially flat upper surface is formed to cover the transfer gate transistors. The first interlayer insulating film is provided with contact holes reaching the impurity regions. Plugs are formed in the contact holes. Capacitors are only formed on the flat upper surface of the first interlayer insulating film. Lower electrodes of the capacitors and the plugs are electrically connected with each other through barrier layers. Thus, it is possible to improve capacitances of capacitors in a DRAM.

Abstract: Transfer gate transistors are formed on a main surface of a semiconductor substrate. The transfer gate transistors have impurity regions for serving as source/drain regions. A first interlayer insulating film having a substantially flat upper surface is formed to cover the transfer gate transistors. The first interlayer insulating film is provided with contact holes reaching the impurity regions. Plugs are formed in the contact holes. Capacitors are only formed on the flat upper surface of the first interlayer insulating film. Lower electrodes of the capacitors and the plugs are electrically connected with each other through barrier layers. Thus, it is possible to improve capacitances of capacitors in a DRAM.

Abstract: A semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus has a heat retaining tube which can be freely placed in and pulled out of a processing chamber of the apparatus. When located within the processing chamber, the heat retaining tube surrounds a boat with the semiconductor wafers mounted thereon. After the thermal processing of the semiconductor wafers has been completed, the heat retaining tube and the semiconductor wafers are pulled out of the processing chamber together. In this way, the difference in the temperature of the center and periphery of the semiconductor wafer is decreased, and semiconductor devices, which have excellent performance and which are free from crystalline defects or dislocation, can thus be manufactured.