Abstract: Between a wafer and a holder holding a wafer, a seal member is disposed so that a contact surface is formed in an approximate plane, and an inner periphery surface is formed in an approximate plane and approximately vertical to a contact surface. The seal member, in a sealed state, has a brim portion of a radius of curvature of 0.5 mm or less at a boundary portion between an inner periphery surface of a seal member and a contact surface. Due to a brim portion, a gap between a contact surface of a seal member and a surface being plated of a wafer W can be made smaller, resulting in reducing bubbles entering in a gap.

Abstract: Liquid treatment units are disposed in multi-tiers surrounding a main-arm 35. Among liquid treatment units, plating units M1 through M4 are disposed on a lower tier side, and a unit for post-treatment process such as a cleaning unit 70 where a cleaner atmosphere is necessary is disposed on an upper tier side. Thereby, an improvement in an area efficiency and the formation and maintenance of a clean atmosphere can be simultaneously obtained.

Abstract: An omnidirectional visual sensor which can observe a 360-degree panoramic field area, obtain a sharp image and correctly transform a central projection with respect to the image and can be minimized as a whole includes a convex mirror with a surface of revolution having a focal point, a plurality of mirrors with surfaces of revolutions having at least one focal point, a photoreceiving lens system receiving light reflected by the convex mirror with the surface of revolution and the plurality of mirrors with surfaces of revolutions and an image acquisition surface receiving the light received in the photoreceiving lens system and converting the same to an electric signal, and the convex mirror with the surface of revolution and the plurality of mirrors with surfaces of revolutions are so arranged that the focal point of a first mirror included in the convex mirror with the surface of revolution and the plurality of mirrors with surfaces of revolutions aligns with the focal point of a second mirror, included in

Abstract: The present invention relates to a thermal processing method wherein a cylindrical process tube that has at one end an entrance/exit is provided at the other end thereof with a heat source, and thermal processing is performed on a workpiece which has been brought in from the entrance/exit of the process tube to a prescribed position therein. This thermal processing method and an apparatus therefor is characterized in that, when the workpiece is moved to the prescribed position, it is first moved to a proximity position that is closer to the heat source than the prescribed position, then it is returned therefrom to the prescribed position.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a thermal processing method wherein a cylindrical process tube that has at one end an entrance/exit is provided at the other end thereof with a heat source, and thermal processing is performed on a workpiece which has been brought in from the entrance/exit of the process tube to a prescribed position therein. This thermal processing method and an apparatus therefor is characterized in that, when the workpiece is moved to the prescribed position, it is first moved to a proximity position that is closer to the heat source than the prescribed position, then it is returned therefrom to the prescribed position.

Abstract: A heat treatment apparatus including a flat heat source having a plural number of ring-shaped heating units of different diameters arranged concentrically and so as to face a processing surface of a semiconductor wafer for example, a heat control portion which performs either independent or batch control of a plural number of ring-shaped heating units, a process tube which houses the object for processing, and a movement mechanism which brings a processing surface of the object for processing and the flat heat source into relative proximity. By this configuration, it is possible to have fast heat treatment such as oxidation and diffusion processing, or CVD processing, to a uniform temperature for the entire processing surface of a flat object for processing.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a thermal processing method wherein a cylindrical process tube that has at one end an entrance/exit is provided at the other end thereof with a heat source, and thermal processing is performed on a workpiece which has been brought in from the entrance/exit of the process tube to a prescribed position therein. This thermal processing method and an apparatus therefor is characterized in that, when the workpiece is moved to the prescribed position, it is first moved to a proximity position that is closer to the heat source than the prescribed position, then it is returned therefrom to the prescribed position.

Abstract: An improved method of making a cross joint between different size pipes is provided. A punch, die and a pressing machine are prepared. The punch includes a center rest for receiving a small pipe, a curved slot and a curved surface for transforming an end of the small pipe. Under the actuation of the pressing machine, the end of the small pipe is transformed into an arcuate configuration which is identical with the inside curvature of a large pipe. Simultaneously, a curved bead is formed on the small pipe remaining circumferentially equal distances from the resultant arcuate edge of the small pipe. This distance is substantially the same as the wall thickness of the large pipe. Utilizing the arcuate edge and the curved bead, the small pipe and the large pipe are welded or brazed together, resulting in a cross joint having no protrusion into the large pipe space.

Abstract: A vertical heat treatment apparatus includes a reaction furnace constituted by a reaction chamber having an inner tube and an outer tube and a heater arranged outside the reaction chamber, a manifold communicating with a lower portion of the reaction chamber to support the reaction chamber and a gas being supplied and exhausted through the mainfold, a hollow vessel, arranged together with the boat in the reaction furnace, for supporting a lower end of a boat having objects, and a plurality of first heat-insulating members detachably arranged in the hollow vessel, wherein the number of the first insulating members is adjusted to adjust a heat-insulating effect. The first heat-insulating member includes a fin unit constituted by fins horizontally arranged at predetermined intervals and spacers for keeping the intervals between the fins.