Abstract: A film formation method for a semiconductor process for forming a silicon oxynitride film on a target substrate within a reaction chamber includes a step of performing a pre-process on members inside the reaction chamber without the target substrate loaded therein, and a step of then forming a silicon oxynitride film on the target substrate within the reaction chamber. The pre-process is arranged to supply a pre-process gas containing a nitriding gas or oxynitriding gas into the reaction chamber, and setting an interior of the reaction chamber at a first temperature and a first pressure.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus accurately detect a rotor angle of a DC brushless motor by using a first-order difference of a detected value of a phase current. A periodic signal causing the total sum of output voltages in three control cycles to become zero is superposed over a drive voltage under current feedback control. The drive voltage is held at a constant level during the three control cycles. The phase difference between an actual value and an estimated value of a rotor angle is calculated, using the first-order differential current in each control cycle, and the estimated value of the rotor angle is calculated by follow-up computation of an observer, using the phase difference.

Abstract: A collapsible lens barrel includes a first holding frame (2) for holding a first lens group (L1), a second holding frame (5) for holding a second lens group (L2) that is disposed on an image plane side with respect to the first lens group (L1), an actuator (6) for moving the second holding frame 5 in an optical axis direction, and a tubular cam frame (17) including a plurality of cam grooves that are formed at substantially equal intervals around a circumferential direction for moving the first holding frame (2) in the optical axis direction. The actuator (6) is attached to a portion in the cam frame (17) where the cam grooves are not formed. The first lens group (L1) is moved using the cam grooves, and the second lens group (L2) is moved using the actuator (6), so that a faster zooming speed and a lower zooming noise can be achieved.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photoconductor, a cleaning device, and a toner transporting device. The photoconductor has a toner image formed thereon. The cleaning device removes toner remaining on the photoconductor. The toner transporting device transports the toner removed by the cleaning device. The toner transporting device includes a first toner transport path forming member, a first toner transporting member, and a length control member. The first toner transporting member is partly provided in the first toner transport path forming member, expands and contracts in a length direction thereof, and transports the toner through the first toner transport path forming member. The length control member is provided at a downstream end of the first toner transport path forming member, and is pressed against the first toner transporting member to keep a constant length of the first toner transporting member. An image forming method is also described.

Abstract: A film formation method for a semiconductor process is arranged to form an amorphous silicon film on a target substrate by CVD in a process field within a reaction container, while supplying a first process gas containing silicon into the process field, and setting the process field at a first temperature of 550° C. or more and at a first pressure. The method is arranged to subsequently poly-crystallize the amorphous silicon film by a heat process in the process field to form a poly-silicon film, while supplying a second process gas different from the first process gas into the process field, and setting the process field at a second temperature higher than the first temperature and at a second pressure.

Abstract: In a copier which is an image-forming apparatus comprising a photoconductor 1, a developing apparatus 4, transfer apparatus 5 which transfers a toner image formed on the photoconductor 1 to a transfer material by heat and pressure using a transfer roller 52, and a fixing apparatus which fixes the toner image transferred to the transfer material, on the transfer material, a heater 56, temperature detection apparatus 57 and temperature control apparatus are provided which controls the temperature to within a range of from the glass transition temperature (Tg) to the softening temperature (Tm) of the toner, and lower than the fixing temperature of the fixing apparatus 7.

Abstract: An lubricant for electrophotography is applied to a latent image carrier that is supplied with toner having a sphericity of 0.94 or more. The lubricant for electrophotography is added with an inorganic additive having the following relationship: 2Y/1000?X?Y/10 where Y is a toner particle size (micrometer), and X is an inorganic additive particle size (micrometer).

Abstract: An oxidation method is capable of forming oxide films in an improved interfilm thickness uniformity. The oxidation method includes the steps of supplying an oxidizing gas and a reducing gas into a processing vessel 22 capable of being evacuated and holding a plurality of workpieces W arranged at predetermined pitches, and creating a process atmosphere containing active oxygen species and active hydroxyl species in the processing vessel 22 through the interaction of the oxidizing gas and the reducing gas. At least either of the oxidizing gas and the reducing gas is jetted into an upstream region S1, a middle region S2 and a downstream region S3, with respect to the flowing direction of the gas, of a processing space S containing the workpieces W.

Abstract: A film formation method includes a preparation stage (S10) and a process stage (S20). In the preparation stage (S10), a process time correction equation prepared to correct process time in accordance with atmospheric pressure is derived, based on a first relational equation that expresses a relationship between film thickness and process time, and a second relational equation that expresses a relationship between atmospheric pressure and film thickness (S11 to S14). In the process stage (S20), process time is corrected, based on the process time correction equation thus derived and a measurement result of current atmospheric pressure, and then film formation is performed, based on process time thus corrected (S21 to S23).

Abstract: The present invention relates to sustained-release pharmaceutical compositions for ionic pharmaceutically active substances containing ionic compounds having opposite charges to those of ionic prostanoic acid derivatives and increasing hydrophobicity of the active substances. More specifically, the invention relates to sustained-release pharmaceutical compositions comprising the ionic prostanoic acid derivatives and the ionic compounds having opposite charges to those of the prostanoic acid derivatives and increasing hydrophobicity of these derivatives that contain hydrophobic groups in the molecule thereof. The pharmaceutical composition of the invention can exhibit excellent sustained release effect of the ionic prostanoic acid derivatives, irrespective of water solubility possessed by the ionic prostanoic acid derivatives.

Abstract: The present invention is a thermal processing method of conducting a thermal process to an object to be processed, a base film having been formed on a surface of the object to be processed, the base film consisting of a SiO2 film or a SiON film. The method includes: an arranging step of arranging the object to be processed in a processing container; and a laminating step of supplying a source gas and an ammonia gas alternatively and repeatedly, so as to form a silicon nitride film on the base film repeatedly, the source gas being selected from a group consisting of dichlorosilane, hexachlorodisilane and tetrachlorosilane.

Abstract: An inspection voltage imposer generates an inspection voltage by multiplying fundamental voltage string data in which a certain voltage output pattern where an average of output voltage levels in one period becomes 0 is set by data of a modulation signal whose value varies every period and impose the inspection voltage on a drive voltage of a motor. When the inspection voltage is imposed on the drive voltage of the motor, an angle detector detects the rotor angle of the motor based on the fundamental voltage string data, a variation of an inspection current and the data of the modulation signal in respective control cycles.

Abstract: A supply system in a heat-treating apparatus for a semiconductor process has a combustor (12), heating unit (13), and gas distributor (14). The combustor (12) has a combustion chamber (59) disposed outside a process chamber (21). The combustor (12) generates water vapor by reaction of hydrogen gas and oxygen gas in the combustion chamber (59), and supplies it to the process chamber (21). The heating unit (13) has a heating chamber (61) disposed outside the process chamber (21). The heating unit (13) selectively heats a gas not passing through the combustion chamber (59) to a temperature not lower than an activating temperature of the gas, and supplies it to the process chamber (21). The gas distributor (14) selectively supplies the hydrogen gas and oxygen gas to the combustion chamber (59), and selectively supplies a reactive gas and inactive gas to the heating chamber (61).

Abstract: An image forming method, comprising passing a toner image-bearing sheet through a nip defined between two rollers including a heater roller to fix the toner image on the sheet, wherein the toner image is formed from a toner comprising a binder resin, and a colorant, wherein the toner image before the passage through the nip has a toner volume V1 and a toner image area S1, wherein the toner image after the passage through the nip has a toner volume V2 and a toner image area S2, and wherein a volume change Vt and an area change St defined by the formulas shown below are 30% or less and 20% or less, respectively: Vt(%)=(V1?V2)/V1×100 St(%)=(S2?S2)/S1×100. Alternatively, the toner image before the passage through the nip has a surface roughness of 2.5 ?m or less.

Abstract: A toner for a two-component developer comprising the toner and carrier particles, the developer being used for an oilless fixing-type image forming apparatus comprising a developer carrier rotatable at a linear speed of 360-1,680 mm/sec, and a developer adjusting member extending in a lateral direction parallel to the rotational axis of the developer carrier and disposed adjacent to the developer carrier to define a gap therebetween of 0.3-1.0 mm, said image forming apparatus being operated so that the amount of the developer conveyed by the developer carrier and passing through the gap per 1 second is 5.0-25.0 g per 1 cm of the lateral width of the gap, the toner comprising a wax dispersed therein and the toner having a coefficient of dynamic friction in the range of 0.18-0.45.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image carrier, a charging unit that charges the image carrier, a latent image forming unit that forms a latent image on the image carrier, a developing unit that develops the latent image to form a toner image, a transferring unit that transfers the toner image to a recording medium, a cleaning unit that cleans toner remaining on the image carrier, a lubricant applying unit that applies a solid lubricant to a surface of the image carrier, and a detecting unit that detects whether the image carrier is brand new. The toner has an average roundness of 0.94 or more. The lubricant applying unit is operated when the detecting unit detects that the image carrier is brand new.

Abstract: An image forming method, comprising passing a toner image-bearing sheet through a nip defined between two rollers including a heater roller to fix the toner image on the sheet, wherein the toner image is formed from a toner comprising a binder resin, and a colorant, wherein the toner image before the passage through the nip has a toner volume V1 and a toner image area S1, wherein the toner image after the passage through the nip has a toner volume V2 and a toner image area S2, and wherein a volume change Vt and an area change St defined by the formulas shown below are 30% or less and 20% or less, respectively: Vt(%)=(V1?V2)/V1×100 St(%)=(S2?S1)/S1×100. Alternatively, the toner image before the passage through the nip has a surface roughness of 2.5 ?m or less.

Abstract: A cleaning unit includes a cleaning blade that cleans toner on an image carrier and a brush-shaped roller that applies a lubricant of a molded lubricant on the image carrier. The brush-shaped roller is insulative, and delivers the toner cleaned by the cleaning blade to inside of the cleaning unit.

Abstract: A frequency synthesizer (100) that may have reduced spurious noise caused by a voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) (4) output sneaking into an input side of a phase comparison circuit (1) has been disclosed. A beat frequency component that may be generated by mixing of a portion of a VCO output sneaking into an input side of a phase comparison circuit (1) through a reference signal (REF) or a comparison signal (SIG) may be shifted to a high frequency region by providing a modulator circuit (7) on a reference signal side or a comparison signal side. Thus, a low pass filter circuit (3) may provide attenuation to the spurious noise. In this way, spurious noise in the VCO output may be reduced.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus configured to electrostatically transfer a toner image formed on an image carrier to a recording medium with image transferring means of the present invention, pressure is applied between the image carrier and the image transferring means. Toner is provided with relatively high hardness in accordance with the pressure beforehand. Image transfer is effected by reducing a potential difference between the image carrier and the recording medium while maintaining an electric field around the toner the same.