Abstract: A controller controls the temperature of a hot plate and the degree of vacuum in a tightly closed space to a temperature and a pressure at levels at which a thinner contained in a resist applied to a wafer volatilizes and an acid generator, a quencher, and a polymer chain protecting group practically remain in the resist, for example, during heat processing. More specifically, the controller controls the temperature of the hot plate and the degree of vacuum in the tightly closed space to bring the temperature of the hot plate to about 40° C., and the degree of vacuum in the tightly closed space to approximately 5 Torr. Thereby, the heat processing can be performed for the wafer so that the acid generator is uniformly dispersed in the resist, or the quencher is uniformly formed on the front face of the resist without breakage of the polymer chain protecting group.

Abstract: A reactor furnace, in which a plurality of silicon nitride film forming processes have been performed to produce a desired thin film, is changed in temperature from its film-forming temperature to another one lower than the film-forming temperature before an unnecessary silicon nitride film cracks of itself in the reactor furnace, so that the unnecessary silicon nitride film is intentionally subjected to stress and cracked, whereby the unnecessary thin film is relieved from stress. After that, the thus cracked film is covered with another silicon nitride film serving as a repair film, to prevent the unnecessary thin film from producing contaminant particles in forming the desired thin film.

Abstract: An improved process for smoothing the surface of a diamond or diamond film comprises placing the surface of the diamond against the surface of a metal plate and heating the diamond and the plate to a temperature greater than the melting point of metal carbide and less than the melting point of the metal itself. The carbon atoms in the diamond diffuse or dissolve through solid state diffusion into the metal to form metal carbide. The metal carbide melts and around the points of contact between the diamond and the metal surface, which accelerates the diffusion or dissolution of the diamond and thereby accelerates the smoothing of the diamond surface. When the surface of the diamond is smoothed, it is cooled, removed from the plate, and cleaned of residual metal carbide.

Abstract: A method for producing a durable, non-stick, diamond-tiled implement and the diamond-tiled implement thereby produced. Diamond particles are distributed on a surface of a workpiece containing a ceramic binder. The ceramic binder on the surface of the workpiece is heated to above its glass temperature to fuse the diamond particles in and onto the workpiece. The workpiece is then cooled so that the diamond particles are bonded to and at least partially embedded in the ceramic binder at the surface of the workpiece to produce durable, non-stick, diamond-tiled implements including cookware, bakeware, hot-presses, ski surfaces, skid surfaces, marine articles, and mechanical polishing wheels. Other implements of this invention utilize a high diamond content to produce thermally conducting and electrically insulating coatings for heat spreaders or heaters.

Abstract: A method for producing an electrical feedthru wherein a thin liquid conductive film is deposited into a shallow trough of an insulating machinable substrate. The conductive film and substrate are fired and then the resulting bound composite is ground flush with the adjacent surface of the insulating machinable substrate. The surface cohesion of the fired composite, and the resulting high quality surface finish of the grinding operation, combined with an elastomeric seal, create low leakage barriers capable of supporting a pressure differential while allowing isolated electrical conduction across a pressure or vacuum envelope. The method produces a space saving feedthru which allows a high signal line density in a limited space, is relatively simple to assemble, allows for disassembly rework, can be ‘designed into’ unique geometries of varied applications, and which has a single O-ring sealing across all traces.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a stainproof-treating agent which comprises (A) 0.05 to 30 percent by weight of a nonvolatile resin ingredient, (B) 0.05 to 30 percent by weight of a nonvolatile ingredient of at least one oxide sol selected from the group consisting of an aluminum oxide sol, a silica sol, a zirconium oxide sol and an antimony oxide sol, (C) 1 to 50 percent by weight of an organic solvent and (D) 40 to 99 percent by weight of water, wherein the resin of the ingredient (A) has a solubility parameter of 10 or more and is insoluble in water at 25° C., a method for stainproof-treating by using the stainproof-treating agent and a stainproof-treated article obtained by the method for stainproof-treating. The stainproof-treating agent of the present invention can be applied on a substrate without requiring a special device and can provide excellent stain resistance by modifying a substrate surface hydrophilic by a simple work.

Abstract: A method of processing a photoconductor comprising: providing a photoconductor having a base layer and a photoconductive layer; bending the photoconductor with the photoconductive layer facing outward without subjecting the photoconductor to substantial external stress other than by virtue of said bending; heat treating the bent; and allowing the bent photoconductor to cool.

Abstract: A neodymium/iron/boron permanent magnet is provided with high corrosion resistance by forming a coating layer of a vitrified sodium silicate on the surface. The vitreous coating layer of sodium silicate is formed by coating the surface of the permanent magnet with an aqueous coating solution of water glass followed by drying of the coating layer and vitrification of the dried coating layer by a heat treatment under specified conditions. Characteristically, the thus formed vitreous coating layer of sodium silicate is subjected to a leaching treatment with water at a specified temperature for a specified length of time in order to remove away residual sodium content leachable in water so that the troubles due to absorption of moisture by the alkali constituent in the sodium silicate coating layer can be largely dissolved.

Abstract: A coated paper product including a paper layer and a polymer layer, wherein the polymer layer includes a polylactide polymer composition having a ratio of Mz to Mn of greater than about 6. The polymer composition, when melted, exhibits a die swell of greater than about 1.25 for a melt flow index of greater than about 2. Polymer lactide compositions, methods of manufacturing the polymer composition and the coated paper product, and articles produced therefrom are also described.