A method of manufacturing a plurality of through-holes in a layer of first material by subjecting part of the layer of said first material to ion beam milling. For batch-wise production, the method comprises after a step of providing the layer of first material and before the step of ion beam milling, providing a second layer of a second material on the layer of first material, providing the second layer of the second material with a plurality of holes, the holes being provided at central locations of pits in the first layer, and subjecting the second layer of the second material to said step of ion beam milling at an angle using said second layer of the second material as a shadow mask.

Provided is a large-sized silicon nitride sintered substrate and a method for producing the same. The silicon nitride sintered substrate has a main surface 101a of a shape larger than a square having a side of a length of 120 mm. A ratio dc/de of the density dc of the central area and the density de of the end area of the main surface 101a is 0.98 or higher. The void fraction vc of the central area of the main surface 101a is 1.80% or lower, and the void fraction ve of the end area is 1.00% or lower. It is preferred that the density dc of the central area is 3.120 g/cm.sup.3 or higher, the density de of the end area is 3.160 g/cm.sup.3 or higher, and a ratio ve/vc of the void fraction vc of the central area and the void fraction ve of the end area is 0.50 or higher.

Provided is a large-sized silicon nitride sintered substrate and a method for producing the same. The silicon nitride sintered substrate has a main surface 101a of a shape larger than a square having a side of a length of 120 mm. A ratio dc/de of the density dc of the central area and the density de of the end area of the main surface 101a is 0.98 or higher. The void fraction vc of the central area of the main surface 101a is 1.80% or lower, and the void fraction ve of the end area is 1.00% or lower. It is preferred that the density dc of the central area is 3.120 g/cm.sup.3 or higher, the density de of the end area is 3.160 g/cm.sup.3 or higher, and a ratio ve/vc of the void fraction vc of the central area and the void fraction ve of the end area is 0.50 or higher.

Embodiments of a layered-substrate comprising a substrate and a layer disposed thereon, wherein the layered-substrate is able to withstand fracture when assembled with a device that is dropped from a height of at least 100 cm onto a drop surface, are disclosed. The layered-substrate may exhibit a hardness of at least about 10 GPa or at least about 20 GPa. The substrate may include an amorphous substrate or a crystalline substrate. Examples of amorphous substrates include glass, which is optionally chemically strengthened. Examples of crystalline substrates include single crystal substrates (e.g. sapphire) and glass ceramics. Articles and/or devices including such layered-substrate and methods for making such devices are also disclosed.

Embodiments of a layered-substrate comprising a substrate and a layer disposed thereon, wherein the layered-substrate is able to withstand fracture when assembled with a device that is dropped from a height of at least 100 cm onto a drop surface, are disclosed. The layered-substrate may exhibit a hardness of at least about 10 GPa or at least about 20 GPa. The substrate may include an amorphous substrate or a crystalline substrate. Examples of amorphous substrates include glass, which is optionally chemically strengthened. Examples of crystalline substrates include single crystal substrates (e.g. sapphire) and glass ceramics. Articles and/or devices including such layered-substrate and methods for making such devices are also disclosed.

According to the present invention, there are provided a resin composition containing a surface-modified inorganic substance, which is obtained by performing surface modification on an inorganic nitride or an inorganic oxide by using a boronic acid compound, and an epoxy compound, a thermally conductive material including a cured substance of the resin composition, and a device including the thermally conductive material. The boronic acid compound has, for example, an amino group, a thiol group, a hydroxyl group, an isocyanate group, a carboxyl group, or a carboxylic acid anhydride group. By using the resin composition of the present invention, it is possible to provide a thermally conductive material having excellent thermal conductivity and a device having high durability.

According to the present invention, there are provided a surface-modified inorganic substance obtained by performing surface modification on a inorganic nitride by using an aldehyde compound such as a compound represented by General Formula I and a resin composition containing the surface-modified inorganic substance and a monomer having a group selected from the group consisting of an oxetanyl group, an oxiranyl group, and a (meth)acrylate group. By using the surface-modified inorganic substance or the resin composition, it is possible to provide a thermally conductive material having excellent thermal conductivity and a device having high durability.

Z.sub.ZX.sub.XCHOGeneral Formula I

(In the formula, Z.sub.Z represents a group selected from the group consisting of an amino group, a thiol group, a hydroxyl group, an isocyanate group, a carboxyl group, a carboxylic acid anhydride group, an oxetanyl group, an oxiranyl group, a (meth)acrylate group, and a hydrogen atom, and X.sub.X represents a divalent linking group.)

According to the present invention, there are provided a surface-modified inorganic substance obtained by performing surface modification on a inorganic nitride by using an aldehyde compound such as a compound represented by General Formula I and a resin composition containing the surface-modified inorganic substance and a monomer having a group selected from the group consisting of an oxetanyl group, an oxiranyl group, and a (meth)acrylate group. By using the surface-modified inorganic substance or the resin composition, it is possible to provide a thermally conductive material having excellent thermal conductivity and a device having high durability.

Z.sub.ZX.sub.XCHOGeneral Formula I

(In the formula, Z.sub.Z represents a group selected from the group consisting of an amino group, a thiol group, a hydroxyl group, an isocyanate group, a carboxyl group, a carboxylic acid anhydride group, an oxetanyl group, an oxiranyl group, a (meth)acrylate group, and a hydrogen atom, and X.sub.X represents a divalent linking group.)

A production apparatus for fine particles includes a vacuum chamber, a material supply device, a plurality of electrodes arranged and a collection device connecting to the other end of the vacuum chamber and collecting fine particles, which generates plasma and produces fine particles from the material particles, in which a first electrode arrangement region on the material supply port's side and a second electrode arrangement region apart from the first electrode arrangement region to the collection device's side which respectively cross a direction in which the material flows between the vicinity of the material supply port and the collection device are provided in the intermediate part of the vacuum chamber, and both the first electrode arrangement region and the second electrode arrangement region are provided with a plurality of electrodes respectively to form the electrodes in multi-stages.

There is provided a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device which includes: supplying a process gas to a process chamber in a state in which a substrate with an insulating film formed thereon is mounted on a substrate support part inside the process chamber; supplying a first power from a plasma generation part to the process chamber to generate plasma and forming a first silicon nitride layer on the insulating film; and supplying a second power from an ion control part to the process chamber in parallel with the generation of plasma, to form a second silicon nitride layer having lower stress than that of the first silicon nitride layer on the first silicon nitride layer.