Activated carbons were investigated for their heat catalytic effects to improve saccharification of starch by autohydrolysis in water under microwave electromagnetic field, and the results were compared with graphite and carbon nanotubes. The activated carbons with low adsorptive capacity of maltose showed high saccharification rate, while those with high adsorptive capacity exhibited low saccharification. In addition, the former activated carbons decreased the saccharification temperature by 10-30°C. Maltooligosaccharides produced in the presence of the latter activated carbons were recovered by desorption with 50% aqueous ethanol. The results indicated that both adsorptive capacities of maltooligosaccharides and catalytic effects of hot spots arisen from the uneven surface structure of activated carbons might contribute to the improvement in starch saccharification.

We have extended our previous study of the diffusion of acid from chemically amplified (CA) resist layer to Si-hardmask (Si-HM) layer using an ArF eximer laser as a light source. The acid concentration in the resist layer was estimated based on the de-protection reaction kinetics for the CA resist using in-situ FT-IR spectroscopy. Acid diffusion at CA resist/Si-HM interface essentially occurred regardless of the light wavelength on irradiation. The acid diffusion and resist sensitivity were discussed in terms of the structures of Si-HM on irradiation at 193 nm.