Abstract: This invention discloses a method and apparatus where a pre-treatment which reduce interfacial level density is carried out before thin film deposition on a substrate utilizing a catalytic gas phase reaction. The catalytic gas phase reaction is generated with a treatment gas which is supplied with the substrate via a thermal catalysis body provided near the substrate surface. Thin film deposition on the substrate surface is carried out after this pre-treatment. The thermal catalysis body is made of tungsten, molybdenum, tantalum, titanium or vanadium, and is heated by a heater. And, this invention also discloses a semiconductor device having a semiconductor-insulator junction with its interfacial level density is 1012 eV−1 cm−2 or less, which is brought by the above pre-treatment in the insulator film deposition process.

Abstract: Novel polyimides substituted by a substituent having an alkyl or fluoroalkyl group and having reduced water absorption; a process for producing these novel polyimides; and novel acid dianhydrides to be used in the production thereof. A polyimide containing a structure represented by the following general formula (I): wherein X1 represents a tetravalent organic group having a substituent —R1AR2 (wherein A represents a divalent linkage group; R1 represents a single bond or a C1-3 alkylene group; and R2 represents a C1-25 alkyl group or a fluoroalkyl group); and Y represents a divalent organic group.

Abstract: A controlling device for a hydraulically operated cooling fan capable of obtaining optimum cooling efficiency by continuously controlling a rotational frequency of the cooling fan according to a cooling water temperature, a hydraulic oil temperature, and an engine speed is provided.

Abstract: A ferromagnetic tunnel junction random access memory includes a ferromagnetic tunnel junction structure including a first ferromagnetic layer, a second ferromagnetic layer disposed adjacent to the first ferromagnetic layer and having a fixed magnetization, and a tunnel insulator layer interposed between the first and second ferromagnetic layers; a conductor plug penetrating the first ferromagnetic layer, the tunnel insulator layer and the second ferromagnetic layer along a center axis; a first selection line coupled to a first end of the conductor plug; and a second selection line coupled to a second end of the conductor plug opposite to the first end. The first ferromagnetic layer has a generally ring shape surrounding the conductor plug and is insulated from the conductor plug. One of the first and second ferromagnetic layers has an antiferromagnetic layer pattern on a portion thereof.

Abstract: An ink jet head includes a pressure chamber, a vibration plate, and a piezoelectric element which is provided on the vibration plate and causes a volume displacement of the pressure chamber. The piezoelectric element has a thickness of 20 &mgr;m or less, and the pressure chamber and the piezoelectric element satisfy a relation V0/(L22b)>550×10−6, where V0 [m3] denotes a volume displacement of the pressure chamber when the piezoelectric element is driven, L2 [m] denotes a width of the piezoelectric element, and b [m] denotes a depth of the pressure chamber.

Abstract: This invention relates to a culture device of a domed shape, a conical shape, or a cylindrical shape of a closed type used for culture of microalgae, and a gas discharge device set so as to be movable in the culture device. The culture device is basically composed of a transparent inside member (a semispherical dome, a conical peripheral wall, or a cylindrical peripheral wall), a transparent outside member, and a bottom portion connecting the lower ends of the two members, a cylindrical opening portion is provided at the top part of the outside member, and a gas introducing member and a discharging member of a culture solution are provided in the bottom portion. The gas discharge device is basically composed of two opposed rectangular base plates, a bubble guide member, and a discharge nozzle. The culture solution can be agitated without mechanical agitation and the culture can be carried out in high concentrations.

Abstract: The present invention provides an electroplating device including an anode inserted through and disposed in a hole provided in a work and communicating with the outside, and a member for rotating the work about its center axis and supplying a plating electric current to the work. Thus, a uniform plated film can be formed on both of the outer and inner surfaces of the work having the hole communicating with the outside such as a ring-shaped work, of which a ring-shaped bonded magnet is representative, by using the electroplating device.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an article having a silver layer and a resin composition for a coating material for silver which is used in reflective mirrors of photocopy machines and reflective members for indoor and outdoor lighting appliances, automobile headlights and the like. The article having a silver layer of the present invention has a first cured coating layer (A) comprising a resin having anti-corrosion properties for silver, and adhesiveness for both the substrate and silver or a metal comprising mainly silver formed between the substrate and the silver layer (B); and, formed on the silver layer (B), a second cured coating layer (C) comprising a resin selected from the group consisting of a silicone acrylic resin (c1), a silicone alkyd resin (c2), and a multi-functional silicone cross-linked resin (c3) having a main chain formed by siloxane bonds. This type of article having a silver layer is superior in anti-discoloration (anti-corrosion) properties of the silver layer (B).

Abstract: A centrifugal or mixed flow type turbomachine, of a vaneless diffuser type can operate stably at low flow rates below the design flow rate, by preventing the initiation of flow instability in the system. The turbomachine comprises two stabilization members disposed in two predetermined locations of the diffuser section which prevents a generation of unstable flow in the diffuser section during a low flow rate operation and reduction of head coefficient in the turbomachine.

Abstract: A valve operating system in an internal combustion engine includes a switchover pin which is movable between an associatively operating position where adjacent ones of rocker arms are operated in association with each other, and an associative-operation releasing position where the associative-operation is released, the switchover pin receiving at axially opposite ends thereof a hydraulic pressure force acting toward the associatively operating position and a spring force acting toward the associative-operation releasing position, a cylindrical roller shaft which is fixed to one of the adjacent rocker arms, and into which the switchover pin is slidably fitted in response to the movement thereof toward the associatively operating position, and a roller rotatably carried on the roller shaft to come into rolling contact with a cam provided on a camshaft.

Abstract: A plurality of semiconductor chips are incorporated in a one-piece package so as to substantially increase a mounting area of a semiconductor device so that the semiconductor device can be provided with the projection electrodes having a structure which enable the semiconductor device to be mounted by a conventional surface mounting technique. A redistribution layer interconnects and integrally holds the plurality of semiconductor elements. A plurality of projection electrodes are provided on the redistribution layer for surface mounting. The plurality of semiconductor chips are rendered to be different kinds so that the plurality of different kinds of semiconductor chips together provide a complete function. The plurality of semiconductor chips may be rendered to be the same kind so as to reduce a mounting area of the semiconductor chips as a whole.

Abstract: One of adjacent rocker arms in a valve operating system of an engine is provided with first and second support walls. A roller is disposed between the first and second support walls to come into rolling contact with cams. A cylindrical roller shaft, supporting the roller, is provided between the first and second support walls, so that a switchover pin of an associative-operation switchover means can be slidably fitted into the roller shaft in response to the movement thereof. The roller shaft is press-fitted into at least a second one of the first and second support walls, and a press-fit margin for the roller shaft press-fitted into the second support wall on the side of the other rocker arm is set smaller than a press-fit margin for the roller shaft press-fitted into the second support wall on the side of the roller.

Abstract: A data transmission method in which a transmission request is forwarded from a host apparatus to a terminal apparatus. When receiving the transmission request, the terminal apparatus forwards as communication request to the host apparatus. In this communication request, a timer value of asa system timer included in the terminal apparatus is incorporated. Having received the communication request including the timer value, the host apparatus establishes an ID for the terminal apparatus according to the timer value. Then, the host apparatus conducts polling for collecting data from the terminal apparatus using the established ID.

Abstract: The present invention provide a method for color matching of a thermosetting powder coating composition, the method comprising the steps of: (1) dryblending two or more kinds of starting colored thermosetting powder coating compositions of different colors having an average particle size of 20 &mgr;m or less to achieve color matching, and (2) granulating the dryblend to a particle size in the range suitable for powder coating, by heating and agitating the dryblend, or by adding a specific solid binder, or by grinding and classifying a sheet or grains formed by compressing the dryblend. According to the present invention, color matching can be easily made, and a color-matched powder coating composition is obtained which is excellent in application characteristics, finished appearance and film properties.

Abstract: An organic photoconductor is disclosed, which comprises a cylindrical electrically conductive support and, formed thereon in this order, a charge-generating layer and a charge-transporting layer, the external surface of the cylindrical electrically conductive support having an index of surface area as defined by the following equation (I) of from 0.01 to 0.10, and the charge-generating layer having a multilayer structure comprising a charge-generating layer having n-type semiconductor characteristics and a charge-generating layer having p-type semiconductor characteristics: (Sa/Sm)−1  (I) wherein Sa is the actual surface area of the external surface of the cylindrical electrically conductive support and Sm is the theoretical surface area thereof calculated on the assumption that the support is an ideal cylinder.

Abstract: The turning behavior state of a vehicle is determined by a determining device, by comparing a front wheel slip angle and a rear wheel slip angle calculated based on a lateral slip angle of a vehicle body by a wheel slip angle calculating device, with a front wheel slip angle limit value and a rear wheel slip angle limit value which are determined based on a vehicle speed detected by a vehicle speed detecting device and a friction coefficient presumed by a friction coefficient presuming device. Thus, even in a state in which the road surface friction coefficient is low, the turning behavior state of the vehicle can be detected precisely.

Abstract: A power-on reset signal preparing circuit including a pulse width preparing circuit for generating a pulse for resetting a main circuit based on a driving voltage output from a driving circuit based on the output voltages from two charging circuits with different charging times. The driving circuit may be a switching circuit utilizing charged potential difference of the two charging circuits, a gate circuit utilizing a charging time difference of the two charging circuits, or a differential transistor pair utilizing the charging potential difference or time difference of the two charging circuits. The pulse width preparing circuit may be formed by two wiring lines, connected between the output of the driving circuit and the ground and running substantially parallel to each other, whereby the capacitors may be small in size.

Abstract: A rubber glove comprising a main rubber layer and an inner covering layer, bonded to the main rubber layer, containing resin particles is disclosed. The resin particles are partially exposed on the skin-contacting surface of the inner covering layer to an extent such that, among resin particles visually observed in unit area of the skin-contacting surface, resin particles having a maximum particle diameter of 2-20 &mgr;m have a total projected area ratio A of 5-50%, as defined by the formula: A(%)=B/C×100, where B is total projected area of resin particles with a maximum particle diameter of 2-20 &mgr;m, and C is the unit area. The rubber glove can be easily donned and pulled off, and resin particles do not fall or do fall off only to a very slight extent upon donning or pulling off, and, when the inner covering layer is placed in contact with each other, the layer does not easily stick to each other.

Abstract: A battery-connecting plate consists of busbars for connecting batteries together and a wire protector which holds in a predetermined layout therein terminals and their connection wires for detecting voltage of desired ones of the batteries. The busbars and the wire protector are fixed in a resin plate by insert molding, with the busbars arranged in correspondence with the batteries and with the terminals held in contact with related ones of the busbars. The busbars, the voltage detecting terminals and others are integrally incorporated in the connecting plate so that these components are less exposed to the outside. The connecting plate is thus safe and easy to mount.

Abstract: A graft with a stent, includes: a stent composed of a resilient wire having a supporting frame comprising a wire having a zigzag shape forming top and bottom portions; and tubes being made of plain woven of polyester resin fibers and having a thickness of 20 &mgr;m to 100 &mgr;m. The tubes are disposed between inner surface and outer surface of the stent, and the inner tube surface and the outer tube surface are partially adhered to each other by a polyester resin. The graft is free from hindrance of blood from flowing by kink and/or arctation in a corner such as an arched portion, a curved portion, and meandering portion, is resistant to expansion and contraction and bending, and is fit to a shape of a blood vessel of a human body. The graft is usable for a total percutaneous intravascular surgery because it can be inserted into a sheath having a small diameter because of a thin artificial blood vessel, and is prone not to have leakage from a connection with a blood vessel.