Abstract: A liquid crystal display element is formed by providing a liquid crystal layer made of ferroelectric liquid crystal material between electrode substrates. One of the electrode substrate is composed of a substrate, electrodes, an insulating film, and an alignment film, while the other substrate is composed of a substrate, electrodes, an insulating film, and an alignment plate. The alignment film is formed by mixing a substance with ionic bond in an alignment film material and thereafter applying the mixture on the paired substrates on each of which the electrodes and the insulating film are provided. With this arrangement, ions are eluted from the alignment films thus formed into the liquid crystal layer, thereby becoming dispersed therethrough homogeneously. This remarkably reduces influences of display history, and half-tone display with excellent response characteristics can be realized, being not affected by display history.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of producing silicon-on-porous-silicon material comprising the steps of (i) manufacturing a porous silicon layer on a suitable silicon wafer, such that the silicon wafer has a porous silicon surface and a non-porous silicon surface, (ii) applying an implanted ion dose to at least a portion of the porous silicon surface such that the dose is sufficient to cause amorphization of porous silicon. The material produced by the method of the invention can then be used for production of silicon-on-insulator material by oxidation of remaining porous silicon and recrystallization of amorphised silicon. Typically such material can be used for manufacture of e.g. SOI C-MOS devices and bipolar transistors. Alternatively, the method of the invention can be used for the manufacture of e.g. pyroelectric devices.

Abstract: A ditch filling fascine including a core comprising a plurality of inflatable core members, and a sleeve comprising a multiplicity of axially parallel sleeve members adjacent to one another and connected by at least two flexible ties such as chains. A compressed gas cylinder is provided for inflating the core, and is connected to the core members by a ring main manifold incorporating one way valves for allowing gas to flow into the core members only. The invention also provides a plurality of fascines in combination with a launching vehicle.

Abstract: A process for forming metallic articles involves generating a stream of atomized molten metal particles, directing this stream of particles at a substrate to form a deposit of the metal thereon having a desired form, and simultaneously directing at the metal as it is deposited on the substrate, a stream of rounded particles so as to consolidate the deposited metal. Apparatus for forming metallic articles includes means for generating a stream of atomized molten metal particles and means for producing a stream of rounded particles both of said means being so arranged as to cause the streams to converge on an area, and means for maintaining a substrate arranged to coincide with the area and adapted to receive thereon a deposit of the metal. The substrate may be incorporated into the metallic article product e.g.