Abstract: An aluminium film is formed by sputtering on a ferromagnetic layer made of, e.g., Ni—Fe alloy. The aluminum film is oxidized while an alumina film is deposited on the aluminum film by reactive sputtering, to form a tunneling barrier film. Assuming that the aluminum film has a thickness of 1 nm and the alumina film deposited has a thickness of 0.2 nm, an alumina film having a thickness of about 1.5 nm is formed on the ferromagnetic layer, this alumina film being a lamination of an alumina film which is the oxidized aluminum film and the deposited alumina film. The surface of the ferromagnetic layer is prevented from being oxidized because of the presence of the aluminum film. A thin oxide film such as alumina can be formed in a short time without oxidizing an underlying layer.

Abstract: An electric double-bass is broken down into a trunk, a detachable framework assembled with the trunk, coupling units provided between the trunk and the detachable framework, accessory parts, strings stretched over the trunk and an electric sound generating system for generating electric tones like acoustic tones of a double-bass, and any resonator is formed in the electric double-bass, wherein a string player disassembles the detachable framework from the trunk for storing the electric double-bass in a case, thereby enhancing the portability of the electric double-bass.

Abstract: A first wiring layer is formed on an insulating film. The first wiring layer is formed by sequentially laminating a barrier layer, an Al alloy layer, and an antireflection layer. The antireflection layer is formed by sequentially laminating a Ti layer, a TiN layer, and a TiON layer. After an interlayer insulating film is formed on the first wiring layer, a contact hole is formed through the interlayer insulating film and a tight adhesion layer is formed on an inner surface of the contact hole. The tight adhesion layer is formed by sequentially laminating a Ti layer, a TiN layer, a TiON layer, and a TiN layer. A W plug is embedded in the contact hole through CVD using WF6. Thereafter, an Al alloy layer and an antireflection layer are sequentially deposited and patterned to form a second wiring layer.

Abstract: After a wiring material layer (14) which is made of WSi2 or the like is formed on an insulation film covering a semiconductor substrate (10), a first antireflection coating film (16) which is made of TiON or TiN and a second antireflection coating film (18) which is made of an organic material are sequentially formed on the wiring material layer (14). Resist patterns (20a to 20c) are formed on the second antireflection coating film (18) by photolithography. The dry etching of the second antireflection coating film (18) is performed using the resist patterns (20a to 20c) as masks, after which the dry etching of the first antireflection coating film (16) is conducted using the resist patterns (20a to 20c) and patterns (18a to 18c) of the second antireflection coating film (18) as masks.

Abstract: A first wiring layer is formed on an insulating film. The first wiring layer is formed by sequentially laminating a barrier layer, an Al alloy layer, and an antireflection layer. The antireflection layer is formed by sequentially laminating a Ti layer, a TiN layer, and a TiON layer. After an interlayer insulating film is formed on the first wiring layer, a contact hole is formed through the interlayer insulating film and a tight adhesion layer is formed on an inner surface of the contact hole. The tight adhesion layer is formed by sequentially laminating a Ti layer, a TiN layer, a TiON layer, and a TiN layer. A W plug is embedded in the contact hole through CVD using WF6. Thereafter, an Al alloy layer and an antireflection layer are sequentially deposited and patterned to form a second wiring layer.

Abstract: A musical instrument stand such as a hi-hat stand equipped with hi-hat cymbals is basically constructed a stand member, a pedal device containing a pedal frame and a pedal, and a stand leg unit corresponding to a foldable tripod containing three legs. The stand leg unit vertically supports the stand member together with the pedal frame of the pedal device, which is placed on a floor. Herein, first, second and third legs of the stand leg unit are spread on the floor and are subjected to nonuniform arrangement such that a first angle is set between the first and second legs and between the second and third legs, while a second angle is set between the first and third legs. Preferably, the first angle ranges between 100° and 110°, and the second angle ranges between 140° and 160°. The pedal is arranged in an area that lies between the first and third legs, which are widely spread with the second angle in plan view.

Abstract: A high hat stand has a foot pedal connected to an extension rod slidable inside of a telescopic guide for crashing a top cymbal connected to the extension rod against a bottom cymbal connected to the telescopic guide, a foot member is located in an area opposite to the area occupied by the foot pedal with respect to the telescopic guide, and the foot member is connected to the telescopic guide by means of a single leg so that a player can arrange drums in crowed fashion together with the high hat cymbals.

Abstract: An optical disk includes a standard area of a standard recording density provided on an inner peripheral side and a high density area of a higher recording density provided on an outer peripheral side. In each of the standard area and the high density area, a program area is provided so that an independent program can be recorded in each program area. In one aspect of the invention, an optical disk includes, from the inner periphery to the outer periphery of the disk, a ROM area for read-only purpose, a RAM area in which information can be rewritten and a WO area in which information can be written only once.

Abstract: A time-scale modification method or apparatus is basically designed to effect a time-scale modification process (i.e., expansion or compression with respect to time) on rhythm source signals containing waves such that rhythm sounds are not substantially changed in pitches. Herein, attack positions are detected from the rhythm source signals by using thresholds which are determined in advance. Hence, the time-scale modification process is performed on intermediate signal portions of the rhythm source signals between the attacks in accordance with a desired time-scale modification factor. Then, the intermediate signal portions subjected to the time-scale modification process are smoothly connected with other signal portions such as the attacks and their proximal portions, which are not subjected to the time-scale modification process.

Abstract: A lead frame is prepared which has a plurality of leads whose inner lead portions are coupled to a support member and a notch formed across the bottom surface of each inner lead portion near at its front portion on the support member side. After an LSI chip is adhered to the support member, pads on the chip are connected via bonding wires to corresponding inner leads of the plurality of leads. The chip and inner lead portions are buried in an insulating layer made of resin or the like as protective coating. Each inner lead portion is cut with a cutting device such as laser beam at the notch position to separate the inner lead portion from the support member. Thereafter, the separated assembly unit is accommodated in a package made of resin or the like, and the outer leads are cut and shaped. For an assembly method of a semiconductor device including a wire bonding process, bonding defects to be caused by deformed leads can be reduced.

Abstract: An aluminum-based alloy having the general formula Al.sub.100 -(a+b)Q.sub.a M.sub.b (wherein Q is V, Mo, Fe, W, Nb, and/or Pd; M is Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, and/or Cu; and a and b, representing a composition ratio in atomic percentages, satisfy the relationships 1.ltoreq.a.ltoreq.8, 0<b<5, and 3.ltoreq.a+b.ltoreq.8) having a metallographic structure comprising a quasi-crystalline phase, wherein the difference in the atomic radii between Q and M exceeds 0.01 .ANG., and said alloy does not contain rare earths, possesses high strength and high rigidity. The aluminum-based alloy is useful as a structural material for aircraft, vehicles and ships, and for engine parts; as material for sashes, roofing materials, and exterior materials for use in construction; or as materials for use in marine equipment, nuclear reactors, and the like.

Abstract: A structure of synthetic resin foam has a core layer of thermoplastic resin foam and skin layers of non-foamed thermoplastic resin merged with the core layer, and the skin layers gives rise to increase the mechanical strength of the structure.

Abstract: In construction of a golf club in which a shaft is fixed along its lower tip to a main body within a shaft hole formed in a hosel of the main body, an elongated cylindrical core is inserted into the lower tip of the shaft whilst projecting beyond the upper end location of the hosel. Presence of the cylindrical core well fortifies a shaft/hosel joint whilst withstanding impact is generated at shooting balls.

Abstract: In a leadframe for supporting semiconductor devices and including a plurality of outer lead sections, a recess or recesses are provided on each of the outer lead sections at a central portion or both sides of each outer lead section in a region including a cutting line. The recess or recesses reduce the cross-sectional area of the lead section, thus enabling a new cut surface of the lead section to be well covered by solder and enabling ready cutting of the lead section.

Abstract: In construction of a liquid crystal display including an alignment film and generally used for video display panels such as television sets, the orientation wafer is given in the form of a porous alumina layer. Substantially vertical molecular orientation is resulted from penetration of liquid crystal molecules into pores in the alignment film. Optical application of rubbing process in production enables free adjustment of the value of pretilt angle. Good reproduction and stability is assured even in the case of large fields of vision.

Abstract: A musical tone generating apparatus utilizing a data compression method. A musical tone is sampled and is converted into waveform data. These waveform data are compressed into compressed data by a linear predictive coding method and further by a differential quantization method. The number of bits of each of the compressed data is thus significantly smaller than that of the waveform data. Thereafter, a memory stores the thus compressed data corresponding to an attack portion of the tone and a selected part of a sustain portion of the tone. Hence, it is possible to remarkably reduce the memory storage. When generating a musical tone, the memory reads out the compressed data of the attack portion and thereafter repeatedly reads out the compressed data of the selected part. The read-out compressed data are sequentially decoded into the original digital data. Thus, the whole waveform of the musical tone is reproduced.

Abstract: A ski boot includes a rear shell at least partly formed in one body with its sole, and a front shell pivoted to the sole in an arrangement turnable forwards for entry of a wearer's foot into the ski boot. Forwardly turnable construction of the front shell allows smooth entry of the wearer's foot without enlarging the construction which cannot afford good fit to and sufficient hold on the wearer's foot and one body construction of the rear shell with the sole well withstand rearward tilting of the wearer's leg during skiing.

Abstract: In production of a gap spacer for magnetic heads in electric and electronic appliances, accumulation of a non-magnetic material insoluble to acids or alkalis on a thin base soluble to these solvents is employed with use of a proper mask as a substitute for the conventional rolling process. Stable growth in thickness of the non-magnetic material during the accumulation process assures highly precise thickness uniformity of the product via easy time control of the process and absence of the rolling process allows broader freedom in choice of the material.