Abstract: The present invention provides a photoelectric conversion device capable of improving durability without using particular material. The photoelectric conversion device includes a working electrode in which dye is carried by a metal oxide semiconductor layer and a facing electrode having a conductive layer, and a semi-solid electrolyte containing layer supported between the working electrode and the facing electrode. The electrolyte containing layer contains an electrolyte solution in which a solid electrolyte salt is dissolved in an organic solvent, and a particle. Thereby, liquid leakage or the like hardly occurs even under a high-temperature environment in comparison with the case where the electrolyte containing layer does not contain a particle.

Abstract: An optical recording medium comprises a laminate of at least two recording layers; each of the recording layers contains a metal complex dye and an organic dye in a predetermined concentration; when the recording layers comprise a first recording layer and a second recording layer in order from a light entrance side, the first recording layer contains 20 to 50 parts by weight of the metal complex dye where a total amount of the metal complex dye and the organic dye is 100 parts by weight, and the second recording layer contains 20 to 100 parts by weight of the metal complex dye where a total amount of the metal complex dye and the organic dye is 100 parts by weight. The optical recording medium is provided as one with a satisfactorily excellent initial error rate and a satisfactorily excellent error rate after a light resistance test, in each of the recording layers.

Abstract: At least two recording layers are laminated, a dye in each of the recording layers contains predetermined concentrations of a metal complex dye and an organic dye, the recording layers are referred to as first and second recording layers successively from the light entrance surface side, the first recording layer contains 60 to 100 parts by weight of a metal complex dye where the total amount of the metal complex dye and organic dye is 100 parts by weight, and the second recording layer contains 10 to 80 parts by weight of a metal complex dye where the total amount of the metal complex dye and organic dye is 100 parts by weight. A recording medium is provided, in which recording is possible in the first and second recording layers by recording powers equivalent to each other while the initial error rate after a high-temperature storage test is sufficiently low in each recording layer.

Abstract: An optical recording medium provided with a recording layer that comprises a cation represented by the following general formula (1) and a chelate compound of an azo compound represented by the following general formula (2) and a metal. In the formulas, R1-R4 each independently represent a monovalent group represented by Chemical Formula (10) below or other groups, R5 and R6 each independently represent an optionally substituted alkyl group or other groups, R7 represents a hydrogen atom or other groups, Q1 and Q2 each independently represent a group that forms an optionally substituted benzene ring or other groups, at least one from among R1-R4 is a monovalent group represented by Chemical Formula (10) below, [Chemical Formula 2] [CH2?CH—CH2???(10) and at least one of Ar1 and Ar2 is an aryl or other group having a substituent capable of coordinating with a metal atom.

Abstract: Provided is a method of manufacturing a photoelectric conversion device capable of maintaining a durability and improving initial characteristics. A dye-sensitized photoelectric conversion device including a working electrode and a facing electrode, and an electrolyte inclusion is manufactured. First, a facing electrode in which a dye is carried by a metal oxide semiconductor layer having a porous structure, and a facing electrode are manufactured. Next, the working electrode and the facing electrode are stuck together so as to have a predetermined space in between. A low-viscosity liquid is injected between the working electrode and the facing electrode and impregnated into the porous structure. Then, the high-viscosity material is injected and the electrolyte is adjusted so as to form the electrolyte inclusion. Even if the viscosity of the electrolyte is high, an electrolytic salt is quickly dispersed into the porous structure.

Abstract: There are disclosed a photoelectric conversion electrode having a large amount of a dye to be supported and an excellent dye replacement property and having a capability of improving a photoelectric conversion efficiency, a manufacturing method of the photoelectric conversion electrode and the like. A photoelectric conversion electrode 11 according to the present invention can be manufactured by laminating a porous metal oxide layer 14 including a metal oxide and a dye on a substrate 12 having a conductive surface 12a, and the metal oxide layer 14 has a specific surface area of 70 to 250 m2/g and a void ratio of 50 to 75%. Specifically, the metal oxide layer 14 can be formed by a cathode electrolytic deposition process using an electrolyte containing a metal salt and 80 to 500 ?M of template dye, the template dye co-adsorbed on the metal oxide layer 14 is desorbed, and a sensitizing dye different from the template dye is more preferably re-adsorbed.

Abstract: There are disclosed an electrode having a large amount of a dye to be supported, having an excellent dye replacement property and having a capability of improving a photoelectric conversion efficiency, a manufacturing method of the electrode and a dye-sensitized solar cell including the electrode. An electrode 11 according to the present invention includes a dye-supported layer 14 laminated on a substrate 12 and including zinc oxide and a dye. The dye-supported layer 14 has at least a plurality of bump-like protrusions formed so that zinc oxide protrudes radially from the substrate 12, or satisfies represented by the following formula (1): 2?I002/I101?12, in which I002 is a peak intensity attributed to a zinc oxide (002) face in X-ray diffraction measurement of the dye-supported layer 14, and I101 is a peak intensity attributed to a zinc oxide (101) face in the X-ray diffraction measurement.

Abstract: Provided is a photoelectric conversion device capable of improving a conversion efficiency. In a dye-sensitized photoelectric conversion device including a working electrode and a facing electrode, and an electrolyte inclusion, a dye is carried on a metal-oxide semiconductor layer of the working electrode. The dye includes cyanine dye having a benzyl group and an indolenine skeleton. Therefore, crystallization of the dye on the surface of the metal-oxide semiconductor layer is suppressed.

Abstract: There are disclosed a photoelectric conversion electrode having a large amount of a dye to be supported and an excellent dye replacement property and capability of improving a mechanical strength and a photoelectric conversion efficiency. In a photoelectric conversion electrode 11 according to the present invention, on a substrate 12 having a conductive surface 12a, an underlayer 13 containing a metal oxide and a porous metal oxide layer 14 including a metal oxide and a dye can be prepared by an electrolytic deposition process, and an electrolysis potential of the underlayer 13 is set to a potential or less of a flection point having a minimum potential among a plurality of flection points observed in a range of 0 to ?1.5 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) in a current-potential profile during electrolytic deposition, whereby the underlayer is formed so that pointed crystal particles 13a of the metal oxide are piled up in a layer thickness direction.

Abstract: Provided is a photoelectric conversion device having a simple structure including a plurality of end-face incident type photoelectric conversion cells. A plurality of dye-sensitized unit cells are disposed on folded faces of the metal sheet that is in a folded form. In these unit cells, a light which comes from a lateral end face of a stacked structure of each unit cell is photoelectrically converted. The manufacturing process of a soar cell is simplified in comparison with the case that a plurality of end-face incident type photoelectric conversion cells are merely placed in a plane.

Abstract: The present invention provides an electrolytic capacitor manufacturing method capable of manufacturing an electrolytic capacitor having the PTC function as easy as possible. A main electrode layer in a cathode is formed so as to have the PTC function. Different from a conventional electrolytic capacitor manufacturing method of connecting a PTC thermistor to a capacitor element to give the PTC function to an electrolytic capacitor so that an electrolytic capacitor manufacturing process is complicated and the number of manufacturing processes is increased by the amount corresponding to the PTC thermistor connecting process, the process of connecting the PTC thermistor to the capacitor element is unnecessary. Consequently, complication of the electrolytic capacitor manufacturing process and increase in the number of manufacturing processes caused by the PTC thermistor connecting process can be prevented.

Abstract: The present invention provides an electrolytic capacitor manufacturing method capable of manufacturing an electrolytic capacitor having the PTC function as easy as possible. A main electrode layer in a cathode is formed so as to have the PTC function. Different from a conventional electrolytic capacitor manufacturing method of connecting a PTC thermistor to a capacitor element to give the PTC function to an electrolytic capacitor so that an electrolytic capacitor manufacturing process is complicated and the number of manufacturing processes is increased by the amount corresponding to the PTC thermistor connecting process, the process of connecting the PTC thermistor to the capacitor element is unnecessary. Consequently, complication of the electrolytic capacitor manufacturing process and increase in the number of manufacturing processes caused by the PTC thermistor connecting process can be prevented.

Abstract: The present invention provides an electrolytic capacitor manufacturing method capable of manufacturing an electrolytic capacitor having the PTC function as easy as possible. A main electrode layer in a cathode is formed so as to have the PTC function. Different from a conventional electrolytic capacitor manufacturing method of connecting a PTC thermistor to a capacitor element to give the PTC function to an electrolytic capacitor so that an electrolytic capacitor manufacturing process is complicated and the number of manufacturing processes is increased by the amount corresponding to the PTC thermistor connecting process, the process of connecting the PTC thermistor to the capacitor element is unnecessary. Consequently, complication of the electrolytic capacitor manufacturing process and increase in the number of manufacturing processes caused by the PTC thermistor connecting process can be prevented.

Abstract: The method of evaluating dye component suitability for optical recording media according to the invention comprises a first step in which the temperature of a sample containing the dye component or the temperature of the atmosphere surrounding the sample is set to two or more different prescribed temperatures, and the absorbance of the sample for light of a prescribed wavelength is measured at each of the prescribed temperatures, and a second step in which the suitability of including the dye component in the recording layer of an optical recording medium is evaluated based on one or more conditions which are set based on correlation between the prescribed temperatures and the absorbance.

Abstract: An optical recording material for an optical recording medium capable of recording information by irradiation of light including: a cation represented by the following general formula (1); and a chelate compound formed by an azo compound and a metal, wherein at least one of R1, R2, R3 and R4 is an optionally substituted benzyl group, and at least one of R5 and R6 is an optionally substituted alkyl group having a carbon number of at least 5 or an optionally substituted aryl group having a carbon number of at least 5.

Abstract: The optical recording material of the invention is an optical recording material used for an optical recording medium capable of recording information by irradiation of light, the optical recording medium being an optical recording medium which records information at a linear speed of at least 14 m/sec, wherein the dye component in the optical recording material comprises at least one type of chelate compound of an azo compound and a metal, and when the dye component is used as a sample for thermogravimetry in an inert gas atmosphere, the dye component sample exhibits a maximum weight reduction of 0.2-3.0%/° C. at 180-250° C.

Abstract: The present invention aims to provide a coating liquid for producing an optical recording medium that can record large volumes of data and can respond sufficiently to high speed writing, a method for producing an optical recording medium using the same, and an optical recording medium. The coating liquid for use in a method for producing an optical recording medium according one embodiment of the invention contains a solvent and a pigment dissolved in the solvent. The solvent includes TFP and/or OFP and an aliphatic saturated alcohol having 1-4 carbon atoms by 0.01-10% by mass relative to the total amount of the solvent, and the pigment includes the compound represented by the following general formula (1) and a chelate compound consisting of an azo compound and a metal.

Abstract: An optical recording material used in an optical recording medium capable of recording information by irradiation of light, which comprises a cation represented by general formula (1a) below and a chelate compound of an azo compound and a metal, the content ratio of the chelate compound being 10 to 70 mole percent based on the total of the cation and the chelate compound, wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R5 and R6 each independently represent C1-4 alkyl, etc., R7 represents hydrogen, etc. and Q1 and Q2 each independently represent a group of atoms constituting a benzene ring, etc., with the proviso that at least one from among R1, R2, R3 and R4 is a non-methyl group.

Abstract: The present invention provides an electrolytic capacitor manufacturing method capable of manufacturing an electrolytic capacitor having the PTC function as easy as possible. A main electrode layer in a cathode is formed so as to have the PTC function. Different from a conventional electrolytic capacitor manufacturing method of connecting a PTC thermistor to a capacitor element to give the PTC function to an electrolytic capacitor so that an electrolytic capacitor manufacturing process is complicated and the number of manufacturing processes is increased by the amount corresponding to the PTC thermistor connecting process, the process of connecting the PTC thermistor to the capacitor element is unnecessary. Consequently, complication of the electrolytic capacitor manufacturing process and increase in the number of manufacturing processes caused by the PTC thermistor connecting process can be prevented.

Abstract: An optical recording material used in an optical recording medium which can record information by light irradiation, this optical recording material containing a dye compound obtained by salt formation between a chelate compound formed by coordination between one metal and one or two compounds represented by the following general formula (1): where A and B are groups of atoms which may be identical or different, and which respectively form aromatic rings, and X1 and X2 are respectively functional groups having one or more active hydrogen atoms which may contain a substituent group, and a cation represented by the following general formula (2): where C is a group of atoms forming a benzene ring or naphthalene ring which may have a substituent group, R1 and R2 are respectively five-membered rings or six-membered rings which may have a substituent group, Y1 is a substituent group, Q3 is a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic ring which may have a condensed ring, p and q are respectively integers from 1 to