Abstract: A method for producing polytetrafluoroethylene, which includes polymerizing tetrafluoroethylene in an aqueous medium in the presence of a nucleating agent and a hydrocarbon anionic surfactant to obtain polytetrafluoroethylene. A total amount of the nucleating agent and the hydrocarbon anionic surfactant at the initiation of polymerization is more than 50 ppm based on the aqueous medium.

Abstract: A polylactic acid resin composition includes a polylactic acid resin in an amount of 99% by mass or more. A complex viscosity ?*(20) of the polylactic acid resin composition is 2×103 Pa·s or higher. A ratio of the complex viscosity ?*(20) to a complex viscosity ?*(5), which is represented by [?*(20)/?*(5)], is 0.6 or higher. The complex viscosity ?*(5) and the complex viscosity ?*(20) are complex viscosities respectively measured 5 minutes and 20 minutes after the start of measurement using a parallel plate-type rotary viscometer under measurement conditions below: [Measurement Conditions] Parallel plates: 20 mm in diameter, made of aluminum; Temperature: 200° C.; Gap between the parallel plates: 1.00 mm; Frequency: 1 Hz (6.28 rad/s); Atmosphere: under dry air (dew point: ?60° C.); and Size of measurement sample: a strip that is 30 ?m thick, 7 mm wide, and 35 mm long.

Abstract: At least one drawing system includes drawing apparatuses each configured to radiate a beam onto a substrate to draw a pattern, and a transmitting unit configured to transmit image data regarding the pattern to the drawing apparatuses. In at least one embodiment, the transmitting unit is configured to transmit identical image data to a plurality of drawing apparatuses included in the drawing apparatuses, and at least one drawing apparatus of the plurality of drawing apparatuses is configured to use the identical image data and correction image data for correcting a partial image of the identical image data to correct the partial image.

Abstract: A lithography apparatus converts vector pattern data into bitmap data and performs writing on a substrate with a charged particle beam based on the bitmap data. Here, the lithography apparatus includes a display unit and a processing unit that causes the display unit to display an image corresponding to the bitmap data and performs processing for updating the bitmap data by changing at least one of a pixel value, dimension, and shape of the image displayed on the display unit via a graphical user interface.

Abstract: A lithography apparatus converts vector pattern data into bitmap data and performs writing on a substrate with a charged particle beam based on the bitmap data. Here, the lithography apparatus includes a display unit and a processing unit that causes the display unit to display an image corresponding to the bitmap data and performs processing for updating the bitmap data by changing at least one of a pixel value, dimension, and shape of the image displayed on the display unit via a graphical user interface.

Abstract: There is provided a novel luminescence measuring apparatus that enables measuring a luminescence amount or a luminescence intensity from plural living biological samples, such as tissues, cells, and biological individuals, into which a gene expressing a luminescent protein has been introduced, individually for the respective biological samples. The inventive luminescence measuring apparatus comprises an image acquisition portion that acquires a luminescence image of biological samples; a measurement region determination portion that determines at least one measurement region in the luminescence image; and a luminescence measurement portion that measures the luminescence amount or luminescence intensity in the determined measurement region; thereby measuring the luminescence amount or luminescence intensity individually by the biological sample(s) included in the measurement region. Irrespective of an efficiency of transfer of a luminescent protein gene into a cell, etc.

Abstract: A scanning tunnel microscope is arranged by a combination of an optical microscope and a tunnel scanning unit. The scanning tunnel unit includes a probe held to be spaced apart from a sample placed on a sample table by a predetermined interval in an axial direction, and an actuator for axially moving the sample table and the probe to a tunnel region and relatively and three-dimensionally driving the sample table and the probe. An objective lens and the probe are arranged such that the axis of the probe of the scanning tunnel unit is aligned with an optical axis of the objective lens of the optical microscope. The sample and the probe are axially moved and brought into the tunnel region, and the sample is scanned in its surface direction while the sample and the probe are finely moved in the axial direction and a tunnel current is kept constant, thereby performing an STM observation of an observation surface of the sample.

Abstract: Light emitted from a semiconductor laser is collimated by a collimator lens into a parallel beam. The parallel beam enters a phase plate which provides a phase difference of .pi. to a half of the beam. The beam, which has passed through the phase plate, enters an objective lens and is converged onto an optical disc. The optical disc has a number of mark sets along the track, each mark set comprising optically detectable two marks. The beam from the optical disc is collected into the objective lens and is reflected by a polarized beam splitter into a light detector. The output from a light-element of the light detector is delivered to a differential amplifier and a summing amplifier. The outputs from the differential amplifier and summing amplifier are input to a divider. The output from the divider is delivered to an information reproducing unit. The information reproducing unit reproduces information recorded on the optical disc on the basis of the input, and outputs the reproduced information.

Abstract: A laser beam emitted from a laser diode 12 is converted to parallel beams through a collimator lens 14. The beams pass through a stop 15, a polarizing beam splitter 16 and a .lambda./4 plate 18. The beams are then converged on an optical disc 22 through an objective lens 20 and diffracted by mark set provided on the disc 22. The diffracted beams reflected by the disc 22 enter the objective lens 20, pass through the .lambda./4 plate 18, are reflected by the polarizing beam splitter 16, and are divided into two parts by a half mirror 24. The reflected part of the beams enters a data reproducing detector 26, and the transmitted part of the beams enters a tracking servo detector 27.

Abstract: A fine surface profile meter includes an X-Y stage, supported by a leaf spring, for supporting a sample thereon, a piezoelectric actuator for two-dimensionally scanning the X-Y stage, a positioning table, disposed below the X-Y stage, for positioning the X-Y stage at an arbitrary position, an objective lens disposed above the X-Y stage, an observation optical system for allowing an operator to observe an enlarged sample image, a measurement optical system, an optical axis of which is aligned with an optical path of the objective lens through a beam splitter, the measurement optical system for emitting a laser beam onto the sample through the objective lens and to receive the laser beam reflected by the sample, a calculator circuit for calculating height information of the sample using an output from the measurement optical system and for obtaining a two-dimensional distribution of the height information, a cover for shielding the X-Y stage, the positioning means, the objective lens, the beam splitter, the obs