Abstract: What is provided is a method and an apparatus for easily forming a multilayer structure of conductive metal thin films while forming a metal oxide thin film regardless of the conductivity of a substrate. A thin film of conductive metal is laminated by: dissolving metal precursors for a metal oxide to be formed and an oxidant to oxidize the metal precursors in a supercritical fluid or subcritical fluid; forming a metal oxide thin film by an oxidation reaction on the surface of a substrate in the supercritical fluid or subcritical fluid; then, dissolving a reducing agent and conductive metal precursors in a supercritical fluid or subcritical fluid; while reducing the metal oxide thin film formed on the surface of the substrate to a metal thin film, reducing the conductive metal precursors on the reduced metal thin film.

Abstract: Disclosed is an IP multicast distribution system that can convert IP multicast data into packets for individual unicast addresses and can transmit the data to a recipient host in a private address space. According to the present invention, before accepting streaming distribution from the distribution server, a recipient host transmits, to an NAPT gateway, a distribution request for which the IP address of an MU conversion gateway is designated as a destination address, a source port number is designated a port number, determined in advance by the distribution server, in order to enable the reception of data by a reception application provided for the recipient host, and a destination port number is designated as an acceptance port number for the MU conversion gateway. Upon receiving the distribution request, the NAPT gateway designates a source IP address as the global IP address for the NAPT gateway and the source port number as the predetermined port number, and transfers data to the MU conversion gateway.

Abstract: What is provided is a method and an apparatus for easily forming a multilayer structure of conductive metal thin films while forming a metal oxide thin film regardless of the conductivity of a substrate. A thin film of conductive metal is laminated by: dissolving metal precursors for a metal oxide to be formed and an oxidant to oxidize the metal precursors in a supercritical fluid or subcritical fluid; forming a metal oxide thin film by an oxidation reaction on the surface of a substrate in the supercritical fluid or subcritical fluid; then, dissolving a reducing agent and conductive metal precursors in a supercritical fluid or subcritical fluid; while reducing the metal oxide thin film formed on the surface of the substrate to a metal thin film, reducing the conductive metal precursors on the reduced metal thin film.

Abstract: Disclosed is an IP multicast distribution system that can convert IP multicast data into packets for individual unicast addresses and can transmit the data to a recipient host in a private address space. According to the present invention, before accepting streaming distribution from the distribution server, a recipient host transmits, to an NAPT gateway, a distribution request for which the IP address of an MU conversion gateway is designated as a destination address, a source port number is designated a port number, determined in advance by the distribution server, in order to enable the reception of data by a reception application provided for the recipient host, and a destination port number is designated as an acceptance port number for the MU conversion gateway. Upon receiving the distribution request, the NAPT gateway designates a source IP address as the global IP address for the NAPT gateway and the source port number as the predetermined port number, and transfers data to the MU conversion gateway.

Abstract: An insulating layer is provided on a semiconductor substrate, a contact hole is formed in the insulating layer, and an underlying metal film is provided on a whole surface of the substrate including inner walls of the contact hole. A surface condition of the underlying metal film is adjusted by a hydrogen plasma treatment. By the hydrogen plasma treatment, a surface of the underlying metal film is hydrogenated and is sputter-etched, so that a disordered film and contaminants adsorbed on the surface of the underlying metal film are removed. Next, aluminum is deposited on the underlying metal film by a chemical vapor deposition process using an organic aluminum compound such as DMAH. The contact hole can be effectively filled with aluminum.

Abstract: In a color image formation apparatus which comprises a photosensitive medium, optical image exposure device for exposing the photosensitive medium to an optical image having light components of an image original, and electrostatic latent image formation device for forming electrostatic latent images on the photosensitive medium in accordance with the exposure to the optical image.

Abstract: Color electrophotographic method and apparatus capable of providing color representation faithful to an original by the provision of well designed color balance control devices. The method of the invention comprises a step of exposing a color resolving image of an original onto a photosensitive medium to develop an electrostatic latent image formed according to the resolving image or an electrostatic image according to the first-mentioned image with fixed color developer, the step being repeated in number according to the color resolution to represent color one above the other on an image carrier such as a photosensitive medium.

Abstract: Electrophotographic photosensitive member characterized by a photoconductive layer which comprises polymers containing vinylcarbazole unit as a repeating moiety and arsenic and/or antimony chalcogen compound, said chalcogen compound being present in an amount of 1 to 30 volumetric parts per 100 volumetric parts of the polymer.

Abstract: In a heat-fixing device for fixing a member to be fixed as it is conveyed on a conveyance path provided with a heat source, there is provided suction means having a suction port adjacent to the conveyance path. The suction means is operable to draw the member to be fixed as it is conveyed.

Abstract: In transferring a toner image carried on a toner image carrier onto a transfer medium, a uniform charge is imparted to the surface of the toner image carrier while a charge of the same polarity as the uniform charge is imparted to the surface of the transfer medium, whereafter a toner image is transferred from the surface of the toner image carrier to the surface of the transfer medium.