Abstract: A method of setting functions in an image forming apparatus having hardware resources used in an image forming process and programs for performing the image forming process includes a step of reading an information content of a data carrier that is in a possession of an operator, and a step of setting a function of the image forming apparatus in response to the read information content.

Abstract: There is provided a method of manufacturing a group-III nitride crystal in which a nitrogen plasma is brought into contact with a melt containing a group-III element and an alkali metal to grow the group-III nitride crystal. Furthermore, there is also provided a method of manufacturing a group-III nitride crystal in which the group-III nitride crystal is grown on a substrate placed in a melt containing a group-III element and an alkali metal, with a minimal distance between a surface of the melt and a surface of the substrate set to be at most 50 mm.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for production of vapor-phase growth carbon fibers. The apparatus can continuously produce these carbon fibers for a long time without blocking a furnace of tubular reactor of the apparatus. Also disclosed is a process for production of carbon fibers by means of the apparatus, a device for preventing deposition of carbon fibers on an inside of a furnace of tubular reactor, and vapor-phase growth carbon fibers produced in the apparatus. The vapor-phase growth carbon fibers include carbon nanofibers and/or carbon nanotubes. The apparatus includes a furnace of tubular reactor, at an end of which a feedstock-supplying nozzle is provided, and a discharge pipe inserted in the furnace of tubular reactor, the top end of which faces the opening of the nozzle and the bottom end discharges the carbon fibers.

Abstract: The present invention provides a Group III nitride crystal substrate whose surface has concavities and convexities reduced in size. The surfaces with concavities and convexities, such as hillocks, pits and facets, of Group III nitride crystals are brought into contact with a melt and thereby the surfaces are subjected to meltback etching or mechanochemical polishing. The melt includes at least one of alkali metal and alkaline-earth metal. Thus a Group III nitride crystal substrate that has reduced strain and a reduced number of defects, which are caused through the processing, and is excellent in surface flatness is manufactured. Furthermore, by the use of the Group III nitride crystal substrate of the present invention, for instance, semiconductor devices of high performance can be obtained.

Abstract: The present invention provides a manufacturing method in which high quality GaN crystals and GaN crystal substrates can be manufactured under mild conditions of low pressure and low temperature. In a method of manufacturing GaN crystals in which in a gas atmosphere containing nitrogen, gallium and the nitrogen are allowed to react with each other to generate GaN crystals in a mixed melt of the gallium and sodium, the gallium and the nitrogen are allowed to react with each other under a pressurizing condition that exceeds atmospheric pressure, and pressure P1 (atm (×1.013×105 Pa)) of the pressurizing condition is set so as to satisfy the condition that is expressed by the following conditional expression (I): P?P1<(P+45)??(I), where in the expression (I), P(atm (×1.013×105 Pa)) denotes the minimum pressure that is required for generating GaN crystals at a temperature T°C. of the mixed melt.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of manufacturing Group III nitride crystals that are of high quality, are manufactured efficiently, and are useful and usable as a substrate for semiconductor manufacturing processes. A semiconductor layer that is made of a semiconductor and includes crystal-nucleus generation regions at its surface is formed. The semiconductor is expressed by a composition formula of AluGavIn1-u-vN (where 0?u?1, 0?v?1, and u+v?1). Group III nitride crystals then are grown on the semiconductor layer by bringing the crystal-nucleus generation regions of the semiconductor layer into contact with a melt in an atmosphere including nitrogen. The melt contains nitrogen, at least one Group III element selected from the group consisting of gallium, aluminum, and indium, and at least one of alkali metal and alkaline-earth metal.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of manufacturing Group III nitride crystals that are of high quality, are manufactured highly efficiently, and are useful and usable as a substrate that is used in semiconductor manufacturing processes.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of manufacturing a gallium nitride single crystal that can suppress the decomposition of gallium nitride and improve production efficiency in a sublimation method. According to the manufacturing method, a material (GaN powder) for the gallium nitride (GaN) single crystal is placed inside a crucible, sublimed or evaporated by heating, and cooled on a substrate surface to return to a solid again, so that the gallium nitride single crystal is grown on the substrate surface. The growth of the single crystal is performed under pressure. The pressure is preferably not less than 5 atm (5×1.013×105 Pa). The single crystal is grown preferably in a mixed gas atmosphere containing NH3 and N2.

Abstract: The present invention provides a manufacturing method that allows a Group III nitride substrate with a low dislocation density to be manufactured, and a semiconductor device that is manufactured using the manufacturing method. The manufacturing method includes, in an atmosphere including nitrogen, allowing a Group III element and the nitrogen to react with each other in an alkali metal melt to cause generation and growth of Group III nitride crystals. In the manufacturing method, a plurality of portions of a Group III nitride semiconductor layer are prepared, selected as seed crystals, and used for at least one of the generation and the growth of the Group III nitride crystals, and then surfaces of the seed crystals are brought into contact with the alkali metal melt.

Abstract: The thermo reversible recording medium comprises a substrate and a thermo sensible layer. This thermo sensible layer is made of resin and organic lower molecular weight substance and can become transparent-state or opaque-state depending on temperature. The organic lower molecular weight substance is a linear hydrocarbon-containing compound having no carboxyl group (A) and a linear hydrocarbon-containing compound having no carboxyl group (B) having a melting point lower than the melting point of the linear hydrocarbon-containing compound having no carboxyl group (A) by 20° C. or more.

Abstract: It is an object to increase a reprocessing speed of spent nuclear fuel and to obtain uranium having a high purity and a plutonium mixture reusable as it is at a low cost through a simple procedure.

Abstract: The thermo reversible recording medium comprises a substrate and a heat sensible layer. This heat sensible layer is made of resin and organic lower molecular weight substance and can becoming transparent or non-transparent or vice versa depending on temperature. The organic lower molecular weight substance is a linear hydrocarbon-containing compound having no carboxyl group (A) and a linear hydrocarbon-containing compound having no carboxyl group (B) having a melting point lower than the melting point of the linear hydrocarbon-containing compound having no carboxyl group (A) by 20° C. or more.

Abstract: A reversible thermosensitive recording material which includes a recording layer including an electron donating coloring agent and an electron accepting coloring developer and in which an image is reversibly formed and erased by appropriately heating and cooling the recording layer, wherein the recording layer further includes an erasure promoter including one or more secondary amide group having the following formulas (1), (2) or (3): wherein each of R1, R2, R3, R4 and R5 independently represents a hydrocarbon group which is optionally substituted and which may be saturated or unsaturated, and wherein R1 and R2 are optionally combined to form a ring which may include one or more of a nitrogen atom, an oxygen atom and a sulfur atom. Alternatively, the erasure promoter may include two or more secondary amide groups having formula (1), (2) or (3).

Abstract: A reversible thermal recording method using a color/non-color type reversible thermosensitive recording material which has a recording layer formed overlying at least one side of a substrate and including an electron donating coloring agent and an electron accepting color developer and which reversibly forms a colored state and a non-colored state by being appropriately heated and cooled. The recording layer having images of the colored state which have been formed in the recording layer is heated to erase the image, and imagewise heated either at substantially the same time as, or after, the image erasing operation to record new images therein, and then relatively rapidly cooled to maintain the new images. A reversible thermal recording apparatus therefor is also provided.

Abstract: A reversible thermosensitive recording material which includes a recording layer including an electron donating coloring agent and an electron accepting coloring developer and in which an image is reversibly formed and erased by appropriately heating and cooling the recording layer, wherein the recording material has an image density retention not less than about 60% when the recording material having an image is allowed to settle in a dry place at 50.degree. C. for 24 hours, a residual image density not greater than about 0.03 when the recording material having an image is heated at 110.degree. C. for 0.5 seconds to erase the image, and a residual image density after light irradiation not greater than about 0.04 when the recording material having an image is heated at 110.degree. C. for 0.5 seconds to erase the image after light of 5,000 lux is irradiated to the recording material for 100 hours.

Abstract: A reversible thermosensitive composition including a coloring agent and a developer and capable of assuming a colored state and a discolored state depending upon the thermal hysteresis thereof. The developer is a phenol compound represented by the formula: ##STR1## wherein n is an integer of between 1 and 3, X represents a divalent group having a nitrogen atom or an oxygen atom, R.sup.1 represents a substituted or non-substituted aliphatic hydrocarbon group having at least two carbon atoms and R.sup.2 represents a hydrocarbon group. A reversible thermosensitive recording medium has a thermosensitive recording layer containing the above composition.

Abstract: A reversible thermosensitive recording material which includes a recording layer including a resin, an electron donating coloring agent and an electron accepting coloring developer and in which an image is reversibly formed and erased by appropriately heating and cooling the recording layer, wherein the resin includes a resin crosslinked with the isocyanate compound. The reversible thermosensitive recording material has good image recording/erasing ability, and good durability.

Abstract: A reversible thermosensitive recording medium has a support, and a reversible thermosensitive recording layer, an intermediate layer and a protective layer which are successively overlaid on the support in this order, the recording layer containing a reversible thermosensitive coloring composition which includes an electron-donating coloring compound and an electron-accepting compound and is capable of assuming a colored state and/or a decolorized state by controlling the thermal energy applied to the coloring composition or the cooling rate of the coloring composition after the application of thermal energy thereto, and the intermediate layer and/or protective layer containing an inorganic pigment material with an average particle diameter of 100 nm or less.

Abstract: A reversible thermosensitive composition including a coloring agent and a developer and capable of assuming a colored state and a discolored state depending upon the thermal hysteresis thereof. The developer is a phenol compound represented by the formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.3 represent, independently from each other, a substituted or non-substituted hydrocarbon group, R.sup.2 represents a substituted or non-substituted aliphatic hydrocarbon group having at least two carbon atoms, with the proviso that the total number of carbon atoms of R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 is at least 8, X and Y represent, independently from each other, a divalent group having a nitrogen atom or an oxygen atom and r is an integer of between 1 and 3.

Abstract: A reversible thermosensitive medium having a support and a thermosensitive layer, the layer comprising a composition including a coloring agent and a developer and capable of assuming a colored state and a discolored state depending upon the thermal hysteresis thereof. The developer is a phenol compound represented by the formula: ##STR1## wherein n is an integer of between 1 and 3, X represents a divalent group having a nitrogen atom or an oxygen atom, R.sup.1 represents a substituted or non-substituted aliphatic hydrocarbon group having at least two carbon atoms and R.sup.2 represents a hydrocarbon group. A reversible thermosensitive recording medium has a thermosensitive recording layer containing the above composition.