Abstract: An information recording and/or reproducing apparatus includes a recording medium having a plurality of segmented planar electrodes, a plurality of probe electrodes respectively facing and electrically connected to the plural planar electrodes, and a circuit for independently applying a voltage for recording and/or reproducing between each pair of the planar electrodes and the probe electrodes. The information recording and/or reproducing apparatus includes a circuit for inputting information to be recorded on the recording medium. A memory other than the recording medium is used for temporarily storing the input information, and a control circuit applies the recording voltages between the plurality of probe electrodes and the segmented planar electrodes in correspondence with the information stored in the memory.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing monomolecular films or monomolecular built-up films includes: a trough for accommodating a liquid over the surface of which a monomolecular film is to be spread; a barrier band for defining a region in the trough over which the monomolecular film is allowed to be spread; and a plurality of supports for holding the barrier band within the trough, the supports being arranged at positions where they do not interfere with the surface of the liquid, wherein the loss of the monomolecular film material can be substantially reduced. Further, no local collapse of the molecular film occurs in the vicinity of the supports, thereby making it possible to always provide a uniform LB film.

Abstract: A switching device is characterized by having periodical layer structure of an organic insulator between a pair of electrodes and having memorizability with respect to switching characteristic. The layer structure is formed of an amphiphilic compound according to the LB method.

Abstract: A liquid crystal device comprising a pair of substrates each having an electrode, and a liquid crystal layer having a chiral smectic phase, provided between the substrates, wherein a first substrate which is one of the substrates comprises; i) a plurality of first electrodes dividedly disposed, the plurality of first electrodes being covered with a monomolecular film or monomolecular built-up film in such a way that the monomolecular film or monomolecular built-up film provided on the first electrodes and between the first electrodes is formed in a continuous film; and ii) a second electrode provided on the monomolecular film or monomolecular built-up film in such a way that an MIM device is formed at the part where the first electrodes, the monomolecular film or monomolecular built-up film and the second electrode overlap in layers.

Abstract: An electrode substrate includes a substrate and an electrode layer of a noble metal crystal formed on the substrate, the noble metal crystal exhibiting a substantially linear domain boundary and a plane orientation dispersion angle in X-ray analysis of 1.degree. or less. An information recording medium includes an electrode substrate as described above and a recording layer provided on the electrode layer. An information processing apparatus includes: an information recording medium as described above; a probe electrode arranged in close proximity to this medium; and a voltage applying circuit for applying a pulse/bias voltage between the medium and the probe electrode, information being written/read onto/from the medium by the application of the pulse/bias voltage.

Abstract: A process for forming a gold thin film comprises subjecting a gold complex to a decomposition treatment to transfer the gold in a solution to a supersaturated state, and forming a crystalline gold thin film composed of a group of monocrystals on the surface of a substrate.

Abstract: A method of driving a device having a pair of electrodes and organic insulating layer sandwiched therebetween. The device exhibits at least three states of different electroconductivities in response to an applied voltage. A transition from the first state to the second state is achieved by applying a voltage within a first predetermined range to the device in the first state, and a transition from the second state to the third state is achieved by applying a voltage within a second predetermined range to the device in the second state.

Abstract: A microprobe is provided which comprises a single crystal provided on a part of one main surface of a substrate or a part of a thin film formed on one main surface of the substrate. The microprobe may have a single crystal having an apex portion surrounded by facets having a specific plane direction and comprising a specific crystal face. The method for preparing the microprobe and an electronic device employing the microprobe also provided which is useful for recording and reproducing.

Abstract: A recording-reproducing apparatus comprises a recording medium provided with a recording layer containing at least two kinds of compounds, which compounds respectively form phases, and having regular periodic structure comprising said phases as constituent units; a probe electrode disposed opposingly to said recording medium; a circuit for applying a voltage between said recording medium and probe electrode; and a circuit for detecting an electric current flowing between said recording medium and probe electrode. A recording-reproducing method comprises detecting by the use of a probe electrode, at least one phase on a recording medium of the apparatus and recording information or reproducing the recorded information at the position where said phase has been detected.

Abstract: An apparatus for reading information from an information medium and/or inputting information to the information medium through a probe electrode includes a voltage application circuit for applying voltage between the probe electrode and the information medium, information reading from the information medium and/or information inputting to the information medium being performed by the voltage application by the voltage application circuit, and a charge removing device to perform a charge removing process for the information medium to which voltage is applied by the voltage application while maintaining the information in the information medium, making it possible to perform highly precise information reading and/or inputting at all times without producing any adverse effects on the information medium due to the charge deposition resulting from the voltage application.

Abstract: A switching element is disclosed which comprises an element comprising two electrodes and an organic insulative region interposed between said two electrodes. The element has a memory property and is capable of being switched between different resistance states upon the application of a predetermined voltage. The switching element also comprises a photosensitive region which has an electrical property which is changed by irradiation of light. The photosensitive region is arranged to change a magnitude of voltage applied to the element. The switching device also comprises a means for applying a biasing voltage to the element and the photosensitive region. This biasing voltage is of such a magnitude as to initiate one of the resistance states in said element, having the memory property when light is irradiated on the photosensitive region.

Abstract: A photoconductive device employs an organic film between a pair of electrodes where the organic film is a polymer having a carbazole skeleton and an imide linkage in a repeating unit of the general formula: ##STR1## where R.sup.1 denotes a tetravalent organic group having 5 to 13 carbons.

Abstract: A switching device is provided which comprises a pair of electrodes, and a insulating zone and a conductive or semiconductive zone that are provided between said electrodes. Another switching device is also provided which comprises a pair of electrodes, and a laminated structural body in which an insulating thin film and a conductive or semiconductive thin film are alternately laminated between said electrodes in the direction vertical to the surfaces of said electrodes. This device may be used for a switching process in which an electric circuit is switched from the switched off state to the switched-on state by irradiation of electromagnetic radiation.

Abstract: An electron emitting device, comprising: a first electrode provided on a substrate; a first layer provided on said electrode and capable of undergoing transition from an electrically high resistance state to a low resistance state when irradiated by a radiant ray; and a conductive layer, an insulating layer and a second electrode, laminated on said first layer. An electron generator includes the electron emitting device as well as an applicator for applying an electric field to said device, and an irradiator for irradiating a radiant ray on the device. A method for driving the electron emitting device is also provided.

Abstract: A switching device comprises a pair of electrodes, an organic insulating layer and an inorganic oxide layer which are held between the electrodes. The organic insulating layer is comprised of an organic compound having at least one .pi.-electron level and the inorganic oxide layer is comprised of a metal oxide. Another switching device comprises a pair of electrodes, an organic insulating thin film provided between the electrodes and said organic insulating thin film in such a manner than an electrification region between the electrodes may be restricted.

Abstract: A microprobe is constituted by a single crystal having an apex portion surrounded by facets having specific place directions and having specific crystal faces. The microprobe is provided on a part of a main surface of a substrate or a part of a thin film formed on the main surface. In one embodiment the microprobe is provided with a source electrode, a gate electrode, a drain electrode and a thin resistance, so as to form an MOS transistor for amplifying the microprobe.

Abstract: The present invention provides a liquid crystal material disposed between said pair of substrates, wherein at least one of said substrates is provided with a film comprising a polyimide compound having in its polyimide main-chain structural unit at least one alkyl side chain containing an alkyl chain moiety having a length of 2 to 10 carbon atoms.

Abstract: A light modulating device having a signal input unit for generating an optical signal, an optical switching unit using an alternately-laminated structure consisting of insulating layers sandwiching a conductive or semiconductive layer, and a display medium responsive to electric field. The device controls the electric field strength applied to the display medium by irradiating or interrupting light on the optical switching unit in accordance with an input signal, and performs a display corresponding to the input signal.

Abstract: A liquid crystal device is provided which has a pair of substrates and a ferroelectric liquid crystal with the molecules thereof arranged in a plurality of layers perpendicular or nearly perpendicular to the surface of said pair of substrates. The device is characterized in that at least one of said pair of substrates is coated with a film of a polymeric material for aligning the plurality of layers preferentially in one direction, and the film of the polymeric material is formed of a monomecular film or a monomolecular built-up film of a polymeric compound having both a hydrophilic portion and a hydrophobic portion within a molecule.

Abstract: An optical recording medium is provided which comprises a diacetylene derivative compound and at least one compound selected from the group consisting of azulenium salt compounds, pyrylium dyes, diene compounds, croconic methines, and polymethine compounds. An optical recording method is also provided which comprises a step of writing by irradiating with a radiation ray corresponding to a recording information an optical recording medium comprising a polydiacetylene derivative compound and a compound selected from the above-mentioned group.