Abstract: In a digital information system for realizing the sale of information or the like having a commercial value in the form of a digital signal, and an audio processor, and signal processor suitably used with the system, when a digital signal is received/delivered, a digital signal source is connected directly to a player for receiving and storing a specified information, which is reproduced by the player independently. A voice interval of a digital audio signal is processed to realize the slow and fast playback. The system includes a data compressor and a data extender of simple configuration. The value of the digital signal received/delivered can be exhibited directly. A selling system is constructed easily, and the player is simple in configuration and easy to operate by anyone.

Abstract: In a digital information system for realizing the sale of information or the like having a commercial value in the form of a digital signal, and an audio processor, and signal processor suitably used with the system, when a digital signal is received/delivered, a digital signal source is connected directly to a player for receiving and storing a specified information, which is reproduced by the player independently. A voice interval of a digital audio signal is processed to realize the slow and fast playback. The system includes a data compressor and a data extender of simple configuration. The value of the digital signal received/delivered can be exhibited directly. A selling system is constructed easily, and the player is simple in configuration and easy to operate by anyone.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing structures such as a pressure gauge, an accelerometer and the like with a single crystal material such as silicon uses etching techniques where the shape of a part subjected to stress concentration has a curvature, another part is formed in a plane body and a polyhedron is constituted by combining both.To attain the above constitution, a wafer of single crystal material is formed with a stepped surface having a value corresponding to at least the depth of the curvature in a first anisotropic etching process using a prescribed etching mask, and in a second anisotropic etching process, an etching mask is used by removing at least a part of the etching mask used in the first anisotropic etching process.

Abstract: An X-ray exposure system including a plurality of X-ray exposure apparatuses each for duplicating a mask pattern on a semiconductor wafer by irradiating an X-ray mask and the semiconductor wafer with synchrotron radiation is disclosed in which a synchrotron radiation path branching device including a reflecting mirror is disposed between a synchrotron ring and the X-ray exposure apparatuses, and the propagation direction of the synchrotron radiation emitted from the synchrotron ring is changed by the reflecting mirror so that the synchrotron radiation from the ring can be introduced into each of the X-ray exposure apparatuses.

Abstract: Disclosed is an electron beam pattern line width measurement system wherein an electron beam is converged to a fine spot, the electron beam is scanned on a sample formed with a pattern to-be-measured, secondary electrons generated from a surface of the sample by the projection of the electron beam are detected, and the detected signal is processed to determine a line width of the pattern to-be-measured, comprising a secondary electron detector which detects a signal corresponding to an amount of all secondary electrons generated by the scanning, and a secondary electron energy analyzer which selectively detects a signal corresponding to an amount of secondary electrons of specified energy. With the electron beam pattern line width measurement system, it becomes possible to precisely detect a pattern boundary region defined by different sorts of materials in a stepped structure of a small level difference not having been measurable with a prior-art electron beam pattern line width measurement system.

Abstract: An X-ray mask having a mask pattern formed from nickel or a material having nickel as a principal component supported on a thin membrane. The X-ray mask has characteristics substantially equal to those of the conventional X-ray mask employing Au as a mask pattern and is much lower in price than the Au-containing mask pattern. In addition, since the X-ray mask can easily be formed by electroless plating, it is possible to form a mask pattern with a higher accuracy than that in case of employing Au alone.

Abstract: While a convex mirror is being rotated or rotatingly vibrated about a rotational axis which is parallel to the center axis of the convex mirror and which is eccentric to the convex mirror, a synchrotron radiation flux is caused to be incident on the convex mirror, and a radiation sensitive resist film is irradiated with the reflected radiation flux through a mask.Thus, an area of uniform irradiation can be increased remarkably as compared with that in a prior art, and the invention is well suited to the irradiation of a semiconductor wafer having a large area.

Abstract: This invention relates to lithium compounds composed of a lithium halide and lithium imide. The compounds are high in lithium ionic conductivity and are used as solid electrolytes. Particularly excellent ones of the lithium compounds are those represented by the general formula:yLi.sub.2 NH.(1-y)LiXwhere X represents Cl, Br or I and y denotes the molar fraction of lithium imide ranging from about 0.35 to about 0.98 when X is chlorine, from about 0.25 to about 0.35 when X is bromine or from about 0.33 to about 0.75 when X is iodine.

Abstract: A lithium-ionic-conductive solid electrolyte consisting of lithium iodide and lithium nitride. It has the feature that the lithium ionic conductivity is higher than in prior-art solid electrolytes, and such feature becomes more remarkable when lithium hydroxide is added.

Abstract: A process for producing a mother rod useful for the production of an optical fiber which comprises hydrolyzing a silicon alkoxide to prepare a gel of a desired shape, and drying and sintering the gel to produce a block made of a silica glass. The process has the advantages that it is well adapted for mass-production, that a glass made of a B.sub.2 O.sub.3 --SiO.sub.2 system may be produced thereby and that a glass block of arbitrary shape may be readily produced.

Abstract: A fuel cell using an electrolyte-soluble fuel in which a solid film exhibiting a hydrogen ion- and/or hydronium ion-conducitivty is provided on the surface of an air electrode close to an electrolyte containing the fuel is disclosed.The solid film transmits hydrogen ions and hydronium ions, but it does not transmit water and oxygen in substance. Therefore, the leakage of electrolyte and the variation of the composition ratio of the electrolyte are not feared, so that the fuel cell can be used for a long time.

Abstract: An electrode catalyst for a fuel cell comprising at least one boride of molybdenum is disclosed. The electrode catalyst is far more excellent than conventional catalysts such as platinum black in that the resistance to acids is very high, that the polarization is little, that the price is low, etc. It is particularly suitable as an electrode catalyst for a fuel cell employing an acidic electrolyte.

Abstract: An oxygen sensor comprising an oxygen ion conductive solid electrolyte which contains fluorine at least in the surface region on the side having contact with a gas to be tested. This oxygen sensor is characterized in that the change of the electromotive force at an O.sub.2 /CO molar ratio of about 0.5:1 is very large even if the temperature is as low as 350.degree. C.

Abstract: A sensor element for detecting smoke and/or reducing gases, which comprises a shaped body formed from a material consisting essentially of:A. a complex metal oxide having a perovskite type crystal structure and represented by the general formula ABO.sub.3-.delta. wherein A is at least one element selected from the group consisting of yttrium, a rare earth element having an atomic number of from 57 to 71 and an alkaline earth metal, B is at least one element selected from the group consisting of transition metals having atomic numbers from 21 to 30, O is oxygen and .delta. is a nonstoichiometric parameter which may vary from 0 to 0.25 andB. at least one metal oxide selected from the group consisting of CdO, In.sub.2 O.sub.3, SnO, Tl.sub.2 O.sub.3 and PbO.

Abstract: A gas-sensor element for detecting oxidizable gases and vapors such as alcohols for carbon monoxide, which is characterized by comprising a complex metal oxide having the K.sub.2 MgF.sub.4 -type crystal structure and represented by the general formula A.sub.2-x A'.sub.x BO.sub.4-.sub..delta., wherein A is at least one element selected from the group consisting of rare earth elements of the atomic numbers from 57 to 71, yttrium, and hafnium, A' is at least one element selected from the group consisting of alkaline earth metals and lithium, B is at least one element selected from the group consisting of transition elements of the atomic numbers from 21 to 30, 0 is oxygen, x is in the range of 0.ltoreq.x.ltoreq.2, and .delta. is a nonstoichiometric parameter.

Abstract: A gas-sensor element for detecting reducing gases and vapors such as alcohols or carbon monoxide, or for determining oxygen concentration, which is characterized by comprising a complex metal oxide having a perovskite-type crystal structure and represented by the general formula A.sub.1.sub.-x A'.sub.x BO.sub.3.sub.- .sub..delta., wherein A is at least one element selected from the group consisting of rare earth elements of the atomic numbers from 57 to 71, yttrium, and hafnium, A' is at least one element selected from the group consisting of alkaline earth metals and lithium, B is at least one element selected from the group consisting of transition metals of the atomic numbers from 21 to 30, O is oxygen, x is in the range of 0 .ltoreq. x .ltoreq. 1, and .delta. is a nonstoichiometric parameter.