Abstract: A problem with conventional article management systems has been that the management scheme for articles. The present invention addresses this problem by providing an article management system comprising: a transmitting antenna for transmitting a radio signal; a receiving antenna for receiving a radio signal; a article to be managed positioning region whereat articles to be managed are placed; an RF tag provided with a tag transmitting unit which electromagnetically couples with the transmitting antenna and the receiving antenna; and an RFID reader which sends a transmission signal to the RF tag via the transmitting antenna and receives a response signal outputted by the tag transmitting unit via the receiving antenna. The RFID reader detects whether or not a article to be managed is present by detecting for changes in the operation characteristics of the tag transmitting unit due to the article to be managed according to changes in either the strength or phase of the response signal from the RF tag.

Abstract: A power supply device includes a battery module in which batteries are connected in series; a negative electrode output terminal to which a negative electrode terminal of the battery module is connected; a positive electrode output terminal to which a positive electrode terminal of the battery module and a connection point between predetermined batteries are individually connected through discharging switches; an output voltage detecting circuit for detecting an output voltage; a charging current adjusting circuit for adjusting the charging current of the battery module; thermistors for detecting the state-of-charge of the battery module; and a control device for controlling the charge and discharge of the battery module, wherein the control device includes means for controlling the discharging switches, so that the output voltage is within a specific range, and means for controlling the charging current adjusting circuit on the basis of the state-of-charge of each battery of the battery module.

Abstract: Provided is a process for producing a polymeric piezoelectric material including a first step of heating a sheet in an amorphous state containing the helical chiral polymer to obtain a pre-crystallized sheet, and a second step of stretching the pre-crystallized sheet in biaxial directions, wherein the polymeric piezoelectric material includes a helical chiral polymer having a weight-average molecular weight of from 50,000 to 1,000,000 and having optical activity, wherein a crystallinity of the material measured by a DSC method is from 20% to 80%, and a product of a standardized molecular orientation MORc measured by a microwave transmission type molecular orientation meter based on a reference thickness of 50 ?m and the crystallinity is from 25 to 250.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of inspecting a defect present at a surface portion of a photomask blank which includes an optical film, and a thin film. The method includes: selecting and designating an inspection treatment procedure and a criterion for determination of rugged shape of the defect which correspond to modes of the optical film and the thin film of the photomask blank; applying inspection light to a region including the defect while maintaining a distance between the defect and an objective lens of an inspecting optical system, based on the designated inspection treatment procedure, and collecting reflected light from the region irradiated with the inspection light, as a magnified image of the region, through the inspecting optical system; and determining the rugged shape of the defect, from light intensity distribution of the magnified image, based on the designated criterion for determination.

Abstract: A method of inspecting a defect present at a surface portion of a photomask blank having at least one thin film formed on a substrate by use of the inspecting optical system. The method includes setting the distance between the defect and an objective lens of an inspecting optical system to a defocus distance, applying inspection light to the defect through the objective lens, collecting reflected light from the region irradiated with the inspection light, through the objective lens, as a magnified image, identifying a light intensity variation portion of the magnified image, and determining the rugged shape of the defect on the basis of a variation in light intensity of the light intensity variation portion of the magnified image.

Abstract: Polarization rotators of conventional techniques require forming a silicon nitride layer, which is not employed in usual fabrication of a silicon waveguide circuit. In order to employ a polarization rotator function in an optical integrated circuit, a process of forming a silicon nitride layer is added just for that purpose. This increases the fabrication time and complicates the fabrication equipment. In a polarization rotator of the present invention, the waveguide width of a center core portion of a polarization converter is made small. Thus, the intensity of an optical wave does not concentrate only at the center core portion and is more influenced by structural asymmetry. With the configuration of the polarization rotator of the present invention, it is possible to efficiently cause polarization conversion with a structure including only a silicon waveguide and no silicon nitride layer or the like formed thereon.

Abstract: An object detection system includes a reader waveguide (101) formed as an open transmission line, an RFID tag (102) placed above the reader waveguide (101), a signal strength acquisition unit (103) that acquires signal strength of a read signal read from the RFID tag (102) by electromagnetic coupling through the reader waveguide (101), and an object detection unit (104) that detects physical characteristics of an object (105) corresponding to the acquired signal strength based on a relationship between a plurality of (three or more values of) signal strength of the read signal and physical characteristics of the object to be detected.

Abstract: The defect size of a photomask blank is evaluated. An inspection-target photomask blank is irradiated with inspection light and reflected light of the region of the inspection-target photomask blank irradiated with the inspection light is collected through an objective lens of an inspection optical system as a magnified image of the region. Then, an intensity change part in the light intensity distribution profile of the magnified image is identified. Next, a difference in the light intensity of the intensity change part is obtained and the width of the intensity change part is obtained as the apparent width of the defect. Then, the width of the defect is calculated on the basis of a predetermined conversion expression showing the relationship among the difference in the light intensity, the apparent width of the defect, and the actual width of the defect, and the width of the defect is estimated.

Abstract: In conventional article management systems, a problem has been presented in that the degree of control over how articles are managed has not been adequate. An article management system having: a line constituted by an open-type transfer line; a distribution area in which articles to be managed are placed, the articles to be managed being placed in the distribution area; an RF tag provided with a tag transmission unit for electromagnetic coupling with the line of the distribution area for the articles to be managed; a signal communication unit provided to the line; an antenna for electromagnetic coupling with the signal communication unit; and an RFID reader for sending out the transmission signal to the line via the antenna, and receiving a response signal output by the tag transmission unit via the line.

Abstract: Provided is a pericardial-liquid level control system with which a good viewing field can be ensured for an endoscope image without causing cardiac tamponade. A pericardial-liquid level control system is employed, including a sheath that is inserted into the pericardium; pumps that supply and expel liquid to and from the sheath; electrocardiogram electrodes that detect electrocardiographic information; and a pump control device that, in synchronization with the electrocardiographic information detected by the electrocardiogram electrodes, controls the pumps so that the liquid is supplied to the pericardium via the sheath during contraction of the heart and the liquid is expelled from the pericardium via the sheath during expansion of the heart.

Abstract: In order to sufficiently cauterize a target site existing in a deep portion of a cardiac muscle tissue even in the case where the fat layer attached to an epicardium is thick or where the cardiac muscle is thickened due to cardiac hypertrophy and the like, provided is an ablation catheter comprising: an elongated catheter main body; an electrode for ablation placed in a leading end part of the catheter main body; and an optical fiber that is placed along a longitudinal direction of the catheter main body, includes an emission end formed on a leading end surface of the catheter main body, and emits a laser beam guided therethrough from the emission end.

Abstract: A problem with conventional article management systems has been that the management scheme for articles. The present invention addresses this problem by providing an article management system comprising: a transmitting antenna for transmitting a radio signal; a receiving antenna for receiving a radio signal; a article to be managed positioning region whereat articles to be managed are placed; an RF tag provided with a tag transmitting unit which electromagnetically couples with the transmitting antenna and the receiving antenna; and an RFID reader which sends a transmission signal to the RF tag via the transmitting antenna and receives a response signal outputted by the tag transmitting unit via the receiving antenna. The RFID reader detects whether or not a article to be managed is present by detecting for changes in the operation characteristics of the tag transmitting unit due to the article to be managed according to changes in either the strength or phase of the response signal from the RF tag.

Abstract: Polarization rotators of conventional techniques require forming a silicon nitride layer, which is not employed in usual fabrication of a silicon waveguide circuit. In order to employ a polarization rotator function in an optical integrated circuit, a process of forming a silicon nitride layer is added just for that purpose. This increases the fabrication time and complicates the fabrication equipment. In a polarization rotator of the present invention, the waveguide width of a center core portion of a polarization converter is made small. Thus, the intensity of an optical wave does not concentrate only at the center core portion and is more influenced by structural asymmetry. With the configuration of the polarization rotator of the present invention, it is possible to efficiently cause polarization conversion with a structure including only a silicon waveguide and no silicon nitride layer or the like formed thereon.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of inspecting a defect present at a surface portion of a photomask blank which includes an optical film, and a thin film. The method includes: selecting and designating an inspection treatment procedure and a criterion for determination of rugged shape of the defect which correspond to modes of the optical film and the thin film of the photomask blank; applying inspection light to a region including the defect while maintaining a distance between the defect and an objective lens of an inspecting optical system, based on the designated inspection treatment procedure, and collecting reflected light from the region irradiated with the inspection light, as a magnified image of the region, through the inspecting optical system; and determining the rugged shape of the defect, from light intensity distribution of the magnified image, based on the designated criterion for determination.

Abstract: A power supply voltage control circuit device includes a power supply control circuit, a memory, and an arithmetic processing circuit. The power supply control circuit is configured to control a power supply voltage to be applied to a target circuit, and the memory is configured to store a first processing result when the target circuit is operated by setting the power supply voltage to a first voltage and a second processing result when the target circuit is operated by setting the power supply voltage to a second voltage different from the first voltage. The arithmetic processing circuit is configured to perform verify by reading the first processing result and the second processing result from the memory and output a result of the verify to the power supply control circuit, and wherein the power supply control circuit controls the power supply voltage based on the result of the verify.

Abstract: An atrial-appendage ligation treatment tool including: a shaft provided with a lumen having, at a distal end thereof, an opening having an opening diameter that allows passage of a thread of a ligation loop formed in a ring shape, which can be tightened, by connecting an end of the thread at an intermediate position by means of a knot and that does not allow passage of the knot; and a cutting part that is provided at a distal end of the shaft and that cuts, at an inner side of the opening and in the vicinity of the opening, the thread passing through the lumen.

Abstract: A method of inspecting a defect present at a surface portion of a photomask blank having at least one thin film formed on a substrate by use of the inspecting optical system. The method includes setting the distance between the defect and an objective lens of an inspecting optical system to a defocus distance, applying inspection light to the defect through the objective lens, collecting reflected light from the region irradiated with the inspection light, through the objective lens, as a magnified image, identifying a light intensity variation portion of the magnified image, and determining the rugged shape of the defect on the basis of a variation in light intensity of the light intensity variation portion of the magnified image.

Abstract: Provided is a process for producing a polymeric piezoelectric material including a first step of heating a sheet in an amorphous state containing the helical chiral polymer to obtain a pre-crystallized sheet, and a second step of stretching the pre-crystallized sheet in biaxial directions, wherein the polymeric piezoelectric material includes a helical chiral polymer having a weight-average molecular weight of from 50,000 to 1,000,000 and having optical activity, wherein a crystallinity of the material measured by a DSC method is from 20% to 80%, and a product of a standardized molecular orientation MORc measured by a microwave transmission type molecular orientation meter based on a reference thickness of 50 ?m and the crystallinity is from 25 to 250.

Abstract: Completion of atrial-appendage ligation using a ligation loop is confirmed easily and more reliably. Provided is an atrial-appendage ligation treatment tool including: an insertion portion that is introduced into a cardiac sac through a sheath penetrated through a pericardium; a securing part that secures a distal end of the insertion portion to an atrial appendage; and a sensor that is provided at the distal end of the insertion portion and that detects the state of the atrial appendage.

Abstract: Even if atrial-appendage tissue is damaged due to an excessive force unintentionally exerted during ligation of the atrial appendage, the effect of the damage is minimized. Provided is an atrial-appendage ligation treatment tool that is used, together with an atrial-appendage ligation tool having a ligation part, to perform atrial-appendage ligation treatment. The atrial-appendage ligation treatment tool includes: a compressing portion that is introduced, separately from the ligation part, to a cardiac sac through a sheath penetrated through a pericardium and that compresses the atrial appendage from outside to occlude an internal space therein; and a shaft that is disposed in the sheath in an inserted manner and that supports, at a distal end thereof, the compressing portion.