Abstract: A simple and inexpensive production method is devised to provide a current collector for a fuel cell having excellent gas permeability and mechanical strength, small electrical resistance and improved surface water-repellency. The current collector is produced by causing a sheet comprising a carbon fiber and a pulp to carry fluorocarbon resin particles and carbon particles partially or wholly or by making a sheet from a carbon fiber and a pulp that are caused to carry fluorocarbon resin particles and carbon particles partially or wholly.

Abstract: A thermal-sensitive color developing material containing metal particles and a matrix substance where the size of the metal particles irreversibly increase at room temperature due to cohesion, and a thermal-sensitive element using the thermal-sensitive color developing material are disclosed. The thermal-sensitive color developing material irreversibly develops a color at a temperature of room temperature or higher.

Abstract: The present invention relates to nonlinear optical composites for optical devices such as optical switches and to a method for producing the composites. The composites, comprising optically transparent substances exhibiting linear optical response and metal containing particles dispersed therein, utilize the nonlinear optical effect associated with the surface plasma resonance of a metal.

Abstract: The single electron tunnel device of this invention includes: a multiple tunnel junction layer including multiple tunnel junctions; and first and second electrodes for applying a voltage to the multiple tunnel junction layer, wherein the multiple tunnel junction layer includes an electrically insulating thin film and metal particles and/or semiconductor particles dispersed in the electrically insulating thin film.

Abstract: The dynamic quantity sensor includes an electrically insulating substance layer and at least one pair of electrodes contacting the electrically insulating substance layer, wherein a plurality of conductive particles are dispersed in the electrically insulating substance layer so that a tunnel current flows when a voltage is applied between the at least one pair of electrodes, and a dynamic quantity relating to a distance between the conductive particles is detected based on the tunnel current.

Abstract: A nonlinear optical material includes nitride layers and non-nitride layers which are alternately deposited, wherein the non-nitride layers include at least one non-nitride selected from the group consisting of oxides, carbides and semiconductors and at least one type of semiconductor fine particles having a band gap smaller than a band gap of the nitride and the non-nitride, which particles are dispersed in the non-nitride layer.

Abstract: Non-linear optical materials are formed from amorphous thin films having semiconductor microcrystallites dispersed therein. Amorphous thin films of nitrides or carbides are selected that have a larger bandgap than the bandgap of the semiconductor materials which form the dispersed microcrystallites in order to prevent the surfaces of the microcrystallites from undergoing chemical reactions such as oxidation and the like. The non-linear optical materials are prepared by a sputtering method in which a target formed from the semiconductor material and a separate target formed from the nitrides or carbides are sputtered to produce the non-linear optical material.

Abstract: This invention is directed to new non-linear optical materials and methods for manufacturing these materials. A new materials are non-oxide amorphous thin films which are doped with semiconductor microcrystallites. The use of non-oxide materials as the amorphous thin film prevents the occurrence of undesirable chemical reactions, such as the oxidation of the semiconductor microcrystallites doped therein. The disclosed materials may be manufactured by simultaneously sputtering a target of the selected semiconductor material and a target of the non-oxide amorphous material. Alternatively, reactive sputtering in a non-oxide gas environment may be utilized to deposit the non-oxide amorphous material doped with semiconductor microcrystallites.

Abstract: A nonlinear optical material which exhibits large third order nonlinear optical susceptibilities, and responds to light with wavelengths different from each other for multiple signal processing, and methods of manufacturing the same. This is accomplished by dispersing a high concentration of a metal fine particle and/or a semiconductor fine particle different in absorption wavelength throughout an optically transparent matrix such as a glass, a ceramic or a polymer.

Abstract: Nonlinear, optical thin-films comprising a plurality of island structures of semiconductor ultra-fine particles and a plurality of continuous films of an optically transparent material, said island structures and said continuous films being applied alternately on a substrate. A method for manufacturing nonlinear, optical thin-films comprising the steps of: (a) providing a substrate; (b) depositing an island structure of semiconductor ultra-fine particles on the substrate or a continuous film; and (c) depositing the continuous film of optically transparent substance on the island structure; (d) the steps (b) and (c) of depositing an island structure and the continuous film being performed alternately.

Abstract: A vertical apparatus for continuously carbonizing and activating various types of fiber materials. The apparatus comprising a chamber having openings at upper and lower portions thereof, at least one port through which an activating gas is passed for activation of the fiber material and a heater for keeping the temperature in the chamber, a means for vertically passing the fiber material in a continuous manner for the carbonization and activation, and a means for supplying the activating gas into the chamber. A method for continuously carbonizing and activating fiber materials in an efficient manner is also described.

Abstract: A vertical apparatus for continuously carbonizing and activating various types of fiber materials. The apparatus comprising a chamber having openings at upper and lower portions thereof, at least one port through which an activating gas is passed for activation of the fiber material and a heater for keeping the temperature in the chamber, a means for vertically passing the fiber material in a continuous manner for the carbonization and activation, and a means for supplying the activating gas into the chamber. A method for continuously carbonizing and activating fiber materials in an efficient manner is also described.

Abstract: A polarizable electrode body which has as a constituting member a paper-type body having activated carbon fiber and a fibrous binding medium as its composition, and also a electric double-layer capacitor having the polarizable electrode body as its constituting member. In comparison with a conventional simple polarizable electrode body of activated carbon fiber fabric, higher integration can be made and charged electric charge per unit volume can be increased, and the electric charge to be stored in the polarizable electrode body can be easily adjusted.

Abstract: An electric double layer capacitor having polarizable electrodes including activated carbon fibers which are fully activated and have a large specific surface area, and a method for making the same. Each of the polarizable electrodes is composed of an activated carbon element having a surface fiber ratio (total geometric surface area of fabric/total geometric surface area of secondary fibers or strands) of 0.01 or more. Each activated carbon element is in the form of a woven fabric, nonwoven fabric, felt or the like including activated carbon fibers.