Abstract: A combination of a semiconductor member and a metal member is selected appropriately from a view point of increasing an enhancement factor of a near-field light. A device (1) has a semiconductor member (101) and a metal member (102), a near-field light is generated at the metal member when an energy is supplied to the semiconductor member, the metal member is made of an alloy including a first metal and a second metal, a condition of Rm1<Rs<Rm2 is satisfied, wherein a resonance wavelength of the first metal is Rm1, a resonance wavelength of the second metal is Rm2, and a resonance wavelength of the semiconductor member is Rs.

Abstract: A combination of a semiconductor member and a metal member is selected appropriately from a view point of increasing an enhancement factor of a near-field light. A device (1) has a semiconductor member (101) and a metal member (102), a near-field light is generated at the metal member when an energy is supplied to the semiconductor member, the metal member is made of an alloy including a first metal and a second metal, a condition of Rm1<Rs<Rm2 is satisfied, wherein a resonance wavelength of the first metal is Rm1, a resonance wavelength of the second metal is Rm2, and a resonance wavelength of the semiconductor member is Rs.

Abstract: A reader (12) is provided with: a near-field light device (122) having (i) one or a plurality of quantum dots and (ii) an output end (224) laminated on an upper layer of the one or plurality of quantum dot layers; and a light receiving device (124) which is configured to receive light caused by near-field light formed by the near-field light device upon reproduction of record information on a recording medium. According to the reader, the information recorded by heat assisted magnetic recording can be reproduced without providing a separate magnetic circuit.

Abstract: A recording apparatus records information onto a recording medium. The recording apparatus is provided with: a near-field light device; and a control unit for controlling the near-field light device. The near-field light device is provided with: a light source; a quantum dot structure which is laminated on the light source; a plurality of quantity dots which are included in the quantity dot structure and each of which generates near-field light on the basis of light emitted from the light source; and an output end which is configured to output at least one portion of energy of the near-field light to the exterior of the quantity dot structure. The control unit of the recording apparatus controls the light source to emit the light upon recording the information, thereby increasing temperature of a region of the recording medium based on a size of the output end.

Abstract: A method for producing a near-field optical device is provided with: a step for forming a near-field light generation unit (10) on one surface of a transparent substrate (32); a step for forming a light source (20); and a step for adhering the transparent substrate on which the near-field light generation unit is formed, with the light source. Thereby, a method for producing a near-field optical device suited for mass production can be provided.

Abstract: A recording apparatus records information onto a recording medium. The recording apparatus is provided with: a near-field light device; and a control unit for controlling the near-field light device. The near-field light device is provided with: a light source; a quantum dot structure which is laminated on the light source; a plurality of quantity dots which are included in the quantity dot structure and each of which generates near-field light on the basis of light emitted from the light source; and an output end which is configured to output at least one portion of energy of the near-field light to the exterior of the quantity dot structure. The control unit of the recording apparatus controls the light source to emit the light upon recording the information, thereby increasing temperature of a region of the recording medium based on a size of the output end.

Abstract: A semiconductor apparatus manufacturing method is a method of manufacturing a semiconductor apparatus having a peak wavelength of PL emission of greater than or equal to 1.2 ?m at a temperature of 300K. The manufacturing method is provided with: a first forming process of forming a buffer layer (120) including GaAs on a semiconductor substrate (110); a second forming process of making quantum dots (131) including InAs self-form on the formed buffer layer; and a third forming process of forming a cap layer (140) including GaAs to cover the formed quantum dots. A second growth temperature is less than a first growth temperature, wherein the first growth temperature is a temperature in making the quantum dots self-form in the second forming process and the second growth temperature is a temperature in forming the cap layer in the third forming process.

Abstract: Disclosed is an image pickup device capable of greatly reducing delay in drive signals supplied to field emission devices, and cross-talk and the like that originate in these drive signals. The image pickup device comprises a photoelectric conversion film for receiving incident light on one side thereof; a field emission layer having an electron emitting surface apart from and facing the other side of the photoelectric conversion film, and including a plurality of electron emission devices; and a drive layer formed on a back side of the field emission layer and including a plurality of device drive circuits for supplying drive signals to each of back electrodes of the plurality of electron emission devices.

Abstract: Disclosed is an image pickup device capable of greatly reducing delay in drive signals supplied to field emission devices, and cross-talk and the like that originate in these drive signals. The image pickup device comprises a photoelectric conversion film for receiving incident light on one side thereof; a field emission layer having an electron emitting surface apart from and facing the other side of the photoelectric conversion film, and including a plurality of electron emission devices; and a drive layer formed on a back side of the field emission layer and including a plurality of device drive circuits for supplying drive signals to each of back electrodes of the plurality of electron emission devices.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus processes information concerning electronic commerce in which a customer receiving services offered by a service provider obtains points in accordance with the amount of money having been paid to the service provider.

Abstract: A color image forming apparatus includes an image carrier member on which latent electrostatic images for respective colors are successively formed in accordance with image data, an image transfer member for transferring the toner images of the respective colors on a print sheet in a superimposed fashion, the image transfer member being turned in synchronism with the image carrier member while holding a print sheet thereon, the toner images being formed on the image transfer member every turn of the image transfer member, a plural number of developing subunits containing different colors respectively assigned thereto, and a developing unit. The developing unit sets one of the plural number of developing subunits to be used for developing a latent electrostatic image at a position facing the image carrier member.