Abstract: A process to form an electrode of a semiconductor device is disclosed. The process includes steps of: forming the first electrode on the semiconductor layer; forming the first insulating film on the first electrode, where the first insulating film provides an opening that exposes a portion of the first electrode but fully covers the semiconductor layer; fully filling the opening by the second electrode; forming the mask so as to expose the second electrode but fully cover the sides of the second electrode; forming the third electrode in a region exposing from the mask; and removing the mask.

Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a guide portion provided to a supporting member, engages a cartridge and guides the cartridge, to move the cartridge toward a mounting portion. A regulated portion provided to a frame, and a regulating portion provided to the supporting member, regulates the position of the regulated portion when the cartridge is at a position not engaged with the guide portion. The supporting member is configured with an upstream side of a light emitting surface being opened with regard to mounting the cartridge to the mounting portion in the mounting direction. A gap is formed between the frame and the light emitting surface when the regulated portion is in contact with the regulating portion and the position of the regulated portion is being regulated.

Abstract: A photosensitive member cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus for forming an image, includes a frame; a photosensitive drum on which and which is provided in the frame; a transfer member for transferring an image formed on the drum onto the sheet; a mounting portion for detachably mounting a developing cartridge including a developer carrying member onto the drum and a memory for storing information; a first electrical contact provided on the frame and electrically connectable with a main assembly electrical contact provided in the main assembly when the cartridge is mounted to the main assembly; and a second electrical contact provided on the frame for electrically connecting the memory and the first electrical contact portion with each other when the developing cartridge is mounted to the mounting portion.

Abstract: A photosensitive drum unit includes a photosensitive drum having a cylinder, a rotational force receiving member, a spherical member including a projected portion, and a drum flange provided at one end portion of the cylinder and accommodating the spherical member. The drum flange includes (i) a hole portion capable of accommodating the spherical portion and having an opening that opens outwardly in the longitudinal direction of the cylinder, (ii) a groove portion that continues from the hole portion and is capable of accommodating the projected portion for receiving the rotational force from the projected portion, and (iii) a limiting portion for limiting inward movement of the spherical portion in the longitudinal direction of the cylinder.

Abstract: An electrophotographic image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording material includes an electrophotographic photosensitive drum and a developing cartridge including a developing roller for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive drum. A cartridge supporting member is movable, while detachably mounting the developing cartridge, between an inside position which is inside of the main assembly of the apparatus to mount the developing cartridge to the main assembly of the apparatus and an outside position that is outside of the main assembly of the apparatus to remove the developing cartridge from the main assembly of the apparatus.

Abstract: A comparator circuit according to the present disclosure includes: a first switch section that selectively takes in a signal voltage; a second switch section that selectively takes in a control waveform; a differential amplifier including a non-inverted input end connected to each of output ends of the first switch section and the second switch section; a capacity section including one end connected to an inverted input end of the differential amplifier and the other end supplied with a reference voltage; and a third switch section that selectively short-circuits the inverted input end and an output end of the differential amplifier.

Abstract: A light emitting device driving circuit according to the present disclosure includes a sawtooth waveform generating unit for generating a sawtooth waveform voltage having a sawtooth waveform voltage change based on at least two reference signals to be input and a comparison unit for comparing an analog signal voltage with the sawtooth waveform voltage. The light emitting device driving circuit drives a light emitting device based on the comparison result of the comparison unit. Accordingly, a comparison operation using a sawtooth waveform voltage having a waveform which is not disturbed is performed.

Abstract: A photosensitive member cartridge detachably mountable to a main assembly of an image forming apparatus for forming an image, includes a frame; a photosensitive drum on which and which is provided in the frame; a transfer member for transferring an image formed on the drum onto the sheet; a mounting portion for detachably mounting a developing cartridge including a developer carrying member onto the drum and a memory for storing information; a first electrical contact provided on the frame and electrically connectable with a main assembly electrical contact provided in the main assembly when the cartridge is mounted to the main assembly; and a second electrical contact provided on the frame for electrically connecting the memory and the first electrical contact portion with each other when the developing cartridge is mounted to the mounting portion.

Abstract: A sample-and-hold circuit of the disclosure includes: a differential pair that includes a first MOS transistor and a second MOS transistor, in which respective source terminals of the first MOS transistor and the second MOS transistor are interconnected to a specified node, and an input signal is input to a gate terminal of the first MOS transistor; a capacitor that is coupled to a gate terminal of the second MOS transistor, and samples and holds the input signal; a switch transistor that has a source terminal coupled to the capacitor and the gate terminal of the second MOS transistor, and causes the capacitor to sample and hold the input signal upon application of a predetermined ON voltage; and an ON-voltage control transistor that couples a gate terminal of the switch transistor to the specified node when causing the input signal to be sampled and held.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main assembly provided with an opening; a drawer movable while supporting an cartridge including a photosensitive drum between an inside position and an outside position; an optical unit in the main assembly to project light onto the drum a shutter member provided in the main assembly and movable between a closing position and an open position an operating portion to move the shutter member from the open position to the closing position in a process of movement of the drawer from the inside position to the outside position and to move the shutter member from the closing position to the open position in a process of movement of the drawer from the outside position to the inside position.

Abstract: This invention provides a paste composition that enables a silicon germanium layer to be formed safely and easily, and a method for forming a silicon germanium layer safely and easily. The present invention provides a paste composition for forming a silicon germanium layer, the composition comprising aluminum and germanium, wherein the content of the germanium is more than 1 part by mass and 10000 parts by mass or less, per 100 parts by mass of the aluminum.

Abstract: A photosensitive member unit includes a photosensitive member, a transfer roller, a mounting portion capable of mounting a development unit including a development roller, a first gear and a second gear each provided at one end of the photosensitive member in an axial direction of the photosensitive member, and a third gear provided at one end of the transfer roller in an axial direction of the photosensitive member and configured to engage with the second gear. The first gear, the second gear, and the third gear are helical gears. A direction in which helical teeth of the first gear are inclined is opposite to a direction in which helical teeth of the second gear are inclined, and the direction in which the helical teeth of the first gear are inclined matches a direction in which helical teeth of the third gear are inclined.

Abstract: A drum supporting member, which is usable with an image forming apparatus, includes a photosensitive drum and a mounting portion for detachably mounting a developing cartridge. The drum mounting portion also includes a contacting member contactable with the developing cartridge, with contacting member being movable between a first position and a second position. When the contacting member is in the first position, the contacting member contacts the developing cartridge with a developing roller of the developing cartridge being placed in a third position contacting the photosensitive drum. When the contacting member is in the second position, the contacting member contacts the developing cartridge with the developing cartridge being placed in a fourth position in which the developing cartridge is dismountable from the drum supporting member.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main assembly provided with an opening; a drawer movable while supporting an cartridge including a photosensitive drum between an inside position and an outside position; an optical unit in the main assembly to project light onto the drum a shutter member provided in the main assembly and movable between a closing position and an open position an operating portion to move the shutter member from the open position to the closing position in a process of movement of the drawer from the inside position to the outside position and to move the shutter member from the closing position to the open position in a process of movement of the drawer from the outside position to the inside position.

Abstract: There is provided a mounting substrate that makes a seam more inconspicuous when a plurality of mounting substrates are tiled, and an electronic apparatus including the mounting substrate. The mounting substrate includes a wiring substrate, a plurality of pixels (11) arranged in a matrix in a pixel region of the wiring substrate, and a plurality of drivers (14A) that are disposed in the pixel region and select the pixels in units of two or more pixels. Each of the pixels includes an optical element that emits or receives light, and a pixel circuit that controls light emission or light reception of the optical element. One or more of the plurality of drivers are assigned to each pixel row or every plurality of pixel rows.

Abstract: Provided is a paste composition that enables the formation of a diffusion layer with a high concentration of n-type dopant element on a semiconductor substrate in a simple manner. The paste composition is intended to form a film on a semiconductor substrate. The paste composition contains an aluminum powder, a compound containing an n-type dopant element, a resin, and a solvent. The n-type dopant element is one, two, or more elements selected from the group consisting of phosphorus, antimony, arsenic, and bismuth. The content of the n-type dopant element in the n-type dopant element-containing compound is 1.5 parts by mass or more and 1000 parts by mass or less, per 100 parts by mass of aluminum contained in the aluminum powder.

Abstract: A display unit includes a pixel group having pixels. Each of the pixels includes a light emitting section and a drive circuit. The pixel group is divided into P pieces of pixel blocks. The display unit is configured to allow the light emitting sections from the light emitting sections configuring the respective pixels in a first pixel block of the P pieces of pixel blocks to the light emitting sections configuring the respective pixels in a P-th pixel block of the P pieces of pixel blocks to sequentially emit light together on a pixel block basis, and when the light emitting sections configuring the respective pixels in pixel blocks of the P pieces of pixel blocks emit light, configured to allow the light emitting sections configuring the respective pixels in remaining pixel blocks of the P pieces of pixel blocks not to emit light.

Abstract: A drum supporting member, which is usable with an image forming apparatus, includes a photosensitive drum and a mounting portion for detachably mounting a developing cartridge. The drum mounting portion also includes a contacting member contactable with the developing cartridge, with contacting member being movable between a first position and a second position. When the contacting member is in the first position, the contacting member contacts the developing cartridge with a developing roller of the developing cartridge being placed in a third position contacting the photosensitive drum. When the contacting member is in the second position, the contacting member contacts the developing cartridge with the developing cartridge being placed in a fourth position in which the developing cartridge is dismountable from the drum supporting member.

Abstract: A drum cylinder unit includes a photoconductive drum and a flange member. The flange member includes a fixing portion fixed to an end of the photoconductive drum, a cylindrical portion which forms a hollow portion therein, a groove portion provided at an edge of the cylindrical portion, and a gear portion. The groove portion and the hollow portion open to an outside of an axial direction of the photoconductive drum.

Abstract: A comparator circuit includes a differential circuit unit which detects a difference between two input signals, a current supply unit which supplies a current to the differential circuit unit, and a control unit which detects an operation timing of the differential circuit unit and controls the current supplied to the differential circuit unit by the current supply unit according to a detection result thereof.