Abstract: A light receiving and emitting unit has a plurality of light sources, a light receiving element, a light control unit, and an optical block. The optical block has at least a first and a second member formed of a material having birefringent property, and a third member interposed between the first and the second member and formed of a material having lower refractive index than the first and the second members. The light control unit has a crystal thin plate, a pair of electrodes formed on the surfaces of the crystal thin plate so as to sandwich the crystal thin plate for applying a voltage to the voltage application area, and a first and a second insulating member for sandwiching the crystal thin plate so as to cover the electrodes.

Abstract: In the conversion of a video signal from interlaced to progressive scanning, the value of each pixel on an interpolated scan line is calculated by a procedure that includes calculating similarity values for pairs of pixel blocks located in point-symmetrical positions on opposite sides of the interpolated pixel; deciding whether similar edges are present in corresponding positions in the two pixel blocks constituting each pixel block pair; selecting an interpolation direction corresponding to the most similar pixel block pair among the pixel block pairs in which the similar edges are present; and using the pixels disposed at or closest to the centers of the two pixel blocks in this pixel block pair as reference pixels. Restricting diagonal interpolation directions to pixel block pairs in which similar edges are present improves the accuracy of the interpolation direction.

Abstract: An end face polishing apparatus has a jig plate for supporting at least one workpiece having an end face, a polishing plate mounted for undergoing movement, and a polishing member mounted on the polishing plate for undergoing movement therewith to polish the end face of the workpiece. A slidable contact member is disposed on one of the jig plate and the polishing plate for contacting the other of the jig plate and the polishing plate to thereby regulate a polishing amount of the end face of the workpiece.

Abstract: A light guide plate which is made of a polymeric resin having an alicyclic structure and has recesses for reflection formed on a light reflecting surface, the recesses being so arranged that the density of the recesses increases with the distance from a light source. Each recess is preferably a V-shaped groove each having an angle of 70° to 150° and a depth of 1 &mgr;m to 1000 &mgr;m or a groove which is long and approximately perpendicular to the direction in which light is incident at any position on the light reflection surface.

Abstract: An end face polishing apparatus has a jig plate for supporting at least one workpiece having an end face and a polishing member for polishing the end face of the workpiece. A support mechanism supports the jig plate to undergo movement in a direction toward the polishing member to bring the end face of the workpiece into pressure contact with the polishing member solely under the weight of the jig plate.

Abstract: A container comprised of a laminate having (I) a layer comprising a thermoplastic cycloolefin resin and (II) a layer comprising a resin other than the thermoplastic cycloolefin resin, characterized in that said thermoplastic cycloolefin resin comprises at least 30% by weight of repeating waits (A) having an alicyclic structure, at least 108% by weight of which is repeating units (A-i) having an alicyclic structure other than a norbornane structure :The container can be of a large capacity and a light weight, and has high mechanical strength and insolubility. Therefore, the container is suitable, for example, for storage and transportation of chemicals used for production of a semiconductor.

Abstract: There is disclosed a display device using a color wheel having a color filter Cw, in addition to normal color filters corresponding to the three primary colors. The filter Cw has almost flat spectral transmission characteristics. Brightness information included in a color image signal is quantized with (n+m) bits. Information corresponding to the lower-order n bits is displayed by light transmitted through the filter Cw. Information corresponding to the upper-order n bits is displayed by light transmitted through the normal color filters. Only brightness information to which the human eye is visually sensitive is reproduced by the filter Cw having a lower transmissivity. This can eliminate a lack of the number of gray levels due to a constraint on the minimum switching speed of a light valve. Furthermore, the brightness little deteriorates.

Abstract: An end face polishing apparatus is provided in which polishing may be carried out with a constant load on a ferrule when polishing the end face of the ferrule. The end face polishing apparatus in which a rod-shaped member mounted on a jig plate by a polishing member mounted on the polishing plate which is rotatably and swingably supported to the apparatus body is polished in which the jig plate is supported in a state where rotation is restricted, and is provided with at least the mounting portion of the rod-shaped member movable in the vertical and lateral direction and is supported to the jig plate by the tip end of the rod-shaped member.

Abstract: An end face polishing apparatus is provided in which polishing accuracy is improved, regardless of the length of the ferrule when polishing the end face of the ferrule. The end face polishing apparatus in which a rod-shaped member mounted on a jig plate by a polishing member mounted on the polishing plate which is rotatably and swingably supported to the apparatus body is pressed to be polished; in which the jig plate is provided on either the jig plate or the polishing plate, and the other is slidably contacted by a slidable contact member, and is supported in a state where rotation is regulated on the polishing plate.

Abstract: A polymer composition comprising a thermoplastic norbornene polymer which preferably has a number average molecular weight of 10,00-200,000 as determined by gel permeation chromatography in toluene solvent and calculated as styrene and a content of norbornene polymer components having a number average molecular weight of 2,000 or less of 1% by weight or less, and a compounding ingredient, such as a rubber-like polymer, wherein the compounding ingredient is preferably dispersed in the form of microdomains in the norbornene polymer; and medical implements and optical naturals formed essentially of the composition.

Abstract: A polymer composition including a thermoplastic norbornene polymer which preferably has a number average molecular weight of 10,00-200,000 as determined by gel permeation chromatography in toluene solvent and calculated as styrene and a content of norbornene polymer components having a number average molecular weight of 2,000 or less of 1% by weight or less, and a compounding ingredient, such as a rubber-like polymer, wherein the compounding ingredient is preferably dispersed in the form of microdomains in the norbornene polymer; and medical implements and optical naturals formed essentially of the composition.

Abstract: An amorphous silicon film contains not less than 30 at. % hydrogen and includes silicon atoms joined with one hydrogen atom and silicon atoms joined with two hydrogen atoms, the ratio of the silicon atoms joined with two hydrogen atoms to the silicon atoms joined with one hydrogen atom being not more than 0.4. This amorphous silicon films is produced by performing plasma-assisted chemical vapor deposition at a substrate temperature of not more than 100.degree. C., while supplying hydrogen and silane in the predetermined ratio, the ratio of the flow of hydrogen to that of silane being not less than 1.

Abstract: An amorphous silicon film contains not less than 30 at. % hydrogen and includes silicon atoms joined with one hydrogen atom and silicon atoms joined with two hydrogen atoms, the ratio of the silicon atoms joined with two hydrogen atoms to the silicon atoms joined with one hydrogen atom being not more than 0.4. This amorphous silicon films is produced by performing plasma-assisted chemical vapor deposition at a substrate temperature of not more than 100.degree. C., while supplying hydrogen and silane in the predetermined ratio, the ratio of the flow of hydrogen to that of silane being not less than 1.

Abstract: A photovoltaic photo-receptor includes a glass substrate, a transparent electrode, a plurality of photovoltaic layers which are sequentially laminated and formed and mainly composed of a-Si having photovoltaic functions, and a surface layer formed on the uppermost photovoltaic layer and composed of a-SiN. When a light image is irradiated from an LED array head, photovoltaic voltges are generated on the respective photovoltaic layers in accordance with the light image, whereby an electrostatic latent image having a potential which is established by adding the voltages generated at the respective photovoltaic layers is formed on the surface layer. A toner to which a developing bias is applied is supplied from a magnetic brush to be brought into contact with the surface layer of the photovoltaic photoreceptor, so that the electrostatic latent image is toner-developed. A toner image is transcribed onto a paper by a transcribing roller which is applied with a transferring bias.

Abstract: An electrostatic latent image member for use in an electrophotographic machine which can simultaneously perform such as charge not by a corona discharge, exposure, developing, cleaning, and the like, where a photosensitive unit including a photoconductive layer is laminated on a transparent supporting member, and the photosensitive unit which is added with an element for trapping an electric charge being injected in the vicinity of its surface can trap the electric charge being injected therein by a magnetic brush making contact with the outer surface of the photosensitive unit.

Abstract: An amorphous silicon film contains not less than 30 at. % hydrogen and includes silicon atoms joined with one hydrogen atom and silicon atoms joined with two hydrogen atoms, the ratio of the silicon atoms joined with two hydrogen atoms to the silicon atoms joined with one hydrogen atom being not more than 0.4. This amorphous silicon films is produced by performing plasma-assisted chemical vapor deposition at a substrate temperature of not more than 100.degree. C., while supplying hydrogen and silane in the predetermined ratio, the ratio of the flow of hydrogen to that of silane being not less than 1.

Abstract: A thin film transistor includes a glass substrate on a surface of which a hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) film is formed. On the a-Si:H film, a source electrode and a drain electrode are respectively formed with a suitable interval between them. A gate electrode is formed positioned between the source electrode and the drain electrode. Insulation film is interposed between the gate electrode and the a-Si:H film. In a direct photo-CVD method using a low pressure mercury lamp, bandtail characteristics energy of the a-Si:H film is made less than 40 meV by controlling a decomposition region of a reaction gas, that is, the distance between the glass substrate and a gas supply port, whereby a thin film transistor having a good response is obtainable.

Abstract: A photovoltaic device capable of obtaining a high open circuit voltage, in which crystallization of a semiconductor is accelerated from the first stage of formation thereof such that a thin layer of the semiconductor is crystallized, by doping an electrode disposed between the semiconductor and a substrate with an element which reacts with an element in the semiconductor to accelerate crystallization of the semiconductor or by disposing a film made from a compound doped with said element between the semiconductor and the substrate.

Abstract: A photovoltaic device comprises a photoactive layer for generating carriers when light is applied thereto, and a window layer containing at least silicon and hydrogen and provided on the light incidence side of the photoactive layer. Hydrogen concentration in the window layer is higher in the layer's light incidence side than in the side facing the photoactive layer. Thus, the light incidence side of the window layer has a rough surface.

Abstract: An electrostatic recording apparatus comprises a photosensitive drum. The photosensitive drum comprises a bulk layer of amorphous silicon formed on a support, and in the bulk layer, a first layer region is formed at the support side and a second layer region is formed at the surface side. The first layer region is formed in a manner of comprising hydrogen of 0.01-40 atomic %, oxygen of 0.1-40 atomic % and boron of 5.times.10.sup.-6 -1.0 atomic %. On the other hand, oxygen and boron are not doped virtually in the second layer region and generation of carrier traps is suppressed in this non-doped second layer region. Furthermore, the peak wavelengths of the lights irradiated onto the photosensitive drum from both a light source for exposure and light source for discharge are set shorter than 650 nm, and preferably shorter than 600 nm.