Abstract: An optical sensor includes a support and a thermoelectric-conversion material section including first material layers, second material layers, and a third material layer. Each of the first material layers may have a first region including a first end portion and a second region including a second end portion. Each of the second material layers may have a third region including a third end portion and a fourth region including a fourth end portion. The first region and the second region are electrically connected to the third region and the fourth region, respectively, such that the plurality of first material layers and the plurality of second material layers are alternately connected in series to each other. The third material layer is disposed between the first region and the third region.

Abstract: A thermoelectric conversion material includes, a base material composed of SiGe, a first additive element functioning as a dopant, a second additive element different from the first additive element, and oxygen. The second additive element includes at least one of Mg, Ca, and Ti. A content ratio of the second additive element relative to the base material is 0.5 at % to 5 at %. In a rectangular area of a section of the base material, the rectangular area being selected such that a grain boundary intersects opposite sides of the rectangular area, a distribution of the second additive element and the oxygen has a positive correlation. A correlation coefficient of the correlation is in a range of 0.2 or more and less than 1.0.

Abstract: An optical sensor includes a support layer, a thermoelectric-conversion material section disposed on the support layer and including strip-shaped p-type material layers configured to convert thermal energy into electric energy and strip-shaped n-type material lavers configured to convert thermal energy into electric energy, a heat sink, a light absorbing film, and an insulating film disposed between the thermoelectric-conversion material section and the light absorbing film. Each of the p-type material layers includes a first region overlapping the heat sink and a second region overlapping the light absorbing film. Each of the n-type material layers includes a third region overlapping the heat sink and a fourth region overlapping the light absorbing film. The p-type material layers and the n-type material layers are alternately disposed in series. The light absorbing film includes 60 mass % to 95 mass % of carbon and 5 mass % to 40 mass % of a resin.

Abstract: An optical sensor includes a support film having a first main surface and a second main surface located opposite to the first main surface in a thickness direction; a thermoelectric-conversion material section disposed on the first main surface and including a plurality of strip-shaped first material layers formed of SiGe having p-type conductivity and configured to convert thermal energy into electric energy, and a plurality of strip-shaped second material layers formed of SiGe having n-type conductivity and configured to convert thermal energy into electric energy; a heat sink disposed on the second main surface; and a light absorbing film disposed so as to form a temperature difference in each of the first material layers in longitudinal directions and each of the second material layers in longitudinal directions and configured to convert received light into thermal energy.

Abstract: A centrifugal fan includes: a fan having a motor that rotates around a central axis, and a plurality of blades provided on an outer periphery of the motor; and a casing which accommodates the fan, and has an intake port provided in the axial direction of the central axis, and an exhaust port provided in a direction orthogonal to the central axis, wherein an end surface of each of the plurality of blades that faces the intake port is provided with an inclined portion that inclines such that a height thereof in the axial direction gradually decreases toward the motor, and the plurality of blades include a plurality of blade groups having different start point positions at which the inclined portions start to incline in a direction from the tips of the blades toward the motor.

Abstract: A thermoelectric conversion material contains a matrix composed of a semiconductor and nanoparticles disposed in the matrix, and the nanoparticles have a lattice constant distribution ?d/d of 0.0055 or more.

Abstract: An optical sensor includes a support layer, a thermoelectric conversion material portion disposed on the support layer and including a strip-shaped first material layer that converts thermal energy into electrical energy and a strip-shaped second material layer that is electrically conductive, and a light absorbing film disposed on the thermoelectric conversion material portion to form a temperature difference in a longitudinal direction of the first material layer. The first material layer includes a first region and a second region. The second material layer includes a third region and a fourth region connected to the second region. The optical sensor further includes a first electrode electrically connected to the first region, and a second electrode disposed apart from the first electrode and electrically connected to the third region. The first material layer has a width, perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, of 0.1 ?m or more.

Abstract: A multilayer body includes a base portion and a graphene film. In an ion mass distribution versus depth of the multilayer body determined by time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry, detection intensities of C6 ions have a maximum value at a depth of greater than 0 nm and 2.5 nm or less from an exposed surface. Detection intensities of C3 ions have a maximum value at a depth of greater than 0 nm and 3.0 nm or less from the exposed surface. Detection intensities of SiC4 ions have a maximum value at a depth of 0.5 nm or greater and 5.0 nm or less from the exposed surface. Detection intensities of SiC ions have a maximum value at a depth of 0.5 nm or greater and 10.0 nm or less from the exposed surface. Detection intensities of Si2 ions have a maximum value at a depth of 0.5 nm or greater and 10.0 nm or less from the exposed surface.

Abstract: A stack includes a base portion consisting of silicon carbide and having a first surface that is a Si face and a carbon atom thin film disposed on the first surface and including a first main surface facing the first surface and a second main surface that is a main surface on an opposite side from the first main surface. The carbon atom thin film consists of carbon atoms. The carbon atom thin film includes at least one of a buffer layer that is a carbon atom layer including carbon atoms bonded to silicon atoms forming the Si face and a graphene layer. The second main surface includes a plurality of terraces parallel to the Si face of the silicon carbide forming the base portion and a plurality of steps connecting together the plurality of terraces.

Abstract: A thermoelectric conversion material is constituted of a semiconductor that contains a constituent element and an additive element having a difference of 1 in the number of electrons in an outermost shell from the constituent element, the additive element having a concentration of not less than 0.01 at % and not more than 30 at %. The semiconductor has a microstructure including an amorphous phase and a granular crystal phase dispersed in the amorphous phase. The amorphous phase includes a first region in which the concentration of the additive element is a first concentration, and a second region in which the concentration of the additive element is a second concentration lower than the first concentration. The first concentration and the second concentration have a difference of not less than 15 at % and not more than 25 at % therebetween.

Abstract: A thermoelectric conversion material is composed of a compound semiconductor including a plurality of base material elements, and includes: an amorphous phase; and crystal phases having an average grain size of more than or equal to 5 nm, each of the crystal phases being in a form of a grain. The plurality of base material elements include a specific base material element that causes an increase of a band gap by increasing a concentration of the specific base material element. An atomic concentration of the specific base material element included in the crystal phases with respect to a whole of the plurality of base material elements included in the crystal phases is higher than an atomic concentration of the specific base material element included in the compound semiconductor with respect to a whole of the plurality of base material elements included in the compound semiconductor.

Abstract: A thermoelectric conversion material includes: a base material that is a semiconductor composed of a base material element; a first additional element that is an element different from the base material element, has a vacant orbital in a d orbital or f orbital located internal to an outermost shell of the first additional element and forms a first additional level in a forbidden band of the base material; and a second additional element that is an element different from both of the base material element and the first additional element and forms a second additional level in the forbidden band of the base material. A difference is 1 between the number of electrons in an outermost shell of the second additional element and the number of electrons in at least one outermost shell of the base material element.

Abstract: An optical sensor includes a support film, a thermoelectric conversion material portion, a heat sink, a light absorption film, a first electrode, and a second electrode. The thermoelectric conversion material portion includes a plurality of first material layers and a plurality of second material layers. The support film includes a first layer arranged on the heat sink side in a thickness direction and configured with a phononic structure having a large number of holes, and an insulating second layer arranged on the first layer and in contact with the thermoelectric conversion material portion.

Abstract: A thermoelectric conversion element includes: a thermoelectric conversion material portion composed of a material having a band gap; a first electrode disposed in contact with the thermoelectric conversion material portion; a second electrode disposed in contact with the thermoelectric conversion material portion and disposed to be separated from the first electrode; and a sealing portion that seals the thermoelectric conversion material portion. A partial pressure of oxygen in a region surrounding the thermoelectric conversion material portion is maintained by the sealing portion so as to be lower than a partial pressure of oxygen in an external air.

Abstract: A thermoelectric conversion element includes a thermoelectric conversion material portion having a compound semiconductor composed of first base material element A and second base material element B and represented by Ax-cBy with value of x being smaller by c with respect to a compound AxBy according to a stoichiometric ratio, a first electrode disposed in contact with the thermoelectric conversion material portion, and a second electrode disposed in contact with the thermoelectric conversion material portion and apart from the first electrode. An A-B phase diagram includes a first region corresponding to low temperature phase, second region corresponding to high temperature phase, and third region corresponding to coexisting phase, sandwiched between the low temperature phase and the high temperature phase, in which the low and high temperature phases coexist. A temperature at a boundary between the first region and the third region changes monotonically with a change in c.

Abstract: A thermoelectric material element includes: a thermoelectric material portion composed of a thermoelectric material that includes a first crystal phase and a second crystal phase during an operation, the second crystal phase being different from the first crystal phase; a first electrode disposed in contact with the thermoelectric material portion; and a second electrode disposed in contact with the thermoelectric material portion and disposed to be separated from the first electrode. During the operation, the thermoelectric material portion includes a first temperature region having a first temperature, and a second temperature region having a second temperature lower than the first temperature of the first temperature region. A ratio of the first crystal phase to the second crystal phase in the first temperature region is larger than a ratio of the first crystal phase to the second crystal phase in the second temperature region.

Abstract: A thermoelectric conversion material includes a base material that is a semiconductor having Si and Ge as constituent elements, a first additive element that is different from the constituent elements, has a vacant orbital in a d or f orbital located inside an outermost shell thereof, and forms a first additional level in a forbidden band of the base material, and oxygen. The oxygen content ratio is 6 at % or less.

Abstract: A method of determining the result of an assay in a microfluidic device includes the steps of: dispensing a sample droplet onto a first portion of an electrode array of the microfluidic device; dispensing a reagent droplet onto a second portion of the electrode array of the microfluidic device; controlling actuation voltages applied to the electrode array to mix the sample droplet and the reagent droplet into a product droplet; sensing a dynamic property of the product droplet; and determining an assay of the sample droplet based on the sensed dynamic property. The dynamic property is a physical property of the product droplet that influences a transport property of the product droplet on the electrode array. Example dynamic properties of the product droplet include the moveable state, split-able state, and viscosity based on droplet properties. The method may be used to perform an amoebocyte lysate (LAL) assay.

Abstract: A thermoelectric conversion element includes a thermoelectric conversion material portion having a compound semiconductor composed of first base material element A and second base material element B and represented by Ax-cBy with value of x being smaller by c with respect to a compound AxBy according to a stoichiometric ratio, a first electrode disposed in contact with the thermoelectric conversion material portion, and a second electrode disposed in contact with the thermoelectric conversion material portion and apart from the first electrode. An A-B phase diagram includes a first region corresponding to low temperature phase, second region corresponding to high temperature phase, and third region corresponding to coexisting phase, sandwiched between the low temperature phase and the high temperature phase, in which the low and high temperature phases coexist. A temperature at a boundary between the first region and the third region changes monotonically with a change in c.

Abstract: A thermoelectric conversion material includes: a base material that is a semiconductor; and an additive element that differs from an element constituting the base material. An additional band formed of the additive element is present within a forbidden band of the base material. A density of states of the additional band has a ratio of greater than or equal to 0.1 relative to a maximum value of a density of states of a valence band adjacent to the forbidden band of the base material.