Abstract: A heat-storage material that provides a sufficiently large amount of thermal energy as a latent-heat storage material including a semiclathrate hydrate and that improves hysteresis between the solidifying temperature and the melting starting temperature and a refrigerator and a cooling container that include the heat-storage material are provided. The heat-storage material that changes phase at a predetermined temperature includes water, a main agent including a quaternary ammonium salt that forms a semiclathrate hydrate, a pH adjuster that maintains alkaline properties, and a nucleating agent that generates a cation that exhibits positive hydration. In such an aqueous solution maintained to be alkaline, the nucleating agent becomes a nucleus in solidification, and thus, the temperature difference between the solidifying temperature and the melting temperature can be decreased.

Abstract: An object to be cooled is quickly brought to a suitable temperature. An object to be cooled is quickly brought to a suitable temperature. A thermal energy storage pack 1 according to the present invention is a thermal energy storage pack that performs temperature management of food and/or beverage, and includes a first deep-drawn container filled with a first thermal energy storage material that exhibits phase change at a predetermined temperature, a second deep-drawn container that is overlaid by the first accommodation portion and that is filled with a second thermal energy storage material that maintains a liquid phase state at the phase change temperature of the first thermal energy storage material, and a cover material that closes off the first deep-drawn container. The second deep-drawn container comes into contact with a wine bottle.

Abstract: A heat-storage material that provides a sufficiently large amount of thermal energy as a latent-heat storage material including a semiclathrate hydrate and that improves hysteresis between the solidifying temperature and the melting starting temperature and a refrigerator and a cooling container that include the heat-storage material are provided. The heat-storage material that changes phase at a predetermined temperature includes water, a main agent including a quaternary ammonium salt that forms a semiclathrate hydrate, a pH adjuster that maintains alkaline properties, and a nucleating agent that generates a cation that exhibits positive hydration. In such an aqueous solution maintained to be alkaline, the nucleating agent becomes a nucleus in solidification, and thus, the temperature difference between the solidifying temperature and the melting temperature can be decreased.

Abstract: Provided are a heat insulating container capable of maintaining a temperature of an object longer by dispersing the effect of temperature rises resulting from heat radiation, and a method for producing the same. A heat insulating container that maintains the temperature of a specific object requiring temperature control includes a first thermal storage medium, disposed to surround a center portion of the heat insulating container in which the object is placed, and a second thermal storage medium, disposed to surround the outer side of the first thermal storage medium. The first and second thermal storage media are both liquids at an intended target temperature of the object V1. The first and second thermal storage media have freezing points adjacent to and higher than a lower limit of an allowable temperature range of the object including the intended target temperature.

Abstract: An object to be cooled is quickly brought to a suitable temperature. An object to be cooled is quickly brought to a suitable temperature. A thermal energy storage pack 1 according to the present invention is a thermal energy storage pack that performs temperature management of food and/or beverage, and includes a first deep-drawn container filled with a first thermal energy storage material that exhibits phase change at a predetermined temperature, a second deep-drawn container that is overlaid by the first accommodation portion and that is filled with a second thermal energy storage material that maintains a liquid phase state at the phase change temperature of the first thermal energy storage material, and a cover material that closes off the first deep-drawn container. The second deep-drawn container comes into contact with a wine bottle.

Abstract: A liquid crystal display element (10) in accordance with the present invention includes (i) a pair of substrates (1), at least one of which is a flexible substrate, (ii) a liquid crystal (3) with which a gap between the pair of substrates (1) is filled, (iii) a spacer member (4) having a height so as to sustain a thickness of the liquid crystal (3), (iv) a sealant (2) for allowing the gap to be filled with the liquid crystal (3), and (v) a barrier (5) for causing a liquid crystal filling region to be divided into (a) a first region including a display region and (b) a second region located outside the first region. The barrier (5) is attached to one substrate (1b) of the pair of the substrates (1), and is in close contact with, but not attached to, the other substrate (1a).

Abstract: A liquid crystal display element (10) in accordance with the present invention includes: a pair of substrates (1), at least one of which is a flexible substrate; a liquid crystal layer (3) sealed in a gap between the pair of substrates (1); and spacer members (4), provided between the pair of substrates (1), which sustain the gap between the pair of substrates (1). A thickness of the liquid crystal layer (3) falls in a range of 93% to 98% of heights of the spacer members (4) while no pressure is applied to the spacer members. Adjacent spacer members (4) are provided at intervals of less than 400 ?m.

Abstract: A liquid crystal panel (9) includes a front substrate (1a) and a back substrate (1b), and a liquid crystal layer (3) provided between these substrates. A seal (4) is used to bond the front substrate (1a) and the back substrate (1b) together. A region where either of the pair of substrates is in contact with the liquid crystal layer (3) is divided into a display region (6) and a non-display region (5). The number of spacers (2) per unit area is larger in the display region (6) than in the non-display region (5). In other words, the density of the spacers (2) is different between the display region (6) and the non-display region (5), and the density of the spacers (2) is higher in the display region (6) than in the non-display region (5). According to this configuration, the display region (6) cannot be deformed significantly even under pressure from outside, and thus the non-display region (5) is deformed by the pressure.

Abstract: A thin-film transistor (1) of the present invention includes an insulating substrate (2), a gate electrode (3) which has a predetermined shape and is formed on the insulating substrate (2), a gate insulating film (4) formed on the gate electrode (3), and a semiconductor layer (5) which is polycrystalline ZnO and is formed on the gate insulating film (4). The semiconductor layer (5) is immersed in a solution in which impurities are dissolved so that the impurities are selectively added to a grain boundary part of the polycrystalline ZnO film. Subsequently, a source electrode (6) and a drain electrode (7) are formed so as to have a predetermined shape. Next, a protection layer (8) is formed on the source electrode (6) and the drain electrode (7). Thus, a thin-film transistor which has a good subthreshold characteristic and has a zinc oxide film as a base of an active layer can be realized.

Abstract: A thin-film transistor (1) of the present invention includes an insulating substrate (2), a gate electrode (3) which has a predetermined shape and is formed on the insulating substrate (2), a gate insulating film (4) formed on the gate electrode (3), and a semiconductor layer (5) which is polycrystalline ZnO and is formed on the gate insulating film (4). The semiconductor layer (5) is immersed in a solution in which impurities are dissolved so that the impurities are selectively added to a grain boundary part of the polycrystalline ZnO film. Subsequently, a source electrode (6) and a drain electrode (7) are formed so as to have a predetermined shape. Next, a protection layer (8) is formed on the source electrode (6) and the drain electrode (7). Thus, a thin-film transistor which has a good subthreshold characteristic and has a zinc oxide film as a base of an active layer can be realized.

Abstract: A carbon nanotube has a carbon network film of polycrystalline structure divided into crystal regions along the axis of the tube, and the length along the tube axis of each crystal region preferably ranges from 3 to 6 nm. An electron source includes a carbon nanotube having a cylindrical shape and the end of which on the substrate side is closed and disposed in a fine hole. The end on the substrate side of the tube is firmly adhered to the substrate. The carbon nanotube is produced by a method in which carbon is deposited under the condition that no metal catalyst is present in the fine hole and produced by a method in which after the carbon deposition the end of the carbon deposition film is modified by etching the carbon deposition film using a plasma.

Abstract: A cold-cathode electron source having an improved utilization efficiency of an electron beam and a simple structure. The cold-cathode electron source comprises a gate electrode (4) provided on a substrate (2) through an insulating layer (3) and an emitter (6) extending through the insulating layer (3) and the gate electrode (4) and disposed in an opening of the gate. During the emission of electrons from the emitter (6), the following relationships are satisfied: 10 [V/?m]?(Va?Vg)/(Ha?Hg)?Vg/Hg; and Vg/Hg [V/?m]?Va×10?4×(9.7?1.3×1n(Hg))×(1000/Ha)0.5, where Ha [?m] is an anode-emitter distance, Va [V] is an anode-emitter voltage, Hg [?m] is a gate-emitter distance, and Vg [V] is a gate-emitter voltage.

Abstract: Low-cost electron emission device and field emission display using a cold cathode electron source having a high electron beam utilization efficiency and capable of controlling the spread of the electron beam. Under the condition Ea?Eg, the electric field strength near the gate electrode forming an electron emission control unit is varied between a central portion and a peripheral portion in the plane of a single pixel (or sub-pixel), thereby controlling the spread of the electron beam. A device using a field emission-type electron source array capable of achieving a high emission current density at low voltage can be realized at low cost.

Abstract: Disclosed is a cold cathode electron source characterized in that a cold cathode material which can achieve electron emission in a low electric field (e.g., a carbon nanotube), necessary constituent elements are provided individually in uncalcined ceramic sheets (green sheets 21, 43, 46) and the sheets are laminated and calcined to form an integral structure. The electron source can be manufactured by forming through-holes 20 in a flat plate, charging a conductive paste 30 containing carbon nanotubes 31 dispersed therein into the through-holes 20 by vacuum suction, thereby causing to orient the carbon nanotubes 31 in the axis direction of the through-hoes 20. The electron source is useful for the low-cost manufacture of a device with a cold cathode electron source which can achieve ready vacuum evacuation and maintenance of the vacuum level, as well as a high emission current density at a low voltage.

Abstract: Low-cost electron emission device and field emission display using a cold cathode electron source having a high electron beam utilization efficiency and capable of controlling the spread of the electron beam. Under the condition Ea≧Eg, the electric field strength near the gate electrode forming an electron emission control unit is varied between a central portion and a peripheral portion in the plane of a single pixel (or sub-pixel), thereby controlling the spread of the electron beam. A device using a field emission-type electron source array capable of achieving a high emission current density at low voltage can be realized at low cost.

Abstract: A cold-cathode electron source having an improved utilization efficiency of an electron beam and a simple structure. The cold-cathode electron source comprises a gate electrode (4) provided on a substrate (2) through an insulating layer (3) and an emitter (6) extending through the insulating layer (3) and the gate electrode (4) and disposed in an opening of the gate. During the emission of electrons from the emitter (6), the following relationships are satisfied: 10 [V/&mgr;m]≧(Va−Vg)/(Ha−Hg)≧Vg/Hg; and Vg/Hg [V/&mgr;m]≧Va×10−4×(9.7−1.3×1n(Hg))×(1000/Ha)0.5, where Ha [&mgr;m] is an anode-emitter distance, Va [V] is an anode-emitter voltage, Hg [&mgr;m] is a gate-emitter distance, and Vg [V] is a gate-emitter voltage.

Abstract: The electron-source array of the present invention is provided with cathode electrodes placed on an insulation substrate in the form of lines; and gate electrodes that are placed face to face with the cathode electrodes with the insulation film being interpolated in between. In this arrangement, the cathode electrodes and the gate electrodes are arranged so as to intersect each other with a pore being formed at an intersecting portion between each cathode electrode and each gate electrode in a manner so as to penetrate the insulation film, and the pore is filled with a conductive material or a semiconductive material with the material being electrically connected to the corresponding cathode electrode, and is formed in a manner so as to separate from the gate electrodes with a space in between. Thus, it becomes possible to form very fine emitters uniformly without the need for a high-precision patterning technique and consequently to provide an electron-source array that enables an X-Y matrix driving process.

Abstract: A carbon nanotube has a carbon network film of polycrystalline structure divided into crystal regions along the axis of the tube, and the length along the tube axis of each crystal region preferably ranges from 3 to 6 nm. An electron source includes a carbon nanotube having a cylindrical shape and the end of which on the substrate side is closed and disposed in a fine hole. The end on the substrate side of the tube is firmly adhered to the substrate. The carbon nanotube is produced by a method in which carbon is deposited under the condition that no metal catalyst is present in the fine hole and produced by a method in which after the carbon deposition the end of the carbon deposition film is modified by etching the carbon deposition film using a plasma.

Abstract: A silicon substrate is used as the substrate, on which a conical projection is formed as a cathode. A gate electrode is arranged via an insulating film formed on the substrate. The gate electrode is formed so as to enclose and encircle the cathode while the pointed portion of the cathode and the surface of the gate electrode are coated with two layered coating films.

Abstract: Featured is an image forming device for driving field emission electron sources capable of low-vacuum operation, high in ion impact resistance, and controlled in orientation, under X-Y addressing through electrode lines of simple and low-cost configuration. The image forming device includes cathode electrode lines and gate electrode lines of wire structure, where the field emission electron sources are selectively grown on the cathode electrode lines. A vacuum gap is provided between a supporting substrate on the back-plate side and the cathode electrode lines, and a getter is arranged on the supporting substrate.