Abstract: A magnetic recording medium can be produced without substrate heating during sputtering. The recording medium has a substrate, an underlayer of a nonmagnetic film with a bcc structure formed on the substrate, an intermediated layer of a nonmagnetic film with an hcp structure formed on the underlayer, a magnetic layer of a magnetic film with an hcp structure formed on the intermediate layer, and a protective layer formed on the magnetic layer. Materials used for the underlayer, the intermediate layer, and the magnetic layer has spacings between principal lattice planes of the respective crystals that can be expresses as d1 (between (110) planes in the underlayer)>d2 (between (002) planes in the intermediate layer)>d3 (between (002) planes in the magnetic layer).

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium can be produced without substrate heating during sputtering. The recording medium has a substrate, an underlayer of a nonmagnetic film with a bcc structure formed on the substrate, an intermediated layer of a nonmagnetic film with an hcp structure formed on the underlayer, a magnetic layer of a magnetic film with an hcp structure formed on the intermediate layer, and a protective layer formed on the magnetic layer. Materials used for the underlayer, the intermediate layer, and the magnetic layer has spacings between principal lattice planes of the respective crystals that can be expresses as d1 (between (110) planes in the underlayer)>d2 (between (002) planes in the intermediate layer)>d3 (between (002) planes in the magnetic layer).

Abstract: The quality of CuInSe.sub.2 solar cells is estimated during the manufacturing process by using a photoluminescence analysis. Emitted luminescence is measured upon irradiation of a CuInSe.sub.2 thin film with laser light, and estimation is performed on the basis of the luminous intensity. Specifically, non-defective products can be obtained by using lots in which the maximum luminous intensity in the spectral range of luminescent light of 0.8.about.0.9 eV of a sample cooled to liquid nitrogen-temperature or to liquid helium temperature is not lower than a predetermined value or is higher than the maximum luminous intensity in the spectral range of 0.9.about.1.0 eV. Further, after the manufacturing process is completed, by using this estimation, it is possible to rank the products after completion of the manufacturing process.

Abstract: A sound reproducer is disclosed for a Hi-vision 3-1 sound system composed of an audio signal decoding unit coupled with an AV amplifier, which amplifier has a surround processor and is originally arranged for reproducing surrounding sounds from two-channel stereophonic audio signals of the Dolby.RTM. surround system, wherein volume controllers for controlling right and left rear Hi-vision audio signals of monaural and a center front Hi-vision audio signal, and first through third switching circuits for selecting outputs of the audio signal decoding units, are provided in case of reproducing sounds of the Hi-vision 3-1 sound system, or outputs of the surround processor, in case of reproducing sounds of the two-channel sound surround system, for providing the acoustic balance of the audio signals when the first through third switching circuits are switched to reproduce the sounds of the Hi-vision 3-1 sound system.