Abstract: Disclosed is a semiconductor device comprising a semiconductor BCN compound layer and a metallic BCN compound layer and/or an insulating BCN compound layer, wherein the semiconductor BCN compound layer and the metallic BCN compound layer and/or insulating BCN compound layer are stacked one upon the other.

Abstract: There is provided a scanning probe microscopy comprising a probe 6 situated to face the surface of an sample 1, a first piezoelectric element 8 for moving the sample 1 and the probe 6 relative to each other in a first direction perpendicular to the surface of the sample, and second and third piezoelectric elements 3 and 4 for moving the probe and the sample relative to each other in second and third directions perpendicular to the first direction, thereby enabling the probe to scan the surface of the sample, wherein at least one of the first to third piezoelectric elements 8, 3 and 4, which is closest to the sample 1, is formed of a single crystal.

Abstract: A method of electrochemical analysis involves contacting fluid samples of first and second different types in a mixed sequence with an electrochemical sensor, and also contacting the sensor with a standard fluid, in order to measure the values of an analytical item, e.g. ionic activity, in the samples with reference to a standard value of the same analytical item in the standard fluid. To improve response of the sensor, at each change in the sequence from the first sample type to the second sample type, the sensor is contacted with a second fluid having a value of the analytical item closer to the mean value of the analytical item in the second sample type than the value of the analytical item in the standard fluid. The method is applicable for example to analysis of blood serum and urine using an ion selective electrode.

Abstract: A probe arranged to oppose a sample is coupled to a driving portion constituted by an actuator capable of obtaining a large expansion/contraction amount and an actuator capable of obtaining a small expansion/contraction amount. In order to keep the gap length between the sample and the probe constant, a first gap length control system drives the actuator and a second gap length control system having a driving time constant smaller than that of the first gap length control system drives the actuator in response to changes in gap length between the sample and the probe.

Abstract: An automatic analyzing apparatus includes a drainage line for conveying a reaction liquid which has been subjected to an analysis and water used to clean a reaction vessel from the reaction vessel to a waste liquid reservoir. The drainage line includes a vacuum tank, a vacuum pump for sucking a gas separated from a liquid within the vacuum tank and containing suspended particles, and a filter for filtering the gas discharged from the vacuum pump and thereby preventing discharge of an infectious aerosol from the apparatus. The waste liquid reservoir is provided with a sterilizing liquid supply bottle for supplying a sterilizer or a disinfectant into the reservoir.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a double-heterostructure semiconductor laser which emits a laser beam in a visible light range at ambient temperature. An active layer serving as a light emission layer is sandwiched between first and second cladding layers. The first cladding layer comprises an n type InAlP, while the second cladding layer comprises a p type InAlP and has a mesa stripe shape having slanted side surfaces so as to define a light waveguide channel of the semiconductor laser. Current-blocking layers are formed to cover the slanted side surfaces of the second cladding layer. The current-blocking layers comprise GaAs which is a III-V group compound semiconductor different from the III-V group compound semiconductor (i.e., InAlP) comprised in the second cladding layer. The composition ratio of aluminum in the second cladding layer is set not to be less than 0.