Abstract: Disclosed are a magnetic thin film capable of providing a high uniaxial magnetic anisotropy, Ku, while suppressing the saturation magnetization Ms thereof, and a method for forming the film; and also disclosed are various devices to which the magnetic thin film is applied. The magnetic thin film comprises a Co-M-Pt alloy having an L11-type ordered structure (wherein M represents one or more metal elements except Co and Pt). For example, the Co-M-Pt alloy is a Co—Ni—Pt alloy of which the composition comprises from 10 to 35 at. % of Co, from 20 to 55 at. % of Ni and a balance of Pt. The magnetic thin film is applicable to perpendicular magnetic recording media, tunnel magneto-resistance (TMR) devices, magnetoresistive random access memories (MRAM), microelectromechanical system (MEMS) devices, etc.

Abstract: The present invention provides a liquid-crystalline polyester having a structural unit represented by the formula (i), a structural unit represented by the formula (ii) and a structural unit represented by the formula (iii): wherein Ar1 is, at each occurrence, a member selected from the group consisting of a 2,6-naphthalenediyl group, a 1,4-phenylene group and a 4,4?-biphenylene group; and Ar2 and Ar3 are, at each occurrence, a member selected from the group consisting of a 2,6-naphthalenediyl group, a 1,4-phenylene group, a 1,3-phenylene group and a 4,4?-biphenylene group; wherein 40% by mole or more of all the groups Ar1, Ar2 and Ar3 are 2,6-naphthalenediyl groups; and wherein the polyester has a flow initiation temperature of from about 280 to about 320° C.

Abstract: An organic resin composition with a low coefficient of thermal expansion comprising (a) an organic resin and (b) an inorganic silicate containing alkali metals and alkaline earth metals in a total amount of 1,000 ppm or less.

Abstract: An aspect of the present invention provides an image taking device comprising an image pickup device which picks up an image in a field, a luminance measuring device which divides the image into the predetermined number of blocks to measure the luminance level of each block, a reference average luminance level calculating device which calculates an average luminance level in a predetermined reference area in the image, a bright block sampling device which compares the average luminance level in the reference area with the luminance level of each block to sample a bright block high in luminance level, a backlight determining device which determines whether the picked up image is backlit based on the average luminance level of the bright blocks and the average luminance level of the reference area, and an exposure controlling device which calculates an exposure value based on the result of the determination as to the backlight to control exposure.

Abstract: Versatility of a memory card is improved by providing a memory card where data protection mode and normal mode can be selected at discretion. A portable auxiliary storage device includes a mode setting section, a mode detecting section and a memory access control section. The mode setting section allows a user to set a normal mode permitting reading data stored in a memory section or writing the data to the memory section without restriction and a data protection mode for restricting the reading or writing. The mode detecting section detects a mode set in the mode setting section. The memory access control section controls the read or write according to a state of the mode setting section detected by the mode detecting section.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing a liquid-crystalline polyester powder, the method comprising: carrying out melt polycondensation of monomers and/or its acylated monomers to obtain a corresponding polyester having a flow initiation temperature of 240 to 300° C.; spreading and solidifying the polyester so as to be a layer thereof with a thickness of 1 cm or more: crushing the solidified substance to obtain a powder having a volume average particle diameter of 3 to 30 ?m; and subjecting the powder to a heat treatment to obtain a powder having a flow initiation temperature higher than the flow initiation temperature of the liquid-crystalline polyester after the melt polycondensation.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing a thermoplastic resin composition, the method comprising a step of melt-kneading 5 to 55 parts by weight of an aromatic polycarbonate resin and 95 to 45 parts by weight of an aromatic polysulfone resin while shearing at a sharing speed of 1,000 to 9,000/sec. By the method, a thermoplastic resin composition excellent heat resistance and transparency can be obtained.

Abstract: The present invention provides a resin composition comprising a liquid crystal polymer and a filler comprising a composite oxide containing Ba, Sm, and Ti. The resin composition can provide a molded article which has excellent dielectric characteristics and is excellent in dimension stability.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a magnetic thin film containing a L11 type Co—Pt—C alloy in which atoms are orderly arranged, and can realize an order degree excellent in regard to the L11 type Co—Pt—C alloy to achieve excellent magnetic anisotropy of the magnetic thin film. Therefore, in the various application devices using the magnetic thin film, it is possible to achieve a large capacity process and/or a high density process thereof in a high level.

Abstract: In a digital camera (10), an imaging sensitivity setting circuit (61) selects a pair of distance range selection parameters “A” and “B” according to a zoom position of a zoom lens (41), to compare an in-focus position of a focusing lens (43) with these parameters “A” and “B”, wherein the parameters “A” and “B” correspond to a farther distance and a nearer distance respectively. If the in-focus position is farther than the parameter “A”, the imaging sensitivity is set to a high level. If the in-focus position is in between these parameters “A” and “B”, the imaging sensitivity is set to a middle level. If the in-focus position is nearer than the parameter “B”, the imaging sensitivity is set to a low level. Based on the set imaging sensitivity level and a measured subject brightness value, a system controller (41) controls the exposure value and the flashlight volume.

Abstract: To provide a photoelectric conversion element that allows connection between adjacent photoelectric conversion elements by use of an inexpensive wiring member.

Abstract: For each image data, face information indicating the number of faces of subjects included in an image is added. Further, the percentage of images in which there exist faces is calculated. When the percentage exceeds a face detecting flag threshold, the face detecting flag is set ON. When the percentage does not exceed the face detecting flag threshold, the face detecting flag is set OFF. The face detecting flag is stored in the flash memory portion of the memory. The face detecting flag is read from the flash memory portion of the memory in the shooting mode at the next time. When the face detecting flag is set ON, an image display device displays instructions on prompting a user to make the face detecting function effective.

Abstract: An image-taking apparatus includes: a face-detecting section that detects a face in a subject image; and a face-metering section that meters individual faces when the faces are detected by the face-detecting section, thereby obtaining metered values for the respective faces. The apparatus further includes a calculation section that calculates correct exposure values for the respective faces based on the metered values obtained by the face-metering section. The apparatus further includes a shooting section that performs, in response to a single shooting instruction, shootings with correct exposures for the respective faces based on the correct exposure values for the respective faces calculated by the calculation section.

Abstract: The present invention provides a laminate comprising a resin layer and a copper foil. The resin layer is made from a liquid crystalline polyester having at least one structural unit selected from a structural unit derived from aromatic diamine and a structural unit derived from aromatic amine with a phenolic hydroxyl group in an amount of 10 to 35% by mole on the basis of the total structural units in the polyester. The copper foil has a tensile modulus of 60 GPa or smaller and a tensile strength at break of 150 MPa or smaller measured after heat treatment at a temperature of 300° C. The copper-foil laminate has good flexibility and high durability with little anisotropy is provided.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium having excellent stability of recorded magnetic signals and capable of recording magnetic signals by a thermally assisted magnetic recording system in which a magnetic recording layer of the magnetic recording medium contains ferromagnetic crystal grains of a Co—Ni—Pt alloy with a Pt content of 44 at % or more and 55 at % or less and with an atom content ratio: Ni/(Co+Ni) of 0.64 or more and 0.8 or less. The magnetic recording medium has extremely excellent stability of recorded magnetic signals since the Co—Ni—Pt alloy constituting the magnetic recording layer has an extremely high anisotropy field at a normal temperature. Further, the magnetic recording medium can perform signal recording based on the thermally assisted magnetic recording system since the Co—Ni—Pt alloy constituting the magnetic recording layer has a Curie point within an appropriate temperature range.

Abstract: Provided are a photoelectric conversion device (10) having a first conductivity type semiconductor (1), a first main surface (1a) of the first conductivity type semiconductor (1) being provided with a concave portion (26, 27) formed therein, the photoelectric conversion device (10) including: a second conductivity type semiconductor (3) formed in the first main surface (1a) of the first conductivity type semiconductor (1), an inner wall surface of a through-hole (19), and a second main surface (1a) of the first conductivity type semiconductor (1); a light-receiving surface electrode (5a, 5c) formed to fill the concave portion (26, 27) in the first main surface (1a) of the first conductivity type semiconductor (1); a first electrode (2) formed on the second main surface (1c) of the first conductivity type semiconductor (1); a through-hole electrode portion (9) formed inside the through-hole (19) to be in contact with the second conductivity type semiconductor (3) in the inner wall surface of the through-hole (

Abstract: The present invention provides a liquid crystalline polyester composition comprising a terphenyl and a liquid crystalline polyester, wherein the terphenyl substantially consists of p-terphenyl, and the p-terphenyl is contained in the composition in the amount of 0.3 to 15 parts by weight on the basis of 100 parts by weight of the liquid crystalline polyester. The liquid crystalline polyester composition has high flowability and low anisotropy, which can also suppress generation of gases when molded.

Abstract: The present invention provides a resin composition containing a liquid crystalline polyester and a high dielectric material filler. The present invention also provides a molded article of the liquid crystalline polyester resin composition. The liquid crystalline polyester resin composition of the present invention comprises 50 to 80% by volume of a liquid crystalline polyester which has 40% by mol or more of a 2,6-naphthalenediyl group as an aromatic group, also has a flow initiation temperature of 280° C. or higher, and shows a melt tension of 1 g or more measured at a temperature higher than flow initiation temperature; and 20 to 50% by volume of a high dielectric material filler. The liquid crystalline polyester resin composition can be formed into composition pellets easily and stably by a strand method, and a molded article obtained from the liquid crystalline polyester resin composition is excellent in flexural strength and dielectric characteristics.

Abstract: The present invention provides a liquid crystalline polyester comprising (a) a repeating unit derived from aromatic hydroxycarboxylic acid, (b) a repeating unit derived from aromatic dicarboxylic acid and (c) a repeating unit represented by —X—Ar1-O—Ar1-Y—, wherein Ar1 represents 1,4-phenylene which may be substituted by a halogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 10 carbon atoms or an aryl group having 6 to 20 carbon atoms, and X and Y independently represent O or NH. The polyester in the preset invention has a sufficiently low dielectric constant and/or is a sufficiently high resistance in hydrolysis.

Abstract: The surrounding length of a junction separation portion can be shortened to improve an insulating resistance in order to provide a solar cell with highly efficiency. In a photoelectric transducer of the type where a light-receiving surface electrode is wired to another electrode on a back surface via a through electrode passing through a semiconductor substrate of a first conductive type, the photoelectric transducer comprises: a junction separation portion made around the through electrode on a back surface of the semiconductor substrate; a dielectric layer formed for covering the junction separation portion, the through electrode penetrating the dielectric layer; and a back electrode provided on the dielectric layer and coupled to the through electrode which is connected to the light-receiving surface electrode.