Abstract: A supporting base of sufficient length and small diameter for supporting a gas separation membrane comprising a sintered material is provided. This supporting base has a high gas permeability, and allows omission of operation such as welding. This supporting base is produced by continuously extruding raw metal powder materials a and b corresponding to each constituent layer of the bilayer structure in the order starting from the raw metal powder material a constituting the inner layer to the raw metal powder material b constituting the outer layer such that the layer newly extruded surrounds the preceding layer to thereby produce a green cylinder of bilayer structure having an outer diameter of 15 mm or less; cutting the resulting green cylinder to a length of 100 mm or more; and sintering the green cylinder to thereby produce the supporting base for gas separation membrane.

Abstract: Oxynitride glass whose composition is represented by Al—Si—O—N or M—Al—Si—O—N (where M denotes Ca, Mg, or rare earth element), wherein the content of O and N as non-metallic components is in the range of O eq %<N≦30 eq %, with O+N=100 eq %, the content of M, Al, and Si as metallic components is in the range of 20 eq %≦Al≦30 eq % and 70 eq %≦Si≦80 eq %, respectively, with Al+Si=100 eq % (if M does not exist) and the content of M, Al, and Si as metallic components is within the hatched area in the composition diagrams shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, if M is Ca, Mg, or rare earth metal, or within the hatched area in the composition diagrams shown in FIGS. 4 to 8, if the content of N is in the range of 5 eq %≦N≦25 eq %.

Abstract: Oxynitride glass whose composition is represented by Al—Si—O—N or M—Al—Si—O—N (where M denotes Ca, Mg, or rare earth element), wherein the content of O and N as non-metallic components is in the range of 0 eq %<N≦30 eq %, with O+N=100 eq %, the content of M, Al, and Si as metallic components is in the range of 20 eq %≦Al≦30 eq % and 70 eq %≦Si≦80 eq %, respectively, with Al+Si=100 eq % (if M does not exist) and the content of M, Al, and Si as metallic components is within the hatched area in the composition diagrams shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, if M is Ca, Mg, or rare earth metal, or within the hatched area in the composition diagrams shown in FIGS. 4 to 8, if the content of N is in the range of 5 eq %≦N≦25 eq %. This glass is superior in specific rigidity and fabricability. It contains nitrogen in a controlled amount so that it has improved specific rigidity without its specific gravity increasing.

Abstract: A high-pressure container 1 as a furnace casing is equipped with insulating cylinder 2 of an inverted glass shape, and heater elements 18 individually mounted on heater mounting plates 16 arranged in parallel to section vertically the space for arranging the heater elements 18 at a given interval in the insulating cylinder 2.For the procedures of single crystal growth by heating in a high-pressure gas atmosphere, the insulating cylinder 2 and the heater mounting plates 16 can suppress the effects of spontaneous convection of a high-pressure gas and the effects of the radiation heat from an adjacent heater element, as less as possible, so that the temperature controllability of each heating zone can be improved whereby the vertical temperature distribution in the furnace can be controlled appropriately. Also, a heater element 18 of a larger aperture size can be maintained at a stably supported state, whereby a single crystal of a larger dimension can be grown.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the preparation of single crystals of group II-VI compounds such as ZnSe and CdTe and group III-V compounds such as InP and GaP or of ternary compounds thereof, from which some of their components are likely to be dissociated and evaporated during crystal growth at high temperatures. Single crystals are prepared which enable the preparation of high quality compound single crystals and prevent the contamination of furnace structures. The method includes melting a source material in a container by heating in a furnace body and solidifying the melt by cooling from the bottom to grow a single crystal. The container is enclosed by an airtight chamber communicating to the outside with a pressure equalizing passage. Heating is performed while the passage is held at a low temperature equal to or lower than the melting point of a high-dissociation-pressure component of the source material.

Abstract: Method of forming a single crystal of ZnSe. A charge of material is loaded in a container. The charge of material is melted to create a melt of material. A single crystal is grown from the melt of material. Then, the grown crystal is brought out of contact with the wall surface of the container. The temperature of the crystal is varied across its phase transition temperature range while establishing a temperature gradient from one end of the grown crystal to the other end. This method is carried out, using a crystal grower comprising the container and an elevation member. The container is disposed inside a high-pressure vessel. The container tapers off downward and is provided with a hole extending from its lower end. The elevation member is inserted into the hole from below to push the grown crystal in a crucible upward. The container is composed of plural separable parts.