Abstract: Provided is a method of plating a non-conductive product comprising the steps of: forming a coating film on a surface of the non-conductive product with a conductive paint having the following composition of solid ingredients: (a) a resin vehicle in 20 to 80 weight %, and (b) a conductive whisker in 80 to 20 weight %; and executing electroless plating on a surface of the coating film. Also provided are products produced by this method.

Abstract: In a driving method of an ink-jet recording head, heat is generated by applying a drive signal to a heating element, and this heat is applied to ink to generate a bubble and discharge the ink through a discharge outlet. The drive signal comprises a first drive signal for storing foaming energy in the ink, and a second drive signal for generating a bubble in the ink. The second drive signal has a signal time shorter than the boundary foaming time at which foaming energy decreases in a case of performing foaming only by the second drive signal. The first drive signal is applied prior to the second drive signal in order to compensate for a decrease in foaming energy.

Abstract: The tiltable-body apparatus including a frame member, a tiltable body, and a pair of torsion springs having a twisting longitudinal axis. The torsion springs are disposed along the twisting longitudinal axis opposingly with the tiltable body being interposed, support the tiltable body flexibly and rotatably about the twisting longitudinal axis relative to the frame member, and include a plurality of planar portions, compliant directions of which intersect each other when viewed along a direction of the twisting longitudinal axis. A center of gravity of the tiltable body is positioned on the twisting longitudinal axis of the torsion springs.

Abstract: The movable-body apparatus includes a support member, a movable body, an elastic supporting unit having a twisting longitudinal axis, and a driving unit for tilting the movable body in a tilting direction about the twisting longitudinal axis. The elastic supporting unit supports the movable body flexibly and rotatably about the twisting longitudinal axis relative to the support member. The driving unit includes a stationary portion provided apart from the movable body, and a moving core formed of a magnetic material, provided on a portion of the movable body, and has a face opposed to the stationary portion.

Abstract: A fabrication method of fabricating an array of microstructures is provided. The method includes the step of preparing a substrate with a surface including a usable region and a dummy region continuously set around the usable region, at least the usable region and the dummy region of the substrate are electrically conductive and have a conductive portion. The method also includes the steps of forming a first insulating layer on the conductive portion, and forming a plurality of openings in the first insulating layer, the openings being arranged in a predetermined array pattern. Additionally, the method includes the step of performing one of electroplating and electrodeposition using the conductive portion as an electrode to form a first plated or electrodeposited layer in the openings and on the first insulating layer in both the usable region and the dummy region.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a liquid discharge head, which is provided with a movable film supporting member for supporting a movable film separating a first liquid flow path and a bubble creation region completely, and that is displaceable by the bubble created on the heat generating element. The method comprises the steps of forming the movable film supporting member, forming on the surface of the substrate becoming the movable film supporting member the recessed portion corresponding to the movable region of the movable film, providing a material becoming the movable film on the entire surface of the substrate having the recessed portion provided therefor, removing the portion including the movable region on the substrate from the reverse side of the substrate having the movable film provided therefor and forming a slacked configuration on the portion of the movable region of the movable film.

Abstract: A mold for a microlens includes a substrate at least a portion of which is electrically conductive, such as an electrically-conductive substrate or a substrate with an electrode layer, an insulating mask layer formed on the substrate and including an opening or plural openings, and a plated layer electroplated in the opening and on the mask layer. A first condition that a diameter or width (&phgr;) of the opening has a relation of &phgr;≦0.35R, wherein (R) is a radius of curvature of the plated layer right above the opening, or a second condition that the diameter or width (&phgr;) of the opening is &phgr;≦10 &mgr;m, is met.

Abstract: A method of producing a micro structure on a substrate which has a support portion and a plate-like portion supported thereby at a distance from the substrate, comprising the steps of forming a spacer layer consisting of an insulating material on a substrate having an electrically conductive layer formed on its surface, forming a latent image layer consisting of an electrically conductive material on the spacer layer at a site where the plate-like portion of an intended structure is to be formed, producing an aperture, where a part of the electrically conductive layer is exposed, on the spacer layer at a site where the supporting portion of an intended structure is to be formed, forming a structure layer consisting of plating film inside of the aperture and on the latent image layer by electroplating the electrically conductive layer as a cathode, and removing the spacer layer.

Abstract: An electrostatic actuator comprises a stator having a circular surface carrying a plurality of drive electrodes, a rotor arranged opposite to the surface of the stator and a drive circuit for applying a drive voltage to the drive electrodes. Each of the drive electrodes having an arcuate profile extending from the center toward the outer periphery of the circular surface. The rotor can be driven to rotate in either sense of rotation by changing the mode of applying voltages to the drive electrodes. The rotor is floated above the stator by dynamic pressure generated by an oscillator, typically a piezoelectric element, provided under the stator. The distance between the rotor and the stator can be adjusted by controlling drive voltages applied to the oscillator.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a microstructure array, such as a microlens array, and a mold for forming the microlens array, includes the steps of forming an array of microstructures with a curved profile in a discrete form on a substrate, and uniformly forming a continuous layer on the substrate and the discrete microstructures. Optically-unusable regions between the discrete microstructures, such as microlenses, can be readily reduced or eliminated by forming the continuous layer until flat portions between the microstructures disappear.

Abstract: As a method of fabricating aspherical microstructures, a protruding microstructure is formed on a substrate, an aspherical-profile forming layer is formed on the substrate and the protruding microstructure, and the aspherical-profile forming layer is hardened. An aspherical profile is formed on the protruding microstructure due to a surface tension of the aspherical-profile forming layer in the step of forming the aspherical-profile forming layer, and the aspherical profile is maintained through the step of hardening the aspherical-profile forming layer.

Abstract: A shipping and display assembly includes a display tray and a box. The display tray includes a first pair of opposed side panels, each panel of which includes outer substantially vertical panels, a first substantially horizontal panel, joining the outer vertical panels, and having an exterior surface, holding slots for holding displayed items, and securing slots. The box includes securing tabs that mate with the securing slots. The exterior surface of the first substantially horizontal panel is an enclosing surface of the shipping and display assembly when the tabs and the securing slots are mated.

Abstract: A correction electron optical system (3) has substrates in which apertures for constituting electron lenses are formed. Valves (14) whose opening degrees can be adjusted are used to relax the pressure difference between the upper and lower surfaces of each substrate caused when supply/exhaust pumps (51-56) adjust the internal pressure of a main body cover (80). The opening degrees are controlled based on outputs from differential pressure sensors (13). The pressure sensors (13) can be replaced with photosensors.

Abstract: An electromagnetic actuator comprising a stationary member, a movable member magnetically coupled with the stationary member with a gap therebetween, and a support member for displaceably supporting the movable member relative to the stationary member. Both the stationary member and the movable member have a core section carrying a coil wound around its periphery. As the coil of the stationary member and that of the movable member are energized with electric current, the movable member is attracted toward or repulsed from the stationary member. The electromagnetic actuator can be used for an optical scanner by providing a mirror or a lens on the movable member.

Abstract: A method of producing a micro structure on a substrate which has a support portion and a plate-like portion supported thereby at a distance from the substrate, comprising the steps of forming a spacer layer consisting of an insulating material on a substrate having an electrically conductive layer formed on its surface, forming a latent image layer consisting of an electrically conductive material on the spacer layer at a site where the plate-like portion of an intended structure is to be formed, producing an aperture, where a part of the electrically conductive layer is exposed, on the spacer layer at a site where the supporting portion of an intended structure is to be formed, forming a structure layer consisting of plating film inside of the aperture and on the latent image layer by electroplating the electrically conductive layer as a cathode, and removing the spacer layer.

Abstract: This invention provides an electrooptic system array having a plurality of electron lenses. This electrooptic system array has at least two electrode structures which respectively include membranes each having a plurality of apertures and are arranged along the optical axis, and a spacer which is interposed between the facing membranes and determines the gap between the facing membranes.

Abstract: A probe with a micro-projection for a near-field scanning optical microscope (NSOM) which comprises a substrate, first and second junction layers which are arranged on the substrate and electrically isolated from each other and which are made of an electroconductive material, and a micro-projection bonded to the substrate by way of the first and second junction layers and having a cavity in the inside. The micro-projection has first and second material layer made of different respective materials and laid one on the other to form a junction interlayer therebetween. The first and second material layers are electrically connected to the first and second junction layers respectively and independently.

Abstract: An electron optical system of this invention includes, e.g., an upper electrode having a plurality of apertures, a plurality of middle electrodes having a plurality of aligned apertures, a lower electrode having a plurality of apertures, and a shield interposed between adjacent middle electrodes.

Abstract: An optical probe which comprises a substrate, an elastic body supported by the substrate and having a free end, a projection having a micro-aperture and arranged at the free end of the elastic body, and a refractive index micro-lens also arranged at the free end of the elastic body and adapted to focus light to the micro-aperture.

Abstract: This invention relates to an electron optical system array having a plurality of electron lenses. The electron optical system array includes a plurality of electrodes arranged along the paths of a plurality of charged-particle beams. Each of the plurality of electrodes has a membrane in which a plurality of apertures are formed on the paths of the plurality of charged-particle beams, and a support portion which supports the membrane. At least two of the plurality of electrodes are arranged to form a nested structure.