Abstract: A measurement method for a laminate substrate is provided. The laminate substrate has: a base substrate; an absorption layer; and a measurement-target layer in this order. The measurement-target layer has a single measurement-target monolayer or a plurality of measurement-target monolayers. The method includes: emitting incident light including light with a wavelength shorter than a threshold wavelength from a side on which the measurement-target layer is positioned, and measuring reflected light and acquiring mutually independent 2n (n is a layer count of the measurement-target monolayers included in the measurement-target layer and is an integer equal to one or larger) or more reflected light-related values for wavelengths equal to the threshold wavelength or shorter; and calculating values related to the measurement-target monolayers for each measurement-target monolayer included in the measurement-target layer using the 2n or more reflected light-related values.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sodium secondary battery capable of reducing the amount of lithium used, and ensuring a larger discharge capacity maintenance rate when having repeated a charge and discharge, as compared with conventional techniques; and a mixed metal oxide usable as the positive electrode active material therefor. A mixed metal oxide of the present invention comprises Na and M1 wherein M1 represents three or more elements selected from the group consisting of Mn, Fe, Co and Ni with an Na:M1 molar ratio being a:1 wherein a is a value falling within the range of more than 0.5 and less than 1. Also, a mixed metal oxide of the present invention is represented by the following formula (1): NaaM1O2??(1) wherein M1 and a each have the same meaning as above. The positive electrode active material for secondary batteries of the present invention comprises the mixed metal oxide above.

Abstract: Disclosed is a sodium secondary battery. The sodium secondary battery comprises a first electrode and a second electrode comprising a carbonaceous material. The carbonaceous material satisfies one or more requirements selected from the group consisting of requirements 1, 2, 3 and 4. Requirement 1: R value (=ID/IG) obtained by Raman spectroscopic measurement is 1.07 to 3. Requirement 2: A value and ?A value obtained by small angle X-ray scattering measurement are ?0.5 to 0 and 0 to 0.010, respectively. Requirement 3: for an electrode comprising an electrode mixture obtained by mixing 85 parts by weight of the carbonaceous material with 15 parts by weight of poly(vinylidene fluoride), the carbonaceous material in the electrode after being doped and dedoped with sodium ions is substantially free from pores having a size of not less than 10 nm. Requirement 4: Q1 value obtained by a calorimetric differential thermal analysis is not more than 800 joules/g.

Abstract: A measurement method for a laminate substrate is provided. The laminate substrate has: a base substrate; an absorption layer; and a measurement-target layer in this order. The measurement-target layer has a single measurement-target monolayer or a plurality of measurement-target monolayers. The method includes: emitting incident light including light with a wavelength shorter than a threshold wavelength from a side on which the measurement-target layer is positioned, and measuring reflected light and acquiring mutually independent 2n (n is a layer count of the measurement-target monolayers included in the measurement-target layer and is an integer equal to one or larger) or more reflected light-related values for wavelengths equal to the threshold wavelength or shorter; and calculating values related to the measurement-target monolayers for each measurement-target monolayer included in the measurement-target layer using the 2n or more reflected light-related values.

Abstract: Disclosed is a mixed metal oxide comprising Na, M1, and M2, where M1 represents at least one element selected from the group consisting of Mg, Ca, Sr, and Ba; and M2 represents at least one element selected from the group consisting of Mn, Fe, Co, and Ni, wherein the molar ratio of Na:M1:M2 is a:b:1, where a is a value within the range of not less than 0.5 and less than 1; b is a value within the range of more than 0 and not more than 0.5; and “a+b” is a value within the range of more than 0.5 and not more than 1. An electrode having an active material containing the mixed metal oxide is also disclosed. Further disclosed is an electrode containing the electrode active material as well as a sodium secondary battery comprising the electrode as a positive electrode.

Abstract: An air battery containing an electrode and a polymer film, wherein the polymer film is disposed on the air intake side of the electrode, and the polymer film is a film of a polymer comprising a repeating unit represented by the following formula (1), wherein R1, R2, and m are defined in the specification.

Abstract: A sodium secondary battery capable of reducing the amount used of a scarce metal element such as lithium and cobalt and moreover, ensuring a larger discharge capacity after repeating charge/discharge as compared with conventional techniques, and a mixed metal oxide usable as the positive electrode active material therefor. The mixed metal oxide comprises Na, Mn and M1 wherein M1 is Fe or Ni, with a Na:Mn:M1 molar ratio being a:(1?b):b wherein a is a value falling within the range of more than 0.5 and less than 1, and b is a value falling within the range of from 0.001 to 0.5. Another mixed metal oxide is a mixed metal oxide represented by the following formula (1): NaaMn1?bM1bO2 (1) wherein M1, a and b each have the same meaning as above. The positive electrode active material for sodium secondary batteries comprises the mixed metal oxide above.

Abstract: A method for producing a composite wafer by using a forming wafer having a monocrystal layer, the method comprising: (a) forming, on the monocrystal layer of the forming wafer, a sacrificial layer and a semiconductor crystal layer sequentially; (b) causing a first front surface that is the front surface of a layer formed on the forming wafer to face a second front surface that is the front surface of the transfer target wafer or of a layer formed on the transfer target wafer and is to contact the first front surface, and bonding the forming wafer and the transfer target wafer; and (c) etching the sacrificial layer, and separating the forming wafer from the transfer target wafer in a state that the semiconductor crystal layer is left on the transfer target wafer, wherein the (a) to the (c) are repeated by using the forming wafer separated in the (c).

Abstract: A method of producing a composite wafer including a semiconductor crystal layer, includes forming a sacrificial layer and the semiconductor crystal layer above a semiconductor crystal layer forming wafer in the stated order, etching the semiconductor crystal layer to partially expose the sacrificial layer and dividing the semiconductor crystal layer into a plurality of divided pieces, bonding the semiconductor crystal layer forming wafer and a transfer target wafer made of an inorganic material in such a manner that a first surface of the semiconductor crystal layer forming wafer faces and comes into contact with a second surface of the transfer target wafer, and etching the sacrificial layer to separate the transfer target wafer and the semiconductor crystal layer forming wafer from each other with the semiconductor crystal layer being left on the transfer target wafer.

Abstract: A semiconductor wafer comprises, on a semiconductor crystal layer forming wafer, a first semiconductor crystal layer, a second semiconductor crystal layer, and a third semiconductor crystal layer in this order, wherein both the etching rates of the first semiconductor crystal layer and the third semiconductor crystal layer by a first etching agent are higher than the etching rate of the second semiconductor crystal layer by the first etching agent, and both the etching rates of the first semiconductor crystal layer and the third semiconductor crystal layer by a second etching agent are lower than the etching rate of the second semiconductor crystal layer by the second etching agent.

Abstract: The present invention provides a transition metal phosphate and a production process thereof, a positive electrode, and a sodium secondary battery. The transition metal phosphate contains sodium (Na), phosphorus (P) and a transition metal element and having a BET specific surface area of 1 m2/g to 50 m2/g. The process for producing a transition metal phosphate comprises steps (1) and (2): (1) a step of bringing a phosphorus (P) source, a sodium (Na) source, an M source (M is one or more transition metal elements) and water into contact with each other, and obtaining a liquid material thereby, and (2) a step of separating water from the liquid material and obtaining a transition metal phosphate thereby.

Abstract: Disclosed are a positive electrode active material and a method for producing an olivine-type phosphate. The positive electrode active material comprises an olivine-type phosphate represented by the following formula (I), wherein the maximum peak in an X-ray diffraction pattern obtained using a CuK? ray is the peak of the (031) plane of the olivine-type phosphate and the half-value width of the peak is 1.5° or less: AaMbPO4 (I), wherein A represents one or more elements selected from among alkali metals; M represents one or more elements selected from among transition metals; a is from 0.5 to 1.5; and b is from 0.5 to 1.5. The method for producing an olivine-type phosphate comprises preparing a raw material comprising element A, element M, and phosphorus (P) so that a A:M:P molar ratio may be a:b:1, preliminary calcining the raw material, and mainly calcining the preliminary calcined raw material.

Abstract: The present invention provides a positive electrode active material that can suppress the necessity of performing sieving and is suitable for use in secondary batteries, particularly sodium secondary batteries. Also provided is a powder for a positive electrode active material as a raw material for the positive electrode active material. The powder for a positive electrode active material of the present invention comprises Mn-containing particles. In the cumulative particle size distribution on the volume basis of particles constituting the powder, D50, which is the particle diameter at a 50% cumulation measured from the smallest particle, is in the range of from 0.1 ?m to 10 ?m, and 90 vol % or more of the particles constituting the powder are in the range of from 0.3 times to 3 times D50. The powder for a positive electrode active material comprises Mn-containing particles, and 90 vol % or more of the particles constituting the powder are in the range of from 0.6 ?m to 6 ?m.

Abstract: A high-quality GaAs-type crystal thin film using an inexpensive Si wafer with good thermal release characteristics is achieved. Provided is a semiconductor wafer comprising an Si wafer; an inhibiting layer that is formed on the wafer and that inhibits crystal growth, the inhibiting layer including a covering region that covers a portion of the wafer and an open region that does not cover a portion of the wafer within the covering region; a Ge layer that is crystal-grown in the open region; and a functional layer that is crystal-grown on the Ge layer. The Ge layer may be formed by annealing with a temperature and duration that enables movement of crystal defects, and the annealing is repeated a plurality of times.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for producing a carbon material as a negative electrode active material that can dope and undope a sodium ion. The production method of a carbon material for a sodium secondary battery includes a step of heating at a temperature of 800 to 2500° C. a compound according to Formula (1), Formula (2) or Formula (3), and having 2 or more oxygen atoms, or a mixture of an aromatic derivative 1 having an oxygen atom in the molecule and an aromatic derivative 2 having a carboxyl group in the molecule and being different from the aromatic derivative 1.

Abstract: The present invention provides a transition metal phosphate and a production process thereof, a positive electrode, and a sodium secondary battery. The transition metal phosphate contains sodium (Na), phosphorus (P) and a transition metal element and having a BET specific surface area of 1 m2/g to 50 m2/g. The process for producing a transition metal phosphate comprises steps (1) and (2): (1) a step of bringing a phosphorus (P) source, a sodium (Na) source, an M source (M is one or more transition metal elements) and water into contact with each other, and obtaining a liquid material thereby, and (2) a step of separating water from the liquid material and obtaining a transition metal phosphate thereby.

Abstract: Provided are a silicon film which can give an electrode suitable for use in high-capacity lithium secondary batteries, and a process for easily producing the silicon film. The silicon film comprises a columnar aggregate which is an aggregate of columnar structures made of Si or a Si compound. The silicon film may be a film wherein the diameter of the columnar structures is from 10 nm to 100 nm and the film thickness is from 0.2 ?m to 100 ?m. In the process for preparing a silicon film on a substrate by vapor deposition using a vapor deposition source made of Si or a Si compound, the temperature of the vapor deposition source is 1700 K or higher, the temperature of the substrate is lower than that of the vapor deposition source, and the temperature difference between the vapor deposition source and the substrate is 700 K or larger.

Abstract: An air battery containing an electrode and a polymer film, wherein the polymer film is disposed on the air intake side of the electrode, and the polymer film is a film of a polymer comprising a repeating unit represented by the following formula (1), wherein R1, R2, and m are defined in the specification.

Abstract: A polymer having a repeating unit represented by formula (1). [R1 represents a hydrogen atom, a halogeno group, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic hydrocarbon group, a substituted or unsubstituted aromatic heterocyclic group, a trialkylsilyl group, or a trialkylgermyl group, each R2 is independently represented by the following formula (2), m is an integer of from 1 to 5, and when a plurality of R2s are present, the R2s may be the same as or different from each other.] [Each X is independently a monovalent group, and the plurality of Xs may be the same as or different from each other, at least one X is a monovalent group containing a halogen atom, and p is an integer of from 0 to 10.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a composite electrode material having a carbon base material and iron oxide particles mainly containing Fe3O4 and being supported on the carbon base material and the particles have a D90 of 50 nm or less. In the composite electrode material, since the particle size of the iron oxide particles mainly containing Fe3O4 serving as an active material is small, the electron conductivity of the composite electrode material is not considerably reduced even when being covered with a Fe(OH)2 layer as a reactive intermediate for an electrode reaction. Thus, when the composite electrode material is used, an iron negative electrode having sufficient electron conductivity and charge-discharge cycle characteristics is provided. A negative electrode including the composite electrode material is favorably used as a negative electrode for a metal-air battery.