Abstract: An electrostatic protection device includes a base member formed of a high-resistance semiconductor material. External connecting lands are formed on a first principal surface of the base member along a first direction with a space therebetween. A diode section is formed in the first principal surface of the base member through a semiconductor forming process. The diode section is formed between formation regions of the external connecting lands along the first direction. A high concentration region is a region that has the same polarity as the base member and contains larger amounts of impurities than the base member. The high concentration region is formed in a ring shape enclosing the diode section in a plan view of the base member.

Abstract: A processing apparatus and a processing method which perform processing more accurately with a simple structure are provided. The processing apparatus includes an irradiation head 16 and a control device. The irradiation head 16 includes a laser turning unit 35 and a condensing optical system 37. The laser turning unit 35 includes a first prism 51, a second prism 52, a first rotating mechanism 53, and a second rotating mechanism 54. The control device adjusts the differences between rotation speeds and phase angles of the first prism 51 and the second prism 52 based on a relation between at least a heat affected layer of a workpiece and a turning speed of laser.

Abstract: Provided are a machining device and a machining method in which machining of higher precision can be performed with a simple configuration. The machining device has an irradiation head (16) and a controller; and the irradiation head (16) can be divided into a collimate optical system, a laser revolving unit (35), and a light collection optical system (37). The laser revolving unit (35) has a first prism (51), a second prism (52), a first rotation mechanism (53), and a second rotation mechanism (54). The controller controls the rotational speeds and the difference in phase angles of the first prism (51) and the second prism (52), on the basis of at least the relationship between a heat affected layer of a member to be machined and the revolving speed of the laser.

Abstract: Provided are a machining device (10), a machining unit, and a machining method that irradiate a workpiece (8) with a laser beam to perform cutting or boring machining of the workpiece (8). The invention has a laser output device (12), a guiding optical system (14) that guides a laser beam, and an irradiating head (16) that guides a laser beam and irradiates the workpiece (8) with the laser beam. The irradiating head (16) integrally rotates a first prism (52) and a second prism (54) with a rotation mechanism, thereby rotating a light path of the laser beam around a rotational axis of the rotation mechanism and irradiating the workpiece (8) while rotating the position of irradiation to the workpiece.

Abstract: The present invention relates to apatite that includes metal atoms having a photocatalytic function and other metal atoms, and the metal atoms having a photocatalytic function include metal atoms that absorb energy corresponding to light energy of visible light. By applying the apatite as a base material of various products to be arranged indoors, the photocatalytic function can be exhibited indoors as well.

Abstract: A surface coating film includes, a base material which is a hard material; and an oxidation-resistance coating layer containing, as a main component, a complex oxide of Li and at least Al and covering a surface of the base material. Further, a method of manufacturing a surface coated member, includes, supporting a base material which is a hard material in a hermetic container with the use of a holder arranged in the container; arranging a complex oxide forming target containing Li and at least Al, as main components, in the container; feeding oxygen into the container; and forming an oxidation-resistance coating layer that covers the base material to obtain the surface coated member by effecting electric discharge between the complex oxide forming target as an anode and the holder as a cathode.

Abstract: The present invention relates to apatite that includes metal atoms having a photocatalytic function and other metal atoms, and the metal atoms having a photocatalytic function include metal atoms that absorb energy corresponding to light energy of visible light. By applying the apatite as a base material of various products to be arranged indoors, the photocatalytic function can be exhibited indoors as well.

Abstract: An apatite-containing film having photocatalytic activity is produced by a process comprising the steps of preparing a liquid mixture comprising a Ca-containing compound and a P-containing compound, subjecting the liquid mixture to reaction to prepare an apatite-precursor composition, applying the apatite-precursor composition to a substrate, and drying the applied apatite-precursor composition. The process may further comprise a heating step after the drying step. The apatite-precursor composition is preferably in the form of a sol.

Abstract: An apatite-containing film having photocatalytic activity is produced by a process comprising the steps of preparing a liquid mixture comprising a Ca-containing compound and a P-containing compound, subjecting the liquid mixture to reaction to prepare an apatite-precursor composition, applying the apatite-precursor composition to a substrate, and drying the applied apatite-precursor composition. The process may further comprise a heating step after the drying step. The apatite-precursor composition is preferably in the form of a sol.

Abstract: An apatite-containing film having photocatalytic activity is produced by a process comprising the steps of preparing a liquid mixture comprising a Ca-containing compound and a P-containing compound, subjecting the liquid mixture to reaction to prepare an apatite-precursor composition, applying the apatite-precursor composition to a substrate, and drying the applied apatite-precursor composition. The process may further comprise a heating step after the drying step. The apatite-precursor composition is preferably in the form of a sol.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a photovoltaic device and a process for producing such a photovoltaic device that enable a stable, high photovoltaic conversion efficiency to be achieved by using a transparent electrode having an optimal relationship between the resistivity and the transmittance. At least one transparent electrode (12, 16) is either a ZnO layer containing no Ga or a Ga-doped ZnO layer in which the quantity of added Ga is not more than 5 atomic % relative to the Zn within the ZnO layer, and the ZnO layer is formed by a sputtering method using a rare gas containing added oxygen as the sputtering gas, wherein the quantity of oxygen added to the sputtering gas is not less than 0.1% by volume and not more than 5% by volume relative to the combined volume of the oxygen and the rare gas.

Abstract: An object to provide an insulating film for a semiconductor device, which has characteristics of low permittivity, a low leak current, and high mechanical strength, undergoes small time-dependent change of these characteristics, and has excellent water resistance, and to provide a manufacturing apparatus of the same, and a manufacturing method of the semiconductor device using the insulating film.

Abstract: The present invention provides a photocatalyst structure capable of improving catalyst efficiency dramatically and stably. In the present invention, the photocatalyst structure is comprised of a metal nanoparticle, a semiconductor photocatalyst, and a material intervening between the metal nanoparticle and the semiconductor photocatalyst. The material is transparent to a light of a wavelength which excites the semiconductor photocatalyst.

Abstract: Provided is a surface coating film having a high degree of hardness and an excellent oxidation-resistance, and a method of manufacturing thereof, a cutting tool and a cutting machine. In the surface coating film, an oxidation-resistance layer containing, as a main component, a complex oxide of Li and at least Al, is coated on the outer surface of a base material, direct thereonto or through the intermediary of a highly hard coating layer.

Abstract: An electrode and a vacuum processing apparatus are provided that are capable of improving the film deposition rate and the uniformity of the distribution of the deposited film. The electrode includes a plurality of electrodes (17A, 17B) extending from positions arranged at a predetermined interval along a surface of a substrate to be processed (3). Buffer chambers (25) each extend along and between two of the plurality of electrodes (17A, 17B). A plurality of first gas injection holes (27) are arranged in the direction in which the electrodes (17A, 17B) extend and which supply a reactant gas into the buffer chamber (25). A second gas injection hole (23) has a slit form extending in the direction in which the electrodes (17A, 17B) extend, and which supplies the reactant gas from the buffer chamber (25) toward the substrate to be processed (3).

Abstract: The present invention provides a plant epidemic prevention agent that allows for easily and efficiently decomposing and eliminating pathogenic germs that cause plant epidemic and effectively suppressing plant disease caused by the pathogenic germs and making diseased plants recover from the disease without adversely affecting the human body and allows for achieving environmental preservation; a plant epidemic prevention method and a plant epidemic prevention system using the plant epidemic prevention agent; plants and a plant cultivation method. The plant epidemic prevention agent contains at least a photocatalytic powder containing phosphorous or an apatite structure. The plant epidemic prevention method includes supplying the plant epidemic prevention agent to plants.

Abstract: A method of preventing or reducing fogging of a surface of a composite when subjected to humid conditions includes providing a composite with a surface. The composite includes a substrate and a photocatalytic surface layer. The photocatalytic surface layer includes a photocatalyst. The method further includes subjecting the photocatalyst to photoexcitation to render the surface of the composite hydrophilic, wherein, after the photoexcitation, the surface of the composite has a water wettability of less than 10° in terms of the contact angle with water. The method further includes subjecting the composite to humidity that is sufficient to induce fogging of the substrate if the photocatalytic surface layer were absent.

Abstract: The present invention relates to apatite that includes metal atoms having a photocatalytic function and other metal atoms, and the metal atoms having a photocatalytic function include metal atoms that absorb energy corresponding to light energy of visible light. By applying the apatite as a base material of various products to be arranged indoors, the photocatalytic function can be exhibited indoors as well.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing a crystalline metal oxide thin film by first depositing a substantially amorphous metal oxide film, and thereafter, as a post treatment, exposing the film to low temperature plasma in a high frequency electric field at 180° C. or less, and the crystalline metal oxide thin film produced by this method. Because the producing method according to the present invention allows a dense and homogenous crystalline metal oxide thin film to be formed onto a substrate at a low temperature without requiring active heat treatment, a metal oxide thin film having desirable characteristics can be formed without damaging the characteristics of a substrate even if the substrate has comparatively low heat resistance.

Abstract: A photovoltaic device is formed by depositing at least a first transparent electrode, PIN-structured or NIP-structured microcrystalline silicon layers, a second transparent electrode, and a back electrode in sequence on an electrically insulating transparent substrate. The PIN-structured or NIP-structured microcrystalline silicon layers include a p-type silicon layer, an i-type silicon layer, and an n-type silicon layer. At least one of the first transparent electrode and the second transparent electrode is a ZnO layer doped with Ga, and the Ga concentration is 15 atomic percent or less with respect to Zn.