Abstract: A base material processing apparatus comprises a device for irradiating light from a light transmissive film side to a base material during film formation on a surface of the base material or film processing of the film formed on the surface of the base material. The apparatus also comprises film physical characteristic measuring device for receiving reflected light coming from the base material during the film formation or the film processing, detecting interference light formed by first reflected light and second reflected light contained in the reflected light, the first reflected light being reflected from a surface of the film, the second reflected light being reflected from an interface between the film and the base material, and measuring a physical characteristic of the film with a peak valley technique.

Abstract: A part of a human body is caused to contact the surface layer of a recording medium over which a plurality of metallic grains with an outside size of 200 nm or less are distributed. Then, secretions from the skin surface of the body part are caused to adhere to the surface layer of the recording medium to take the print of the body part. If light is irradiated to the recording medium, specific optical characteristics resulting from the surface structure of the recording medium are obtained, and therefore the color of the recording medium varies between a region having secretions and a region having no secretions. This renders it possible to record a visible print on the recording medium.

Abstract: Apart of a human body is caused to contact the surface layer of a recording medium over which a plurality of metallic grains with an outside size of 200 nm or less are distributed. Then, secretions from the skin surface of the body part are caused to adhere to the surface layer of the recording medium to take the print of the body part. If light is irradiated to the recording medium, specific optical characteristics resulting from the surface structure of the recording medium are obtained, and therefore the color of the recording medium varies between a region having secretions and a region having no secretions. This renders it possible to record a visible print on the recording medium.

Abstract: In a steering apparatus for a vehicle in which an inner column is supported to be movable in the axial direction by an outer jacket supported by a body-side bracket and a steering shaft is fixed to an adjustment position by clamping the inner column by the use of telescopic clamping means through the outer jacket, the outer jacket is provided with a slit entirely along the axial direction thereof.

Abstract: A fluid analysis element includes: a semi transmissive/semi reflective first reflector; a transmissive apertured member, having a plurality of apertures, with diameters sufficiently smaller than the wavelength of measuring light, formed therein for holding a fluid sample; and a second reflector, which is fully reflective or semi transmissive/semi reflective. The first reflector, the transmissive apertured member, and the second reflector are provided in this order from the side of the element into which the measuring light enters. Emitted light is emitted from the first reflector or the second reflector. The element displays absorption properties that absorb light of specific wavelengths according to the mean complex refractive indices of the first and second reflectors, and the mean complex refractive index and the thickness of the transmissive apertured member.

Abstract: A display device comprising the following arranged from light input side in the order listed below: a first reflector having a semi-transmissive and semi-reflective property; a translucent porous body having a plurality of pores in which a translucent material is filled, each of the pores having a substantially smaller diameter than the wavelength of input light; and a second reflector having a perfect reflection property, or a semi-transmissive and semi-reflective property. The average complex refractive index of the translucent porous body is changeable with respect to each display dot, and the wavelength of light absorbed by the translucent porous body is changeable with respect to each display dot according to the average complex refractive index. In this way, the input light is modulatable, and the modulated light is outputted from the first reflector and/or the second reflector to perform image display.

Abstract: A multi-channel sensor is provided with sensor sections, each of the sensor sections reflecting or transmitting light, whose physical characteristics vary for different kinds of samples. Each of samples is supported by one of the sensor sections. A scanning mirror scans the sensor sections of the multi-channel sensor with measuring light. A scanning controller controls the scanning mirror and stores information, which represents scanning positions of the measuring light with respect to the multi-channel sensor. A detector receives reflected light or transmitted light, which is radiated out from each of the sensor sections when each of the sensor sections is scanned with the measuring light. The detector thus detects the physical characteristics of the reflected light or the transmitted light.

Abstract: In a plating-thickness monitor apparatus, a base light irradiation unit irradiates a member to be plated with base light L. A detection unit detects the characteristic of reflection light Le emitted from the member to be plated by irradiation with the base light L. A plating-thickness monitor unit examines, based on a detection result obtained by the detection unit, the thickness of a plating material deposited in very small pores formed on the member to be plated during plating.

Abstract: A display device comprising the following arranged from light input side in the order listed below: a first reflector having a semi-transmissive and semi-reflective property; a translucent porous body having a plurality of pores in which a translucent material is filled, each of the pores having a substantially smaller diameter than the wavelength of input light; and a second reflector having a perfect reflection property, or a semi-transmissive and semi-reflective property. The average complex refractive index of the translucent porous body is changeable with respect to each display dot, and the wavelength of light absorbed by the translucent porous body is changeable with respect to each display dot according to the average complex refractive index. In this way, the input light is modulatable, and the modulated light is outputted from the first reflector and/or the second reflector to perform image display.

Abstract: A fluid analysis element includes: a semi transmissive/semi reflective first reflector; a transmissive apertured member, having a plurality of apertures, with diameters sufficiently smaller than the wavelength of measuring light, formed therein for holding a fluid sample; and a second reflector, which is fully reflective or semi transmissive/semi reflective. The first reflector, the transmissive apertured member, and the second reflector are provided in this order from the side of the element into which the measuring light enters. Emitted light is emitted from the first reflector or the second reflector. The element displays absorption properties that absorb light of specific wavelengths according to the mean complex refractive indices of the first and second reflectors, and the mean complex refractive index and the thickness of the transmissive apertured member.

Abstract: A first reflecting body, which has semi-transmissive semi-reflective characteristics, a light transmissive fine hole body having a plurality of fine holes, which are adapted to be filled with a light transmissive substance and have diameters sufficiently smaller than wavelengths of incident light, and a second reflecting body, which has perfect reflective characteristics or semi-transmissive semi-reflective characteristics, are located in this order from a light incidence side. Absorption characteristics for absorbing light having a specific wavelength are exhibited in accordance with a mean complex index of refraction of the first reflecting body, the mean complex index of refraction of the second reflecting body, and the mean complex index of refraction and a thickness of the light transmissive fine hole body. The incident light is modulated due to the absorption characteristics, and modulated light is radiated out from the first reflecting body and/or the second reflecting body.

Abstract: In a steering apparatus for a vehicle in which an inner column is supported to be movable in the axial direction by an outer jacket supported by a body-side bracket and a steering shaft is fixed to an adjustment position by clamping the inner column by the use of telescopic clamping means through the outer jacket, the outer jacket is provided with a slit entirely along the axial direction thereof.

Abstract: A multi-channel sensor is provided with sensor sections, each of the sensor sections reflecting or transmitting light, whose physical characteristics vary for different kinds of samples. Each of samples is supported by one of the sensor sections. A scanning mirror scans the sensor sections of the multi-channel sensor with measuring light. A scanning controller controls the scanning mirror and stores information, which represents-scanning positions of the measuring light with respect to the multi-channel sensor. A detector receives reflected light or transmitted light, which is radiated out from each of the sensor sections when each of the sensor sections is scanned with the measuring light. The detector thus detects the physical characteristics of the reflected light or the transmitted light.

Abstract: A device for Raman spectroscopy comprises a fine structure body provided with an array structure region, in which a plurality of recess areas having approximately identical shapes, as viewed from above, are arrayed regularly at approximately identical pitches. A surface of the fine structure body on the side of the array structure region acts as a light scattering surface. The fine structure body may be constituted of an un-anodized part of a metal body to be subjected to anodic oxidation processing, the un-anodized part remaining after a processing, wherein the anodic oxidation processing is performed on the metal body, a part of the metal body being thereby converted into a metal oxide layer, and wherein the metal oxide layer is removed from the metal body, has been performed.

Abstract: A near-field light-emitting element includes a transparent medium having a plane of incidence into which a laser beam enters, and a light-condensing plane on which the laser beam having entered the plane of incidence is concentrated, and a metal body provided on the light-condensing plane of the transparent medium having a first surface contacting the light-condensing plane, a second surface opposing the first surface, and an aperture which is formed to penetrate through the first and second surfaces at a position where the laser beam is concentrated and which emits a near-field light obtained from the laser beam. The metal body is arranged apart from a center of the aperture by a predetermined distance to connect together the first and second surfaces, and has a plasmon reflection plane that reflects toward the aperture a surface plasmon excited on the first and second surfaces by the laser beam concentrated at the aperture.

Abstract: Apart of a human body is caused to contact the surface layer of a recording medium over which a plurality of metallic grains with an outside size of 200 nm or less are distributed. Then, secretions from the skin surface of the body part are caused to adhere to the surface layer of the recording medium to take the print of the body part. If light is irradiated to the recording medium, specific optical characteristics resulting from the surface structure of the recording medium are obtained, and therefore the color of the recording medium varies between a region having secretions and a region having no secretions. This renders it possible to record a visible print on the recording medium.