Abstract: The present invention provides an electrochemical electrode wherein transition metal (nickel) nanoparticles are used to form an active layer having a large surface area without using a conductive support while maintaining dispersibility and stability, and a method for producing the same.

Abstract: A particle counter counts particles in aerosol having a particle size of from 2 nm to 50 nm in an operating pressure range from an atmospheric pressure through a reduced pressure to a low vacuum and calculate a particle size distribution. The particle counter charges particles in the aerosol and applies an electrostatic field thereto, and mixes the aerosol with a non-charged sheath gas flow shaped like a laminar flow whereby the respective particles separate into traces depending on their particle size where they can be counted. Further, by using an electron multiplier for exciting cluster ions to detect the charged particles and operating it as a high-pass filter, even if the number density of the particles is small, it is possible to effectively count the particles.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a photovoltaic cell that demonstrates a superior photoelectric conversion function. The present invention relates to a photovoltaic cell comprising a semiconductor electrode, an electrolyte and a counter electrode, wherein (1) the semiconductor electrode contains an oxide semiconductor layer having photocatalytic activity, (2) the oxide semiconductor layer contains secondary particles in which primary particles comprising a metal oxide are aggregated, (3) the average particle diameter of the primary particles is from 1 nm to 50 nm, and the average particle diameter of the secondary particles is from 100 nm to 10 ?m, and (4) the photovoltaic cell generates electromotive force by radiating light of a wavelength substantially equal to the average particle diameter of the secondary particles onto the semiconductor electrode.

Abstract: In fabricating a monochromic and highly coherent light source, no single crystalline bulk semiconductor is used, but two different kinds of transparent substances are alternately stacked over each other to constitute a periodic structure in ½ of the intended wavelength. At least one of the two kinds of transparent substances is controllable in electric conductivity, and the structure is such that inside a medium consisting of this kind of transparent substance light-emitting semiconductor particulates are embedded. Accordingly, a light-emitting device has this structure, which makes possible control of the center wavelength of light emission, the width of wavelength distribution and coherence by adjusting the geometrical parameters of the device without having to alter the kind of material use.

Abstract: In fabricating a monochromic and highly coherent light source, no single crystalline bulk semiconductor is used, but two different kinds of transparent substances are alternately stacked over each other to constitute a periodic structure in ½ of the intended wavelength. At least one of the two kinds of transparent substances is controllable in electric conductivity, and the structure is such that inside a medium consisting of this kind of transparent substance light-emitting semiconductor particulates are embedded. Accordingly, a light-emitting device has this structure, which makes possible control of the center wavelength of light emission, the width of wavelength distribution and coherence by adjusting the geometrical parameters of the device without having to alter the kind of material use.

Abstract: Effective fillability and the uniformity electrodeposition of a copper electroplating solution is judged by determining the time-dependent potential change thereof at a cathode current density of 0.1-20 A/dm2. The potential change is determined at a working electrode rotation of 100-7500 rpm, and the fillability with the solution is judged from the curve profile. The time-dependent potential change curve within a predetermined period of time after the start of electrolysis is approximated according to the Boltzmann's function, and the potential change speed dx and the potential convergent point A2 are obtained to judge the fillability with a plating solution.

Abstract: The present invention provides an electrode comprising on an electrode substrate a catalytic layer comprising catalytically active particles and a solid polymer comprising a component represented by Structural Formula (1) below: wherein R1, R2, R3, and R4 are the same or different, and independently represent a hydrogen atom or C1-8 univalent hydrocarbon group, and m and n are independently an integer from 2 to 4; a fuel cell comprising the catalytic layer; and a fuel cell for bioimplantation whose surface is coated with the solid polymer.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide an oxygen reduction electrode having excellent oxygen reduction catalysis ability. In a method of manufacturing a manganese oxide nanostructure having excellent oxygen reduction catalysis ability and composed of secondary particles which are aggregations of primary particles of manganese oxide, a target plate made of manganese oxide is irradiated with laser light to desorb the component substance of the target plate, and the desorbed substance is deposited on a substrate facing substantially parallel to the aforementioned target plate.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an oxygen reduction electrode having excellent oxygen reduction properties (oxygen reduction catalyst abilities). The present invention encompasses: (1) A method for manufacturing a nanostructured manganese oxide having a dendritic structure formed from an agglomeration of primary particles, wherein the method comprises the steps of: removing components from a target plate that comprises one or more kinds of manganese oxides by irradiating the target plate with laser light in an atmosphere comprising a mixed gas of inert gas and oxygen gas, the content of the oxygen gas in the mixed gas being no less than 0.05% but no more than 0.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide an oxygen reduction electrode which provides four-electron reduction reaction with high selectivity in the reaction of reducing oxygen. The present invention involves a method of manufacturing an electrode for reducing oxygen used for four-electron reduction of oxygen, having (1) a first step wherein a charcoal-based material is obtained by carbonization of a starting material comprising a nitrogen-containing synthetic polymer, and (2) a second step wherein the electrode for reducing oxygen is manufactured using an electrode material comprising the charcoal-based material.

Abstract: An optoelectronic material, device applications, and methods for manufacturing the optoelectronic material are provided to make it possible to obtain stable characteristics without deterioration of luminescence over time in the atmosphere. The optoelectronic material is composed of a porous silicon the surface of which is nitrided to form a silicon nitride layer thereon. This allows a stable electroluminescence to be obtained, without oxidation of the surface of the porous silicon.

Abstract: Methods of effectively utilizing yeast-containing waste products generated after yeast use can be applied to absorbing agents, drying agents, soil conditioners, catalysts, and other common applications in the same manner as to charcoal-based materials of other materials by carbonizing the waste product, but a new search was needed in order to broaden the industrial utilization of these products. By supporting a particulate or powdered charcoal-based material obtained by carbonizing a yeast-containing material on an electrically conductive gas-permeable base, an electrode can be obtained that is capable of the electrochemical reduction of oxygen. The present charcoal-based material can provide new applications that have not been hitherto proposed, in the sense that oxygen can be electrochemically reduced smoothly and at a small overvoltage (resistance), and a large electromotive force can be obtained, by placing the charcoal-based material at the intersection of the ion path and the oxygen path.

Abstract: A health care system includes a sampling means for sampling body fluid of a test subject person, an analysis means for analyzing the sampled body fluid, a transmission means for transmitting analytical data obtained from the analysis to a diagnosis means, the diagnosis means for diagnosing a health status of the test subject person from the transmitted analytical data, a server for storing and accumulating analytical data and/or diagnostic results, and a health-care-information display device for receiving and displaying diagnostic results or the like.

Abstract: The present invention provides a water photolysis system comprising: a casing 1 into which incident sunlight L can enter from the outside and a photolytic layer 5 which is disposed inside the casing 1; wherein the photolytic layer 5 has a light-transmissive porous material 51 and photocatalyst particles 52 supported thereon; a water layer 4 containing water in its liquid state is disposed below the photolytic layer 5 with a first space 6 disposed between the water layer and the photolytic layer; a sealed second space 7 is formed above the photolytic layer 5 in the casing 1; vapor generated from the water layer 4 is introduced into the photolytic layer 5 via the first space 6; and the vapor is decomposed into hydrogen and oxygen by the photocatalyst particles 52, which are excited by the sunlight L.

Abstract: This invention relates an optoelectronic material comprising a uniform medium with a controllable electric characteristic; and semiconductor ultrafine particles dispersed in the medium and having a mean particle size of 100 nm or less, and an application device using the same.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing high-purity standard particles produces nanometer-sized high-purity standard particles of monodispersive uniform structure efficiently, with the abatement of contamination and damage. The apparatus includes a particle generation chamber, a particle classification chamber and a particle collecting chamber. The particle generation chamber excites a semiconductor target with pulse laser beam under a low-pressure rare gas ambient so as to detach and eject materials from the target into the ambient gas, in which those materials are condensed and grow into high-purity particles. The particle classification chamber subjects the high-purity particles as generated to classification, and the particles collecting chamber collects high-purity standard particles as classified onto a substrate.

Abstract: A fine-particle classification apparatus includes an aerosol generation section which generates an aerosol containing fine particles in a medium background gas, a fine-particle classification section which classifies the fine particles contained in the aerosol in a sheath gas, and an introduction section, between the aerosol generation section and the fine-particle classification section, which introduces the aerosol generated in the aerosol generation section into the fine-particle classification section. The introduction section uses a carrier gas with an adequately high velocity to introduce the aerosol generated in the aerosol generation section to the classification section using a pressure difference.

Abstract: A server, which transmits phonetic-sound information to a plurality of client machines that are communicably connected thereto and reproduces the transmitted phonetic-sound information, includes: a storage unit for storing a plurality of pieces of voiced phonetic-sound information whose contents are voices of a plurality of speakers in a conversation made up of the voices of the plurality of speakers; a timing determining unit for determining reproduction timing of the plurality of pieces of voiced phonetic-sound information; and a transmitting unit for transmitting the voiced phonetic-sound information which is applicable to each client machine, so that its reproduction is executed in the reproduction timing determined by the timing determining unit.

Abstract: A particle counter counts particles in aerosol having a particle size of from 2 nm to 50 nm in an operating pressure range from an atmospheric pressure through a reduced pressure to a low vacuum and calculate a particle size distribution. The particle counter charges particles in the aerosol and applies an electrostatic field thereto, and mixes the aerosol with a non-charged sheath gas flow shaped like a laminar flow whereby the respective particles separate into traces depending on their particle size where they can be counted. Further, by using an electron multiplier for exciting cluster ions to detect the charged particles and operating it as a high-pass filter, even if the number density of the particles is small, it is possible to effectively count the particles.

Abstract: In fabricating a monochromic and highly coherent light source, no single crystalline bulk semiconductor is used, but two different kinds of transparent substances are alternately stacked over each other to constitute a periodic structure in ½ of the intended wavelength. At least one of the two kinds of transparent substances is controllable in electric conductivity, and the structure is such that inside a medium consisting of this kind of transparent substance light-emitting semiconductor particulates are embedded. Accordingly, a light-emitting device has this structure, which makes possible control of the center wavelength of light emission, the width of wavelength distribution and coherence by adjusting the geometrical parameters of the device without having to alter the kind of material use.