Abstract: A fixing apparatus is used that has: a first rotation member; an elongated heater disposed in an internal space of the first rotation member, and having a heat generating member and a substrate on which the heat generating member is provided; a temperature sensing unit that detects a temperature of the heater; a heater holder that holds the heater; a second rotation member that forms a nip portion with the heater, across the first rotation member; a reservoir unit that stores grease that is supplied between the first rotation member and the heater; and an elastic member that encloses the temperature sensing unit, such that a toner image formed on a recording material is heated and fixed at the nip portion.

Abstract: A time required to return an inside of the chamber after performing maintenance of the inside of the chamber into a state prior to the maintenance can be shortened. A seasoning method includes a first dry cleaning process of cleaning the inside of the chamber by supplying an O2 gas into the chamber and generating plasma of the O2 gas within the chamber; and a second dry cleaning process of seasoning, after the first dry cleaning process, the inside of the chamber by supplying a processing gas containing fluorine into the chamber and generating plasma of the processing gas within the chamber.

Abstract: A time required to return an inside of the chamber after performing maintenance of the inside of the chamber into a state prior to the maintenance can be shortened. A seasoning method includes a first dry cleaning process of cleaning the inside of the chamber by supplying an O2 gas into the chamber and generating plasma of the O2 gas within the chamber; and a second dry cleaning process of seasoning, after the first dry cleaning process, the inside of the chamber by supplying a processing gas containing fluorine into the chamber and generating plasma of the processing gas within the chamber.

Abstract: An isotropic etching process can be performed with high uniformity. A plasma etching method of etching an etching target layer containing silicon includes preparing a processing target object having the etching target layer in a processing chamber; removing an oxide film on a surface of the etching target layer by generating plasma of a first processing gas that contains a fluorocarbon gas or a fluorohydrocarbon gas but does not contain oxygen; removing a carbon-based reaction product generated when the removing of the oxide film by generating plasma of a second processing gas that does not contain oxygen; and etching the etching target layer without applying a high frequency bias power to a lower electrode serving as a mounting table configured to mount the processing target object thereon by generating plasma of a third processing gas containing a fluorocarbon gas or a fluorohydrocarbon gas with a microwave.

Abstract: An isotropic etching process can be performed with high uniformity. A plasma etching method of etching an etching target layer containing silicon includes preparing a processing target object having the etching target layer in a processing chamber; removing an oxide film on a surface of the etching target layer by generating plasma of a first processing gas that contains a fluorocarbon gas or a fluorohydrocarbon gas but does not contain oxygen; removing a carbon-based reaction product generated when the removing of the oxide film by generating plasma of a second processing gas that does not contain oxygen; and etching the etching target layer without applying a high frequency bias power to a lower electrode serving as a mounting table configured to mount the processing target object thereon by generating plasma of a third processing gas containing a fluorocarbon gas or a fluorohydrocarbon gas with a microwave.

Abstract: An optical disc apparatus reads the address information from an optical disc which has tracks and track spaces formed between tracks. The apparatus has an optical head which irradiates the disc with light and includes tracking detectors, divided into a first detector and a second detector in a track direction, detecting the light reflected from the disc and outputting detection signals, an adjusting circuit which adjusts amplitudes of the first and second detection signals and outputs the signals at a position where the address information is recorded, a differential amplifying circuit which outputs the differential signal which is the difference between the adjusted first and second detection signals, and an address detecting circuit which detects the address information based on the differential signal. As a result, the optical disc apparatus accurately detects whether information is being recorded on a correct track and improves the reliability during recording.

Abstract: Crosstalk between tracks, land prepit leakage, and effects of recording power modulation can cause the wobble signal period to change irregularly, thereby producing jitter in the recording clock which is derived by frequency multiplying the wobble signal. This problem is resolved by a recording clock generating circuit having an arrangement to average the wobble signal period, a timer for generating a rectangular wave with substantially the same period as the average period, and a frequency multiplying PLL for multiplying the timer output. The period averaging arrangement in particular determines the approximate average period at every wobble period and reflects the phase difference between the wobble signal and the timer in the timer setting so as to improve recording clock stability.

Abstract: Of (A+B) signal and (C+D) signal for detecting a radial push-pull signal, the (A+B) signal is multiplied with a predetermined coefficient k. The predetermined coefficient k is changed appropriately depending on an error rate upon decoding a land pre-pit, a lens shift amount of an objective lens of an optical pickup, and the levels of a land pre-pit signal and a wobbling signal relative to the level of (A+B+C+D) signal. Consequently, the land pre-pit on an optical disc can be detected securely at a high precision at any time of recording time and reproduction time.

Abstract: Playback signal amplitude drops and continuity of the signal track amplitude is lost at the beginning the data recording area when data is incrementally written to optical discs such as DVD-R or DVD-RW media. Feed-forward control quickly settles semiconductor laser recording power to the target power level immediately after an incremental recording starts. While recording continues, feedback control maintains laser power at a desired recording power level even when the required current supply varies due to the temperature characteristics of the semiconductor laser when recording lasts for an extended period of time. A semiconductor laser control method and semiconductor laser control device thereby maintain laser power at a stable target recording power level quickly and for as long as recording continues.

Abstract: A period accumulating portion inputs a reference clock “Clock 2” and a wobbling pulse WBLPOL_I obtained by binarizing a wobbling signal extracted from a reproduction output from a DVD, and accumulates and counts reference clocks “Clock 2” in an interval of predetermined periods of the wobbling pulses WBLPOL_I so as to obtain a count value “m”. An average period detecting circuit obtains an average count value “n” corresponding to the interval of an averaged period of the wobbling pulse by dividing a count value of the reference clock “Clock 2” with a number of the predetermined periods. A divider generates a wobbling pulse WBLPOL_O having a constant period, deprived of a period fluctuation due to a prepit by dividing the reference clock based on the average count value.

Abstract: Multi-pulse trains of a forward laser beam are applied to an optical disc to record mark areas thereon. The multi-pulse trains correspond to the mark areas respectively. The multi-pulse trains represent information to be recorded. Detection is made as to an intensity of a reflected laser beam which results from reflection of the forward laser beam by the optical disc. The detected intensity is divided by a setting intensity to get a division result. A condition of recording of each of the mark areas is detected in response to the division result. An amplitude of each of the multi-pulse trains is controlled in response to the detected condition.

Abstract: A video disk recorder has a function for carrying out a linking on an optical disk and contains a predetermined data building-in circuit for supplying a predetermined fixed data as a playback data. Upon linking, a linking point is placed in a CPM area on the optical disk and the fixed data is recorded in this CPM area. Upon playback of the CPM area in which the linking is carried out, the fixed data supplied from the predetermined data building-in circuit is read out as the playback data.

Abstract: An apparatus operates for recording and reproducing information on and from a recording medium formed with a track and pre-pits. The track has a wobble. The pre-pits are in a predetermined phase relation with the wobble of the track. The apparatus includes a pickup for reproducing a signal from the recording medium. A limiter operates for limiting an amplitude of the signal reproduced by the pickup in response to a limiting level, and thereby processing the signal reproduced by the pickup into a limiting-resultant signal. A filter operates for suppressing components of the limiting-resultant signal, and thereby processing the limiting-resultant signal into a filtering-resultant signal. The components have specified frequencies, and are caused by the pre-pits. The limiting level for the limiter is generated in response to the filtering-resultant signal. A signal caused by the wobble of the groove is extracted from the filtering-resultant signal.

Abstract: Crosstalk between tracks, land prepit leakage, and effects of recording power modulation can cause the wobble signal period to change irregularly, producing jitter in the recording clock derived by frequency multiplying the wobble signal. This problem is resolved by a recording clock generating circuit having an arrangement to average the wobble signal period, a timer for generating a rectangular wave with substantially the same period as the average period, and a frequency multiplying PLL for multiplying timer output. The period averaging arrangement in particular determines the approximate average period at every wobble period and reflects the phase difference between the wobble signal and timer in the timer setting to improve recording clock stability.

Abstract: Playback signal amplitude drops and continuity of the signal track amplitude is lost at the beginning the data recording area when data is incrementally written to optical discs such as DVD-R or DVD-RW media. Feed-forward control quickly settles semiconductor laser recording power to the target power level immediately after an incremental recording starts. While recording continues, feedback control maintains laser power at a desired recording power level even when the required current supply varies due to the temperature characteristics of the semiconductor laser when recording lasts for an extended period of time. A semiconductor laser control method and semiconductor laser control device thereby maintain laser power at a stable target recording power level quickly and for as long as recording continues.

Abstract: To accurately detect whether the information is being recorded on a correct track and improve the reliability during recording. The invention relates to an optical disc apparatus for reading the address information from an optical disc which has tracks and track spaces formed between tracks. The apparatus comprises an optical head which irradiates the disc with light and includes tracking detectors, divided into a first detector and a second detector in a track direction, detecting the reflecting light from the disc and outputting detection signals, an adjusting circuit which adjusts amplitudes of the first and second detection signals and outputting the signals at a position where the address information is recorded, a differential amplifying circuit which outputs the differential signal which is the difference between the first and the second detection signals adjusted, and an address detecting circuit which detects the address information based on the differential signal.

Abstract: An apparatus operates for recording and reproducing information on and from a recording medium formed with a track and pre-pits. The track has a wobble. The pre-pits are in a predetermined phase relation with the wobble of the track. The apparatus includes a pickup for reproducing a signal from the recording medium. A limiter operates for limiting an amplitude of the signal reproduced by the pickup in response to a limiting level, and thereby processing the signal reproduced by the pickup into a limiting-resultant signal. A filter operates for suppressing components of the limiting-resultant signal, and thereby processing the limiting-resultant signal into a filtering-resultant signal. The components have specified frequencies, and are caused by the pre-pits. The limiting level for the limiter is generated in response to the filtering-resultant signal. A signal caused by the wobble of the groove is extracted from the filtering-resultant signal.

Abstract: Multi-pulse trains of a forward laser beam are applied to an optical disc to record mark areas thereon. The multi-pulse trains correspond to the mark areas respectively. The multi-pulse trains represent information to be recorded. Detection is made as to an intensity of a reflected laser beam which results from reflection of the forward laser beam by the optical disc. The detected intensity is divided by a setting intensity to get a division result. A condition of recording of each of the mark areas is detected in response to the division result. An amplitude of each of the multi-pulse trains is controlled in response to the detected condition.

Abstract: Of (A+B) signal and (C+D) signal for detecting a radial push-pull signal, the (A+B) signal is multiplied with a predetermined coefficient k. The predetermined coefficient k is changed appropriately depending on an error rate upon decoding a land pre-pit, a lens shift amount of an objective lens of an optical pickup, and the levels of a land pre-pit signal and a wobbling signal relative to the level of (A+B+C+D) signal. Consequently, the land pre-pit on an optical disc can be detected securely at a high precision at any time of recording time and reproduction time.