Abstract: An oxide film is formed on an insulating substrate by means of a wet type film forming technique such as a sol-gel method, a chemical deposition method or a liquid phase deposition method. Next, the oxide film is patterned according to the shape of interconnections. Then, a metal film made of Ni is formed on an oxide film pattern by such a wet type film forming technique as a wet type plating method. Further, a metal film made of Au that has a low resistance is laminated on the metal film made of Ni by electroless plating, and a metal film made of Cu that has a low resistance and is low cost is laminated on the Au film by electroplating. Thus, by the above method for manufacturing electric interconnections, a large-area interconnection substrate for a display device and an image detector is able to be fabricated at low cost without using a vacuum film forming apparatus.

Abstract: A display device of the present invention includes: a plurality of pixel electrodes defining a plurality of pixels that are arranged in a matrix pattern; optical switching elements electrically connected to the plurality of pixel electrodes, respectively; and scanning signal light emitting elements for emitting dotted light, as scanning signals, to the optical switching elements. The distance between the optical switching element and the scanning signal light emitting element is less than the pixel pitch at which the plurality of pixels are arranged.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to the provision of an image processing apparatus which enables the characteristic of an image region to be discriminated accurately, even in the presence of pixel displacements, noise, etc. Within masks for three colors, each mask consisting of m×n pixel including an object pixel, sub-region masks of u×v are set, and the sum of pixel densities is calculated by a sum calculation circuit. Based on the thus calculated sum, a parameter calculation circuit calculates a parameter based on which a multi-valued signal generation circuit generates a multi-valued signal. A characteristic signal represented by multi-valued data is generated by a characteristic signal generation circuit from the distribution of data within a region discriminating mask represented by the multi-valued signal, and a segmentation signal representing the result of region characteristic discrimination is output from a segmentation signal generation circuit.

Abstract: An image processing device for generating a 3-D character image of the present invention includes: an image input section for inputting a face image; a storage section for prestoring of 3-D models, body images, and information on a direction, position, and size of a face conforming to the body images; a user input section having a position designation means and a body selection means; an image processing section, including a textured image generation means for generating a textured image so as to paste the input image onto the 3-D model, a textured image storage means, a face image generation means, and a combining means for combining a body image and an image generated by the face image generation section so as to generate a 3-D character image; and a display section.

Abstract: In a liquid crystal display device that achieves display by using an active-matrix liquid crystal panel, for a predetermined time after the driving of the liquid crystal panel is stopped, a voltage is kept applied only to the opposing electrode through which all the liquid crystal layers constituting the liquid crystal panel are driven. This helps shorten the time required for the electric charge accumulated in the liquid crystal panel to be discharged and thereby prevent degradation of display quality and deterioration of the liquid crystal panel through simple control.

Abstract: An alumina fiber aggregate comprising alumina short fibers whose average diameter is 4.0 to 10.0 &mgr;m and smallest diameter is not less than 3.0 &mgr;m, and a method of producing an alumina fiber aggregate which comprises spinning a spinning solution containing basic aluminum chloride, a silicon compound, an organic polymer and water by the blowing method, and calcining the obtained aggregate of alumina short fiber precursor, the spinning solution being one in which the aluminum/silicon ratio is 99/1 to 65/35 calculated as Al2O3/SiO2 ratio by weight, the concentration of basic aluminum chloride is 180 to 200 g/L and the concentration of the organic polymer is 20 to 40 g/L. The alumina short fibers in the alumina fiber aggregate are enlarged in diameter to suppress scattering of the fibers.

Abstract: In one aspect of the present invention discloses a dual-stiffness damping system for an evacuated energy storage system, the damping system comprising one or more flexible dampers and a plurality of more rigid bumpers, and a method of damping an evacuated energy storage system using dual-stiffness damping. Indeed, under normal operating conditions, a flexible damper, having a stiffness of about 500 lb/in to about 4000 lb/in, minimizes the rigid body critical speed of the rotor assembly of the energy storage system, allowing relative displacement between the stator assembly and rotor assembly but preventing the assemblies from physically contacting each other. Under more extreme external loading conditions, e.g., during an earthquake, the plurality of more rigid bumpers, having a stiffness of about 50,000 to 250,000 lb/in, engages the outer race of the bearing assembly to arrest further relative displacement substantially.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a multilayered molding comprising at least two of a layer A and a layer B, in which the layers A are formed on both sides of the layer B, each layer A comprises a same or different thermoplastic resin compositions, the layer A has a flexural modulus according to ASTM D790 of not less than 5,000 kg/cm2, the layer B comprises a thermoplastic resin composition and has a flexural modulus according to ASTM D790 of not more than 5,000 kg/cm2, and the ratio of flexular modulus of the layer A to flexural modulus of the layer B is not less than 5.

Abstract: In a thin-film transistor to be used in an active matrix liquid crystal display device, each of a gate signal line, a source signal line, and a drain extraction electrode has a three-layer structure. Specifically, each of these members is made up of a lower layer made of a titanium film, an intermediate layer made of an aluminum film, and an upper layer made of a titanium film containing nitrogen. Since the respective upper layers, in contact with a gate insulating film or an interlayer insulating film made of a silicon nitride film, are made of titanium films containing nitrogen, they have superior adhesion to the silicon nitride film. Consequently, film peeling, etc. during the manufacturing process can be suppressed. Further, providing the titanium film beneath the aluminum film contributes to reduction of the resistance of the aluminum film.

Abstract: An objective lens is made up of a light-source-side lens and a medium-side lens wherein at least either one of rim portions of respective opposing surfaces of the light-source-side lens and the medium-side lens forms a rise-up section projected towards the other lens, the rim portion which forms the rise-up section and the rim portion of the other lens at least partially contact one another, and these two lens are fixed together by an adhesive resin layer formed in a spacing between the respective rim portions. With the foregoing structure, an objective lens made up of a pair of lenses which has high rigidity as a whole and is capable of high speed recording and reproducing by suppressing adverse effects of resonance can be realized.

Abstract: The present invention provides novel pharmaceutical compositions and methods of treatment that utilize or comprise tetrac and/or another thyromimetic compound. The pharmaceutical compositions of the invention are capable of suppressing TSH secretion without inhibiting the pituitary specific monodeiodinase type II and while reducing or avoiding the thyromimetic stimulation of peripheral tissues compared to equivalent TSH-suppressive doses of L-thyroxine (T4). The pharmaceutical compositions of the invention are particularly useful for treating patients suffering from malignancy or abnormal growth of the thyroid and for preventing growth of residual thyroid tissue post thyroidectomy.

Abstract: A device for displaying a video signal which is supplied to the device along with a vertical synchronizing signal, includes a plurality of pixels arranged in a matrix, a switching element connected to each of the plurality of pixels, and a driving circuit for writing the video signal into each of the plurality of pixels via the switching element. The driving circuit writes the video signal to each of the plurality of pixels with a cycle TW1 shorter than one cycle of the vertical synchronizing signal.

Abstract: Disclosed is a cold cathode electron source characterized in that a cold cathode material which can achieve electron emission in a low electric field (e.g., a carbon nanotube), necessary constituent elements are provided individually in uncalcined ceramic sheets (green sheets 21, 43, 46) and the sheets are laminated and calcined to form an integral structure. The electron source can be manufactured by forming through-holes 20 in a flat plate, charging a conductive paste 30 containing carbon nanotubes 31 dispersed therein into the through-holes 20 by vacuum suction, thereby causing to orient the carbon nanotubes 31 in the axis direction of the through-hoes 20. The electron source is useful for the low-cost manufacture of a device with a cold cathode electron source which can achieve ready vacuum evacuation and maintenance of the vacuum level, as well as a high emission current density at a low voltage.

Abstract: An optical recording medium in accordance with the present invention is provided with a substrate, a mask layer, provided on the substrate, whose index of refraction changes due to light or heat of the substrate, and a recording layer that is provided away from the mask layer by a distance that is not more than a distance which allows the near-field light to reach. The mask layer generates a minute opaque region in a light spot and the recording layer is a magneto-optical layer. An optical recording and reproduction apparatus in accordance with the present invention uses the optical recording medium. This allows to provide an optical recording medium and an optical recording and reproduction apparatus that can suppress the erasure of recorded marks and carry out the reproduction again and again.

Abstract: A magneto-optical disk recording and reproducing device, which carries out recording and reproducing for a magnetic super-resolution magneto-optical disk including a recording layer and reproducing layer, has a recording data processing circuit which records long recording marks at different positions between adjacent tracks in a radius direction, each of the long recording marks being larger in diameter than an aperture formed on the reproducing layer by projecting thereon the light beam. According to this arrangement, it is possible to continuously reproduce a data recording area with high accuracy and optimum reproducing power without being affected by adjacent tracks.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a flame-retardant polyamide-based protective sheet comprising a polyamide resin composition comprising 98 to 70 parts by weight of a polyamide resin and 2 to 30 parts by weight of a triazine-based flame retardant, and produced by extrusion-molding said polyamide resin composition.

Abstract: A permanent magnet motor assembly for use in a flywheel is disclosed, including a rotor, a stator, and a coil positioned in the stator. One or more magnets is attached to the rotor such that magnetic field lines are directed radially toward the coil for generating torque and thus driving the motor. A shield covers the magnet, preventing the magnetic flux lines from impacting a plate on the stator and causing excess heat and energy losses. The shield can be a cup or a snap-fit ring preferably made of magnetic steel which directs stray magnetic flux lines toward the rotor to be converted into useful work.

Abstract: A pattern forming method of the present invention for forming a predetermined pattern on a photosensitive resin film by (i) layering the photosensitive resin film on an inorganic thin film with which a plastic substrate is coated and (ii) exposing the photosensitive resin film via a photomask having the predetermined pattern in an exposing step is characterized by including the step of heating the plastic substrate having the inorganic thin film before the exposing step, a time from an end of the heating step to a start of the exposing step being managed to be not less than a predetermined time, in accordance with an asymptotic contracting behavior after the end of the heating step of the plastic substrate having the inorganic thin film. With this, it is possible to provide a pattern forming method capable of forming a plurality of patterns on a plastic substrate with high accuracy of superposition, and a display device manufactured using the same.

Abstract: A correlated double sampling circuit that remarkably suppresses a fixed pattern noise and an amplification type solid state imaging device employing the circuit are provided. An input changeover switch 200 is switched to the vertical signal line 145 side in a first period, and the signal of the vertical signal line 145 is clamped by first clamping circuit (201, 202) in the first half of the first period. Thereafter, a signal on the output side of the clamping capacitor 201 is sampled and held by first sample hold circuit (203, 204) in the last half of the first period. Next, the input changeover switch 200 is switched to the fixed potential side in a second period, and the clamping potential is sampled and held by the first clamping circuit with respect to a fixed potential in the first half of the second period. Thereafter, a signal on the output side of the clamping capacitor 201 is sampled and held by the first sample hold circuit.

Abstract: In an optical pickup device, an objective lens unit includes a first lens, a second lens for converging a light beam which passed through the first lens on an information recording layer of a recording medium, and a second-lens-driving-use actuator for adjusting the distance between the first and second lenses. The second lens has a reflecting section for reflecting an outer part of the light beam which passed through the first lens and reached the second lens. Moreover, the optical pickup device includes a condenser lens, a cylindrical lens and a light receiving element for detecting a reflected light beam reflected by the reflecting section, and a control device for detecting the distance between the first and second lenses according to the result of detection and for controlling the second-lens-driving-use actuator according to the result of detection.