Abstract: This invention provides a photovoltaic semiconductor device of high efficiency capable of maintaining good interface characteristics of an amorphous semiconductor layer and a transparent electrode by eliminating damage caused by plasma of a plasma doping layer formed by doping impurity to the i-type amorphous semiconductor layer. The i-type amorphous semiconductor layer substantially not containing impurity for reducing electric resistance on a textured surface of an n-type single crystalline substrate. Then, the plasma doping layer is formed by exposing the n-type single crystalline substrate with the amorphous semiconductor layer formed thereon in an atmosphere of excited gas containing p-type impurity and diffusing the impurity to the amorphous semiconductor layer. A p-type amorphous semiconductor thin film layer containing p-type impurity is formed on the plasma doping layer by chemical vapor deposition and a transparent electrode 5 is formed on the p-type amorphous semiconductor thin film.

Abstract: Rotary type fluid machine includes a casing 7, a rotor 31 and a plurality of vane-piston units U1-U12 which are disposed in a radiate arrangement on the rotor 31. Each of the vane-piston units U1-U12 has a vane 42 sliding in a rotor chamber 14 and a piston 41 placed in abutment against a non-slide side of the vane 42. When it functions as an expanding machine 4, the expansion of a high pressure gas is used to operate the pistons 41 thereby to rotate the rotor 31 via vanes 42 and the expansion of a low pressure gas caused by a pressure reduction in the high pressure gas is used to rotate the rotor 31 via the vanes 41. On the other hand, when it functions as a compressing machine, the rotation of rotor 31 is used to supply a low pressure air to the side of pistons 41 via vanes 42 and further, the pistons 41 are operated by the vanes 42 to convert the low pressure air to the high pressure air.

Abstract: A light emitting portion (1) and an objective lens (3) for collecting a light of the light emitting portion are provided. The light receiving portion (2) is provided in the vicinity of the light emitting portion (1) such that the light can be collected by the objective lens and the light reflected by an optical disk (10) to be an object can be detected. The light emitting portion and the light receiving portion are formed to get in a range of 1.22 &lgr;/NA (beam waist BW) wherein a numerical aperture of the objective lens is represented by NA and a wavelength of the light emitting portion is represented by &lgr; or the light receiving portion is multi-split such that a focal shift of a beam having an astigmatism formed thereon can be detected.

Abstract: This invention provides a beam light source which enables a light guide plate for receiving light to have a smooth end surface. A light emitting surface of the beam-shaped light guide for dispersing and emitting light emitted from a point light source in a form of beam light faces to a channel bottom surface as a scattering reflecting surface of a reflecting member. The light emitted from the light emitting surface is irregularly reflected on the channel bottom surface of the reflecting member so as to make viewing angle characteristics uniform. The light having the uniform viewing angle characteristics is transmitted from the light emitting surface of the beam-shaped light guide through a side surface opposite to the light emitting surface, and is emitted from another side surface opposite to the above side surface.

Abstract: A fuel supply device is provided capable of supplying a necessary amount of fuel while ensuring predetermined stoichiometric characteristics over a wide range of flow rates. The body unit of the fuel supply device includes the first ejector, the second ejector, and a switching valve. The switching valve has a function to select either one of a first passage or a second passage for communicating with the valve chamber and to block the other passage. The first passage is communicated with a nozzle of the first ejector, and the second passage is communicated with a nozzle of the second ejector. The first ejector has a diffuser passage communicated with the reflux chamber, the second ejector has a diffuser passage communicated with the reflux chamber, and the diffuser passage 43 and the diffuser passage are connected with a hydrogen outlet through a merging passage.

Abstract: A plasma display panel comprises a front substrate plate; a back substrate plate arranged opposite to the front substrate plate with an electric discharge space formed therebetween; a plurality of partition walls dividing the discharge space into a plurality of discharge cells; and a plurality of fluorescent layers each covering the bottom and side surfaces of each discharge cell. In particular, each of the partition walls has a T-shaped cross section.

Abstract: The present invention relates to polymer-grafted natural fiber used for the preparation of composite materials. The invention relates in particular to a process for making such polymer-grafted natural fibers.

Abstract: A seal in a fuel cell for sealing a membrane electrode assembly comprises a pair of catalytic electrode layers, a polymerized electrolytic membrane held between the catalytic layers, and a gas diffusion layer layered on the outer surface of the catalytic electrode layer. The seal is integrally formed with the polymerized electrolytic membrane. The height thereof is greater than that of the gas diffusion layer. The difference between the heights of the polymerized electrolytic membrane and the gas diffusion layer is constant.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sealing system for implementing an optimum temperature profile for solder melting and improving productivity, and a sealing method therefor. The present invention comprises a sealing machine for superimposing a pre-soldered cap onto a package on which an electronic device element is mounted, a multi-clip for receiving and holding a plurality of sets of the packages and caps superimposed by the sealing machine in batch, and a sealing furnace for heating the plurality of sets held in batch by the multi-clip, and generating a plurality of electronic devices in batch by melting the previously applied solder and sealing the plurality of sets of packages and caps. According to the present invention, the plurality of sets of the packages and caps held in batch by the multi-clip are heated and sealed, therefore the sealing efficiency of the packages and caps can be improved.

Abstract: An oscillator circuit which generates an oscillator signal that ensures the generation of a stable internal supply voltage. The oscillator circuit has a periodic circuit which includes a switch circuit. A method of controlling the oscillator circuit includes the steps of operating the periodic circuit using the switch circuit in response to a first control signal when the first control signal is in a first state to generate a first oscillator signal having a first frequency, and operating the periodic circuit using the switch circuit in response to a second control signal when the first control signal is in a second state to generate a second oscillator signal having a period synchronized to a period of the second control signal having a second frequency.

Abstract: A blade for an axial-flow turbine includes an intrados producing a positive pressure between a leading edge and a trailing edge, and an extrados producing a negative pressure. The intrados is formed at its rear portion with a flat surface portion connected to the trailing edge, and the extrados has a curved surface portion formed at least at a portion corresponding to the flat surface portion. The trailing edge of the turbine blade is pointed at its end. The angle of intersection between the intrados and the extrados at the trailing edge is a right angle or an acute angle. Thus, it is possible to inhibit the flowing of a gas from the intrados at the trailing edge toward the extrados and to decrease the degree of curvature of the extrados at the trailing edge portion to reduce the flow speed, thereby minimizing a shock wave generated at the trailing edge portion to reduce the pressure loss and enhance the performance of the turbine.

Abstract: A phase adjustment circuit delays an external clock signal to generate an adjusted clock signal. A phase comparator compares phases of the external clock signal and the adjusted clock signal, and outputs a phase adjustment signal for adjusting a delay time of the phase adjustment circuit. A data output circuit outputs read data to a data terminal in synchronization with the adjusted clock signal. A data input circuit receives write data supplied to the data terminal, in synchronization with the adjusted clock signal. When performing input of the write data and output of the read data successively, switching control between the input operation of the write data and the output operation of the read data only has to be completed within one clock cycle. The clock cycle can thus be reduced to the time required for the switching control. Consequently, maximum frequency of the external clock signal can be increased.

Abstract: A position control system includes a PID controller for generating a current target value of a linear motor from a difference between a positional detected value and a positional command value, and a disturbance observer. The disturbance observer includes a signal processing unit comprising a filter for filtering a torque command value for a motor drive and an input torque estimating filter carrying out estimation for obtaining an estimated input load torque from the detected positional value. An inverse model of a motor torque constant calculates an estimated disturbance load torque from the difference between the filtered torque command value and the estimated input load torque and generates a correction value for the current target value so as to cancel a disturbance torque on the basis of the estimated disturbance load torque being calculated.

Abstract: A solar cell module including a plurality of solar cell elements 1 sealed by EVA resin between a front surface glass 20 and a rear surface member 5 is provided with a sodium diffusion preventing layer of a PET film 6 of a smaller water vapor transmission rate than those of the EVA sheets 3, 4 interposed between the front surface glass 20 and the solar cell elements 1.

Abstract: When a plurality of commands are received in succession to read/write data from/to memory cells in accordance with the combination of these commands, a word line for controlling the transfer switches of the memory cells are activated after the reception of one of the commands excluding the first command. This allows control circuits for activating the word lines to be operated at a lower frequency than heretofore, with a reduction in power consumption. Moreover, the word lines are activated based on an address signal that is supplied along with the first command as well as a part of an address signal supplied along with one of the commands excluding the first command. Consequently, the memory region to be selected by these address signals can be smaller, with a reduction in power consumption.

Abstract: A semiconductor device, a testing method and a refresh control method having a temperature detecting function to detect a predetermined temperature with little dispersion and to optimize the acting state in accordance with the predetermined temperature detected. The semiconductor device includes at least a memory cell, a refresh control circuit for switching the refresh period tREF of the memory cell, and a temperature detecting unit to be biased with a bias voltage VB+ coming from a voltage bias unit including a reference unit and a regulator unit.

Abstract: A remaining charge detecting system of an electric double layer capacitor to be usable, for example, as an energy source of a hybrid vehicle having an internal combustion engine and an electric motor separately driving wheels. The system includes a current-voltage sensor which generates an output indicative of a terminal voltage across terminals of the capacitor and an output indicative of charge/discharge current charged into and discharged from the capacitor and an electronic control unit, comprising a microcomputer, which inputs the outputs of the current-voltage sensor indicative of the terminal voltage and charge/discharge current and calculates a remaining charge of the capacitor based on a state equation (mathematical model) having the remaining charge of the capacitor as a state variable and an observer that observes the state equation, thereby enabling simple and accurate detection of the remaining charge of the electrical double layer capacitor without need for a high-precision current sensor.