Abstract: A high-speed, high-sensitivity photo-receiving device has a light-absorbing substrate, on which a pair of electrodes are provided. An insulative optical guide is located over an exposed surface portion of the substrate constituting an optical window. The optical guide is permeable to incident light, and the width of the optical guide does not exceed the wavelength of the incident light.

Abstract: A method of fabricating nanometric structures on a substrate by dry etching includes setting the substrate at a temperature at which condensation of etching gas products of etching gas decomposed, recombined and reacted, or products of reactions between the etching gas and substrate material starts to occur, forming condensates at specific locations on the substrate. The condensates form an etching mask for the dry etching process.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing metallic materials with extremely fine crystal grains comprises the steps of: taking molten metallic material that was melted by heating in a melting chamber and introducing it into an agitation chamber from said melting chamber, and in this agitation chamber, agitating it for 60 seconds or less by means of a screw-shaped stirring rod that is driven to rotate at 500 rpm or greater, and extruding the metallic material in the state of solid-liquid coexistence from an extrusion nozzle on the outlet side, and quench-solidifying the metallic material in the state of solid-liquid coexistence extruded from said nozzle immediately while it still has fine crystal grains as it is continuously formed into the desired shape. In this method, the speed of rotation of the screw-shaped stirring rod may be 800 to 1000 rpm. Also, the time in which the metallic material resides in the state of solid-liquid coexistence may be 5 to 60 seconds.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a photo-device includes the steps of forming an optically nontransparent, electrically conductive layer on the surface of a photoelectric conversion substrate, and transferring a portion of the optically nontransparent, electrically conductive layer using a scanning probe process apparatus to form, over an optical window, a light-permeable protective insulation structure of a region of the optical window on the substrate surface beneath the light-permeable protective insulation structure.

Abstract: PrBa.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.Y exhibiting superconductivity is provided by a method including the steps of preparing a solvent consisting of a mixture of praseodymium oxide, at least one of barium oxide and barium carbonate, and copper oxide at a mixing ratio of between 1:3:5 and 1:8:20, disposing the solvent between a feed rod of PrBa.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.7 formed to a high density and a seed crystal, heating the solvent to a temperature of 880.degree.-980.degree. C. in an atmosphere of an inert gas of at least one of argon and nitrogen mixed with 0.01-2% oxygen to form a floating solvent zone, moving the floating solvent zone toward the feed rod at 0.1-1.0 mm/hr under a temperature gradient at the solid-liquid interface of 25.degree.-35.degree. C./mm to precipitate single crystal on the seed crystal, and heat-treating the single crystal obtained in an atmosphere containing not less than 15% oxygen. Another aspect of the invention provides a superconducting device including the superconducting PrBa.sub.2 Cu.

Abstract: An arm mechanism includes a drive control mechanism that uses an end effector coordinate system and has an end effector drive control mechanism. The drive control mechanism includes an end effector rotational drive control mechanism and an end effector coordinate system translational drive control mechanism. The rotational drive control mechanism has three rotational actuators for driving end effector rotation about each axis separately. The end effector coordinate system translational drive control mechanism has an end effector coordinate system translational actuator to drive translational motion of the object. The drive control mechanism further includes an orientation maintenance mechanism that maintains the orientation of the target object on the absolute coordinate system and two absolute coordinate system translational actuators supported on the orientation maintenance mechanism for providing translational motion of the object along two orthogonal axes on the absolute coordinate system.

Abstract: A method of measuring a beam flux rate in a film growth apparatus which includes supplying a hollow cathode lamp with a current that alternates between two current values and does not include a zero current, introducing intensity-modulated spectral light emitted by the hollow cathode lamp into a vacuum chamber of a film growth apparatus, absorbing the light by a beam of atoms projected at a substrate surface, and detecting components synchronized with the modulation of the spectral light obtained.

Abstract: Rheocasting is effected by an apparatus that comprises a melt tank, a temperature-controllable stirrer that is immersed in a melt contained in the melt tank and can stir the melt, a screw conveyor apparatus that can draw off metal in a semi-solid state contained in the melt tank. Vertical melt separation grooves on the inside of the conveyor apparatus enable the semi-solid into a semi-solid having a viscosity that is not less than a prescribed viscosity value and a semi-solid having a viscosity that is less than the prescribed viscosity value.

Abstract: A method for determination of optical properties of light scattering material, includes calculating temporal changes in output light intensity with respect to a large number of combinations of reduced scattering coefficients .mu.s' and absorption coefficients .mu.a of a light-scattering material sample, storing the results, irradiating the sample with picosecond pulses of light and measuring temporal changes in the intensity of light coming out from the sample. When a measured temporal change in output light intensity is the same as or similar to a stored temporal change in intensity, the reduced scattering coefficient .mu.s' and absorption coefficient .mu.a of the stored temporal change in output light intensity are determined as the .mu.s' and .mu.a of the sample.

Abstract: A field emission device of simple structure enables stabilization and control of field emission current. Emission current is controlled by a plurality of control voltage systems. An emitter having a sharp tip is fabricated by processing a p-type semiconductor substrate, and an n-type source region is provided on the p-type semiconductor substrate surface at a position that is laterally separated from the emitter. An electrode layer having an aperture facing the apex portion of the emitter is provided on an insulating layer, the electrode layer extending to above the n-type source region. Voltage applied to the electrode layer to apply an extractor field to the apex portion of the emitter and to induce inversion layers at the emitter surface and the surface of the p-type semiconductor substrate. The electrode layer is divided into a plurality of electrodes.

Abstract: This invention concerns a method for the production of an oxide superconducting tape material having a composition of Bi.sub.2 Sr.sub.2 CaCu.sub.2 O.sub.8, which method consists essentially of forming a sandwich structure comprising a layer formed of a superconducting powder consisting essentially of Bi, Sr, Ca, Cu, and O and having an essential structure of Bi.sub.2 Sr.sub.2 CaCu.sub.2 O.sub.8 and silver sheet layers, the superconducting powder layer being interposed between the silver sheet layers, heating the sandwich structure at a temperature in the range of 810.degree.-910.degree. C. in an atmosphere consisting of oxygen and an inert gas and having an oxygen partial pressure in the range of 0-90%, thereby melting the superconducting powder layer, and then elevating the oxygen partial pressure of the atmosphere while retaining the same heating temperature, thereby crystallizing the molten superconducting powder layer.

Abstract: A multi-legged walking apparatus includes a first plurality of legs having a large weight support capacity and a second plurality of legs providing a large thrust force. The first plurality of legs provide a smaller thrust force than the thrust force of the second plurality of legs, and the second plurality of legs have a smaller weight support capacity than the weight support capacity of the first plurality of legs. The overall weight of the apparatus is supported substantially by the first plurality of legs, and the overall thrust of the apparatus is provided substantially by the second plurality of legs.

Abstract: A method of detecting defects in materials using infrared thermography, includes placing the rear surface of an object to be inspected close to the front surface of a thermoplate controlled by a temperature controller, and the front surface of the object in a vacuum chamber. At the other end of the vacuum chamber, on the outside, an infrared camera is arranged facing the object, so that a vacuum is maintained between the object and the camera. Defects are detected from thermal images of the object, obtained with the infrared camera.

Abstract: A method of non-contact micromanipulation using ultrasound includes providing a concave ultrasound transducer in a liquid medium in which micro particles are distributed, positioning a reflector at the focal point position of the transducer and radiating ultrasound from the transducer to form a standing wave field between the transducer and the reflector to align and trap micro particles at half wavelength intervals along the axis of the transducer.

Abstract: A method for locating a source position of an anomalous signal in a radial bearing comprises using a signal detection sensor, an inner-ring positional detection sensor for detecting a rotational position of a bearing inner ring, and a ball positional detection sensor for detecting a revolution position of bearing-balls. Signals from the signal detection sensor, inner-ring positional detection sensor, and ball positional detection sensor are used to locate positions of contact between balls and the inner or outer ring at a time of anomalous signal generation, within a load zone, as an anomalous signal source position.

Abstract: A method of producing a three-dimensional form includes the steps of spraying from at least one nozzle a gas including particles of materials having different properties onto a base surface to deposit a layer of particles, repeatedly spray-depositing layers of particles each on the upper surface of a deposition layer, thereby building up a three-dimensional object consisting of the accumulated deposition layers each having different properties in a two-dimensional plane, and utilizing the different properties in the accumulated deposition layers to remove part of the three-dimensional object, thereby producing a desired three-dimensional form.

Abstract: A precision positioning control apparatus includes a coarse positioner, a fine positioner, a displacement totalizer for totaling the displacements of the two positioners, a total displacement detector for producing a total displacement signal, a comparator for producing an error signal, a coarse positioner adjuster for adjusting the error signal and inputting the adjusted signal to the coarse positioner, and fine positioner adjuster for adjusting the error signal and inputting the adjusted signal to the fine positioner. The coarse position adjuster includes a gain element, a transfer element, a limitter, an integrator, a gain adjuster and an adder.

Abstract: An x-ray exposure system that reduces the time required to evacuate an internal chamber of a vacuum vessel, uses a low-power laser to produce the plasma that generates the x-rays, and enables the sample to be maintained outside the vacuum vessel. The system includes a detachable cover member that hermetically seals the opening of the vacuum vessel. The cover member includes a through-hole that forms an x-ray irradiation window and is sealed by an x-ray transmission member. In the through-hole, an x-ray generation target is provided that is irradiated by an external laser beam, via a laser beam entry window.

Abstract: A method for producing a SiO.sub.2 glass material having regions changed in light refractive index is provided which comprises implanting at least 5.times.10.sup.19 Ge ions/cm.sup.3 into a SiO.sub.2 glass substrate, heat-treating the substrate at a temperature exceeding 300.degree. C., and exposing the substrate to an ultraviolet light. Also provided is a SiO.sub.2 glass material produced by the method.

Abstract: A wide view angle display apparatus includes a pair of display devices each including a display for displaying an image, a high resolution display for superimposing a high resolution image at a center portion of the displayed image and eye movement detection means for ascertaining the view point of the user's eye, a support/drive means associated with each display device for supporting the display device and moving it in accordance with a signal from the eye movement detection means to keep the center of the displayed image coincident with the view point, a video signal generating means associated with each display devices for sending a view point video signal to the display based on a signal from the eye movement detection means, and a high resolution video signal generating means associated with each display device for sending a high resolution video signal to the high resolution display.