Abstract: A method for forming an electret containing positive ions, includes: a first step of contacting water vapor including positive ions to a Si substrate to which heat is being applied, and forming an oxide layer including those ions; a second step of, along with applying an electric field that makes the side of the oxide layer that does not contact the Si substrate be the negative side, and that makes its other side be a positive side, applying heat to the Si substrate in a hydrogen atmosphere, and causing the ions in the oxide layer to shift; and a third step of contacting water vapor including a chemical substance, in an atmosphere of an inactive gas, for forming a hydrophobic chemically adsorbed monomolecular layer, and thus forming a hydrophobic membrane upon the oxide layer; wherein the second step and the third step are performed continuously within one common vessel.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a three-dimensionally shaped comb-tooth electret electrode, provided with positive ions, includes: forming a three-dimensional movable comb-tooth electrode and a three-dimensional fixed comb-tooth electrode from an Si substrate; contacting a vapor including ions thereto, and forming an oxide layer including ions upon surfaces of the comb-tooth electrodes with heat applied thereto; and applying a voltage between the movable electrode and the fixed electrode with heat applied thereto, and thereby causing the ions included in the oxide layer to shift to a surface of the oxide layer; wherein, the voltage between the movable electrode and the fixed electrode is changed, so that the operation of each of the comb-teeth of the movable electrode being alternatingly pulled in against two opposed comb-teeth of the fixed electrode is repeated, and the pulling in voltage and the pulled-in state release voltage are gradually increased.

Abstract: Small tweezers having a pair of arms openable and closable is moved closer to a sample and grips a particle attached on a surface of the sample and carries it onto an adhesion member to attach it thereto. The small tweezers are opened to release the particle and brought away from the adhesion member to leave the particle on the adhesion member. A particle removing device includes small tweezers having a pair of arms openable and closable; an opening/closing driving unit that drives the arm or arms to open/close the small tweezers; a stage mounting an adhesion member that attaches thereto a particle to withdraw the particle; and a moving mechanism that moves the small tweezers between the sample and the adhesion member mounted on the stage. Also, an atomic force microscope and a charged ion beam apparatus that include the particle removing device are disclosed.

Abstract: A vibration driven power generation element according to the present invention includes: a three dimensionally shaped movable comb tooth electrode comprising a plurality of comb teeth of which interiors are filled with an insulating material, and having an SiO2 layer into which alkali ions are injected provided upon its outer surface; and a fixed type comb tooth electrode provided with a plurality of comb teeth made from Si the interiors of which are doped so as to have low electrical resistance, being arranged with the three dimensionally shaped movable comb tooth electrode opposed thereto and interleaved thereinto.

Abstract: A thermal head wherein abrasion of an insulating protection film of a heating resistor formed on a partial glaze layer can be suppressed. A heating resistor is provided on the partial glaze layer provided on a ceramic substrate in the longitudinal direction, and the entire surface including the heating resistor is covered by the insulating protection film. A level difference is formed between the insulating protection film over the heating resistor and a flat portion of the insulating protection film over the area outside of the partial glaze layer. The level difference is set so that the insulating protection film on the heating resistor defines a higher portion and a platen roller can press thermal paper on the insulating protection film over the heating resistor and on the flat insulating protection film outside of the partial glaze layer. Thereby, the pressing force of the platen roller can be dispersed.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: a semiconductor chip with a plurality of electrode pads disposed at a top surface thereof; a plurality of thin film terminals set apart from one another via respective separator portions, which are located below a bottom surface of the semiconductor chip; an insulating layer disposed between the semiconductor chip and the thin-film terminals; connecting members that connect the electrode pads at the semiconductor chip with the thin-film terminals respectively and a resin layer disposed so as to cover the semiconductor chip, the plurality of thin-film terminals exposed at the semiconductor chip, the separator portions and the connecting members.

Abstract: AFM tweezers that include a first probe, including a triangular prism member having a tip of a ridge which is usable as a probe tip in a scanning probe microscope, and a second probe, including a triangular prism member provided so as to open/close with respect to the first probe, are provided. The first probe and the second probe are juxtaposed such that a predetermined peripheral surface of the triangular prism member of the first probe and a predetermined peripheral surface of the triangular prism member of the second probe face substantially in parallel to each other, and the first probe formed of a notch that prevents interference with a sample when the sample is scanned by the tip of the ridge.

Abstract: A tweezer-equipped scanning probe microscope comprises a first arm with a probing portion, a second arm that moves along an opening direction or a closing direction relative to the first arm, an electrostatic actuator that drives the second arm along the opening direction or the closing direction based upon an opening/closing drive voltage applied thereto, an amplifier that induces self-oscillation in the electrostatic actuator by using an electrically equivalent circuit accompanying the electrostatic actuator as a feedback circuit and causes the second arm to vibrate through the self-oscillation, and a vibration state detection unit that detects a change of vibration state of the second arm as the second arm contacts an object.

Abstract: A nanotweezer (1) according to the present invention includes: a supporting member (25); an observation probe (10) that projects out from the supporting member (25), and is used when observing a surface of a specimen; a movable arm (20) that is arranged next to the observation probe (10) projecting out from the supporting member (25), and makes closed or opened between the observation probe (10) and the movable arm (20) to hold or release the specimen held between the observation probe (10) and the movable arm (20); and a drive mechanism that drives the movable arm (20) so as to make closed or opened between the observation probe (10) and the movable arm (20), and the supporting member (25), the observation probe (10) and the movable arm (20) are each formed by processing a semiconductor wafer (30) through a photolithography process.

Abstract: A fixed electrode and a movable electrode to be used to drive each arm are formed at a drive unit. As a voltage is applied between the fixed electrode and the movable electrode, the movable electrode is caused to move by coulomb force, thereby driving the arm 3 in a closing operation. By detecting a change occurring in the electrostatic capacity between the fixed electrode and the movable electrode at this time, a decision can be made as to whether or not the sample has been gripped.

Abstract: A nanotweezer (1) according to the present invention includes: a supporting member (25); an observation probe (10) that projects out from the supporting member (25), and is used when observing a surface of a specimen; a movable arm (20) that is arranged next to the observation probe (10) projecting out from the supporting member (25), and makes closed or opened between the observation probe (10) and the movable arm (20) to hold or release the specimen held between the observation probe (10) and the movable arm (20); and a drive mechanism that drives the movable arm (20) so as to make closed or opened between the observation probe (10) and the movable arm (20), and the supporting member (25), the observation probe (10) and the movable arm (20) are each formed by processing a semiconductor wafer (30) through a photolithography process.

Abstract: AFM tweezers includes: a first probe that comprises a triangular prism member having a ridge, a tip of which is usable as a probe tip in a scanning probe microscope; a second probe that comprises a triangular prism member provided so as to open/close with respect to the first probe. The first probe and the second probe are juxtaposed such that a predetermined peripheral surface of the triangular prism member of the first probe and a predetermined peripheral surface of the triangular prism member of the second probe face substantially in parallel to each other, and the first probe formed of a notch that prevents interference with a sample when the sample is scanned by the tip of the ridge.

Abstract: Small tweezers having a pair of arms openable and closable is moved closer to a sample and grips a particle attached on a surface of the sample and carries it onto an adhesion member to attach it thereto. The small tweezers are opened to release the particle and brought away from the adhesion member to leave the particle on the adhesion member. A particle removing device includes small tweezers having a pair of arms openable and closable; an opening/closing driving unit that drives the arm or arms to open/close the small tweezers; a stage mounting an adhesion member that attaches thereto a particle to withdraw the particle; and a moving mechanism that moves the small tweezers between the sample and the adhesion member mounted on the stage. Also, an atomic force microscope and a charged ion beam apparatus that include the particle removing device are disclosed.

Abstract: A tweezer-equipped scanning probe microscope comprises a first arm with a probing portion, a second arm that moves along an opening direction or a closing direction relative to the first arm, an electrostatic actuator that drives the second arm along the opening direction or the closing direction based upon an opening/closing drive voltage applied thereto, an amplifier that induces self-oscillation in the electrostatic actuator by using an electrically equivalent circuit accompanying the electrostatic actuator as a feedback circuit and causes the second arm to vibrate through the self-oscillation, and a vibration state detection unit that detects a change of vibration state of the second arm as the second arm contacts an object.

Abstract: A probe mechanism and a sample pick up mechanism of the invention are provided at an observing apparatus or an analyzing apparatus and characterized in including a tip member comprising a needle-like member brought into contact with a sample, including a driving electrostatic actuator and means for monitoring a change in an electrostatic capacitance between electrodes of the electrostatic actuator, and capable of sensing that the probe is brought into contact with a sample by the monitor.

Abstract: The nano-gripper of the present invention comprises (i) a pair of arms 71 and 71 disposed side by side, each arm 71 having a face at its front end, the front-end faces of the arms 71 and 71 facing each other, (ii) and a protrusion 72 with a tip formed on the front-end face of each arm, the tips of the protrusions 72 and 72 facing each other, the radius of curvature of each tip being 50 nanometers or less. Each protrusion 72 is a triangular-pyramidal silicon crystal with (001), (100), and (111) side faces.

Abstract: A fixed electrode and a movable electrode used to drive each arm are disposed at a drive unit. As a voltage is applied between the fixed electrode and the movable the electrode, a coulomb force causes the movable the electrode to move, thereby driving the arms along the closing direction. The dimensions of a sample can be measured based upon the electrostatic capacity achieved between the electrodes when the sample becomes gripped by the arms.

Abstract: The nano-gripper of the present invention comprises (i) a pair of arms 71 and 71 disposed side by side, each arm 71 having a face at its front end, the front-end faces of the arms 71 and 71 facing each other, (ii) and a protrusion 72 with a tip formed on the front-end face of each arm, the tips of the protrusions 72 and 72 facing each other, the radius of curvature of each tip being 50 nanometers or less. Each protrusion 72 is a triangular-pyramidal silicon crystal with (001), (100), and (111) side faces.

Abstract: A positive electrode material that contains sulfur of high capacitance density as an active material without containing any large amount of conduction aid, namely, a positive electrode material for a battery of high energy density. There is provided a battery positive electrode material comprising a composite of conductive substance and sulfur and/or a sulfur compound having S—S bond, wherein there is disposed a composite microparticle layer having microparticles of conductive material cut into particles of sulfur and/or a sulfur compound having S—S bond. Further, there is provided a process for producing a battery positive electrode material, comprising conducting mechanofusion between particles of sulfur and/or above-mentioned sulfur compound as a raw material and microparticles of conductive material so as to obtain a composite material having a composite microparticle layer wherein the above microparticles are cut into the above particles.

Abstract: An inorganic/organic composite material which is advantageous in physical characteristics (mechanical strength), chemical characteristics (thermal stability) and electric characteristics (electric conductivity), as compared with a sole system, as being compounded in nano order. An improved energy storage device using the inorganic/organic composite nano-beads, and especially an improved electrochemical capacitor for covering the range of a power energy density which cannot be achieved with devices of the prior art. A method of producing the inorganic/-organic composite nano-beads. The inorganic/organic composite nano-beads have a three-dimensional structure in which nuclei are made of an inorganic material having a particle diameter of nano order and a high electronic conductivity, and are covered with thin films of an organic conductive material.