Abstract: A laser annealer has a laser light source with at least one GaN-type semiconductor laser and is configured so as to form emission points that emit laser beams having a wavelength of 350 to 450 nm, and a scanning device for scanning an annealing surface with the laser beams. The laser annealer may have a spatial light modulator for modulating the laser beams, and in which pixel portions whose light modulating states change in accordance with control signals are arranged on a substrate. The invention is applied to a laser thin-film forming apparatus. The apparatus has a laser source that has at least one semiconductor laser and is configured so as to form emission points, and an optical system for focusing laser beams into a single beam in the width direction of a substrate.

Abstract: An apparatus for feeding printing plate precursors is provided with a detecting sensor for detecting a position of a separation plate mounted on a cassette accommodating printing plate precursors, and a plate surface detecting sensor for detecting an uppermost plate of printing plate precursors stacked in the cassette. A relative position of the separation plate with respect to suction nozzles of a suction frame of the apparatus for feeding plates is controlled constant.

Abstract: To achieve for a photographic film conveying device that no external force causing conveying speed to vary is applied to a photographic film during image reading, after a preceding photographic film is discharged from a reading conveying path, the time until a subsequent photographic film is conveyed to the reading conveying path is not long, or even if a photographic film set in a film supplying section is elongate, image reading of photographic films by an image reading section can be carried out efficiently, there is provided a photographic film conveying device comprising a section setting a discharge conveying section in a withdrawn state or a conveying state, a section controlling conveying of preceding and subsequent photographic films, or a section switching a conveying path of a photographic film.