Abstract: Techniques are provided for making a funnel-shaped nozzle in a semiconductor substrate. The funnel-shaped recess includes a straight-walled bottom portion and a curved top portion having a curved sidewall gradually converging toward and smoothly joined to the straight-walled bottom portion, and the curved top portion encloses a volume that is substantially greater than a volume enclosed by the straight-walled bottom portion.

Abstract: Disclosed is a photothermographic material comprising a support having disposed on a surface thereof, a non-photosensitive silver source, a photosensitive silver halide, and a reducing agent, and having disposed another surface thereof at least one non-photosensitive layer, wherein at least one of the non-photosensitive layers contains at least one type of gelatin having an isoelectric point of from 5.0 to 9.5; and a method for processing the photothermographic material.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to suppress the noise width of a reference cell during measurement and the base line fluctuation. The present invention provides a method for measuring a change in surface plasmon resonance, which comprises: using a surface plasmon resonance measurement device comprising a flow channel system having a cell formed on a metal film and a light-detecting means for detecting the state of surface plasmon resonance by measuring the intensity of a light beam totally reflected on the meal film; and exchanging the liquid contained in the above flow channel system, wherein the above method is characterized in that a change in surface plasmon resonance is measured in a state where the flow of the liquid has been stopped, after the liquid contained in the above flow channel system has been exchanged.

Abstract: The plastic optical element has such a characteristic that it will gain a mass increase of no more than 0.1 mass % upon moisture absorption when it is left to stand for 30 days in an atmosphere with a temperature of 40° C. and a relative humidity of 20% and then left to stand for an additional 30 days in an atmosphere with a temperature of 40° C. and a relative humidity of 90%. The plastic optical element includes a plastic substrate and a multi-layered film covering the plastic substrate. The multi-layered film includes a lower inorganic layer formed over the plastic substrate and an upper organic layer formed over the inorganic layer.

Abstract: A process for preparing a 3-aminophenylacetylene compound of formula (5), including: a) reacting a 3-haloaniline compound of formula (1) with an acetylene compound of formula (2) in the presence of a palladium compound, a copper compound, and an amine compound of formula (3) to form an aniline compound of formula (4); b) precipitating the aniline compound of formula (4) in the form of a crystal, and isolating it by solid/liquid separation; and c) reacting the aniline compound of formula (4) with a base to obtain 3-aminophenylacetylene.

Abstract: A digital camera feeds information input on an operation panel to a system controller. The system controller generates a control signal in accordance with optical sensitivity selected and feeds it to a timing signal generator. The timing signal generator includes a signal generator, which generates a timing signal whose frequency matches with the control signal. While a solid-image image sensor is driven by the timing signal, the frequency of a horizontal transfer signal is made lower than the usual frequency in accordance with the sensitivity selected. This prevents the number of electrons from noticeably decreasing during horizontal transfer to thereby enhance transfer efficiency for a single stage of transfer.

Abstract: A solid-state image pickup device comprising a semiconductor substrate, and a plurality of photoelectric conversion elements arranged on a surface of said semiconductor substrate both in a line direction and in a column direction perpendicular to the line direction to form a tetragonal lattice, wherein: said photoelectric conversion elements include a plurality of high-sensitive photoelectric conversion elements for performing photoelectric conversion in relatively high sensitivity, and a plurality of low-sensitive photoelectric conversion elements for performing photoelectric conversion in relatively low sensitivity; and said plurality of high-sensitive photoelectric conversion elements and said plurality of low-sensitive photoelectric conversion elements are arranged so as to be shaped like a checkered pattern.

Abstract: A heat-sensitive lithographic printing plate of the present invention, which enables image recording by infrared-ray scanning exposure based on digital data and has excellent on-press developability, high resistance to scumming and a long press life, the heat-sensitive lithographic printing plate having on a support with a hydrophilic surface an image-forming layer made up of microcapsules in which a reactive group-containing hydrophobic compound is enclosed, a light-to-heat converting agent and a water-soluble compound which has a reactive group capable of reacting with the hydrophobic compound and is situated outside the microcapsules.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a color filter comprises: applying a color filter material of a negative type onto a surface; an exposing treatment to the color filter material; a developing treatment for the exposed color filter material; a light irradiating step of irradiating a light on the developed color filter material; and a heating treatment, in this order, so as to form the color filter.