Abstract: A small and portable microscope for ultramicroanalysis has an excellent spatial resolution and fixed position analyzing ability. The microscope has at least a part of an excitation light source, a part of a probe light source and a part of a thermal lens microscope optical system arranged integrally in a device body. The device body also includes an analyzing cell and substrates supporting the analyzing cell.

Abstract: It is an object to provide a photothermal conversion spectroscopic analysis method that enables measurement to be carried out with high sensitivity, and a photothermal conversion spectroscopic analysis apparatus that carries out the method. The photothermal conversion spectroscopic analysis apparatus is comprised of an exciting light source 111, a chopper 112 that is disposed close to the exciting light source 111 in the optical path of exciting light emitted from the exciting light source 111, a mirror 114 that changes the direction of travel of the exciting light, a detecting light source 120, a dichroic mirror 113 that has detecting light from the detecting light source 120 incident thereon and makes the exciting light and the detecting light coaxial, a lens 10 that has a suitable amount of chromatic aberration, and a holder 15 that holds the lens 10 such as to enable adjustment along three axes.

Abstract: In a near field optical probe, a through hole having an aperture is provided in a semiconductor photodetector including at least a first-conductive-type high-concentration impurity layer, a first-conductive-type low-concentration impurity layer and a second-conductivity impurity-introduced region.

Abstract: An optical-pickup slider is characterized in that a light-transmitting-property substrate is bonded to a surface of a layer having a tapered through hole, on which surface a larger opening of the tapered through hole exists. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the layer having an aperture from being destroyed. A method of manufacturing the optical-pickup slider comprises the steps of a) making a tapered through hole in a layer layered on a first substrate and having a thickness smaller than that of the first substrate; and, after bonding a light-transmitting-property substrate to a surface of the layer, removing the first substrate so as to expose an aperture at a tip of the tapered through hole.

Abstract: A nanohole structure includes a metallic matrix and nanoholes arrayed regularly in the metallic matrix, in which the nanoholes are spaced in rows at specific intervals to constitute rows of nanoholes. The rows of nanoholes are preferably arranged concentrically or helically. The nanoholes in adjacent rows of nanoholes are preferably arranged in a radial direction. The width of each row of nanoholes preferably varies at specific intervals in its longitudinal direction. A magnetic recording medium includes a substrate, and a porous layer on or above the substrate. The porous layer contains nanoholes each extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to a substrate plane, containing at least one magnetic material therein, and is the above-mentioned nanohole structure.

Abstract: A titanium dioxide film (2) having at least photocatalytic activity, whose light linear transmittance corresponding to light having a wavelength of 550 nm is not less than 50% and whose thickness is 0.1 to 5 ?m or so, is formed on a transparent substrate (1) constituted by a glass plate or the like. Preferably, a precoat film (3), which has optical transmissivity and is constituted by a SiO2 film having a thickness of 0.02 to 0.2 ?m or so, is provided between the transparent substrate (1) and the titanium dioxide film (2). Thereby, excellent photocatalytic action and optical transmissivity can be obtained. Moreover, members composing various structures such as a glass window, which are especially required to have optical transparency, can be further provided with photocatalytic activities.

Abstract: A microchemical system is provided, which can improve the working efficiency of the user and can be designed compact in size. The microchemical system is provided with an optical fiber 10 with a gradient index rod lens 102 mounted on an end thereof. The lens-possessing optical fiber 10 is comprised of an optical fiber 101 that transmits exciting light and detecting light in the single mode, and a ferrule 103 for expanding the outer diameter of the optical fiber 101 to the same value as that of the gradient index rod lens 102. The gradient index rod lens 102 and the optical fiber 101 are rigidly joined together by means of a sleeve 104.

Abstract: A microchemical system is provided, which can improve the working efficiency of the user. In the microchemical system 1, a plate-shaped element 10 that constitutes an optical unit la has an optical wave guide path 20, which acts as an optical path for exciting light and detecting light. An irradiation lens 30 is disposed at an end of the optical wave guide path 20 downstream in the direction of travel of the exciting light and the detecting light, and a channel 40 is located downstream of the irradiation lens 30, through which a liquid containing a sample flows. A detector 50 is disposed at an end of the plate-shaped element 10 downstream of the channel 40 and detects the detecting light for analysis of the sample.

Abstract: A microchemical system is provided, which can improve the working efficiency of the user and can be designed compact in size. The microchemical system is provided with an optical fiber 10 with a gradient index rod lens 102 mounted on an end thereof. The lens-possessing optical fiber 10 is comprised of an optical fiber 101 that transmits exciting light and detecting light in the single mode, and a ferrule 103 for expanding the outer diameter of the optical fiber 101 to the same value as that of the gradient index rod lens 102. The gradient index rod lens 102 and the optical fiber 101 are rigidly joined together by means of a sleeve 104.

Abstract: It is an object to provide a photothermal conversion spectroscopic analysis method that enables measurement to be carried out with high sensitivity, and a photothermal conversion spectroscopic analysis apparatus that carries out the method. The photothermal conversion spectroscopic analysis apparatus is comprised of an exciting light source 111, a chopper 112 that is disposed close to the exciting light source 111 in the optical path of exciting light emitted from the exciting light source 111, a mirror 114 that changes the direction of travel of the exciting light, a detecting light source 120, a dichroic mirror 113 that has detecting light from the detecting light source 120 incident thereon and makes the exciting light and the detecting light coaxial, a lens 10 that has a suitable amount of chromatic aberration, and a holder 15 that holds the lens 10 such as to enable adjustment along three axes.

Abstract: An optical-pickup slider is characterized in that a light-transmitting-property substrate is bonded to a surface of a layer having a tapered through hole, on which surface a larger opening of the tapered through hole exists. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the layer having an aperture from being destroyed. A method of manufacturing the optical-pickup slider comprises the steps of a) making a tapered through hole in a layer layered on a first substrate and having a thickness smaller than that of the first substrate; and, after bonding a light-transmitting-property substrate to a surface of the layer, removing the first substrate so as to expose an aperture at a tip of the tapered through hole.

Abstract: A probe opening forming apparatus 139 comprising: light detecting means 140 for detecting a quantity of a light transmitted from a tip portion of the probe through a light of the source 116, which is on contact with the tip portion of the probe; storage means 142 for previously storing information about relation of the quantity of the light transmitted from the tip portion of the probe and the size of the opening; calculating means 144 for obtaining the value of the light quantity for obtaining an opening having a desirable size based on the information stored in the storage means 142; and pressing control means 126 for controlling the press of the tip portion of the probe against the light detecting means through the pressing means 114 such that a light quantity detected by the light detecting means 140 is equal to the light quantity calculated from the calculating means 144.

Abstract: In a near field optical probe, a through hole having an aperture is provided in a semiconductor photodetector including at least a first-conductive-type high-concentration impurity layer, a first-conductive-type low-concentration impurity layer and a second-conductivity impurity-introduced region.

Abstract: In a probe microscope 120 for causing a sample 112 and a tip portion 118a of a probe 118 on the sample side to approach each other, detecting an interaction between the sample 112 and the sample-side probe tip portion 118a, and obtaining surface information of the sample 112 from the interaction, the probe 118 being a flexible needle-like probe; the probe microscope 120 comprises vibrating means 122 capable of rotating the probe 118 while flexing the sample-side tip portion 118a thereof so as to draw a circle having a size corresponding to an increase and decrease in the interaction between the sample surface 112 and the tip portion 118a, and detecting means 124 for detecting the increase and decrease in the size of the circle drawn by the sample-side probe tip portion 118a due to the interaction and obtaining, from the increase and decrease in the size of the circle, information about the distance between the sample 112 and the sample-side probe tip portion 118a.

Abstract: An optical fiber probe having a tapered portion inclined in three stages having three inclinations is manufactured by carrying out etching on one end of an optical fiber having a second core, a first cladding and a second cladding provided in this order around a first core, in which a radius r4 of an outer peripheral surface of the second cladding is r4<r4P, where r4P=r3+(r3−r2)[(R2+R3)/(R3−R2)]½ (r2: radius of the outer peripheral surface of the second core, r3: radius of the outer peripheral surface of the first cladding, R2: dissolution rate of the second core, R3: dissolution rate of the first cladding) under the condition of R1=R2<R3<R4 (R1: dissolution rate of the first core, R2: dissolution rate of the second core, R3: dissolution rate of the first cladding, R4: dissolution rate of the second cladding), and then performing chemical etching under the condition of R1<R2<R3<R4.

Abstract: The invention provides a novel cyanochromium-complex-based magnetic material formed on an electrode, which is excellent in magnetic properties and of which magnetic properties are reversibly controllable, by impressing a reduction potential which electrochemically reduces Cr.sup.3+ into Cr.sup.2+ in a solution containing at least [Cr(CN).sub.6 ].sup.3- and Cr.sup.3+.

Abstract: An optical fiber made up of a core for propagating the light and a clad covering the core for confining the light propagated in the core. The optical fiber has a tapering protrusion at the apex for entrance and exiting of light. The optical fiber is used in a photon scanning tunneling microscope detecting the evanescent light localized in an area smaller in size than the wavelength of light on the surface of an sample as an optical probe disposed in proximity to the surface of the sample for scattering the evanescent light for detecting the scattered light. The optical fiber is optically coupled to an optical waveguide for constituting an optically coupled element. With this optically coupled element, a protrusion of the optical fiber operates as a collection unit for collecting the light propagated in the core. The light collected by the protrusion enters the optical waveguide.

Abstract: A ferromagnetic member (21) of a movable part (2) is disposed on a side of a stationary part (1) such that the ferromagnetic member (21) faces a high temperature superconductor (11) of the stationary part (1). The high temperature superconductor (11) is brought into a superconductive state by cooling it to a temperature below a critical temperature in a magnetic field. The magnetic flux pinned to the high temperature superconductor (11) is caused to pass through the ferromagnetic member (21) so that an attractive force is generated between the high temperature superconductor (11) and the ferromagnetic member (21) to hold the movable part (2). When the ferromagnetic member (21) has a shape such that when the gap becomes lower than a predetermined value, the attractive force decreases, the movable part (2) can be stably suspended in a non-contacting manner, without the necessity of control, by the combination of the high temperature superconductor (11) and the ferromagnetic member (21).

Abstract: An optical fiber made up of a core for propagating the light and a cladding covering the core for interrupting light propagated within the core. The optical fiber includes a tip formed by sharpening an end of the core in a tapering fashion, a light-shielding coating layer formed on the surface of the tip and an aperture formed by exposing the foremost part of the tip from the light-shielding coating layer to outside. The light-shielding coating layer operates as a light shielding portion for interrupting the light radiated on other than the aperture and light enters or exits only at the aperture and light is propagated in the core as it is repeatedly reflected at a core-cladding boundary and is collected at the tip so as to be radiated via the aperture. The light entering the tip via the aperture is conducted into the core via the tip.

Abstract: An optical fiber made up of a core for propagating the light and a clad covering the core for confining the light propagated in the core. The optical fiber has a tapering protrusion at the apex for entrance and exiting of light. The optical fiber is used in a photon scanning tunneling microscope detecting the evanescent light localized in an area smaller in size than the wavelength of light on the surface of an sample as an optical probe disposed in proximity to the surface of the sample for scattering the evanescent light for detecting the scattered light. The optical fiber is optically coupled to an optical waveguide for constituting an optically coupled element. With this optically coupled element, a protrusion of the optical fiber operates as a collection unit for collecting the light propagated in the core. The light collected by the protrusion enters the optical waveguide.