Abstract: A positive electrode material for a lithium secondary battery, which is high in safety, high in capacity, excellent in cycle performance, and high in charge/discharge efficiency, is provided. The positive electrode material for a lithium secondary battery is a powder containing a Li—Ni—Co—O or Li—Ni—Co—Ba—O system component as a main component and having an amorphous phase of an oxide mixed in each of particles or formed at the surface of the particle.

Abstract: A cathode material for use in a lithium secondary battery of excellent thermal stability contributing to the improvement of safety of the battery and having large discharging capacity, as well as a method of manufacturing the cathode material for use in the lithium secondary battery, based on the improved method for measuring the thermal stability of the cathode material, the cathode material comprising a compound represented by the chemical formula: LixNiyCozMmO2 in which the material is powdery and the BET specific surface area is 0.8 m2/g or less, M in the chemical formula represents one or more of element selected from Ba, Sr and B, and x, y, z and m are, respectively, 0.9?x?1.1, 0.5?y?0.95, 0.05?z?0.5 and 0.0005?m?0.02.

Abstract: A copper alloy powder for an electrically conductive paste is provided, which is characterized in that the copper alloy powder comprises 80 to 99.9 mass % of Cu and 0.1 to 20 mass % of one or two elements selected from the group consisting of Ta and W and has an average particle size of 0.1 to 1 ?m. This copper alloy powder has a higher starting temperature for sintering, higher oxidation resistance and better heat resistance than a copper powder.

Abstract: A copper alloy powder for an electrically conductive paste is provided, which is characterized in that the copper alloy powder comprises 80 to 99.9 mass % of Cu and 0.1 to 20 mass % of one or two elements selected from the group consisting of Ta and W and has an average particle size of 0.1 to 1 ?m. This copper alloy powder has a higher starting temperature for sintering, higher oxidation resistance and better heat resistance than a copper powder.

Abstract: A Ni—Fe based alloy powder of the present invention contains not less than 90% by a combined mass of Ni and Fe and homogeneously has particles having an average particle diameter from 0.1 to 1 ?m, and an average value of mass ratio Fe/(Fe+Ni) from 15% to 25% both inclusive, wherein the ratio of a maximum value X and a minimum value Y of Fe/(Fe+Ni), which are found at individual points in the region ranging from the center of any particle of the alloy powder to locations apart by 0.9 fold of the particle radius therefrom, X/Y is from 1 to 2. By producing a sintered part using this Ni—Fe based alloy powder as a raw material powder, it is possible to obtain electronic circuit parts which are homogenous and have high magnetic permeability.

Abstract: The present invention improves the oxidation resistance of an ultrafine metal powder for use in the internal electrode of a multilayer ceramic capacitance and suppresses an increase in the thickness of a metal internal electrode film resulting from the spheroidization of the molten metal under surface tension during the formation of the metal internal electrode film. The ultrafine metal powder has a sulfur-containing compound of not less than one element selected from the group consisting of Y, Zr, and La present on the surface of the particle thereof and is produced by performing an ultrafine metal powder purification step of dispersing the ultrafine metal powder in a slurry, a surface treatment step of adding an aqueous solution containing a sulfate of not less than one element selected from the group consisting of Y, Zr, and La to the slurry to form the compound on the surface of the metal particle, a filtering step, and a drying step.

Abstract: This invention provides a surface mounting type planar magnetic device comprised of upper ferrite magnetic film, lower ferrite magnetic film and a planar coil interposed therebetween. For applying surface mount technology, an opening is formed in the upper ferrite magnetic film above a coil terminal portion and then, an external electrode conductive with the coil terminal portion through the opening is formed on the upper ferrite magnetic film. Further, this surface mounting type planar magnetic device is of a thin structure and can be mounted on the surface of a printed board. Its power loss is small, its inductance is large, its frequency characteristic is excellent, the disparity of the characteristic is small and its reliability is excellent.

Abstract: An ultrafine metal powder slurry with high dispersibility includes an organic solvent; a surfactant having a hydrophilic group and a lipophilic group; and an ultrafine metal powder in an amount more than 60% by mass and less than 95% by mass. In the slurry, the hydrophilic group of the surfactant is at least one selected from a sulfonato group, sulfo group, sulfonyldioxy group, polyoxyethylene group with carboxyl group, and polyoxyethylene group with phosphate group, and the lipophilic group is an alkyl containing 12 or more carbon atoms or an alkylphenyl. The ultrafine metal powder slurry includes no aggregated particles, exhibits good dispersibility and is useful as a metal material for conductive pastes. The slurry can save a part of process steps in conventional conductive paste production processes, can shorten a process time and can save in labor.

Abstract: Provided is an ultrafine nickel powder suitable for a laminated ceramic capacitor electrode material. According to the ultrafine nickel powder, cracks and/or delamination are not liable to generate in the process for producing a ceramic capacitor, and its internal electrode can be made into a thinner layer, and the electric risistivity of the capacitor-can be made low. The ultrafine nickel powder has an average particle size of 0.1-1.0 ?m, having the sulfur content of 0.02-1.0% by weight, and particles thereof being spherical, thereby exhibiting excellent properties. They can be produced by vapor phase hydrogen-reducing process using nickel chloride vapor.

Abstract: A surface mounting type planar magnetic device comprised of upper ferrite magnetic film, lower ferrite magnetic film and a planar coil interposed therebetween. For applying surface mount technology, an opening is formed in the upper ferrite magnetic film above a coil terminal portion and then, an external electrode conductive with the coil terminal portion through the opening is formed on the upper ferrite magnetic film. Further, this surface mounting type planar magnetic device is of a thin structure and can be mounted on the surface of a printed board. Its power loss is small, its inductance is large, its frequency characteristic is excellent, the disparity of the characteristic is small and its reliability is excellent.

Abstract: A piezoelectric single crystal device for actively employing the electromechanical coupling factor k31 in the direction orthogonal to the polarization direction is provided. Specifically, with the polarization direction as [001] axis of a pseudocubic system, an angle between the normal direction 1 of the piezoelectric device edge face and the direction n orthogonal to the domain structure within the crystal face including [010] and [100] axes orthogonal to the polarization direction is in the range 0 to 15° or 40 to 50°.

Abstract: The present invention improves the oxidation resistance of an ultrafine metal powder for use in the internal electrode of a multilayer ceramic capacitance and suppresses an increase in the thickness of a metal internal electrode film resulting from the spheroidization of the molten metal under surface tension during the formation of the metal internal electrode film. The ultrafine metal powder has a sulfur-containing compound of not less than one element selected from the group consisting of Y, Zr, and La present on the surface of the particle thereof and is produced by performing an ultrafine metal powder purification step of dispersing the ultrafine metal powder in a slurry, a surface treatment step of adding an aqueous solution containing a sulfate of not less than one element selected from the group consisting of Y, Zr, and La to the slurry to form the compound on the surface of the metal particle, a filtering step, and a drying step.

Abstract: This invention provides a surface mounting type planar magnetic device comprised of upper ferrite magnetic film, lower ferrite magnetic film and a planar coil interposed therebetween. For applying surface mount technology, an opening is formed in the upper ferrite magnetic film above a coil terminal portion and then, an external electrode conductive with the coil terminal portion through the opening is formed on the upper ferrite magnetic film. Further, this surface mounting type planar magnetic device is of a thin structure and can be mounted on the surface of a printed board. Its power loss is small, its inductance is large, its frequency characteristic is excellent, the disparity of the characteristic is small and its reliability is excellent.

Abstract: A niobium powder is provided for producing a niobium capacitor enhanced in the thermal stability of oxide films on niobium, with less leak current and less deterioration of leak current after application of thermal loads. The niobium powder contains form 0.005 to 0.10 mass % of hydrogen and from 0.002 to 5 mass % of sulfur and, further preferably, one or both of magnesium and aluminum in an amount from 0.002 to 1 mass % in total. The specific surface area of the powder is 1 to 10 m2/g and the average particle diameter of the secondary particles is 10 to 200 &mgr;m.

Abstract: A domain controlled piezoelectnc single crystal is disclosed which uses a lateral vibration mode for an electromechanical coupling factor k31 not less than 70% and a piezoelectric constant −d31 not less than 1200 pC/N, with an electromechanical coupling factor k33 in the longitudinal vibration mode not less than 80% and a piezoelectric constant d33 not less than 800 pC/N. Also, a piezoelectric single crystal is disclosed which uses a high-performance longitudinal vibration mode with k31 not more than 30%. A fabrication method applies a DC electric field of 400 V/mm to 1500 V/mm for a maximum of two hours in a temperature range of 20° C. to 200° C. as polarization conditions in the thickness direction of the piezoelectric single crystal. The method can include cooling, or heating and cooling between temperature boundaries of rhombohedral and tetragonal crystals or between tetragonal and cubic crystals or within a cubic crystal temperature range.

Abstract: A positive electrode material for a lithium secondary battery which is high in safety, high in capacity, excellent in rate performance and high temperature storage performance and high in charge/discharge efficiency is provided. The positive electrode material for a lithium secondary battery is obtained by adding Al to a Li—Ni—Co—Ba—O system raw material or preferably by adding Al and an amorphous phase of an oxide thereto.

Abstract: A positive electrode material for a lithium secondary battery, which is high in safety, high in capacity, excellent in cycle performance, and high in charge/discharge efficiency, is provided. The positive electrode material for a lithium secondary battery is a powder containing a Li—Ni—Co—O or Li—Ni—Co—Ba—O system component as a main component and having an amorphous phase of an oxide mixed in each of particles or formed at the surface of the particle.

Abstract: Provided is an ultrafine nickel powder suitable for a laminated ceramic capacitor electrode material. According to the ultrafine nickel powder, cracks and/or delamination are not liable to generate in the process for producing a ceramic capacitor, and its internal electrode can be made into a thinner layer, and the electric risistivity of the capacitor-can be made low. The ultrafine nickel powder has an average particle size of 0.1-1.0 &mgr;m, having the sulfur content of 0.02-1.0% by weight, and particles thereof being spherical, thereby exhibiting excellent properties. They can be produced by vapor phase hydrogen-reducing process using nickel chloride vapor.

Abstract: A niobium powder for forming an anode of a solid electrolytic capacitor which improves the defects in the prior art that an average particle diameter is too small, niobium is consumed as an oxide film in anodic oxidation step and the effective electrode surface area decreases. In the improved powder, for primary particles, the average particle diameter is 0.10-2 &mgr;m, the geometric standard deviation of particle size distribution exceeds 1.4 and the degree of sphericity is 2 or less. Anodes for solid electrolytic capacitors which are suitable for the use of super-high capacity can be manufactured by using the improved powder.

Abstract: A domain controlled piezoelectric single crystal is disclosed which uses a lateral vibration mode for an electromechanical coupling factor k31 not less than 70% and a piezoelectric constant −d31 not less than 1200 pC/N, with an electromechanical coupling factor k33 in the longitudinal vibration mode not less than 80% and a piezoelectric constant d33 not less than 800 pC/N. Also, a piezoelectric single crystal is disclosed which uses a high-performance longitudinal vibration mode with k31 not more than 30%. A fabrication method applies a DC electric field of 400 V/mm to 1500 V/mm for a maximum of two hours in a temperature range of 20° C. to 200° C. as polarization conditions in the thickness direction of the piezoelectric single crystal. The method can include cooling, or heating and cooling between temperature boundaries of rhombohedral and tetragonal crystals or between tetragonal and cubic crystals or within a cubic crystal temperature range.