Abstract: The present invention provides a laser irradiation mass spectrometer capable of analyzing components of living tissue or living cells with high accuracy. It includes a laser unit for irradiating a sample with a beam of laser light and controlling the irradiation spot of the laser beam on the sample; and a mass analyzer for performing a mass analysis of the ions generated at the irradiation spot, where the mass analyzer uses a frequency-driven ion trap and a time-of-flight mass spectrometer to carry out the mass analysis. The ion trap of this system assuredly traps ions having large mass to charge ratios, and enables the system to carry out analyses on samples of large molecules. Preferably, a digital driving method is used to drive the aforementioned frequency-driven ion trap. Also, a multi-turn time-of-flight mass spectrometer may preferably be used as the aforementioned time-of-flight mass spectrometer.

Abstract: A spectroscope is described comprising an incident slit, a collimator lens type optical system that makes the light rays having passed through the incident slit parallel light rays, a reflection type diffraction grating that receives the parallel light rays and, according to the wavelength, outputs these light rays at different angles, a condenser lens type optical system that condenses the output light from the diffraction grating, and a two-dimensional detector having a two-dimensional light-receiving surface that detects the light rays that have been condensed by the condenser lens type optical system.

Abstract: A single polypeptide is disclosed that without the need of any direct ion flow, is capable of converting electrical signals to chemical signals. The polypeptide of at least one embodiment of the present invention can be a novel membrane protein including a specified domain capable of independently functioning as a potential sensor and another domain exhibiting a phosphatise activity. In one potential embodiment, the polypeptide preferably consists of the 1st to 239th amino acids of the amino sequence of SEQ ID NO. 2.

Abstract: The present invention provides a laser irradiation mass spectrometer capable of analyzing components of living tissue or living cells with high accuracy. It includes a laser unit for irradiating a sample with a beam of laser light and controlling the irradiation spot of the laser beam on the sample; and a mass analyzer for performing a mass analysis of the ions generated at the irradiation spot, where the mass analyzer uses a frequency-driven ion trap and a time-of-flight mass spectrometer to carry out the mass analysis. The ion trap of this system assuredly traps ions having large mass to charge ratios, and enables the system to carry out analyses on samples of large molecules. Preferably, a digital driving method is used to drive the aforementioned frequency-driven ion trap. Also, a multi-turn time-of-flight mass spectrometer may preferably be used as the aforementioned time-of-flight mass spectrometer.

Abstract: A laser type ignition device for an internal combustion engine includes a laser oscillator mounted in the internal combustion engine so as to focus its laser beam on an air-fuel mixture supplied into the combustion chamber, a pressure sensor for detecting pressure in the combustion chamber, a power source for the laser oscillator and a control unit for controlling the power source to supply the laser oscillator with the current whose amount changes according to the pressure in the combustion chamber. The power of the laser beam increases as the pressure in the combustion chamber decreases to completely ignite the air-fuel mixture.

Abstract: An anhydrous chloride with a formula of MCl2 (M=Fe, Co or Ni) is dissolved into an anhydrous acetonitrile solvent to form a chloride-acetonitrile solution. Then, calcium carbide minute powders are added and dispersed in the chloride-acetonitrile solution at a molar quantity equal to or smaller by 1–30 mol % than the molar quantity of the anhydrous chloride to form a reactive solution. Then, the reactive solution is heated at a predetermined temperature to chemically react the anhydrous chloride with the calcium carbide minute powders in the reactive solution to form a transition metal acetylide compound having an M-C2-M bond, a tetragonal structure, and a formula of MC2 (herein, M=Fe, Co or Ni).

Abstract: An anhydrous chloride with a formula of MCl2 (M?Fe, Co or Ni) is dissolved into an anhydrous acetonitrile solvent to form a chloride-acetonitrile solution. Then, calcium carbide minute powders are added and dispersed in the chloride-acetonitrile solution at a molar quantity equal to or smaller by 1-30 mol % than the molar quantity of the anhydrous chloride to form a reactive solution. Then, the reactive solution is heated at a predetermined temperature to chemically react the anhydrous chloride with the calcium carbide minute powders in the reactive solution to form a transition metal acetylide compound having an M—C2—M bond, a tetragonal structure, and a formula of MC2 (herein, M?Fe, Co or Ni).

Abstract: An anhydrous chloride with a formula of MCl2 (M=Fe, Co or Ni) is dissolved into an anhydrous acetonitrile solvent to form a chloride-acetonitrile solution. Then, calcium carbide minute powders are added and dispersed in the chloride-acetonitrile solution to form a reactive solution. Then, the reactive solution is thermally treated (first thermal treatment) to form a nano-powder made of a transition metal acetylide compound having an M-C2-M bond, a tetragonal structure, and a formula of MC2 (herein, M=Fe, Co or Ni). Then, the nano-powder is thermally treated (second thermal treatment) again at a temperature higher than the temperature in the first thermal treatment to form a carbon layer-covering transition metallic nano-structure wherein a metallic core made of the transition metal M is covered with a carbon layer.