Abstract: A non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery comprises at least a negative electrode, a positive electrode and a non-aqueous electrolyte. The negative electrode has an active material comprised of silicon or a silicon alloy containing lithium represented by composition formula Li.sub.x Si where x satisfies 0.ltoreq..times..ltoreq.5. The positive electrode has an active material comprised of a transition metal oxide. The non-aqueous electrolyte is a lithium ion-conductive non-aqueous electrolyte having at least one lithium compound comprised of one of an organic solvent and a solid polymer. The negative electrode active material is formed by absorption of lithium ions into the silicon resulting from an electrochemical reaction between the negative electrode and a lithium metal and/or a material containing lithium. A secondary battery having high voltage, high energy density, high reliability, improved current charge and discharge characteristics and a long cycle life is obtained.

Abstract: An end surface polishing machine comprises a holding disc for holding a plurality of ferrules supporting coaxially aligned optical fibers. A support mechanism supports the holding disc and places the end surfaces of the ferrules in contact with a polishing disc. A drive mechanism includes a rotation motor for rotating the polishing disc about a first axis, a revolution motor for revolving the polishing disc about a second axis, a first rotating disc rotatable about the first axis by the rotating motor, at least one second rotating disc disposed eccentrically on the first rotating disc, and a third rotating disc connected to the second rotating disc for rotation about the second axis. The revolution axle is supported for revolution around the first axis by the revolution motor and is provided with a through-hole defining a center axis extending along the second axis.

Abstract: A non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery has a negative electrode, a positive electrode and a non-aqueous electrolyte with lithium ion conductivity. A composite oxide containing lithium represented by composition formula Li.sub.x Si.sub.1-y M.sub.y O.sub.z (where M is one or more kinds of elements selected from metals other than alkaline metals, and metalloids other than silicon, and x, y and z satisfy O.ltoreq.x, 0<y<1, and 0<z<2) is used as an active material for the negative electrode. The battery exhibits a negative active material with a lower and baser potential and a large charging/discharging capacity to produce a long cycle service life secondary battery which facilitates a large current charging and discharging and reduces deterioration due to excess charging and excess discharging.

Abstract: A method of adjusting a frequency-to-temperature coefficient of an NS-GT cut quartz resonator comprises providing a coupling resonator having a first order temperature coefficient .alpha..sub.+. A normalized frequency .delta. of the coupled vibrational modes is then calculated according to the relationship .alpha..sub.+ =m.delta.+n, where m and n are constants. The normalized frequency .delta. is then adjusted according to the relationship .alpha..sub.+ =m.delta.+n to set the first order temperature coefficient to substantially zero.

Abstract: A non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery has a negative electrode, a positive electrode and a non-aqueous electrolyte with lithium ion conductivity. A composite oxide produced from a metal or a metalloid and lithium represented by composition formula Li.sub.x MO (where M represents metals or metalloids other than alkali metals, and x satisifies 0.ltoreq.x) is used as an active material of one or both of the negative electrode and the positive electrode. The battery exhibits a large charging/discharging capacity and a high energy density together with smaller polarization (internal resistance) on charging and discharging which facilitates a large current charging and discharging with a long cycle life and reduces deterioration due to excess charging and excess discharging.

Abstract: A non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery has a negative electrode, a positive electrode and a lithium ion-conductive non-aqueous electrolyte. A silicon oxide or a silicate containing lithium is used as the negative electrode active material. The potential of the negative electrode active material is low, the charge and discharge capacity in a base potential region of 0-1 V with respect to metallic lithium is large, and the polarization (internal resistance) during charge and discharge is small. A secondary battery having a high voltage and a high energy density is obtained in which large current charge and discharge characteristics are facilitated, the deterioration due to excessive charge and excessive discharge is reduced, the cycle life is long and the reliability is high.

Abstract: A torsional quartz crystal resonator has a specific cut type resulting in improved frequency temperature behavior. The cut type is defined by rotating a Z plate quartz crystal around an x-axis at an angle .phi. in the range of 0.degree. through 30.degree. and by further rotating the plate around a z'-axis at another angle .theta. in the range of -20.degree. through -10.degree. or +10.degree. through +20.degree.. The resonator has a thickness z.sub.0 and a width x.sub.0 determined such that a thickness-to-width ratio Rzx=z.sub.0 /x.sub.0 is set within the range of 0.6 through 1.1 to make the first order temperature coefficient substantially zero in combination with the optimum angles .phi. and .theta.. Excitation electrodes are disposed on major faces of the resonator normal to the z' axis, and a connecting electrode is disposed on a side face of the resonator to reduce the series resistance R.sub.1.

Abstract: A width-extensional mode quartz crystal resonator formed by etching from a quartz crystal plate which is cut along a plane defined in the O-xyz coordinate system of the quartz crystal lattice by rotating the original Z plane around the x axis by a rotation angle in the range of 23.degree.-28.degree.. The quartz crystal resonator has a thickness-to-width ratio R.sub.zx in the range of 0.45-0.65. A pair of exciting electrodes are disposed on the resonator along opposed side faces perpendicular to the widthwise direction. The width-extensional mode quartz crystal resonator may be etched from a quartz crystal plate to provide a small sized resonator. A width-extensional mode vibrational portion is supported at its lengthwise sides by a pair of first bridge portions extending from a first frame portion. A pair of second bridge portions extend from a second frame portion and support the first frame at central portions of its lengthwise sides.

Abstract: A nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery uses lithium or a substance capable of absorbing and releasing lithium as a negative active material of a negative electrode, and uses a layer-like composite oxide of the formula Li.sub.x M.sub.y L.sub.z O.sub.2, where M is one or more transistion metal elements selected from Groups IIIB, IVB, VB, VIB, VIIB and VIII of the periodic table, L is one or more elements selected from nonmetal, metalloid and semimetal elements selected from Groups IIIA, IVA and VA of the periodic table, alkaline earth metal elements and metal elements of Zn and Cu as a positive active material constituting a positive electrode. The polarization (internal resistance) at the time of charging and discharging is reduced and an effective charging-discharging capacity is enhanced. Charging and discharging at a large current become easy, and a cycle deterioration is improved.

Abstract: An IC test instrument has an IC test circuit for an integrated semiconductor chip. A probe card is coupled to the IC test circuit. Probe needles are disposed on the probe card. The probe needles comprise a cobalt-based alloy containing at least 10 weight-percent of chromium. A passive-state film comprised of chromium oxide is formed on one end of the probe needles, and a solder-enhancing metallic layer is formed on the other end of the probe needles. The passive-state film may be formed by electrolytic polishing or chemical solution immersion. The passive-state film prevents a contaminating substance, such as aluminum oxide, from adhering to the needle. The probe needle substrate may be bent and may be formed by wiredrawing a cobalt-based alloy.

Abstract: A longitudinal quartz crystal resonator has at least two vibrating arms arranged in parallel to each other to undergo a longitudinal vibration. The vibrating arms are connected together at both ends thereof by connecting sections. A pair of bridge sections extend from central parts of respective ones of the outermost vibrating arms and are connected to flexional sections. The bridge sections are supported through surrounding frame sections by a bottom mount section. The flexional sections are connected to the frame sections so as to form surrounding openings. By such construction, an equivalent inductance and a series resistance are reduced in the longitudinal quartz crystal resonator so as to eliminate vibrating energy loss.

Abstract: A length-extentional quartz resonator has a pair of linearly arranged longitudinal oscillating portions supported to undergo dominant length-extentional oscillation having an oscillating frequency in the range from 1.04 MHz to 1.06 MHz. A rectangular frame member is arranged to support and surround the oscillating portions and has the outer overall length of 4000 .mu.m.+-.200 .mu.m. The frame member has a pair of longitudinal frame portions connected to the oscillating portions through transverse support portions to undergo flexual oscillation, and having width set in the range from 110 .mu.m to 260 .mu.m effective to suppress coupling between the dominant length-extentional oscillation and the flexual oscillation.

Abstract: Using an organic binder containing at least one water-soluble thermoplastic organic polymer and at least one water-insoluble thermoplastic organic polymer, the water-soluble thermoplastic organic polymer is extracted by debinding treatment in which a plastic molded part such as injection molded part and water are brought into contact with each other to prevent the occurrence of cracks in the molded part. Removal by extraction of the water-soluble thermoplastic polymer reduces the amount of the organic binder contained in the molded part sufficiently, thus preventing the softening and deformation of the molded part at the time of optionally heating and removing the remainder of the organic binder and/or sintering of the molded part and also preventing the occurrence of swelling and cracks by the effect of guide passage formed by the extraction of the organic polymer.

Abstract: A vacuum gauge for measuring pressure of environmental gas includes a quartz resonator disposed in the gas, and undergoing oscillation having a resonant frequency dependent on its body temperature which is dependent on relatively low pressure and having a resonant current which is dependent on relatively high pressure. Heat source is disposed adjacent to the resonator for supplying heat to the resonator so as to maintain the body temperature thereof and resonant frequency thereof according to the pressure of environmental gas, and producing an first output signal representative of value of the pressure in relatively low pressure range. A converter converts the resonant current of resonator into a corresponding second output signal representative of value of the pressure in relatively high pressure range. A meter indicates the value of pressure according to the first and second output signals.

Abstract: A small longitudinal quartz crystal resonator has an intermediate oscillating frequency from 500 KHz to 4.2 MHz, a reduced energy loss of vibration, a small equivalent series resistance and zero temperature coefficient. The resonator has a longitudinal vibrational portion of rod-like shape connected at its central portion to a pair of supporting portions through each bridge portion. Each supporting portion is shaped to avoid suppression of oscillation of the vibrational portion. The vibrational and supporting portions are formed integrally by etching method. Driving electrodes are formed on etched faces of the vibrational portion perpendicular to X-axis. The resonator is composed of a quartz crystal plate cut out by cut angle of -2.degree. to +4.degree. around X-axis with respect to a Z-plate. The vibrational portion may have tapered end portions to increase the oscillating frequency in high frequency range up to 4.2 MHz.

Abstract: A pressure or vacuum gauge measures pressure of gas within a chamber. A quartz oscillator is disposed within the chamber for undergoing oscillation having a frequency dependent on a body temperature thereof. A constant heat source is disposed in spaced relation to or directly on the temperature-dependent quartz oscillator for heating the same to hold the body temperature thereof which is dependent on the pressure of surrounding gas. The oscillating frequency of the quartz oscillator is converted into a signal indicative of the pressure of the gas.

Abstract: A digitally temperature-compensated oscillator has an oscillator for producing a frequency signal, a regulator for regulating the frequency of the frequency signal, and a detector for detecting ambient temperature and producing a corresponding temperature signal. A processor processes the temperature signal with reference to the frequency signal to produce processed temperature data. A memory stores compensation data effective to regulate the frequency of the frequency signal. A controller operates according to the temperature data to retrieve corresponding compensation data from the memory for controlling the regulator according to the retrieved compensation data to regulate the frequency of the frequency signal.

Abstract: A face shear mode quartz crystal resonator having a vibrational portion and supporting portions incorporated therein by an etching method. A flexural portion of the supporting portion is connected with a central portion of a side of the vibrational portion. The width W and length L of the flexural portion connected with the vibrational portion are designed so as to meet "W.ltoreq.0.67L". The supporting portions are provided at the edges in the z'-axis direction of the vibrational portion which is substantially square and fixedly supported via both distal end portions of the supporting portions, and each side of the vibrational portion is from 0.72 mm to 2.02 mm.

Abstract: In this invention, the jig board fixing axis inserted in the eccentricity hole of the rotation axis rocks at rotation radius r without the rotation of the axis, the jig board set on the rocking jig board fixing axis is co-moved on through the spherical axis bearing, and then tip of the stick-like material is connected to the wheel spherical surface R by the self-weight of the jig board fixing axis and the jig board, ready to be ground and polished. And when the tip of the stick-like material connects orthogonally to the tangent direction of the spherical surface R, it is spherically processed by the rotation of the wheel and the rocking movement of the jig board.

Abstract: An electric cell comprising a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and an electrolyte containing a lithium salt is provided wherein the negative electrode has a two-layer structure of a lithium-aluminum alloy layer and an aluminum layer. The cell is fabricated by placing a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and an electrolyte in a cell container comprising positive and negative electrode casings, and forming a seal between the positive and negative electrode casings. The negative electrode is electrochemically formed in situ in the cell container from a lithium-clad aluminum substrate.