Abstract: In a semiconductor laser device, a plane of polarization of a laser beam emitted by a semiconductor laser (4) is inclined from a substrate surface (4A), allowing the semiconductor laser (4) to be higher in power and higher in reliability. Moreover, a die-bond surface (17) of this semiconductor laser (4) is inclined by a specified inclination angle &thgr; with respect to the reference surface (3) of the stem body (1), so that the plane of polarization of the laser beam can be made generally parallel to the reference surface (3) of the stem body (1). Thus, there can be provided a semiconductor laser device which is capable of contributing to a thinning of an optical pickup device and easy to manufacture.

Abstract: A switch selects an inputted direct-current voltage at rising of the inputted direct-current voltage, and selects an outputted voltage after the rising of the outputted voltage, for an input to the constant voltage circuit which supplies power to a control circuit. Therefore, once the step-up operation is carried out in a state where the inputted direct-current voltage is at or greater than the operation voltage of the control circuit, the power source of the control circuit is switched to the side of the outputted voltage which has been increased even when the inputted direct-current voltage decreases. Consequently, the voltage of the power source of the control circuit stays at or greater than the operation voltage of the control circuit, and the stabilized power circuit can carry out a proper operation. This function prevents the operation from being inadequate due to a decrease of the inputted direct-current voltage, and a proper operation can be carried out.

Abstract: Provided is a spacer microparticle spraying apparatus capable of selectively disposing spacer microparticles in electrode gaps where no pixels are present even on a substrate carrying an array of stripe electrodes in use for the STN liquid crystal display device, to a spacer particle spraying method and a method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display device which utilize said apparatus. The spacer microparticle spraying apparatus for selective disposition of a charged spacer microparticle on a substrate carrying a plurality of electrodes includes a spraying chamber adapted to accommodate the substrate, a spacer microparticle supply means for supplying the spacer microparticle into the spraying chamber and spraying it on the substrate, and a voltage application means for applying voltages to the electrodes disposed on the substrate, wherein the voltage application means is capable of applying different levels of voltages to the electrodes respectively.

Abstract: According to a method for mounting a plurality of solar battery modules, an underlying member (roofing member) is fixed at a location where the solar battery modules are to be mounted. The underlying member has a wiring made of conductive material that is formed for drawing electric power from the solar battery modules and has connection terminals at respective positions to be connected with each solar battery module. Connection terminals of each solar battery module are coupled with the connection terminals of the underlying member to fasten each solar battery module.

Abstract: A reflective type LCD is provided with a front-light. The front light includes an optical film provided on the large face of a lightguide which faces the liquid crystal display device. A two dimensional area defined by the optical film is greater than a two dimensional area defined by a window formed in the protection member, but less than a two dimensional area defined by the lightguide, so that at least a portion of a peripheral edge of the optical film is located between the end face of the window and the end face of the light guide as viewed from a front of the LCD apparatus.

Abstract: A communication apparatus includes a transmitter and a receiver for communicating communication data containing transmission data transmitted from an operator; and a data (physical data of his/her surrounding environment) analyzer for outputting a mental state and/or a physiological condition of the operator by estimating it based on the communication data. The communication apparatus enables smooth communication between a sending end and a receiving end.

Abstract: A photodiode includes a high-concentration first conductivity-type substrate, a low-concentration first conductivity-type epitaxial layer formed on one face of the substrate, a second conductivity-type diffusion layer formed in the epitaxial layer, the diffusion layer serving as a light-receptive section, a pair of electrodes comprising a cathode and an anode, one of the pair of electrodes being mounted on the second conductivity-type diffusion layer and the other being mounted on another face of the substrate or one of the pair of electrodes being mounted on the second conductivity-type diffusion layer and the other being mounted on the epitaxial layer except the diffusion layer, and a third electrode mounted in an outer periphery or an inner periphery of a region occupied by the second conductivity-type diffusion layer on the epitaxial layer, the third electrode not contacting the pair of electrodes.

Abstract: A TFT array is formed on a glass substrate (step P1). A surface protection layer is formed on the glass substrate so as to cover the TFT array (step P2). The glass substrate is divided to form active matrix, substrates with the surface protection layer being provided (step P3). The divided active matrix substrate is chamfered along its edges (step P4). The surface protection layer is removed from the active matrix substrate (step P5). An X-ray conductive layer is formed on the TFT array where the surface protection layer has been removed (step P6). By these steps, pollutants produced during the division and chamfering of the glass substrate are prevented from polluting the TFT array and the X-ray conductive layer, and the active element array and the semiconductor layer is prevented from deteriorating in terms of performance in manufacturing process for a two-dimensional image detector.

Abstract: The electron-source array of the present invention is provided with cathode electrodes placed on an insulation substrate in the form of lines; and gate electrodes that are placed face to face with the cathode electrodes with the insulation film being interpolated in between. In this arrangement, the cathode electrodes and the gate electrodes are arranged so as to intersect each other with a pore being formed at an intersecting portion between each cathode electrode and each gate electrode in a manner so as to penetrate the insulation film, and the pore is filled with a conductive material or a semiconductive material with the material being electrically connected to the corresponding cathode electrode, and is formed in a manner so as to separate from the gate electrodes with a space in between. Thus, it becomes possible to form very fine emitters uniformly without the need for a high-precision patterning technique and consequently to provide an electron-source array that enables an X-Y matrix driving process.

Abstract: A process for producing a donor sheet for a thin-film formation comprising: while transporting a sheet on which a light-to-heat conversion layer has already been formed, forming a transfer layer on the light-to-heat conversion layer and drying the transfer layer.

Abstract: Featured is a liquid crystal display device including first and second transparent substrates and a liquid crystal layer interposed there between that includes a plurality of domains in each pixel region. Also included are first and second polarizing plates and first and second phase compensators; the fist compensator is provided between the first polarizing plate and first substrate and the second compensator is between the second polarizing plate and second substrate. The phase-delay axes for the first and second compensators are parallel to each other and substantially perpendicular to a phase-delay axis of the liquid crystal layer. A third phase difference compensator is provided between the first and/or second polarizing plate and the corresponding first or second compensator The three main axes (na,nb,nc) for the refractive index ellipse of the third compensator satisfies the relationship nc>na>nb.

Abstract: In connection with the detection of an amount of movement of an image such as a document image having a small gradient of brightness, it has been difficult to detect the amount by a representative point method, and a block matching method requires much time. An image (F1) at a time (T1), which has been imaged by moving an imaging section (1), is taken into a memory (2) and a feature point extracting section (3), where feature points of the image (F1) are extracted, and an image (F2) at a start time (T2) of the subsequent frame is taken in the memory (2) and the feature point extracting section (3). A correlation operating section (5) operates feature points of the image (F2) and the image (F1) in an area designated by a search area deciding section (4) to output an amount of movement.

Abstract: A laser processing device comprising: an optical system having a laser beam source, and an air-tight chamber provided separately from the optical system, wherein the chamber has a transparent portion for transmitting a laser beam emitted from the laser beam source, on a light-receptive face thereof receiving the laser beam, the chamber is capable of accommodating a donor substrate on which an organic substance layer including at least a luminous layer to be transferred is formed and an acceptor substrate onto which the organic substance layer is transferred from the donor substrate by the laser beam transmitted through the transparent portion, and the inside of the air-tight chamber is in an inert gas atmosphere or in a vacuum atmosphere.

Abstract: A semiconductor device of the present invention has (1) an active element provided on a semiconductor substrate, (2) an interlayer insulating film formed so as to cover the active element, (3) a pad metal for an electrode pad which is provided on the interlayer insulating film, (4) a barrier metal layer which is provided on the active element with the interlayer insulating film therebetween, so that the pad metal is i formed on the barrier metal layer, and (5) an insulating layer having high adherence to the barrier metal layer, the insulating layer being provided between the interlayer insulating film and the barrier metal layer. With this arrangement, the adherence between the barrier metal layer, the insulating film and the interlayer insulating film is surely improved, even in the case where an external force is applied to the electrode pad upon bonding or after bonding, the barrier metal layer hardly comes off the part thereunder.

Abstract: An operation such as changing the coordinates of a specified position is performed on a two-dimensional display screen 103 of a display unit 5 by using an input pen 102, a touch-panel, etc., as an operation input unit 103 to shift the list of candidate character strings which is displayed on the display screen at the initial screen. The contents of the list of the candidate character strings which are displayed on the display screen 103 are continuously changed until a desired candidate character string appears on the screen 103.

Abstract: There are provided a conveying path provided in an apparatus body and serving to convey a sheet-like object in a longitudinal direction, a moving body capable of being moved to a position in which the conveying path is to be exposed and a position in which the sheet-like object can be conveyed to cover the conveying path, and at least three support members for supporting the moving body to be slid in an almost horizontal direction with respect to the apparatus body and to be separated or joined are provided on a lower end portion at the side that a user accesses for a jam processing in the moving body and both upper and lower end portions at the opposite side thereof. Accordingly, in the case in which the user is to carry out the jam processing by separating the moving body from the apparatus body, a jammed paper in the conveying path can be removed easily.

Abstract: A main body is separable into a static body and a movable body along a carrier path extending from a sheet feeding unit to a sheet discharge unit, and the static body is provided with an image forming unit. The movable body can be slid straightly with respect to the static body. The carrier path can be wide open along the entire length thereof by sliding the movable body, facilitating the removal of stuck sheet from the carrier path.

Abstract: A spherical shaped semiconductor device has a protective insulating film thereon and input/output connection openings that are located along a intersected portion on the protective insulating film where a plane face running through a center of the spherical shaped semiconductor device intersects the protective insulating film. More input/output connection openings are provided on the spherical shaped semiconductor device compared with a conventional square semiconductor device. The spherical shaped semiconductor device is connected to a flat circuit substrate through a flexible printed wiring substrate. A lower portion of the flexible printed wiring substrate is cut into divided sections for connecting input/output terminals of the flat circuit substrate. Connection between the spherical shaped semiconductor device and the flat circuit substrate does not cause any cracks or disconnection due to flexibility of the flexible printed wiring substrate.

Abstract: On a transparent electrically insulating substrate, formed are a scanning line, and a gate electrode of a switching element, further formed are a gate insulating film, a semiconductor layer, an n+-Si layer to be formed into a source electrode and a drain electrode. After the patterning of the foregoing structure, the dielectric film is formed, and the portion corresponding to the contact hole is removed by etching, and photosensitive resin is applied to form the interlayer insulating film. Then, the transparent electrode is extended from the pixel electrode over the switching element, whereon a conversion layer and a gold layer for use in electrode are vapor-deposited. In this structure, an increase in capacitor between the pixel electrode and the signal line can be suppressed by the interlayer insulating film, and the transparent electrode functions as a top gate and release excessive electric charge.