Abstract: The invention prevents a fracture parallel to a cleavage plane of a supporting substrate along a groove formed in the supporting substrate before dicing. A supporting substrate is attached to a front surface of a semiconductor substrate formed with an electronic device with an adhesive layer being interposed therebetween. In this supporting substrate, dicing lines are not parallel with cleavage planes which are perpendicular to the front surface of supporting substrate, i.e., a fifth cleavage plane and a sixth cleavage plane crossing perpendicularly thereto. A groove is then formed in the supporting substrate from the front surface to the middle thereof in the direction perpendicular to the front surface, along the dicing lines inside an opening provided in the semiconductor substrate. This groove is not parallel with the fifth cleavage plane and the sixth cleavage plane.

Abstract: A load driving circuit comprising: a bias current circuit configured to generate a bias current having a current value corresponding to a level of a control signal; a control circuit configured to control the level of the control signal so that the bias current is increased and thereafter decreased, when an input signal reaches one logic level; and a driving circuit configured to raise an output voltage for driving a load to a higher logic level in a time corresponding to the current value of the bias current, when the input signal reaches the one logic level, and lower the output voltage to a lower logic level, when the input signal reaches the other logic level.

Abstract: The invention prevents a semiconductor device from warping due to heat when it is used. The invention also prevents a formation defect such as peeling of a resist layer used as a plating mask and a formation defect of a front surface electrode. A source pad electrode connected to a source region is formed on a front surface of a semiconductor substrate forming a vertical MOS transistor. A front surface electrode is formed on the source pad -electrode by a plating method using a resist layer having openings as a mask. The semiconductor substrate formed with the front surface electrode is thinned by back-grinding. A back surface electrode connected to a drain region is formed on the back surface of the semiconductor substrate. The front surface electrode and the back surface electrode are made of metals having the same coefficients of linear expansion, preferably copper. The front surface electrode and the back surface electrode preferably have the same thicknesses or almost the same thicknesses.

Abstract: In order to enhance stability of a discharge lamp at the time of dimming lighting even in the case where a light output is lowered, a direct current superimposing circuit superimposes a direct current voltage on an alternating current voltage applied to a fluorescent lamp, and a dimming signal correction circuit receives a detection value of a direct current voltage detection circuit and a dimming signal that is from an outside, outputs a dimming signal higher in level than the dimming signal in the case where the detection value of the direct current voltage detection circuit exceeds a first threshold value, and decreases the level of the outputted dimming signal to the level of the inputted dimming signal in the case where the detection value of the direct current voltage detection circuit falls down below a second threshold value that is equal to or less than the first threshold value.

Abstract: A video camera includes an image sensor. The image sensor repeatedly outputs an object scene image captured on an imaging surface. A CPU detects a luminance component of the object scene image outputted from the image sensor, i.e., an AE/AWB evaluation value, and also detects a high-frequency component of the object scene image outputted from the image sensor, i.e., an AF evaluation value. Moreover the CPU executes a flicker determining process for determining whether or not a flicker is occurred based on the luminance component of the object scene image. However, prior to the flicker determining process, whether or not there is a dynamic object in the object scene is determined based on the high-frequency component of the object scene image. The flicker determining process is prohibited when there is the dynamic object while it is permitted when there is no dynamic object.

Abstract: A resonant switching power supply device includes: a first switching element and a second switching element which are configured to convert and adjust power. A capacitance of a first/second gate-drain capacitor existing between a gate and a drain of the first/second switching element and a resistance of a first/second gate resistor of the first/second switching element are set such that, in a period during which a resonance current flows by switching the second/first switching element, a gate-source voltage of the first/second switching element is lower than an ON threshold voltage of the first/second switching element due to the resonance current divided into the first/second gate-drain capacitor.

Abstract: A camera shake measurement system includes a display unit for sequentially displaying a plurality of distinguishable test patterns, a first storage unit for storing as a template each of the plurality of test patterns to be displayed, a second storage unit for storing a composite image produced by photographing at least two test patterns as still images from the plurality of test patterns to be sequentially displayed by a photographing apparatus, and a pattern recognition unit for recognizing images that match each of the templates from the composite image by calling the templates from the first storage unit, calling the composite image from the second storage unit, and moving, for each of the called templates, the template while superposing the template on the composite image.

Abstract: A beam irradiation apparatus includes: an actuator which scans a target region with a laser beam; a photodetector which receives a servo beam and outputs a signal according to a beam reception position; an optical unit which makes the servo beam displaced on the photodetector in association with driving of the actuator; and a position signal generation circuit that generates a signal according to the reception position of the servo beam based on an output signal from the photodetector. The position signal generation circuit has a signal removal circuit that removes a disturbance signal generated when the laser beam is incident on the photodetector, from an output signal of the photodetector.

Abstract: In an optical pulse generating apparatus including a metal layer having an incident/reflective surface adapted to receive incident light and output its reflective light as an optical pulse signal, a dielectric layer formed on an opposite surface of the metal layer opposing the incident/reflective surface, and a dielectric layer exciting unit for exciting the dielectric layer on a time basis, the incident light exciting surface plasmon resonance light in the metal layer while the dielectric layer is excited on a time basis, so that an extinction coefficient of the dielectric layer is made negative.

Abstract: A synthesizer is constructed by constituting a first ?/4 line of a first strip line and by constituting a second ?/4 line of a second strip line, so that it is formed into a chip shape (or a chip part) in a dielectric substrate. A first shield electrode is formed on the upper face of the dielectric substrate, and a second shield electrode is formed on the lower face of the dielectric substrate, so that the first ?/4 line and the second ?/4 line are formed between the first shield electrode and the second shield electrode.

Abstract: The portable electronic device according to the present invention comprises a cabinet including an opening defined in a front surface thereof, a cover body opening and closing the opening of the cabinet, and a pivoting mechanism for pivotally supporting the cover body to the cabinet, the pivoting mechanism comprises a shaft and a pair of bearings supporting the shaft, the cabinet has an attaching part for attaching a string-like member, and the attaching part projects from the front surface of the cabinet. In this portable electronic device, the attaching part is disposed adjacent to the pivoting mechanism, the shaft which is a component of the pivoting mechanism includes a projecting part projecting toward the attaching part from one of the bearings closer to the attaching part, and the projecting part extends along a back surface which is a reverse side of the front surface of the cabinet.

Abstract: A vibrating mirror element includes a base member, a substrate made of metal, integrally formed with a mirror portion, a movable portion swingably supporting the mirror portion from both sides and functioning as a lower electrode, and a mounting portion supporting the movable portion and mounted on the base member, a piezoelectric film provided on the movable portion of the substrate and vibrating the mirror portion by application of a periodic voltage, and an upper electrode provided on the piezoelectric film.

Abstract: A television tuner includes an unbalanced output type VHF-side block, a balanced output type UHF-side block, and a mixing circuit that performs frequency conversion on the output from the VHF-side block or the UHF-side block. In the television tuner, in a first mode where the VHF-side block is connected to the mixing circuit, a first terminal, to which the unbalanced output is applied, is coupled to a first input terminal of the mixing circuit, and a second input terminal of the mixing circuit is grounded. Further, in a second mode where the UHF-side block is connected to the mixing circuit, a second terminal and a third terminal, to which the balanced output is applied, are coupled to the first and second input terminals of the mixing circuit.

Abstract: An optical pickup has a lens that is resiliently supported in such a manner as to be displaceable in different directions by pairs of a first wire, a second wire, and a third wire which are attached to a fixing portion by attaching means. The optical pickup includes a lens holder for holding the lens, and a printed circuit board secured to the lens holder. The first, second, and third wires have the same length and are formed of the same material, and are soldered to the printed circuit board at different distances from the attaching means.

Abstract: An electrical device cabinet includes a cabinet body, a front panel, and a positioning mechanism. The cabinet body has an open front end. The front panel is formed by a resin molding, and is mounted to the front end of the cabinet body. The positioning mechanism includes a concave portion disposed at the cabinet body and a convex portion disposed at an inner face of the front panel. The positioning mechanism positions the front panel in a lateral direction with respect to the cabinet body by mating the concave portion and the convex portion. The convex portion is formed in a hollow shape and is covered by an outer face of the front panel from a front side of the front panel.

Abstract: This electrostatic actuator includes an electret film and a conductor layer formed on the electret film, and the conductor layer is so formed as to have a sectional shape reduced in width upward from the side closer to the electret film.

Abstract: A circuit device having superior mechanical strength at the interface between a circuit board and heat sink and superior efficiency for radiating heat from a circuit element to the heat sink through the circuit board. The circuit device includes the metal-based insulation board for installing the circuit element, and the heat sink, over which the insulation board is installed with a paste arranged therebetween. The insulation board has a projection arranged on the surface facing the heat sink along a peripheral portion. At least part of the projection contacts the heat sink through the paste layer.

Abstract: There are described a data recording system, a data recording method, and a recording medium, all of which are directed to enabling easy editing of AV data without involvement of duplication of the AV data, as well as to eliminating a necessity for an additional data recording region. In the recording system, at the time of recording of primary data, there is prepared an original file which stores link data formed by arranging in sequence address data for reproduction purposes stored in a recording region on a recording medium. Further, through editing of the original file, there is prepared a virtual file which stores link data formed by arranging in sequence address data for reproduction purposes stored in the recording region on the recording medium. The data are reproduced according to these files.