Abstract: Scattered waves from the defect of burst ultrasonic waves radiated from an ultrasonic transmitter to a structure in two different arrangements of the ultrasonic transmitter and an array receiver are received by the array receiver so as to obtain a reception signal. The reception signal is subjected to a band-pass filter that passes a specific frequency component, shifted by different time according to the position of each reception sensor element of the array receiver and then, added so as to obtain a processing signal. On the basis of the processing signal, an image of the defect is obtained, respectively. A common portion of the obtained two images is extracted.

Abstract: The present invention provides ballast water treatment equipment which can decompose fungicide included in ballast water and reduce the amount of use of fungicide adsorbing material by passing through the ballast water.

Abstract: There is provided a small-type semiconductor integrated circuit whose circuit area is small and whose wiring length is short. The semiconductor integrated circuit is constructed in a multi-layer structure and is provided with a first semiconductor layer, a first semiconductor layer transistor formed in the first semiconductor layer, a wiring layer which is deposited on the first semiconductor layer and in which metal wires are formed, a second semiconductor layer deposited on the wiring layer and a second semiconductor layer transistor formed in the second semiconductor layer. It is noted that insulation of a gate insulating film of the first semiconductor layer transistor is almost equal with that of a gate insulating film of the second semiconductor layer transistor and the gate insulating film of the second semiconductor layer transistor is formed by means of radical oxidation or radical nitridation.

Abstract: A pixel output line is provided for each of the pixels two-dimensionally arrayed in a pixel area. The pixel output lines are extended to a memory area, and a memory unit is connected to each of those lines. The memory unit includes a writing-side transistor, a reading-side transistor and a plurality of memory sections for holding signals for 104 image frames. A photocharge storage operation is simultaneously performed at all the pixels, and the thereby produced signals are outputted to the pixel output lines. In the memory unit, with the writing-side transistor in the ON state, the sampling transistor of a different memory section is sequentially turned on for each exposure cycle so as to sequentially hold a signal in the capacitor of each memory section. After a burst imaging operation is completed, all the pixel signals are sequentially read. Unlike CCDs, the present device does not simultaneously drive all gate loads, so that it can be driven at high speeds with low power consumption.

Abstract: Provided is a rotary magnet sputtering apparatus which includes a plasma shielding member and an outer wall connected to the ground and which has a series resonant circuit and a parallel resonant circuit between the plasma shielding member and the outer wall. The series resonant circuit has a very low impedance only at its resonant frequency while the parallel resonant circuit has a very high impedance only at its resonant frequency. With this configuration, the impedance between substrate RF power and the plasma shielding member becomes very high so that it is possible to suppress the generation of plasma between a substrate 10 to be processed and the plasma shielding member. Further, since a series resonant circuit is provided between a target and the ground, the RF power is efficiently supplied only to a region where the substrate passes under the target, so that a self-bias voltage is generated.

Abstract: A floating diffusion region is formed at an edge of a light-receiving surface of an embedded photodiode, with a transfer gate electrode located therebetween. A first region, with radially extending portions centered on the FD region, and a second region, located to the outside of the first region, are created in the substantially sector-shaped light-receiving surface. A dopant whose conductivity type is the same as the signal charges to be collected in the first region are introduced, whereby an electric field for moving the signal charges from the radially extending sections towards the center is created due to a three-dimensional field effect. As a result, the charge-transfer time is reduced. Additionally, since a circuit element in the subsequent stage can be placed adjacent to the floating diffusion region, the parasitic capacitance of the floating diffusion region can be reduced and a highly sensitive element can be obtained.

Abstract: A production method capable of producing ITO particles without using a solvent with a high boiling point as a solvent used in the producing step by a simple treatment method without through a heating process in an atmosphere which disadvantageously causes sintering among the ITO particles to coarsen the ITO particles. An ITO powder suitable for a coating material for a transparent electroconductive material, being produced by a first step of dissolving salt containing indium and salt containing tin into an organic solvent, then adding to this organic solvent, an organic solvent containing a basic precipitant, to thereby manufacture a mixture of a precursor containing indium and tin, and the organic solvent; and a second step of applying heat treatment to the mixture of the precursor containing indium and tin, and the organic solvent in a pressurizing vessel at 200° C. or more and 300° C. or less, to generate ITO particles.

Abstract: A pressure type flow rate control apparatus is provided wherein flow rate of fluid passing through an orifice is computed as Qc=KP1 (where K is a proportionality constant) or as Qc=KP2m (P1?P2)n (where K is a proportionality constant, m and n constants) by using orifice upstream side pressure P1 and/or orifice downstream side pressure P2. A fluid passage between the downstream side of a control valve and a fluid supply pipe of the pressure type flow rate control apparatus comprises at least 2 fluid passages in parallel, and orifices having different flow rate characteristics are provided for each of these fluid passages, wherein fluid in a small flow quantity area flows to one orifice for flow control of fluid in the small flow quantity area, while fluid in a large flow quantity area flows to the other orifice for flow control of fluid in the large flow quantity area.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive element according to an embodiment includes a first magnetic layer, a second magnetic layer, and a first nonmagnetic layer provided between the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer, at least one of the first magnetic layer and the second magnetic layer including a magnetic film of MnxAlyGez (10 atm %?x?44 atm %, 10 atm %?y?65 atm %, 10 atm %?z?80 atm %, x+y+z=100 atm %).

Abstract: According to a disclosed semiconductor device fabrication method according to one embodiment of the present invention, a layer having a line-and-space pattern extending in one direction is etched using another layer having a line-and-space pattern extending in another direction intersecting the one direction, thereby obtaining a mask having two-dimensionally arranged dots. An underlying layer is etched using the mask, thereby providing two-dimensionally arranged pillars.

Abstract: An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus includes: a transmitting section for driving an ultrasonic probe that sends out an ultrasonic transmitted wave toward a vital tissue; a receiving section for amplifying an ultrasonic reflected wave, produced by getting the ultrasonic transmitted wave reflected by the vital tissue and then received at the ultrasonic probe, to generate a received signal; a reference point shift measuring section for measuring the magnitude of shift of a reference point that has been set on the received signal; a received signal adjusting section for adjusting the position of the received signal in a distance direction according to the magnitude of shift of the reference point; and a shape variation calculating section for determining the magnitudes of positional displacements at multiple measuring points that have been set in the vital tissue by the received signal adjusted.

Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording medium including at least a soft under layer, an orientation control layer, a magnetic recording layer and a protective layer on a non-magnetic substrate, wherein the orientation control layer is composed of three or more layers including a seed layer, a first intermediate layer and a second intermediate layer sequentially, formed in that order from the substrate side, the crystal grains that constitute the first intermediate layer are epitaxially grown on the crystal grains of the seed layer, the crystal grains that constitute the second intermediate layer are epitaxially grown on the crystal grains of the first intermediate layer, and the crystal grains that constitute the second intermediate layer are finer than the crystal grains that constitute the first intermediate layer.

Abstract: A sample analysis method is provided for analyzing a sample having a permeability to terahertz radiation and accurately measure the composition, physical properties, mass and dimensions of a very small sample or a minute amount of sample by irradiating the sample with terahertz radiation. In the method, a reflective member is provided adjoining a first principal surface of the sample, an entrance member is provided adjoining a second principal surface of the sample, terahertz radiation is delivered from outside of entrance member towards the sample, and the sample is analyzed using an interference wave generated from a first-surface reflected wave at the interface between the first principal surface of the sample and the reflective member and a second-surface reflected wave at the interface between the second principal surface of the sample and the entrance member.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: a silicon layer (12); an intermediate silicide layer (28) that is provided on the silicon layer (12), has openings, and includes barium silicide; and an upper silicide layer (14) that covers the intermediate silicide layer (28), is positioned to be in contact with the silicon layer (12) through the openings, has a higher dopant concentration than the dopant concentration of the intermediate silicide layer (28), and includes barium silicide.

Abstract: In a rotary magnet sputtering apparatus, a target consumption displacement quantity is measured, and corresponding to the measurement results, a distance between a rotating magnet group and a target is adjusted, and uniform film forming rate is achieved over a long period of time so as to reduce the change of a target surface due to consumption of the target and to reduce the change of the film forming rate with time. An ultrasonic sensor or a laser transmitting/receiving device may be used as a means for measuring the consumption displacement quantity of the target.

Abstract: A semiconductor device manufacturing method, the method including: forming a semiconductor element on a semiconductor substrate; and by using microwaves as a plasma source, forming an insulation film on the semiconductor element by performing a CVD process using microwave plasma having an electron temperature of plasma lower than 1.5 eV and an electron density of plasma higher than 1×1011 cm?3 near a surface of the semiconductor substrate.

Abstract: A lighting device includes: a light guide plate; a light source disposed on a side face of the light guide plate; and a light modulation element disposed on a surface or in the inside of the light guide plate and adhered to the light guide plate. The light modulation element has a pair of transparent substrates disposed separately and oppositely, a pair of electrodes provided on respective surfaces of the pair of transparent substrates, and a light modulation layer provided in a gap between the pair of transparent substrates. The light modulation layer includes a first region, having optical anisotropy, responsive to an electric field, and a second region, having optical anisotropy, unresponsive to an electric field. The second region has a striped structure with average striped texture size of 0.05 ?m to 10 ?m both inclusive in a short axis direction.

Abstract: On a surface of a semiconductor substrate, a plurality of terraces formed stepwise by an atomic step are formed in the substantially same direction. Using the semiconductor substrate, a MOS transistor is formed so that no step exists in a carrier traveling direction (source-drain direction).

Abstract: Provided is a polychloroprene latex extremely favorable in adhesive properties. The present invention relates to a method of producing a polychloroprene latex, comprising polymerizing chloroprene or a mixture of chloroprene and a monomer copolymerizable with chloroprene in an aqueous medium containing a surfactant at a concentration of lower than its critical micelle concentration (CMC) and a polymer dispersant of a metal salt of aromatic sulfonic acid formalin condensate added thereto. The polymer dispersant for use is preferably a metal salt of aromatic sulfonic acid formalin condensate. The polychloroprene latex obtained can be used as an adhesive.

Abstract: A metal gasket includes an outer ring that is formed in a substantially C-shaped cross-section having an opening in a circumferential direction and an inner ring that is disposed inside the outer ring, wherein the inner ring is configured in a polygonal shape of a cross section, and a pair of corner portions opposing to each other in the inner ring are disposed on inner circumferential faces on the both sides of the opening in the outer ring.