Abstract: A transparent vessel is filled with a mixture solution containing a first photo-curable resin of a low refractive index and a second photo-curable resin of a high refractive index different in curing mechanism. When light at a wavelength capable of curing the first photo-curable resin but incapable of curing the second photo-curable resin is applied to the mixture solution through an optical fiber, the first photo-curable resin can be cured in a state in which the second photo-curable resin is enclosed in the cured first photo-curable resin. Because the refractive index increases according to curing, a self-condensing phenomenon can be generated so that an optical path portion is formed. The optical path portion emits leakage light to its surroundings to thereby form an outer circumferential portion. Then, all uncured resins in the mixture solution are cured.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for forgery-proof labeling of items, such as credit cards, bank notes and the like, comprising the following steps: (a) applying, to a first layer (1) that reflects electromagnetic waves, an inert second layer (3) that is permeable to electromagnetic waves, said second layer having a predetermined thickness, (b) applying, to said second layer (3), a third layer (4) that is formed by metal clusters, and (c) linking the first layer (1) of the label so produced with the item.

Abstract: An electrically conductive film contains electrically connected first and second visible light-transmissive metal or metal alloy layers separated by a visible light-transmissive crosslinked polymeric layer. The film can be joined or laminated into glazing (especially non-planar vehicular safety glazing) with reduced likelihood that the metal or metal alloy layers will be damaged or distorted. The film also can transparently shield a device that can cause or is sensitive to electromagnetic interference with reduced likelihood that the metal or metal alloy layers will fracture.

Abstract: The present invention is a substrate treatment method in which a treatment by supplying a treatment solution from a nozzle to a substrate is successively performed for a plurality of substrates, which comprises the step of, during the performance of the successive treatments, performing between the treatments a plurality of pre-dispenses for different purposes of the treatment solution, wherein at least a recipe of the treatment solution to be pre-dispensed or a start condition of the pre-dispense is determined for each of the pre-dispenses. According to the present invention, the pre-dispense can be performed at a necessary and sufficient frequency to shorten the suspension time due to the pre-dispenses in the substrate treatment. This improves the throughput and reduces the number of pre-dispenses, resulting in reduced consumption of the treatment solution.

Abstract: The automated system includes a fluid dispenser having an applicator tip which is used to apply a fluid to an object. A compliance mechanism is utilized to assist in maintaining the applicator tip of the fluid dispenser in contact with the object during the coating operation. A robot can be utilized to advance the object past the applicator tip during the coating operation. The fluid dispenser is mounted on a movable arm to allow the fluid dispenser to be moved or rotated into and away from the position where fluid is applied to the object. The automated system provides a fluid application system that can apply a precise and repeatable layer of fluid to an object. The use of the robot allows larger objects to be easily handled and for the coating process to be done in a rapid fashion. The automated system is flexible and can readily accommodate changes in the object that is to be coated or the configuration of the coating that is to be applied to the object.

Abstract: A process for producing an optical element having a gradient structure, wherein a potential difference is generated in a nanocomposite material comprising nanoscale particles in a matrix material to cause a directed diffusion of the nanoscale particles in the matrix material and a concentration gradient of the nanoscale particles in the matrix material.

Abstract: By using a free layer that includes a NiFe layer containing between 65 and 72 atomic percent iron, an improved CPP GMR device has been created. The resulting structure yields a higher CPP GMR ratio than prior art devices, while maintaining free layer softness and acceptable magnetostriction. A process for manufacturing the device is also described.

Abstract: The conventional free layer in a CPP GMR read head has been replaced by a tri-layer laminate comprising Co rich CoFe, moderately Fe rich NiFe, and heavily Fe rich NiFe. The result is an improved device that has a higher MR ratio than prior art devices, while still maintaining free layer softness and acceptable magnetostriction. A process for manufacturing the device is also described.

Abstract: The invention is a method for producing a tool which can be used to create optically active surface structures in the sub-?m range, having a support surface onto which relief surface structures are applied over the support surface by means of material deposition. The invention is distinguished by the support surface being directly contacted with a mask in which openings with diameters in the sub-?m range are provided or can be provided, by the support surface including the mask being subjected to a coating process in which the coating material deposits through the openings of the mask onto the support surface, and the mask is removed from the support surface when a partial amount of an average end structure height of the surface structures is reached and the coating procedure is then continued without the mask using the same coating material or different coating materials.

Abstract: Fabrication of a quantum dot functional structure having ultra-fine particles homogeneously distributed in a transparent medium includes depositing such particles having a single particle diameter and uniform structure onto a substrate with the transparent medium.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing flexible magnetic tape having a permanently structured magnetic characteristic which varies from place to place in two different directions in the plane of the tape, includes:—a) coating a flexible substrate with a slurry having anisotropic magnetic particles; b) moving the substrate and slurry coating relative to a first magnetic field having a field strength which varies with time in a first direction, thereby selectively orienting the particles in areas spaced apart in a first direction; c) subsequently moving the substrate and slurry coating relative to a second magnetic field having a field strength which varies with time in a second direction making an oblique angle with the first direction, such that the magnetic particles are selectively oriented in spaced areas in both the first and further directions, and d) solidifying the slurry to fix the particles in place.

Abstract: A color filter manufacturing apparatus of this invention includes a plurality of ink-jet heads (120a, 120b, 120c) each having a first ink discharging nozzle group (108) in which the pitch of a plurality of ink discharging nozzles in the Y-axis direction is set to be equal to the pitch of pixels of the same color in the Y-axis direction, and a second ink discharging nozzle group having a nozzle pitch set to be equal to the pixel pitch in the Y-axis direction like the first ink discharging nozzle group. Control of an ink discharging operation is performed for only one of the first and second ink discharging nozzle groups which is to be used to color pixels of corresponding colors on a substrate (1).

Abstract: An electronic bill presentation and payment (EBPP) system that is able to obtain bills for its customers from scrape-enabled biller Web sites. The EBPP system has an interface which permits a customer to specify that the customer wishes the EBPP system to retrieve a customer's bills from a biller Web site at which the customer may access them. The customer provides his or her access information for the biller Web site to the EBPP system, which then uses a software agent to make scheduled scrapes of the biller Web site to obtain the customer's bill. The software agent scrapes not only bill summary information such as the account number, the statement date, the bill amount, the payment due date, the minimum amount and/or total amount due from the biller Web site, but also scrapes display information for the bill. The display information is the HTML that the biller Web site itself uses to display the bill. The agent cleans the HTML so that it can be displayed in the environment provided by the EBPP system.

Abstract: Color filters can each be fabricated by printing a pixel pattern for the color filter on a flexible plastic film by a central impression cylinder press. The pixel pattern is formed of pixels of three primary colors consisting of red, green and blue or pixels of three primary colors consisting of yellow, magenta and cyan. Also disclosed are inks, color filters, and image displays using the color filters.

Abstract: A magneto-optical recording medium has a recording layer and a reflective layer on a substrate. The recording layer has a layered structure in which at least one spinel ferrite (or rutile-type oxide or hematite) layer and at least one garnet ferrite layer are piled together. It is preferable that the layered structure is formed on tracks where data are recorded. A manufacturing method comprises the steps of heat treatment in the range of 500-700° C., preferably 600-630° C., after the formation of the recording layer. In the magneto-optical recording and playback device to record and play back data, the wavelength of light for recording data is different from that for reading data, which is preferable for a magneto-optical recording medium comprising a garnet ferrite layer.

Abstract: A device and a method are provided to form a film by discharging a liquid material with a liquid discharge head or the like, such as an ink jet head, and which can reduce the unevenness resulting from variation of the amount of the discharged liquid material. To provide a device and a method to form a film by discharging a liquid material and which can increase process efficiency while suppressing the increase of costs, even if the liquid material is discharged onto various objects. When a color filter is manufactured, nozzles of a liquid discharge head discharge filter element materials onto filter-element-forming regions. In this instance, one color of the filter element materials is discharged while the liquid discharge head is swept in the longitudinal direction of a mother substrate. The other colors are discharged while the liquid discharge head is swept in the width direction of the mother substrate.

Abstract: An electronic transaction method, funds transfer apparatus and method for facilitating a funds transfer. The methods comprise sending information from a purchaser or payor to a funds transfer system separate from a vendor system or payee, validating and confirming personal financial information at the funds transfer system, and transferring funds from a purchaser or payor account to the vendor or a payee account without exposing either party's financial and account information to the other. Additionally, a funds transfer apparatus is disclosed comprising connections to a payor and payee system and mechanisms for receiving and validating party and transaction information and a mechanism for transferring funds from one party to the other.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a coated sheet that forms a coated layer having a uniform film thickness by a coating liquid even when a substrate has a large area. A method for manufacturing a coated sheet to form a coated layer by a process including a process (1) for coating a coating liquid including a resin material and a solvent on a substrate, and a drying process (2) for drying a coated liquid, wherein a drying speed of a coated liquid in the drying process (2) is set 0.3 [g/m2·s] or less.

Abstract: A granular perpendicular magnetic recording medium, comprising: (a) a non-magnetic substrate having a surface; and (b) a layer stack on the substrate surface, the layer stack including a granular perpendicular magnetic recording layer formed by: (1) reactively sputtering a target comprised of a magnetic alloy in an atmosphere containing at least one ionized oxygen species derived from a source gas comprised of a compound of oxygen and at least one other non-metallic element; and (2) oxidizing an exposed upper surface of the granular perpendicular magnetic recording layer by generating a plasma containing at least one ionized oxygen species derived from a source gas comprised of a compound of oxygen and at least one other non-metallic element and treating the exposed upper surface of the granular perpendicular magnetic recording layer with the plasma.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing magnetic recording media, comprising sequential steps of: (a) providing an apparatus for manufacturing the media; (b) supplying the apparatus with at least one substrate for the media; (c) forming a magnetic recording layer on the at least one substrate in a first portion of the apparatus, the magnetic recording layer including a surface; (d) treating the surface of the magnetic recording layer with an ionized oxygen-containing plasma in a second portion of the apparatus to form a plasma oxidized surface layer; and (e) forming a protective overcoat layer on the plasma oxidized surface layer of the magnetic recording layer in a third portion of the apparatus.