Abstract: The invention relates to an implant which is provided for the human or animal body and which at least partially consists of ceramic, glass or glass-ceramic material. The inventive implant comprises hydroxide compounds on the surface thereof which are formed from the oxide compounds of the ceramic, glass or of the glass-ceramic material. The implants can be produced, in particular, using a lye treatment.

Abstract: A wet cleaning sheet 1 comprises an aqueous liquid-retaining layer 4 having an aqueous liquid-containing polymer and a chemical-containing layer 2 or 9 containing a chemical which causes the polymer to release the aqueous liquid. The aqueous liquid-retaining layer 4 and the chemical-containing layer 2 or 9 are formed and/or arranged in such a manner that they are kept out of substantial contact under no load applied but brought into contact with each other with a prescribed load applied whereby the aqueous liquid is gradually released from the polymer by the action of the chemical.

Abstract: A dielectric element employing an oxide-based dielectric film capable of suppressing oxidation of an electrode or deterioration of film characteristics of the oxide-based dielectric film is obtained. This dielectric element comprises an insulator film including the oxide-based dielectric film and the electrode including a first conductor film containing at least a metal and silicon. The aforementioned metal includes at least one metal selected from a group consisting of Ir, Pt, Ru, Re, Ni, Co and Mo. Thus, the aforementioned first conductor film serves as a barrier film for stopping diffusion of oxygen. In heat treatment for sintering the oxide-based dielectric film, therefore, oxygen is effectively inhibited from diffusing along grain boundaries of the electrode. Consequently, a conductive material located under the electrode can be inhibited from oxidation.

Abstract: A frame system attached to the top of a Christmas tree which allows decorations, such as bows, to be secured to the frame and which will decorate the tree.

Abstract: A method for producing decorative panels for use in vehicle interiors. A layer 3 of plant components, such as leaves 6, is glued onto a base layer 2, formed of superposed layers of sized paper and blank veneer sheets disposed on a metal or plastic carrier 1, whose shape allows it to be mounted to dashboards and/or the side panels of the interior. A transparent varnish layer 4 is then applied to the layer of plant components.

Abstract: The invention has for its objects to provide a multilayer thin film comprising a ferroelectric thin film preferentially (001) oriented on an Si substrate, its fabrication process, and an electron device. To attain these object, the invention provides a multilayer thin film formed on a substrate by epitaxial growth, which comprises a buffer layer comprising an oxide and a ferroelectric thin film, with a metal thin film and an oxide thin film formed in this order between the buffer layer and the ferroelectric thin film, its fabrication process, and an electron device.

Abstract: An aesthetic, hangable ornament is produced by cutting a blank in the shape of, e.g. a bird or a butterfly from a laminate of three layers of vinyl, the outer two layers of which are holographic, cutting a hole in the blank, cutting slits in the blank to form a body including strips extending radially from a planar annulus around the hole to the periphery of the body, crimping the strips to incline them by 20-30° from the plane of the annulus, and mounting a multifaceted, polyhedral crystal in the hole using a hook, which is also used to suspend the ornament from a clear line.

Abstract: An article for use in an aquatic environment comprises a translucent polymer material that is configured to reproduce a form of aquarium life. In embodiments of the invention, the translucent polymer material comprises a highly pliable polymer material capable of substantially retaining its shape, such as, but not limited to, thermoplastics, rubbers, silicones, and Plastigoop®. In further embodiments of the invention, the form of aquarium life that the translucent polymer material is configured to reproduce can be a sea anemone, a sea plant, a sea weed, live coral, a scallop, a clam, a sea cucumber, a sea apple, a nudibranch, or a jellyfish. In another aspect of the invention, a process for reproducing articles configured to reproduce aquarium life comprises processing an appropriate polymer material, and in other embodiments, further processing one or more additives, such as dyes, whereby an article reproducing one or more types of aquarium life is formed.

Abstract: A manufacture resembling a natural oyster on the half-shell comprising an oyster half-shell having a painted artificial oyster fixed therein. The oyster is painted with a certain set of colors in a particular order to thereby create the coloring and appearance of a natural oyster. The shell is preferably a natural oyster shell having an oyster cavity on an interior surface thereof. The artificial is preferably formed from hot glue. A coating of cream, tan, dark brown, and metallic bronze colored paints cover an outer surface of the artificial oyster, such that portions of the various paints are exposed. Splotches of white and black paint are preferably applied in order to mimic the eye region of a natural oyster. A coating of clear coat covers the painted artificial oyster to thereby give the artificial oyster a wet, translucent appearance.

Abstract: A titanium based composite which includes a Ti(Al,O) base matrix, discrete ceramic particles, and an oxide layer on the surface of the composite. The discrete ceramic particles are integrally associated with the Ti(Al,O) base matrix and the oxide layer, so that at a temperature of above about 600° C., the composite is substantially resistant to oxidation and spallation.

Abstract: The invention includes sintered products for transparent electroconductive films, which are formed into films in a stable and efficient manner through sputtering or the like, sputtering targets of the sintered products, and transparent electroconductive glass and films formed from the targets. The transparent electroconductive glass and films have good transparency, good electroconductivity and good workability into electrodes, and are therefore favorable to transparent electrodes in organic electroluminescent devices as realizing good hole injection efficiency therein. The sintered products contain constituent components of indium oxide, tin oxide and zinc oxide in specific atomic ratios of the metal atoms, and optionally contain specific metal oxides of ruthenium oxide, molybdenum oxide, vanadium oxide, etc.

Abstract: High temperature composites and thermal barrier coatings, and related methods, using anisotropic ceramic materials, such materials as can be modified to reduce substrate thermal mismatch.

Abstract: Pad printing techniques are used to print into recesses to provide high quality, visually distinctive decorative items, including automobile emblems with a recess. To facilitate the pad printing, the recess is provided with angled sidewalls and an arcuate transition. This combination allows the pad to wet the entire printable surface without forming air gaps that would hinder the pad printing process. A rounded shoulder is provided around the recess and the rounded should is free from ink. The rounded shoulder provides a highly visible boundary that reflects light when viewed from different angles.

Abstract: Hydrophilic and/or rutile and anatase titanium oxide are obtained by sputter depositing titanium metal oxide on a film of zirconium oxide in the cubic phase. Another technique is to deposit a titanium metal on a film of zinc oxide in the cubic phase and heating the coating in an oxidizing atmosphere to provide an anatase and/or rutile phase(s) of titanium oxide.

Abstract: A decorative artificial wreath is described that can be easily modified to render the wreath useful for a multiple of seasons. The wreath is formed of a frame with back and front sections that is covered with artificial foliage, and a plant material holder, which may include a perforated cover, inserted between the frame sections at the lower part of the frame. Optional pins extend toward the front of the wreath from the frame to support removeable seasonal objects. Different plant material, artificial and/or natural, can be placed in the holder, and different seasonal objects can be placed on the pins to adapt the wreath to different seasons or occasions, thereby providing an economical alternative to purchasing different wreaths.

Abstract: A structure containing a ferroelectric material comprises a substrate such as silicon, a buffer layer formed on the substrate, and a non-c-axis-oriented, electrically-conductive template layer formed on the buffer layer. The template layer comprises a perovskite oxide compound. An epitaxially a-axis-oriented ferroelectric layer is formed on the template layer, and has a vector of spontaneous polarization oriented perpendicular or at least substantially perpendicular to the film normal.

Abstract: The present invention provides a glass-ceramic suitable as a material for forming a reflecting mirror substrate. The glass-ceramic has celsian as a primary crystal phase and contains SiO2, Al2O3, BaO, and TiO2 as primary components and at least Li2O as a modification component, wherein the amount of Li2O is within a range of 0.05 to 1.0 wt. %. The glass-ceramic is substantially formed of a crystal phase of celsian alone, that is, the glass-ceramic is substantially free from hexacelsian crystal phase.

Abstract: A crystalline oxide-on-semiconductor structure and a process for constructing the structure involves a substrate of silicon, germanium or a silicon-germanium alloy and an epitaxial thin film overlying the surface of the substrate wherein the thin film consists of a first epitaxial stratum of single atomic plane layers of an alkaline earth oxide designated generally as (AO)n and a second stratum of single unit cell layers of an oxide material designated as (A′BO3)m so that the multilayer film arranged upon the substrate surface is designated (AO)n(A′BO3)m wherein n is an integer repeat of single atomic plane layers of the alkaline earth oxide AO and m is an integer repeat of single unit cell layers of the A′BO3 oxide material. Within the multilayer film, the values of n and m have been selected to provide the structure with a desired electrical structure at the substrate/thin film interface that can be optimized to control band offset and alignment.

Abstract: A surface-coated sintered body of silicon nitride wherein a coating layer on the surface comprises a crystalline phase of RE2Si2O7 and/or RE2SiO5 (RE=rare earth element), the crystalline phase having an average crystalline particle diameter of not smaller than 0.1 &mgr;m, and the excess amount of SiO2 contained in the coating layer being not larger than 10 mole %. The coating layer formed on the surfaces of the sintered body exhibits excellent adhering force even in a high-temperature zone of around 1500° C. and features a long life.

Abstract: Composition for a solid state material, in bulk and in thin film form, that provides relatively high dielectric permittivity that is tunable with variable electrical field bias, relatively low loss tangent and low leakage current for microwave applications. In a first embodiment, the material is BaySr1−yTi1−xMxO3, where M is a substance or mixture including one or more elements drawn from a group consisting of Ta, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Al, Ga, Cr, Mo, W, Mn, Sc and Re, and the indices x and y satisfy 0≦x≦1 and 0≦y≦1. A preferred choice is M=Ta, V, W, Mo and/or Nb. In a second embodiment, the material is BaySr1−yTi1−x−zTaxMzO3, where M is a substance or mixture including one or more trivalent elements drawn from a group consisting of Al, Ga and Cr and the indices x, y and z satisfy 0≦x+z≦1 and 0≦y≦1.