Abstract: There is provided a retention mechanism for an immersion medium, for use in a device which observes/measures a sample by use of an immersion objective lens, includes a member which retains the immersion medium near a tip portion of the objective lens, wherein the member is configured to include at least first and second materials.

Abstract: To enable measurement over a wide dynamic range from weak light quantity to strong light quantity in a light quantity detection device for detecting the light quantity, a detection signal from a photon counting light detector is A/D converted. When the A/D converted detection signal has a preset threshold value or more, the detection signal is transmitted as it is to a number-of-photons calculation circuit in a subsequent stage, and when the detection signal has the threshold value or less, threshold value processing for transmitting a preset reference value to the subsequent stage is performed. In the number-of-photons calculation circuit, the number of photons or the light quantity incident on the photon counting light detector is acquired from the dimension of an acquired detection signal waveform until the light quantity measurement ends.

Abstract: In a manufacturing process of a head slider, a plurality of head elements are formed on a wafer, each head element comprising: a return pole, a coil, and a main pole. The wafer is cut into respective head elements so that individual head sliders are formed. A ratio of an amplitude of an electrical signal applied to the coil of the write head on the head slider to an amplitude of output from an independent magnetic field sensor not embedded in the head slider is calculated, where the independent magnetic field sensor is disposed near the main pole so as to be opposed to the main pole across the air bearing surface, and where the ratio is calculated while a displacement between the main pole and the magnetic field sensor is swept. A flare point height of the main pole is determined from the calculated amplitude ratio.

Abstract: In a biological specimen imaging method, a biological specimen which is stored in a storing section of a substrate having plural storing sections and emitting a feeble light is imaged through an objective lens. The biological specimen imaging method includes moving any one of the substrate and the objective lens or both until the desired storing section falls within the field of view of the objective lens, measuring any one of a focal position at a near point and the focal position at a far point of the objective lens or both, determining the focal position of the objective lens focused on an observed target region in the biological specimen stored in the desired storing section based on the measured focal position, and adjusting the focal position of the objective lens to the determined focal position so as to image the biological specimen through the objective lens.

Abstract: A focal position determining method determines a focal position of an objective lens focused on an observed target region in a specimen. The focal position determining method includes measuring any one of the focal position of the objective lens at a near point and the focal position of the objective lens at a far point or both so as to determine the focal position of the objective lens focused on the observed target region based on the measured focal position.

Abstract: In a signal transmission system, performing signal transmission via signal interconnections 4-1 to 4-3 between a memory 1 and a memory controller 2 mounted on a printed circuit board 3, noise or jitter may tend to be increased in the memory 1 and in the memory controller 2 at a specified data rate due to interconnection length resonance. Registers 6-1 and 6-2 are provided to hold information on the data rate. These registers 6-1 and 6-2 are provided in the signal transmission system along with a control system that modifies the relationship between clock frequency and interconnection length. The data rate or the propagation delay time is controlled to allow for avoiding the resonance.

Abstract: There is provided a retention mechanism for an immersion medium, for use in a device which observes/measures a sample by use of an immersion objective lens, includes a member which retains the immersion medium near a tip portion of the objective lens, wherein the member is configured to include at least first and second materials.

Abstract: There is provided a novel luminescence measuring apparatus that enables measuring a luminescence amount or a luminescence intensity from plural living biological samples, such as tissues, cells, and biological individuals, into which a gene expressing a luminescent protein has been introduced, individually for the respective biological samples. The inventive luminescence measuring apparatus comprises an image acquisition portion that acquires a luminescence image of biological samples; a measurement region determination portion that determines at least one measurement region in the luminescence image; and a luminescence measurement portion that measures the luminescence amount or luminescence intensity in the determined measurement region; thereby measuring the luminescence amount or luminescence intensity individually by the biological sample(s) included in the measurement region. Irrespective of an efficiency of transfer of a luminescent protein gene into a cell, etc.

Abstract: Head elements are formed on a wafer to suppress deterioration in pinning strength of a pinned layer, which is caused by ESD generated during air bearing surface polishing of a thin film magnetic head. The wafer is cut into rovers in each of which are connected head elements. Rover air bearing surfaces are polished until an MR elements attain a predetermined height. A final polishing step finishes air bearing surfaces by applying an electroconductive polishing liquid to achieve a predetermined shape and surface roughness with high accuracy. A pinning defect occurrence rate is reduced by suppressing deterioration in pinning strength of a pinned layer of a read element. To achieve this, a specific resistance of the electroconductive polishing liquid is controlled to 5 G?·cm or less. A shallow rail and a deep rail are formed on the air bearing surfaces, and the rover is cut into thin film magnetic heads.

Abstract: In a biological specimen imaging method, a biological specimen which is stored in a storing section of a substrate having plural storing sections and emitting a feeble light is imaged through an objective lens. The biological specimen imaging method includes moving any one of the substrate and the objective lens or both until the desired storing section falls within the field of view of the objective lens, measuring any one of a focal position at a near point and the focal position at a far point of the objective lens or both, determining the focal position of the objective lens focused on an observed target region in the biological specimen stored in the desired storing section based on the measured focal position, and adjusting the focal position of the objective lens to the determined focal position so as to image the biological specimen through the objective lens.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a magnetic head suitable for high density recording at a high yield by reducing the thickness of an air-bearing surface protection layer of a magnetic head and suppressing reduction in the signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio of a read element. According to one embodiment, a read element of a magnetic head has a magnetoresistive effect film (TMR film) between a lower magnetic shield layer and an upper magnetic shield layer, and has a refill film and a magnetic domain control film in both sides of the TMR film. The TMR film is configured by a lower metal layer, an antiferromagnetic layer, a ferromagnetic pinned layer, an intermediate layer, a ferromagnetic free layer, and an upper metal layer. An air-bearing surface protection layer, including a silicon nitride film about 2.0 nm in thickness, is formed on a recording medium facing surface of the TMR film. Since silicon in the silicon nitride film is inactivated by nitrogen, the silicon does not damage the TMR film.

Abstract: A focal position determining method determines a focal position of an objective lens focused on an observed target region in a specimen. The focal position determining method includes measuring any one of the focal position of the objective lens at a near point and the focal position of the objective lens at a far point or both so as to determine the focal position of the objective lens focused on the observed target region based on the measured focal position.

Abstract: The characteristic evaluating system of the present invention includes: a cable-driving transmitter transmitting a signal to one end of a cable to be measured; a load connected to the other end of the cable; a probe detecting a common mode current of the cable; a receiver receiving a signal detected by the probe; and a controller controlling the cable-driving transmitter, the load, and the receiver. The cable-driving transmitter is constructed such that a plural transmission condition is selectable when transmitting the signal. The load is constructed such that plural termination conditions corresponding to the signals transmitted to the cable is selectable. The characteristic of the cable is measured by scanning relative positions of the probe and the cable in a longitudinal direction of the cable.

Abstract: Head elements are formed on a wafer in order to suppress deterioration in pinning strength of a pinned layer, which is caused by ESD generated during a thin film magnetic head production process, particularly in an air bearing surface polishing step. The wafer is cut line by line into rovers in each of which the head elements are connected; surfaces to be used as air bearing surfaces of the rover are polished until an MR element height reaches to a predetermined value. After this air bearing surface polishing, an electroconductive polishing liquid is used in a final bearing surface polishing step of finishing the air bearing surfaces to achieve a predetermined shape with high accuracy and a predetermined value of a surface roughness. In order to suppress a pinning defect occurrence rate by suppressing deterioration in pinning strength of a pinned layer of a read element, a specific resistance of the electroconductive polishing liquid is controlled to G?·cm or less, preferably 1 G?·cm or less.

Abstract: A measuring apparatus includes a confocal optical microscopy, an excitation light source unit that emits excitation light for generating fluorescence from a fluorescent material, and a light-receiving unit. The confocal optical microscope includes an excitation light input port for taking in excitation light from the excitation light source unit, and an output port for outputting fluorescence generated by the excitation light. The light-receiving unit includes an input portion for taking in signal light containing fluorescence from the confocal optical microscope. An input portion of the light-receiving unit is optically connected to the output port of the confocal optical microscope through an optical fiber.

Abstract: The characteristic evaluating system of the present invention includes: a cable-driving transmitter transmitting a signal to one end of a cable to be measured; a load connected to the other end of the cable; a probe detecting a common mode current of the cable; a receiver receiving a signal detected by the probe; and a controller controlling the cable-driving transmitter, the load, and the receiver. The cable-driving transmitter is constructed such that a plural transmission condition is selectable when transmitting the signal. The load is constructed such that plural termination conditions corresponding to the signals transmitted to the cable is selectable. The characteristic of the cable is measured by scanning relative positions of the probe and the cable in a longitudinal direction of the cable.

Abstract: There is provided a light measurement apparatus includes a light source, a container which includes a sample tank, a lens which condenses light from a sample accommodated in the sample tank or from the container which are exited by a exciting light from the light source, a photodetector which detects light from the sample accommodated in the sample tank or from the container, wherein the light passes through the lens, a position detecting unit which detects a position of the sample tank based on a detection output from the photodetector, and a position adjusting unit which sets the container or the lens based on a detection output from the position detecting unit.

Abstract: There is provided a retention mechanism for an immersion medium, for use in a device which observes/measures a sample by use of an immersion objective lens, includes a member which retains the immersion medium near a tip portion of the objective lens, wherein the member is configured to include at least first and second materials.

Abstract: A measuring apparatus includes a confocal optical microscopy, an excitation light source unit that emits excitation light for generating fluorescence from a fluorescent material, and a light-receiving unit. The confocal optical microscope includes an excitation light input port for taking in excitation light from the excitation light source unit, and an output port for outputting fluorescence generated by the excitation light. The light-receiving unit includes an input portion for taking in signal light containing fluorescence from the confocal optical microscope. An input portion of the light-receiving unit is optically connected to the output port of the confocal optical microscope through an optical fiber.

Abstract: A biomolecule analyzer of the present invention analyzes dynamic behaviors of biomolecules, and comprises image obtaining means for obtaining an image corresponding to at least one observation area of a biological sample containing biomolecules held in a measurable state, designation means for designating an arbitrary point on the image obtained by the image obtaining means, arrangement means for arranging a measuring point in a point position on the sample corresponding to the point designated by the designation means so that the measuring point may continuously coincide with the point position, measurement means for measuring a signal derived from dynamic information of an object to be measured from the measuring point arranged by the arrangement means, and analysis means for analyzing measuring results of the measurement means.