Abstract: During sputtering for use in thin film deposition, anomalous discharge is prevented from generating between a target and a backing plate, and a target presser. In the target presser also serving as an earth shield and a deposition preventing plate, an insulating member staying in contact with the sputtering target or the backing plate is provided with a recess constituted of two or more different depths so that the recess does not come in contact with the sputtering target or the backing plate.

Abstract: Disclosed are carbon fibers consisting of a plurality of single filaments, wherein the carbon fibers as a resin impregnated strand are characterized by satisfying the following relations: &sgr;≧11.1−0.75 d where a is the tensile strength of said carbon fibers as a resin impregnated strand in GPa, and d is the average diameter of said single filaments in &mgr;m, and RD≦0.05 where RD is the difference in crystallinity between the inner and outer layers of each of the single filaments evaluated with RAMAN, and an acrylic fibers for producing the carbon fibers and a process for producing the acrylic fibers.

Abstract: A half-transmissive film of an optical disk is formed using a Cu oxide instead of Au, while achieving similar reflectivity characteristics to those of Au. Alternatively, the half-transmissive film may comprise a compound of Cu with a corrosion-resistant material, or a stack of layers comprising a lower layer film of Cu, Ag, or Al and an upper layer film of a corrosion-resistant material. Further, the half-transmissive film may comprise ZnS.SiO2, a nitride of Ti, indium-tin-oxide, or an alloy of Au and Cu or a compound including Au and Cu.

Abstract: Disclosed are carbon fibers consisting of a plurality of single filaments, wherein the carbon fibers as a resin impregnated strand are characterized by satisfying the following relations: &sgr;≧11.1−0.75 d where &sgr; is the tensile strength of said carbon fibers as a resin impregnated strand in GPa, and d is the average diameter of said single filaments in &mgr;m, and RD≦0.05 where RD is the difference in crystallinity between the inner and outer layers of each of the single filaments evaluated with RAMAN, and an acrylic fibers for producing the carbon fibers and a process for producing the acrylic fibers.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide carbon fibers with high tensile strength as a resin impregnated strand even if the single filaments constituting the carbon fibers are thick. The carbon fibers of the present invention consisting of a plurality of single filaments are characterized by satisfying the following relation:.sigma..gtoreq.11.1-0.75dwhere .sigma. is the tensile strength of the carbon fibers as a resin impregnated strand (in GPa) and d is the average diameter of the single filaments (in .mu.m). The carbon fibers can be preferably used as a material for forming energy-related apparatuses such as CNG tanks, fly wheels, wind mills and turbine blades, a material for reinforcing structural members of roads, bridge piers, etc., and also a material for forming or reinforcing architectural members such as timber and curtain walls.

Abstract: A trigger gas feed system is normally kept opened before a discharge is started. The trigger gas feed system is shut instantaneously, for example, when the discharge is generated, thereby to set a vacuum chamber at a sputtering pressure. The trigger gas feed system is opened again after the discharge is finished. The opened state is continued until another discharge is started. Accordingly, the pressure in the vacuum chamber before the discharge is maintained always constant, and the vacuum chamber is returned to the sputtering pressure in a short time.

Abstract: More than two pressure reducing chambers 6 to 9 are located on both the upstream and the downstream of vacuum processing housings 11 and 12. Each of the pressure reducing chambers 6 to 9 includes a film conveying means 30, a vacuum exhausting means, and a gate valve 20 provided with a resilient member for closely holding down the running film 1 to seal off the vacuum state of a belt-like passage of the gate valve 20. As the pressure reducing chambers 6 to 9 are protected with their specific gate valve belt-like passage arrangement from reduction of the vacuum state and located respectively on the upstream and downstream sides of the vacuum processing units 11 and 12, the vacuum state in the continuous vacuum processing apparatus will be maintained to a desired level. While the running film 1 is being conveyed, the gate valves 20 at the first and second stages are actuated alternately for opening and closing after vacuum evacuation.

Abstract: There is disclosed a prepreg including noncircular cross-section carbon fibers and a matrix resin having a flexural elastic modulus of 2.7 GPa or more and a water absorption of 3.4% or less under hot-wet conditions after curing; and another prepreg including carbon fibers and a matrix resin having an open-hole compression strength under hot-wet conditions and a compression strength after impact under room-temperature conditions of a quasi-isotropic material after curing of each 275 MPa or more. Carbon fiber-reinforced composite materials produced by curing these prepregs are excellent in open-hole compression strength under hot-wet conditions and in compression strength after impact, and can be suitably used especially as an aircraft primary structure material.

Abstract: When forming a conductor film of Ag, Au, Cu, Al on a substrate of ceramics or glass, an adhesive layer of Cr, NiCr is formed on the substrate, a mixed layer of adhesive layer material and conductor film material is formed on the adhesive layer, and a conductor film is formed on the mixed layer. According to this method, even if film forming is conducted below the temperature for inducing diffusion on the interface of the conductor film and adhesive layer, for example, below 100.degree. C., an alloy layer of adhesive layer material and conductor film material is present on the interface of the adhesive layer and conductor film to be closer to bulk state, and the attraction between molecules is increased, so that the bonding strength of the conductor film and adhesive layer is enhanced. Therefore, at 100.degree. C.

Abstract: An evaporation apparatus includes a vacuum chamber, a vacuum pump for producing a pressure-reduced atmosphere in the vacuum chamber, at least one vacuum evaporation device for evaporating an evaporation material provided in the vacuum chamber, a drum opposed to the vacuum evaporation device and rotating, for cooling a film substrate on which the evaporation material is to be deposited, a supply roller for supplying the film substrate to the drum, a winding roller for winding the film substrate on which the evaporation material has been deposited, a free roller for assisting the winding and travel of the film substrate, a voltage applying device for applying a DC voltage to the film substrate on which the evaporation material has been deposited; and an electric current measuring device for measuring an intensity of electric current flowing between the film substrate on which the evaporation material has been deposited and the ground.

Abstract: A noncircular cross-section carbon fiber wherein the cross-section is a noncircular one having at least one plane of symmetry passing the centroid and having an angle of rotational symmetry, .theta., defined by .theta.=360.degree./n, in which n is an integer of 1 to 10; wherein the internal structure has no lamellar structure and the fiber has a substantially uniform crystalline structure; and wherein the fiber surface has a surface smoothness S of 1.16 or below and the tensile strength and the tensile modulus of the fiber in the form of a resin-impregnated strand is 300 kg/mm.sup.2 or above and 20 ton/mm.sup.2 or above, respectively; a process for producing such carbon fiber; and a composite of such carbon fiber with a resin.

Abstract: An evaporation apparatus includes a vacuum chamber, a vacuum pump for producing a pressure-reduced atmosphere in the vacuum chamber, at least one vacuum evaporation source for evaporating an evaporation material provided in the vacuum chamber, a can, opposed to the vacuum evaporation source and rotating and ungrounded, for cooling a film on which the evaporation material is to be deposited, a supply roller for supplying the film to the can, a winding roller for winding the film on which the evaporation material has been deposited, a voltage-applying roller for assisting the winding and travel of the film and bringing into contact with a deposited material on the film, and a voltage applying device for applying a DC voltage to the film, on which the evaporation material has been deposited, through the voltage-applying roller to generate potential difference between the film and the can.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus wherein a means is provided to apply the proper negative DC voltage through a filter circuit to an electrode for generating the low-temperature plasma through the feed of the high-frequency power. When the high-frequency power has been fed in the higher high-frequency power density to the electrode for generating the low temperature plasma, the sparks (abnormal discharge) easy to be generated are prevented from being caused to generate the stable low-temperature plasma for better plasma processing.

Abstract: The temperature of and thereby the amount of heat that is generated by the printing elements in a thermal printing head is controlled by controlling the electrical power supply for the thermal printing head. The control takes into account different printing requirements of ordinary characters, bar codes, and the like. Data on various types of printing are stored in memory for reference thereto by the temperature control. The result is printing that is sharper and more uniform.