Abstract: Provided are an X-ray inspection apparatus and an X-ray inspection method. The X-ray inspection apparatus includes: an X-ray source; a sample moving mechanism; the TDI sensor; and a TDI computing unit. The TDI computing unit includes a data transfer unit configured to transfer, to an outside, data of accumulated charges obtained by accumulating and transferring the charges, and has a function of setting in advance, as a determination region, a plurality of columns of line sensors with which the sample is detectable, and of detecting the sample in the determination region. The data transfer unit is configured to set, as detecting rows, rows of the pixels with which the sample has been detected in the determination region and rows around the rows, and transfer, to the outside, the data of accumulated charges only for pixels in the detecting rows.

Abstract: Provided are an X-ray inspection apparatus and an X-ray inspection method. The X-ray inspection apparatus includes: an X-ray source; a sample moving mechanism; the TDI sensor; and a TDI computing unit. The TDI computing unit includes a data transfer unit configured to transfer, to an outside, data of accumulated charges obtained by accumulating and transferring the charges, and has a function of setting in advance, as a determination region, a plurality of columns of line sensors with which the sample is detectable, and of detecting the sample in the determination region. The data transfer unit is configured to set, as detecting rows, rows of the pixels with which the sample has been detected in the determination region and rows around the rows, and transfer, to the outside, the data of accumulated charges only for pixels in the detecting rows.

Abstract: The present invention provides an X-ray generator including an X-ray tube 2 radiating primary X-rays X1 to a specimen S, a housing 3 accommodating the X-ray tube 2, an X-ray radiation area controller 4 limiting the radiation area of the primary X-rays X1 from the X-ray tube 2 to the specimen S, and a device holder 5 holding the X-ray radiation area controller 4 with respect to the housing 3. The X-ray tube includes a case 6, an electron ray source 7 generating electron rays, and a target unit 8 having a base fixed to the case and receiving electron rays through a protruding free end. The device holder has a fixed-base 5a fixed to the housing, directly under the base of the target unit, and a supporting extension 5b extending from the fixed-base in the protrusion direction of the target unit and supporting the X-ray radiation area controller.

Abstract: An X-ray fluorescence analyzer includes: a measurement device having: an X-ray source that emits an X-ray; an irradiation area restricting member that restricts an area of a measurement sample to be irradiated with the X-ray as a primary X-ray; and a detector that detects a secondary X-ray generated from the measurement sample. The analyzer further includes: a sample stage that holds and moves the measurement sample between a measurement position at which the measurement sample is irradiated with the primary X-ray to detect the secondary X-ray by the detector and a first retracted position at which the measurement sample is retracted from the measurement position; and a calibration sample moving mechanism that holds a calibration sample for calibrating the measurement device and moves the calibration sample between the measurement position and a second retracted position at which the calibration sample is retracted from the measurement position.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing a useful substance efficiently from cellulose without using any cellulase preparation. According to the disclosures of the present specification, in the production of a useful substance from a cellulose-containing material, the cellulose-containing material is brought into contact with an ionic liquid to cause the ionic liquid to permeate the cellulose-containing material, and a carbon source comprising the cellulose in the cellulose-containing material is simultaneously saccharified and fermented by a cellulase-producing microorganism in the presence of the ionic liquid.

Abstract: An X-ray fluorescence spectrometer includes: an X-ray source which irradiates a sample with primary X-rays; a light condensing device which condenses the primary X-rays to reduce an irradiation area on the sample; a detector which detects fluorescent X-rays produced from the sample irradiated with the primary X-rays; a housing which accommodates the X-ray source and the light condensing device; a temperature sensor which is disposed in at least one of the X-ray source and the periphery of the X-ray source; at least one external-air fan which is disposed on the housing, and which can exchange internal air with external air; and a control section which drives the external-air fan based on temperature information detected by the temperature sensor, to adjust the ambient temperature around the X-ray source to a constant temperature.

Abstract: The present invention provides an X-ray generator including an X-ray tube 2 radiating primary X-rays X1 to a specimen S, a housing 3 accommodating the X-ray tube 2, an X-ray radiation area controller 4 limiting the radiation area of the primary X-rays X1 from the X-ray tube 2 to the specimen S, and a device holder 5 holding the X-ray radiation area controller 4 with respect to the housing 3. The X-ray tube includes a case 6, an electron ray source 7 generating electron rays, and a target unit 8 having a base fixed to the case and receiving electron rays through a protruding free end. The device holder has a fixed-base 5a fixed to the housing, directly under the base of the target unit, and a supporting extension 5b extending from the fixed-base in the protrusion direction of the target unit and supporting the X-ray radiation area controller.

Abstract: An X-ray fluorescence analyzer includes: a measurement device having: an X-ray source that emits an X-ray; an irradiation area restricting member that restricts an area of a measurement sample to be irradiated with the X-ray as a primary X-ray; and a detector that detects a secondary X-ray generated from the measurement sample. The analyzer further includes: a sample stage that holds and moves the measurement sample between a measurement position at which the measurement sample is irradiated with the primary X-ray to detect the secondary X-ray by the detector and a first retracted position at which the measurement sample is retracted from the measurement position; and a calibration sample moving mechanism that holds a calibration sample for calibrating the measurement device and moves the calibration sample between the measurement position and a second retracted position at which the calibration sample is retracted from the measurement position.

Abstract: An X-ray fluorescence spectrometer includes: an X-ray source which irradiates a sample with primary X-rays; a light condensing device which condenses the primary X-rays to reduce an irradiation area on the sample; a detector which detects fluorescent X-rays produced from the sample irradiated with the primary X-rays; a housing which accommodates the X-ray source and the light condensing device; a temperature sensor which is disposed in at least one of the X-ray source and the periphery of the X-ray source; at least one external-air fan which is disposed on the housing, and which can exchange internal air with external air; and a control section which drives the external-air fan based on temperature information detected by the temperature sensor, to adjust the ambient temperature around the X-ray source to a constant temperature.

Abstract: There is provided a composite charged particle beam apparatus, in which a first rotation axis of a rotatable stage intersects a beam irradiation axis of a FIB column and a beam irradiation axis of an SEM so as to be substantially perpendicular thereto, respectively, at a sample observing position, the rotatable stage is provided with a supporting member which can be rotated with respect to the first rotation axis, and the supporting member is connected to a movement mechanism which can dispose the sample at the sample observing position.

Abstract: A cross-section processing and observation method includes: forming a first cross section in a sample by etching processing using a focused ion beam; obtaining image information of the first cross section by irradiating the focused ion beam to the first cross section; forming a second cross section by performing etching processing on the first cross section; obtaining image information of the second cross section by irradiating the focused ion beam to an irradiation region including the second cross section; displaying image information of a part of a display region of the irradiation region from the image information of the second cross section; displaying the image information of the first cross section by superimposing it on the image information being displayed; and moving the display region within the irradiation region. Observation images in which display regions are aligned can be obtained while reducing damage to the sample.

Abstract: A cellobiohydrolase that can contribute to a synergistic effect on cellulose degradation and the use of such cellobiohydrolase in cellulose degradation are provided. The synergistic effect is achieved by an enzyme preparation for cellulose degradation containing a cellobiohydrolase originating in Phanerochaete chrysosporium and belonging to GHF6 or a variant thereof, and an endoglucanase originating in a different source other than Phanerochaete chrysosporium.

Abstract: A sample preparing device has a sample stage that supports a sample and undergoes rotation about a first rotation axis to bring a preselected direction of the sample piece into coincidence with an intersection line between a first plane formed by a surface of the sample piece and a second plane. A manipulator holds sample piece of the sample and undergoes rotation about a second rotation axis independently of the sample stage to rotate the sample piece to a preselected position in the state in which the preselected direction of the sample piece coincides with the intersection line. The manipulator is disposed relative to the sample stage so that an angle between the second rotation axis and the surface of the sample is in the range of 0° to 45°.

Abstract: A composition containing an extremely poorly water-soluble drug and obtained by treating, with a supercritical fluid or subcritical fluid of carbon dioxide, a mixture comprising a porous silica material and the extremely poorly water-soluble drug; and its production process. The porous silica material has an average pore diameter in a range of from 1 to 20 nm, pores having diameters within ±40% of the average pore size account for at least 60% of a total pore volume of the porous silica material, and in X-ray diffractometry, the porous silica material has at least one peak at a position of diffraction angle (2?) corresponding to a d value of at least 1 nm. The composition according to the present invention, which contains the extremely poorly water-soluble drug, is excellent in the dissolution of the extremely poorly water-soluble drug.

Abstract: There is provided a composite charged particle beam apparatus, in which a first rotation axis of a rotatable stage intersects a beam irradiation axis of a FIB column and a beam irradiation axis of an SEM so as to be substantially perpendicular thereto, respectively, at a sample observing position, the rotatable stage is provided with a supporting member which can be rotated with respect to the first rotation axis, and the supporting member is connected to a movement mechanism which can dispose the sample at the sample observing position.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided that precisely conduct ion beam etching to a sample having the properties of which easily change by electron beam irradiation with no loss of ease of operation and throughput. An apparatus includes an ion beam lens barrel and an electron beam lens barrel, which can observe or measure the conditions of a sample with an electron beam in the process of etching with an ion beam, wherein first, an observation image is obtained that includes the entire process area formed by secondary signals generated by an electron beam, secondly, an irradiation permit area and an irradiation inhibit area are defined in the observation image, and thirdly, electron beam irradiation is restricted only to the irradiation permit area.

Abstract: This invention provides a polynucleotide that encodes a protein having lactate dehydrogenase activity and such protein that can be used for producing D-lactic acid. This polynucleotide has the nucleotide sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO: 1 (a), and it hybridizes under stringent conditions with a probe comprising all or part of the nucleotide sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO: 1 or a complementary strand thereof and encodes a protein having D-lactate dehydrogenase activity (b).

Abstract: The present teachings relate to an acid-resistant endoglucanase, which is a protein exhibiting excellent endoglucanase activity under acidic conditions. The present teachings provide a protein having the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2, a protein having an amino acid sequence with one or more amino acid modifications in the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2 and having endoglucanase activity, or a protein having an amino acid sequence with at least 75% homology to the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO: 2 and having endoglucanase activity.

Abstract: To provide a method of controlling film thickness of dielectric multilayer film, such as optical thin film, with high precision, an optical film thickness controlling apparatus and a dielectric multilayer film manufacturing apparatus that can control the film thickness based on the same method, and dielectric multilayer film manufactured using the controlling apparatus or manufacturing apparatus. An optical film thickness controlling apparatus includes a film formation device 15 having a rotatable substrate 23 and a sputtering target 28, a photodiode 16 that detects each of a plurality of monochromatic light beams applied to the rotatable substrate along a radius thereof at predetermined intervals, and an A/D converter 17, in which a movable shutter 29 that moves along the direction of the radius of the rotatable substrate 23 to shut off film formation on the substrate 23 is provided between the substrate 23 and the target 28.

Abstract: A cross-section processing and observation method includes: forming a first cross section in a sample by etching processing using a focused ion beam; obtaining image information of the first cross section by irradiating the focused ion beam to the first cross section; forming a second cross section by performing etching processing on the first cross section; obtaining image information of the second cross section by irradiating the focused ion beam to an irradiation region including the second cross section; displaying image information of a part of a display region of the irradiation region from the image information of the second cross section; displaying the image information of the first cross section by superimposing it on the image information being displayed; and moving the display region within the irradiation region. Observation images in which display regions are aligned can be obtained while reducing damage to the sample.