Abstract: A fuel cell includes cell assemblies connected to each other by a fuel gas connection passage, an oxygen-containing gas connection passage, and a coolant connection passage. A fuel gas adjusting mechanism, an oxygen-containing gas adjusting mechanism, and a coolant adjusting mechanism are connected respectively to the fuel gas connection passage, the oxygen-containing gas connection passage, and the coolant connection passage. These adjusting mechanisms adjust the temperatures in the cell assemblies, the relative humidity in the fuel gas, and the relative humidity in the oxygen-containing gas.

Abstract: A fuel cell includes a membrane electrode assembly and first and second separators in the form of meal plates for sandwiching the membrane electrode assembly. An anode of the membrane electrode assembly has a gas diffusion layer, and a cathode of the membrane electrode assembly has a gas diffusion layer. Each of the gas diffusion layers includes a foamed member made of metal material such as stainless steel. Resinous flow field walls are provided in the foamed member by impregnation for forming a reactant gas flow field.

Abstract: A cell assembly is formed by stacking a first fuel cell and a second fuel cell together. The first fuel cell has a first membrane electrode assembly, and the second fuel cell has a second membrane electrode assembly. In the cell assembly, oxygen-containing gas flow fields of the first and second separators are connected in series, and fuel gas flow fields of the first and second separators are connected in series. Coolant flow fields are formed on opposite sides of the cell assembly, respectively, for supplying a coolant straight in one direction through the coolant flow fields.

Abstract: A fuel cell includes a membrane electrode assembly having a solid polymer electrolyte membrane, an anode side diffusion electrode and a cathode side diffusion electrode located at both sides of the solid polymer electrolyte membrane, and a pair of separators which holds the membrane electrode assembly. The fuel cell also includes a first seal and a second seal. The first seal is disposed between one of the separators and a periphery portion of whichever of the anode side diffusion electrode and the cathode side diffusion electrode has the larger surface area so as to surround whichever of the anode side diffusion electrode and the cathode side diffusion electrode has the smaller surface area. The second seal is disposed between the separators so as to surround whichever of the anode side diffusion electrode and the cathode side diffusion electrode has the larger surface area.

Abstract: There is provided a semiconductor device manufacturing method having a ferroelectric or high-dielectric capacitor, which comprises the steps of forming an underlying insulating film over a semiconductor substrate, forming a first conductive film on the underlying insulating film, forming a dielectric film consisting of ferroelectric material and high-dielectric material on the first conductive film, forming a second conductive film on the dielectric film, etching selectively the second conductive film in a first atmosphere containing a bromine to form a capacitor upper electrode, etching selectively the dielectric film in a second atmosphere containing a chlorine to form a capacitor dielectric film, and etching selectively the first conductive film in a third atmosphere containing the bromine to form a capacitor lower electrode.

Abstract: A cell voltage detector for fuel cell comprising terminals adapted to be brought into abutment with output terminals of separators for a stack, a voltage detecting unit for detecting the cell voltage of the stack through the terminals, a terminal holder for holding one end of the respective terminals and permitting the abutment of the terminals with the output terminals of the separators via a terminal opening opened in a fuel cell cover for encompassing the stack, the terminal holder having a leg portion adapted to be brought into abutment with the periphery of the terminal opening and a terminal cover retained onto the fuel cell cover, so that the terminal cover is brought into abutment with a head portion of the terminal holder on an inner surface thereof and covers the periphery of the terminal opening.

Abstract: A fuel gas passage, an oxygen-containing gas passage, and a coolant passage extend through a fuel cell stack. Each of the fuel gas passage and the oxygen-containing gas passage is formed by serially connecting passages between the first through third fuel cell modules. The fuel gas flows through the fuel gas passage, and the oxygen-containing gas flows through the oxygen-containing gas passage from the first fuel cell module toward the third fuel cell module. The coolant passage is formed by serially connecting passages between the first through third fuel modules. The coolant flows through the coolant passage from the third fuel cell module toward the first fuel cell module. The direction of the flow of the coolant is opposite to the direction of the flows of the fuel gas and the oxygen-containing gas.

Abstract: There is provided a semiconductor device manufacturing method having a ferroelectric or high-dielectric capacitor, which comprises the steps of forming an underlying insulating film over a semiconductor substrate, forming a first conductive film on the underlying insulating film, forming a dielectric film consisting of ferroelectric material and high-dielectric material on the first conductive film, forming a second conductive film on the dielectric film, etching selectively the second conductive film in a first atmosphere containing a bromine to form a capacitor upper electrode, etching selectively the dielectric film in a second atmosphere containing a chlorine to form a capacitor dielectric film, and etching selectively the first conductive film in a third atmosphere containing the bromine to form a capacitor lower electrode.

Abstract: First and second separators include first and second metal plates. The first metal plate has first embossed protrusions protruding toward a membrane electrode assembly to form an oxygen-containing gas flow passage. The second metal plate has second embossed protrusions protruding toward another membrane electrode assembly to form a fuel gas flow passage. Further, the second metal plate has third small embossed protrusions protruding toward the first metal plate.

Abstract: In a semiconductor device manufacturing method having the etching step of an electrode material film constituting a capacitor using ferroelectric substance or high- dielectric substance, etching of a conductive film that acts as an electrode of the capacitor formed over a semiconductor substrate is carried out in an atmosphere containing bromine, and a heating temperature of the semiconductor substrate is set in a range of 300° C. to 600° C., otherwise etching of at least the conductive film is carried out in an atmosphere to which only hydrogen bromide and oxygen are supplied from an outside.

Abstract: A fuel cell system incorporated in a vehicle has a main electric motor, a drive power transmitting mechanism for engaging and disengaging a fuel gas pump, a coolant fluid pump, a supercharger, and a compressor, which serve as auxiliary equipment, and transmitting a drive power to the auxiliary equipment, and an auxiliary electric motor coaxially connectable to the main electric motor for transmitting a drive power to the auxiliary equipment depending on the manner in which the vehicle is operated.

Abstract: A fuel cell system for supplying electricity to a main motor as a power source includes a fuel cell stack and pumps for supplying a fuel gas and an oxygen-containing gas to the fuel cell stack. The fuel cell system further includes a driving force transmitting mechanism. The driving force transmitting mechanism connects the main motor, the pumps, and the supercharger for driving the pumps and the supercharger by the main motor.

Abstract: A fuel cell metallic separator adapted to constitute a partition wall between single cells for a fuel cell stack, includes a metallic plate and a resin portion made of a thermoplastic or thermosetting resin. At least either upper and lower peripheral edge portions or left and right peripheral edge portions of the metallic plate are integrally formed with the resin portion. The metallic plate is provided with a passage for fuel gas, oxide gas or coolant for a fuel cell and the resin portion has communication ports provided for allowing fuel gas, oxide gas or coolant to pass therethrough. The metallic plate and the resin portion are formed integrally through injection molding.

Abstract: A fuel cell is provided that is reduced in both size and weight while securing a sealed state of respective flow passages by respective sealing members between separators and an electrode assembly. In this fuel cell, there are provided in each of the separators communication ports for reaction gases and cooling medium that are provided outward from gas sealing members, and communication paths that detour around the gas sealing members in the thickness direction of the separators and connect the reaction gas communication ports with gas flow passages. A cooling surface sealing member that seals off the cooling medium flow passage from the reaction gas communication ports is placed at a position shifted from the communication paths towards the communication holes.

Abstract: A fuel cell is provided that has a sufficient sealing performance while having a restrained dimension in the stacking direction thereof. The fuel cell is formed by stacking a plurality of fuel cell units, each fuel cell unit comprising: an electrode assembly formed by disposing electrodes on both sides of an electrolyte; a pair of separators that sandwich the electrode assembly in the thickness direction thereof; and gas sealing members that are disposed at an outer peripheral portion of the electrode assembly, and that seal respective reaction gas flow passages that are formed between each separator and the electrode assembly and are bounded by the separators and electrode assembly.

Abstract: A fuel cell stack is mounted in a front box of a fuel cell vehicle. The fuel cell stack has a vertical stack of unit cells. The number of unit cells is increased to produce a higher output from the fuel cell stack. For a higher output from the fuel cell stack, therefore, the fuel cell stack is elongated only in the vertical direction, and does not increase its dimension in either a longitudinal direction or a transverse direction of the fuel cell vehicle.

Abstract: A fuel cell that is small and light has separators having communication ports for reaction gases and cooling medium that are provided on an outer side of gas sealing members so as to penetrate each of the separators, and communication paths that detour around the gas sealing members in the thickness direction of the separators and connect the reaction gas communication ports with reaction gas flow passages. Furthermore, support members are provided to support the portions of the separators at which the gas sealing members and the cooling surface sealing member are disposed so as to be offset with respect to each other as viewed in the stacking direction.

Abstract: The present invention provides a cell voltage measuring device for a fuel cell comprising: a contact region provided on or in a separator forming the fuel cell; and a terminal contacting the separator at the contact region to measure cell voltage of the fuel cell, wherein the contact region is defined by a groove formed in the outer periphery of the separator, and wherein, in a state in which the terminal is inserted into the groove and contacts the separator, the entire area of the cross-section of the terminal perpendicular to the longitudinal axis thereof at a contact point is disposed in the groove. Accordingly, contact between the terminal and the separator can be preferably retained.

Abstract: There is provided a fuel cell stacking body that allows a connector unit to be used even when the thickness of the fuel cells has been made thinner. A fuel cell stacking body is provided with stacked fuel cells that each have a membrane electrode assembly and separators that sandwich this membrane electrode assembly. The fuel cells generate electricity when fuel gas and oxidizer gas are supplied. The separators of the fuel cells are provided with terminals that enable voltage to be measured by being connected to connectors that are connected an external voltage measuring apparatus. One of the voltage measuring sections is formed at a different position, with respect to the stacking direction, from the voltage measuring section that is adjacent in the stacking direction. The spacing between terminals that are at the same position with respect to the stacking direction is kept at a distance that allows a connector unit formed by grouping together a plurality of connectors to be inserted.

Abstract: An intermediate plate is interposed between first and second sub-stacks. The intermediate plate has, defined in a surface thereof, an oxygen-containing gas mixing passage interconnecting an oxygen-containing gas outlet in the first sub-stack which is located upstream and an oxygen-containing gas inlet in the second sub-stack which is located downstream. In the first and second sub-stacks, an oxygen-containing gas is supplied from the oxygen-containing gas inlet and discharged to the oxygen-containing gas outlet at all times.