Abstract: A method of assessing a probe by measuring a known sample whose shape is known with the probe in an electronic microscope, the known sample having a projection part on a surface thereof, and the projection part having a shape tapered toward a vertex thereof, the method comprising a step of measuring circle equivalent radius of the projection part, a step of comparing the circle equivalent radius with a first threshold value, and a step of determining that the probe is satisfactory when the width is less than the first threshold value, and a step of determining that the probe is unsatisfactory when the width is equal to or greater than the first threshold value.

Abstract: Provided is a viscous dispersion liquid useful for forming a semiconductor porous film (porous semiconductor layer) by low-temperature deposition. The viscous dispersion liquid contains water as a dispersion medium, and titanium dioxide nanoparticles, wherein the viscous dispersion liquid has a solid content concentration of 30% by mass to 60% by mass, the titanium dioxide nanoparticles include anatase crystalline titanium dioxide nanoparticles having an average particle diameter of 10 nm to 100 nm, and brookite crystalline titanium dioxide nanoparticles having an average particle diameter of 5 nm to 15 nm, and the viscous dispersion liquid has a viscosity of 10 Pa·s to 500 Pa·s at 25° C.

Abstract: A semiconductor layer (12) is caused to receive electromagnetic waves (1) to emit electrons; the emitted electrons are collected and supplied to an object to be protected against corrosion; and the electrons (3) are returned from the object to be protected against corrosion (16), to which the electrons (2) are supplied, to the semiconductor layer (12) via an electrolytic layer (14), to thereby cause an electric current to flow to the object to be protected against corrosion (16) to make a potential of the object to be protected against corrosion (16) low. In a corrosion protection structure (10), an electron supplier (13) is electrically connected to a object to be protected against corrosion (16), to thereby provide corrosion protection, the electron supplier (13) being made of a semiconductor layer (12) formed on a supporting member (11) that is capable of transmitting electromagnetic waves and has electrical conductivity.

Abstract: A photovoltaic cell having a transparent first substrate (61) having semiconductor electrodes (7) supporting a photosensitizing dye, a second substrate (62) having counter electrodes (4) disposed so as to face the semiconductor electrodes (7), and an electrolyte layer disposed between the semiconductor electrode (7) and the counter electrode (4); the electrolyte layer (1) being sealed by a sealing member (2) lying between the first substrate (61) and the second substrate (62); the first substrate (61), the second substrate (62) and the sealing member (2) being formed of similar materials, and the portions of the first substrate and the second substrate that are in contact with the sealing member (2) being ultrasonically welded to the sealing member. This photovoltaic cell can maintain excellent cell performance for a long time.

Abstract: An inorganic film-forming coating composition prepared by adding a basic compound (B) to a titanium-containing water based solution (A) obtained by reacting a hydrogen peroxide water with at least one titanium compound selected from the group consisting of a hydrolizable titanium compound, a low condensation product of the hydrolizable titanium compound, titanium hydroxide and a low condensation product of the titanium hydroxide; and an inorganic film-forming method by use of the coating composition.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for forming an automotive antenna, comprising: forming an antenna circuit film made from a conductive paste on an electrodeposition coating film or intermediate coating film formed on an outside plate member of a car body; and then forming a single-layer or multi-layered coating film on the antenna circuit film. Also disclosed is a car having provided the automotive antenna.

Abstract: An inorganic film-forming coating composition prepared by adding an orgnobasic compound (B) to a titanium-containing water based solution (A) obtained by reacting a hydrogen peroxide water with at least one titanium compound selected from the group consisting of a hydrolizable titanium compound, a low condensation product of the hydrolizable titanium compound, titanium hydroxide and a low condensation product of the titanium hydroxide; and an inorganic film-forming method by use of the coating composition.

Abstract: A liquid or a solid positive type photosensitive resin composition is herein disclosed which is used under the irradiation circumstance of a safelight having a maximum wavelength within the range of 500 to 620 nm, wherein an absorbancy of an unexposed film formed from this composition is 0.

Abstract: A pattern-forming method which comprises the following steps: (1) laminating an actinic ray-curable coating film layer onto the surface of an insulating film-forming resin layer. (2) irradiating directly or through a photomask an actinic ray or host wave thereonto so as to obtain a predetermined pattern. (3) subjecting the actinic ray-curable coating film layer to a developing treatment to form a resist pattern coating film consisting of the actinic ray-curable coating film layer, (4) and subjecting the insulating film-forming resin layer to a developing treatment, followed by removing.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of forming a conductive pattern, comprising the steps of: (1) depositing a conductive coating-forming resin layer and an energy beam-sensitive coating layer on a substrate in this order; (2) irradiating a surface of the energy beam-sensitive coating layer with an active energy beam or heat rays directly or through a mask, so as to obtain a desired pattern; (3) developing the energy beam-sensitive coating layer to form a resist pattern coating from the energy beam-sensitive coating layer; and (4) removing revealed portions of the conductive coating-forming resin layer by development. The present invention also provides a method of forming a conductive pattern, comprising the step (1), the step (2), and the step of: (3′) developing the energy beam-sensitive coating layer and the conductive coating-forming resin layer simultaneously.

Abstract: A liquid or a solid positive type photosensitive resin composition is herein disclosed which is used under the irradiation circumstance of a safelight having a maximum wavelength within the range of 500 to 620 nm, wherein an absorbancy of an unexposed film formed from this composition is 0.

Abstract: A liquid photocurable composition containing a photopolymerizable polyurethane compound having a repeating unit represented by the following formula: B—[X]n[Y]m—B, where X is represented by the formula: and Y is represented by the formula: —OOCHN—A—NHCOO(R2)—, A is a structural unit derived from a polyisocyanate compound, B is same or different and a structural unit derived from a hydroxy compound having at least one photopolymerizable unsaturated group at molecular terminals respectively and optionally containing an ether linkage, R1 is a structural unit derived from a carboxyl group-containing polyol compound, R2 is a structural unit derived from a polyol compound, n is an integer of 1 to 10, m is an integer of 1 to 10, provided that one X and one Y are bonded to each other, or three or more of X and/or Y are bonded to each other, and optionally containing a photopolymerizable compound other than the photopolymerizable polyurethane co

Abstract: The present invention provides a coating composition for forming a titanium oxide, comprising (A) an aqueous peroxo titanic acid solution obtained by mixing, with aqueous hydrogen peroxide, a titanium compound containing a group or groups convertible to a hydroxyl group by hydrolysis and/or a low condensate of the compound and (B) polyethylene glycol; a process for forming a titanium oxide film, comprising applying the coating composition to a substrate and calcining the resulting coating at a temperature not lower than 200° C. to form a porous titanium oxide film; and a photocatalyst comprising a porous titanium oxide film formed on a substrate by the process.

Abstract: A photosensitive resin composition characterized by comprising (A) a resin having at least one aprotic onium salt represented by the general formula: —COO−·W+  (1) and/or the general formula: (in each of the above general formulas, W+ represents wherein, Z represents a nitrogen atom or phosphorus atom; Y represents a sulfur atom; R1, R2, R3 and R4 each represents an organic group having 1 to 30 carbon atoms), (B) a compound having two or more vinylether groups in a molecule and (C) a compound which generates an acid upon irradiation with actinic energy rays.

Abstract: An organic solvent based photocurable resist composition containing a photopolymerizable polyurethane compound having a repeating unit represented by the following formula: B—[X]n[Y]m—B, where X is represented by the formula: and Y is represented by the formula: —OOCHN—A—NHCOO(R2)—, A is a structural unit derived from a polyisocyanate compound, B is same or different and a structural unit derived from a hydroxy compound having at least one photopolymerizable unsaturated group at molecular terminals respectively and optionally containing an ether linkage, R1 is a structural unit derived from a carboxyl group-containing polyol compound, R2 is a structural unit derived from a polyol compound, n is an integer of 1 to 10, m is an integer of 1 to 10, provided that one X and one Y are bonded to each other, or three or more of X and/or Y are bonded to each other.

Abstract: A liquid or a solid positive type photosensitive resin composition is herein disclosed which is used under the irradiation circumstance of a safelight having a maximum wavelength within the range of 500 to 620 nm, wherein an absorbancy of an unexposed film formed from this composition is 0.

Abstract: A positive type electrodeposition photoresist composition characterized by neutralizing by a basic compound and dissolving or dispersing in an aqueous medium a composition comprising (A) a polymer having 0.5-10 equivalents of carboxyl group(s) and optionally having more than 1 equivalent of hydroxyphenyl group(s) per kg polymer, or (A′) a polymer having 0.5-10 equivalents of carboxyl group(s) per kg polymer and (A″) a polymer having more than 1 equivalent of hydroxyphenyl group(s) per kg polymer; (B) a compound having at least two vinyl ether groups per molecule; (C) a compound which generates an acid when irradiated with a visible light; and (D) a sensitizing dye, and a process for pattern formation using such a composition are disclosed. Said composition has excellent thermal stability, high resolution and formability of fine image pattern and is useful to positive type photoresist, printing material etc.

Abstract: A negative type photosensitive resin composition is herein disclosed which is used under the irradiation circumstance of a safelight having a maximum wavelength within the range of 500 to 620 nm and a large spectral luminous efficiency; the composition being a liquid or a solid resin composition containing a photocurable resin, a photoreaction initiator and if necessary, a photosensitizing dye; an absorbancy of an unexposed film formed from this composition being 0.5 or less within the range of the maximum wavelength .+-.30 nm selected from the range of the maximum wavelength of the safelight. By the use of this negative type photosensitive resin composition, it is possible to form a resist pattern which is excellent in safe operativity, operational efficiency, the quality stability of products, and the like.

Abstract: An excellently thermostable visible light-sensitive composition comprising (A) a polymer having carboxyl group(s) or a polymer having carboxyl group(s) and hydroxyphenyl group(s), or (A') a polymer having carboxyl group(s) and (A") a polymer having hydroxyphenyl group(s); (B) a compound having at least two vinyl ether groups per molecule, (C) a compound, which generates an acid when irradiated with a visible light; and (D) a sensitizing dye, and a process for pattern formation using such a composition are disclosed.

Abstract: A visible light curable resin composition containing a photocurable resin, a photoreaction initiator and a photosensitizer having the formula (1). The composition has a very high sensitivity to a general-purpose visible light laser, so that a high-speed scanning exposure is possible by the laser, and an extremely fine high resolution can be obtained. In addition, the composition can be used for coating or printing under safelight irradiating conditions and under bright circumstantial conditions without any thickening of the composition, and hence the composition can exert excellent noticeable effects in points of safe operativity, operational efficiency and the stability of products. Formula (1) is as follows: ##STR1## wherein rings X.sub.1 and X.sub.2 are each an optionally substituted pyrrole ring; Y is H, CN, optionally substituted alkyl, aralkyl, aryl, heteroaryl or alkenyl group; and Z.sub.1 and Z.sub.