Abstract: A plasma processing device include a plasma generation unit for generating plasma by using a cathodic arc discharge, first and second magnetic field ducts arranged in a row for transporting the plasma with one end of the row being connected to the plasma generation unit and a processing chamber connected to the other end of the row unit and having a stage for holding a substrate to be processed. A shutter is provided for covering the plasma during a period of a predetermined time after start of arc discharge or during a period of predetermined time before end of arc discharge. The shutter is disposed between the first magnetic field duct and the substrate to be processed, and is movable. The shutter is capable of being supplied with a voltage, and is kept in a state so as to be electrically insulated from the processing chamber.

Abstract: There are provided a device and method for enabling entry of handwritten data, such as a signature, without use of an electronic tablet. In step S2-1, a user affixes a signature by means of moving a pen device 30 in midair. In step S2-2, camera means 20 photographs the pen device 30 and outputs the resultant image data. In step S2-3, coordinate computation means 22 determines coordinates of a pen tip of the pen means 30 on a screen on the basis of the image data (motion picture data), thereby determining signature data. In step S2-4, comparison verification means 40 compares and verifies the thus-determined signature data with reference data. If a similarity exists between the signature data and the reference data, there is output an authentication result showing “authentication of verification.” Thus, personal identification can be effected on the basis of the signature data written by the user in midair.

Abstract: Provided is a composite building material which is more improved in the bonding capability of a cement mortar material itself with a foamed synthetic resin plate layer, furthermore prevents the occurrences of exfoliations and cracks and has higher strength compared with conventional composite materials. Plural concave grooves are formed in parallel on at least one of the surface and backface of a foamed synthetic resin plate layer and a net-like groove lathing material corresponding to the size of each groove is arranged within each groove. A cement mortar material is filled in the groove so as to bury the groove lathing material, a net-like surface lathing material is then stretched over all of one surface and a cement mortar material is further laminated to form a composite building material in which the foamed synthetic resin plate layer and the cement mortar layer are integrated with each other.

Abstract: A bar work loading apparatus for loading a bar work into a head traveling type vertical machine tool. The machine tool has a headstock rotatably supporting an approximately vertical main spindle and movable in the direction of the axis of the main spindle and a direction perpendicularly intersecting the axis of the main spindle. A chuck is provided at the lower end of the main spindle. The machine tool further has a controller for controlling the movement of the headstock and the rotation of the main spindle and also controlling the opening and closing operation of the chuck. The bar work loading apparatus is provided near the machine tool in side-by-side relation and has a holding member capable of holding at least one bar work in such a manner that the axial direction of the bar work is parallel to the axial direction of the main spindle at least at a work receiving position where the chuck receives the bar work, which is in a range within which the center axis of the main spindle is movable.

Abstract: A method of forming a metal oxide film on a substrate by a reactive DC sputtering device with introducing thereinto a reaction gas and an inert gas includes the steps of: (a) regulating a flow rate ratio or a pressure ratio of the reaction gas to the inert gas to not higher than 0.4; (b) increasing a power input to the sputtering device to a first predetermined value such that a discharge voltage increases to a maximum value and then decreases from the maximum value; and (c) decreasing the power input from the first predetermined value to a second predetermined value immediately after the discharge voltage starts to decrease from the maximum value so as to suppress a metal formation on the substrate, the steps (b) and (c) being alternately repeated for a certain period for completing the metal oxide formation on the substrate.

Abstract: A surveying instrument includes a main body and a terminal portion located away from the main body. The main body includes a measuring unit 20 capable of operating in a tracking mode in which a target 11 for searching a set out point S to be set out at a point of land is tracked and a measuring mode in which the position of the target 11 is measured, a first communication unit 15 for transmitting data concerning a target position measured by the measuring unit to the terminal portion, a mode judging unit 47 for judging that the measuring unit is operating in the tracking or measuring mode, and a result informing unit 54 for informing a result obtained by the mode judging unit 47 toward the side of the target.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a metal oxide film formed on a glass substrate by the sol-gel process using an alcohol solution of at least one metal alkoxide or acetylacetonato. To afford water repellency to the oxide film, carbon fluoride is dispersed in the metal oxide matrix by thermal decomposition of a fluoroalkylsilane compound, e.g. CF.sub.3 (CF.sub.2).sub.3 CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 Si(OCH.sub.3).sub.3. An organic polymer, e.g. polyethylene glycol, is dissolved in the metal alkoxide or acetylacetonato solution, and the solution is applied to the glass substrate to form a sol film. By heating at a temperature not higher than 200.degree. C. the sol film turns into a porous gel film. Next, the porous gel film is impregnated with an alcohol solution of the fluoroalkylsilane compound and then heated at a temperature not lower than 500.degree. C. The obtained oxide film is good in durability and abrasion resistance, and on this film the contact angle of water drop becomes greater than 90 degrees.

Abstract: A device for controlling transmittance of light therethrough includes first and second transparent substrates which are spaced from each other. The first substrate has at an end portion thereof a notch. First and second transparent electrode layers are respectively coated on inner surfaces of the first and second substrates for defining a space therebetween. The first layer is partially cut off so as to conform to a periphery of said notch. An electro-optically responsive material substantially fills up the space. The material is made so as to allow transmittance of light therethrough to change in response to voltages applied between the first and second layers. A terminal is received in said notch and said space, and is sized so as to be biased against the first substrate and the second layer so as to ensure an electrical contact between the terminal and the second layer.

Abstract: The invention relates to an electrochromic (EC) device having oppositely arranged two EC electrode layers. The first EC electrode layer uses Prussian blue, osmium purple or ruthenium purple and accordingly takes on a characteristic color by electrochemical oxidation, and the second EC electrode layer uses a transition metal oxide which takes on a characteristic color by electrochemical reduction, such as WO.sub.3. The space between the two EC electrode layers is filled with an electrolyte solution. When an EC device of this type is left in the bleached state for some period of time and then driven for coloration, the density of coloration is insufficient because of a decrease in the quantity of electricity in the oxidizing and coloring reaction of the first EC electrode layer. The invention solves this problem by using, as the electrolyte solution, a solution of a lithium salt and a sodium salt in an organic solvent prepared such that Na.sup.+ ion amounts to 3-30 mol % of the total of Li.sup.+ ion and Na.sup.

Abstract: In an electrochromic (EC) display device having oppositely arranged two EC electrode layers, two kinds of EC materials each of which takes on a characteristic color by electrochemical oxidation, or by electrochemical reduction, are used in the two EC electrode layers, respectively, on condition that the characteristic color of one EC material differs from the color of the other EC material. For example, Prussian blue which colors in blue by oxidation and polytriphenylamine which colors in bronze by oxidation are used in combination. An alternative example is using a combination of WO.sub.3 which colors in blue by reduction and V.sub.2 O.sub.5 which colors in green by reduction. Since electrochemical oxidation of one EC electrode layer is usually accompanied by reduction of the opposite EC electrode layer, this EC device can be operated so as to selectively and alternately exhibit at least two different colors aside from colorless transparency.

Abstract: The invention relates to an electrochromic (EC) device for controlling transmittance of light, such as a window pane or a filter for a display. The EC device has a double-decker structure produced by superposition of two identical EC cells each having two oppositely arranged EC electrodes one of which is formed of a first EC material that takes on color in oxidized state, such as Prussian blue, and the other of a second EC material that takes on color in reduced state such as WO.sub.3. The EC device has a transparent inner substrate with an EC electrode layer using one of the first and second EC materials on each side thereof and two transparent outer substrates each with an EC electrode layer using the other of the first and second EC materials. There is a peripheral seal between the inner substrate and each outer substrate, and the space defined between the inner substrate and each outer substrate is filled up with an electrolyte liquid.

Abstract: The invention relates to an electrochromic (EC) display device which comprises a display electrode made up of a transparent conductive layer and a patterned EC layer, a counter electrode having an EC layer laid on a conductive layer and an electrolyte which occupies the space between the two electrodes, and in which the display electrode employs a first type EC material that takes on color in its electrochemically oxidized state, such as Prussian blue, and the counter electrode a second type EC material that takes on color in its reduced state, such as WO.sub.3, or vice versa. The EC layer of the counter electrode is not patterned, and the patterned EC layer of the display electrode is made smaller in surface area than the EC layer of the counter electrode and an upper limit of the surface area ratio of the former EC layer to the latter EC layer is specified.

Abstract: The invention relates to a receiving antenna disposed on or in a vehicle window glass such as the rear window glass or the windshield of an automobile. The antenna comprises, as a principal antenna element, a transparent and conductive film in the shape of a quadrilateral having two substantially parallel sides one of which is at a distance of 15-25 mm from the upper edge of the window glass and the other at a distance of 15-25 mm from the lower edge. The quadrilateral film may be so wide that the remaining two sides thereof extend along the two side edges of the window glass, respectively, at a distance of 15-25 mm from the respective side edges. This is suitable for reception of not only FM radio broadcast waves in the 76-90 MHz or 88-108 MHz band and TV broadcast waves in the 90-222 MHz band but also AM radio broadcast waves.

Abstract: The invention relates to an electrodeposition method for forming a film of an electrochemically synthesizable and functional substance, e.g. Prussian blue useful as an electrochromic material, on an electrode plate having a conductive coating film relatively high in surface resistivity such as a tin dioxide or indium trioxide film. A desired film of uniform thickness can be formed even when the electrode plate is as large as 40 cm square or is still larger by providing the electrode plate with an elongate auxiliary electrode element formed of, for example, a metal wire or foil, which is attached to the outer surface of the conductive coating film so as to extend at least along the whole periphery of the electrode plate.

Abstract: The invention provides an antenna disclosed on or in a vehicle window glass, e.g. an automobile rear window glass, for receiving FM broadcast waves. The antenna has a main element, which extends horizontally from a side marginal region of the glass pane to a middle region but does not intersect the longitudinal center axis of the glass pane, and a phase adjusting element which extends parallel to the main element from the same side marginal region and is connected at its end in the side marginal region to the main element by a perpendicular line. The feed point is connected to an arbitrary point on the perpendicular line. The main element may be folded so as to have at least one horizontally extending turn-back part. The phase adjusting element may extend to the opposite side marginal area of the glass pane and may be folded so as to have a turn-back part which extends horizontally without intersecting the center axis of the glass pane.

Abstract: The invention relates to an electrochromic (EC) display device having a transparent electrode layer coated with a first EC material which takes on color in its electrochemically oxidized state, such as Prussian blue, and an opposite transparent electrode layer coated with a second EC material which takes on color in its reduced state, such as WO.sub.3. For use in initial bleaching or coloration of one of the two EC layers, an auxiliary electrode is disposed in a marginal region of the space between the two opposite electrodes, and an electrolyte occupies the remaining space. An insulating covering permeable to ions intervenes between the electrolyte and the body of the auxiliary electrode, and an insulating layer substantially impermeable to ions intervenes between the auxiliary electrode body and each transparent electrode layer or the overlying EC layer to prevent leakage current.

Abstract: The invention relates to an antenna disposed on or in a vehicle window glass such as the rear window glass or the windshield of an automobile to receive FM radio and/or TV broadcast waves. A principal element of the antenna is a transparent and conductive film in the shape of a quadrilateral having a horizontal upper side. The conductive film occupies a major and central area of the window glass at a distance not less than 15 mm from each edge of the glass. A feeding bar formed of a strip of a low-resistivity material is attached to the conductive film so as to extend horizontally along at least a portion of the upper side of the conductive film, and a lead connects the feeding bar to a feeding point on the window glass. A good position of the junction point of the lead and the feeding bar is in the middle of the width of the window glass.

Abstract: Injection of a functional liquid into a display device cell having an inlet opening and a relatively narrow space between front and back substrates. The liquid is a liquid crystal for a liquid crystal display device or an electrolyte solution for an electrochromic device. The cell is placed in a chamber such that the inlet opening is in an uppermost section of the cell. Also a vessel containing the liquid is placed in the chamber, and vacuum is created in the chamber. In that state the inlet opening of the cell is connected to the liquid in the vessel by a pipe. After that the lever of the liquid surface in the vessel is suitably varied with respect to the level of the inlet opening of the cell by vertically moving the vessel containing the liquid and/or the cell, while an inactive gas is gradually introduced into the chamber to produce a controlled pressure difference between the interior of the cell and the inactive gas atmosphere in the chamber.