Abstract: An object of the present invention is to obtain a clear absorbed current image without involving the difference in gain of amplifier between inputs, from absorbed currents detected by using a plurality of probes and to improve measurement efficiency. In the present invention, a plurality of probes are brought in contact with a specimen. While irradiating the specimen with an electron beam, currents flowing in the probes are measured. Signals from at least two probes are input to a differential amplifier. An output of the differential amplifier is amplified. On the basis of the amplified output and scanning information of the electron beam, an absorbed current image is generated. According to the invention, a clear absorbed current image can be obtained without involving the difference in gain of amplifier between inputs. Thus, measurement efficiency in a failure analysis of a semiconductor device can be improved.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, includes: a latent image carrier whose surface includes an effective image region spanning across a predetermined width in a main scanning direction and is driven in a sub scanning direction approximately orthogonal to the main scanning direction; a latent image former which has a light source and a deflection mirror oscillating, and deflects a light beam from the light source using the deflection mirror so as to scan the effective image region with the deflected light beam; and a scanning mode controller which switches selectively between a single-side scanning mode and a double-side scanning mode, the single-side scanning mode being a mode in which the light beam is scanned only in a first direction included in the main scanning direction, the double-side scanning mode being a mode in which the light beam is scanned in both the first direction and a second direction opposite to the first direction, wherein a condition to form latent images on the latent image carrier in the singl

Abstract: An image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes an image carrier, a charging section that electrically charges the image carrier, an exposure section that exposes the image carrier to light to form a latent image, a development section that develops the latent image by means of a liquid developer containing carrier and toner particles, a first squeezing roller that is held in contact with the image carrier carrying an image developed by the development section and adapted to bear a bias voltage Vs1 applied thereto, a second squeezing roller that is held in contact with the image carrier squeezed by the first squeezing roller and adapted to bear a bias voltage Vs2 applied thereto, and a transfer member that is held in contact with the image carrier squeezed by the second squeezing roller and adapted to receive the image transferred thereto, the absolute value of the bias voltage Vs1 and the absolute value of the bias voltage Vs2 showing a relationship of |Vs1|>|Vs2|.

Abstract: A backlight device includes a first substrate having optical transparency and having first and second surfaces opposite to each other. An LED thin-film is fixed to the first surface of the first substrate. An anode electrode and a cathode electrode are formed on the LED thin-film. An anode driver IC and a cathode driver IC are provided for driving the LED thin-film to emit light. An anode wiring and a cathode wiring are provided on the first surface of the first substrate. A second substrate has optical transparency, and has first and second surfaces opposite to each other. The second surface of the second substrate faces the first surface of the first substrate. A reflection film is provided on the first surface of the second substrate. A light diffusion plate is provided so as to face the second surface of the first substrate and has a function to diffuse incident light.

Abstract: A backlight device includes a first substrate having optical transparency and having a first surface and a second surface. An LED thin-film is fixed to the first surface of the first substrate. The LED thin-film is formed of epitaxially grown inorganic material layers as a P-N junction device. An anode electrode and a cathode electrode are formed on the LED thin-film. An anode driver IC and a cathode driver IC are provided for driving the LED thin-film. An anode wiring is provided for connecting the anode driver IC and the anode electrode, and a cathode wiring is provided for connecting the cathode driver IC and the cathode electrode. A second substrate has optical transparency and having a function to diffuse incident light. The second substrate is provided so as to face the second surface of the first substrate.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, includes: a latent image carrier whose surface includes an effective image region spanning across a predetermined width in a main scanning direction and is driven in a sub scanning direction approximately orthogonal to the main scanning direction; a latent image former which has a light source and a deflection mirror oscillating, and deflects a light beam from the light source using the deflection mirror so as to scan the effective image region with the deflected light beam; and a scanning mode controller which switches selectively between a single-side scanning mode and a double-side scanning mode, the single-side scanning mode being a mode in which the light beam is scanned only in a first direction included in the main scanning direction, the double-side scanning mode being a mode in which the light beam is scanned in both the first direction and a second direction opposite to the first direction, wherein a condition to form latent images on the latent image carrier in the singl

Abstract: A developing method includes a step of driving a developing roller to rotate and supplying liquid developer stored in a liquid developer container to the developing roller, a step of applying a bias to a toner charger to electrically charge the liquid developer supplied to the developing roller, a step of driving the developing roller to rotate so as to move the liquid developer electrically charged by the toner charger to a developing position and subsequently bringing the developing roller into contact with a latent image carrier electrically charged by a charger and a step of developing the latent image, holding the developing roller in contact with the latent image carrier.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, includes: a latent image carrier whose surface includes an effective image region spanning across a predetermined width in a main scanning direction and is driven in a sub scanning direction approximately orthogonal to the main scanning direction; a latent image former which has a light source and a deflection mirror oscillating, and deflects a light beam from the light source using the deflection mirror so as to scan the effective image region with the deflected light beam; and a scanning mode controller which switches selectively between a single-side scanning mode and a double-side scanning mode, the single-side scanning mode being a mode in which the light beam is scanned only in a first direction included in the main scanning direction, the double-side scanning mode being a mode in which the light beam is scanned in both the first direction and a second direction opposite to the first direction, wherein a condition to form latent images on the latent image carrier in the singl

Abstract: An LED backlight device includes a first substrate having optical transparency and having first and second surfaces. An LED thin-film layered structure is fixed to the first surface of the first substrate, and is formed of epitaxially grown inorganic material layers as a P-N junction device. An anode electrode of the LED thin-film layered structure is connected to an anode driver IC via an anode wiring. A cathode electrode of the LED thin-film layered structure is connected to a cathode driver IC via a cathode wiring. A phosphor is provided on the second surface of the first substrate. The LED backlight device further includes a second substrate having optical transparency and having first and second surfaces. The first surface of the second substrate faces the first surface of the first substrate. A reflection layer is provided on the second surface of the second substrate.

Abstract: Problems encountered in the conventional inspection method and the conventional apparatus adopting the method are solved by the present invention using an electron beam by providing a novel inspection method and an inspection apparatus adopting the novel method which are capable of increasing the speed to scan a specimen such as a semiconductor wafer. The inspection novel method provided by the present invention comprises the steps of: generating an electron beam; converging the generated electron beam on a specimen by using an objective lens; scanning the specimen by using the converged electron beam; continuously moving the specimen during scanning; detecting charged particles emanating from the specimen at a location between the specimen and the objective lens and converting the detected charged particles into an electrical signal; storing picture information conveyed by the electrical signal; comparing a picture with another by using the stored picture information; and detecting a defect of the specimen.

Abstract: The apparatus is adapted to deflect a light beam from a laser light source for each of the color components by means of a deflection mirror surface which oscillates, thereby making the light beam reciprocally scan in a main scanning direction. In this apparatus, however, only a light beam SL which scans in a first direction (+X) of the main scanning direction is irradiated in an effective image region on a photosensitive member, so as to form a latent image thereon. The resultant latent image is developed to form a toner image. Since image formation is performed using only the light beam SL which scans in the first direction (+X), the images may be formed at the consistent density irrespective of the image types. Furthermore, the scanning directions of the light beams SL for all the color components are uniformly defined to be the first direction (+X), so that the toner images of the respective colors may maintain the consistent density.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus, includes: a latent image carrier whose surface includes an effective image region spanning across a predetermined width in a main scanning direction and is driven in a sub scanning direction approximately orthogonal to the main scanning direction; a latent image former which has a light source and a deflection mirror oscillating, and deflects a light beam from the light source using the deflection mirror so as to scan the effective image region with the deflected light beam; and a scanning mode controller which switches selectively between a single-side scanning mode and a double-side scanning mode, the single-side scanning mode being a mode in which the light beam is scanned only in a first direction included in the main scanning direction, the double-side scanning mode being a mode in which the light beam is scanned in both the first direction and a second direction opposite to the first direction, wherein a condition to form latent images on the latent image carrier in the singl

Abstract: To provide a developing device capable of preventing excess charge of the toner particles so as to prevent occurrence of failure caused by an decrease in toner flying property between the developing roller and photoconductor or a change in development characteristics, a developing device according to the present invention develops non-magnetic mono component toner using a developing roller having on its surface a plurality of groove portions each of which includes: a leading end side cut portion formed on the leading end side of the developing roller in the rotational direction thereof and having a leading end side cut angle ?1; and a trailing end side cut portion formed on the trailing end side of the developing roller in the rotational direction thereof and having a trailing end side cut angle ?2 and in which a relationship ?1<?2 is satisfied.

Abstract: Problems encountered in the conventional inspection method and the conventional apparatus adopting the method are solved by the present invention using an electron beam by providing a novel inspection method and an inspection apparatus adopting the novel method which are capable of increasing the speed to scan a specimen such as a semiconductor wafer. The inspection novel method provided by the present invention comprises the steps of: generating an electron beam; converging the generated electron beam on a specimen by using an objective lens; scanning the specimen by using the converged electron beam; continuously moving the specimen during scanning; detecting charged particles emanating from the specimen at a location between the specimen and the objective lens and converting the detected charged particles into an electrical signal; storing picture information conveyed by the electrical signal; comparing a picture with another by using the stored picture information; and detecting a defect of the specimen.

Abstract: An image forming method using an image forming apparatus including: a latent image carrier whose surface is driven in a sub scanning direction; a deflector which scans a beam spot reciprocally in a main scanning direction substantially perpendicular to the sub scanning direction on the surface of the latent image carrier in the use of an oscillating deflect mirror so as to form spot latent images each of which formed on a pixel; developer which develops each of the spot latent images as a pixel-dot, the method includes of: halftoning for a tone reproduction in which a halftone-dot constituted by the pixel-dot(s) is formed on a cell consisting plural pixels according to a fattening type threshold matrix, wherein a plurality of cells are contiguously arranged in the main scanning direction so as to form a plurality of contiguous locations at each of which the cells adjoin mutually in the main scanning direction, each cell includes a larger-than-four even number of pixels in the sub scanning direction, and the c

Abstract: A backlight device includes a first substrate, and an LED thin-film layered structure (epitaxially grown inorganic material layers) fixed to a surface of the first substrate. An anode electrode and a cathode electrode are formed on the LED thin-film layered structure. An anode driver IC and a cathode driver IC are provided for driving the LED thin-film layered structure. A wiring structure electrically connects the anode driver IC and the anode electrode of the LED thin-film layered structure, and electrically connects the cathode driver IC and the cathode electrode of the LED thin-film layered structure. A second substrate has an optical transparency and is disposed to face the surface of the first substrate on which the LED thin-film layered structure is formed. A phosphor is formed on a surface of the second substrate facing the first substrate and is disposed on a position corresponding to the LED thin-film layered structure.

Abstract: An information display apparatus includes a matrix of thin-film light-emitting diodes (LEDs) disposed on a transparent substrate. The thin-film LEDs are epitaxially grown on a semiconductor substrate, then transferred in strips to the transparent substrate, anchored by intermolecular forces, and separated into individual LEDs by photolithography and etching. The anodes and cathodes of the thin-film LEDs are connected to anode and cathode driving circuits by a matrix of thin-film electrical paths formed on the transparent substrate. The matrix of LEDs and interconnections is dense enough to display images of high quality, and provides enough pixels for the display of useful text and graphics on even small information display devices.

Abstract: An LED backlight device includes a substrate having an optical transparency and an LED thin-film layered structure fixed to a first surface of the substrate. The LED thin-film layered structure is formed of epitaxially grown inorganic material layers as a P-N junction device. An anode electrode and a cathode electrode are formed on the LED thin-film layered structure. An anode driver IC and a cathode driver IC are provided for driving the LED thin-film layered structure. A wiring structure electrically connects the anode driver IC and the anode electrode of the LED thin-film layered structure and electrically connects the cathode driver IC and the cathode electrode of the LED thin-film layered structure. A phosphor is formed on the second surface of the substrate opposite to the first surface.

Abstract: A developing roller includes a hollow cylindrical or solid cylindrical main body having a grooved portion that is formed in the outer circumferential surface of the main body and that supports toner. The grooved portion includes a plurality of first grooves parallel to each other and a plurality of second grooves parallel to each other and intersecting with the first grooves. The centers of four intersections at which adjacent two of the first grooves and adjacent two of the second grooves intersect differ from each other in the position in the direction of the axis of the main body.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to obtain a clear absorbed current image without involving the difference in gain of amplifier between inputs, from absorbed currents detected by using a plurality of probes and to improve measurement efficiency. In the present invention, a plurality of probes are brought in contact with a specimen. While irradiating the specimen with an electron beam, currents flowing in the probes are measured. Signals from at least two probes are input to a differential amplifier. An output of the differential amplifier is amplified. On the basis of the amplified output and scanning information of the electron beam, an absorbed current image is generated. According to the invention, a clear absorbed current image can be obtained without involving the difference in gain of amplifier between inputs. Thus, measurement efficiency in a failure analysis of a semiconductor device can be improved.