Abstract: The present invention provides a magnetic film expressed by a composition formula TaMbXcNdOe (T is a magnetic metal such as Fe, M is an alkaline earth metal such as Be, Mg, and Ca, and X is at least one selected from the group consisting of Y, Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta and lanthanoid), where a+b+c+d+e=100, 45 ≦a≦85, 5.5≦b≦28, 0.5≦c≦16, 6≦b+c≦28.5, 0.4 <b/c ≦56, 0≦d≦10, and 8≦d+e≦40. The magnetic film comprises mainly metal magnetic crystal grains having an average crystal grain diameter of not more than 15 nm and a grain boundary product. The grain boundary product substantially separates the metal magnetic crystal grains. The main component of the metal magnetic crystal grains is the T. The grain boundary product contains at least an oxide or a nitride of the M and the X. The magnetic film has a saturation magnetic flux density of not less than 0.8 T and an electric resistivity of not less than 80 &mgr;&OHgr;cm.

Abstract: This invention provides a light absorber which can be used for optical equipment like optical-disk equipment and a liquid crystal display. The light absorber has a layered structure including a light absorbing layer and a transparent layer. The light absorbing layer absorbs a reflected light from the inside of the absorber as well as incident light into the absorber while the transparent layer helps attenuate the reflected light by interference of light. One of the light absorbing layers which is thicker than others may work as a shading layer for the incident light.

Abstract: A prism and an optical pickup employing such prism includes a parallel prism having a polarization beam splitter film and a reflection film. The polarization beam splitter film is formed on an angled plane of a glass material having an approximate parallelogram cross-section, and consists of a multi-layer film of a composite film made of Si and SiO.sub.2-x (x<0.5) and multiple layers of multiple dielectric films. The reflection film is formed on an angled plane of the same glass material approximately parallel to the angled plane on which the polarization beam splitter film is formed, and consists of a multi-layer film of a composite film made of metal Si and oxide SiO.sub.2-x (x<0.5) as a high refractive film and multiple layers of multiple dielectric films as a relatively low refractive film.

Abstract: A non-magnetic single crystal of Mn--Zn ferrite obtained by a solid phase reaction process including the steps of contacting a seed single crystal ferrite with a polycrystal crystal ferrite and producing the single crystal by growing the single crystal in a direction from the seed single crystal toward the polycrystal under heating. The single crystal of Mn--Zn ferrite has a composition defined by points A, B, C, D and E in a three-phase diagram of Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 --MnO--ZnO, in which:A: Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 40 mol %, MnO 10 mol %, ZnO 50 mol %;B: Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 40 mol %, MnO 35 mol %, ZnO 25 mol %;C: Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 70 mol %, MnO 5 mol %, ZnO 25 mol %;D: Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 70 mol %, MnO 2 mol %, ZnO 28 mol %; andE: Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 48 mol %, MnO 2 mol %, ZnO 50 mol %.