Abstract: A nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery which has a positive electrode containing lithium cobalt oxide as a positive active material, a negative electrode containing a graphite material and a nonaqueous electrolyte solution containing ethylene carbonate as a solvent and which is charged with an end-of-charge voltage of at least 4.3 V. Characteristically, the battery uses, as the positive active material, lithium cobalt oxide obtained by firing a mixture of a lithium salt, tricobalt tetraoxide (Co3O4) and a zirconium compound and having particle surfaces onto which the zirconium compound adheres.

Abstract: Disclosed are an active material for non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery usable as a power source for backup, which has a large battery capacity and which may prevent the increase in the internal resistance after a storage test; and a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery comprising the active material. The active material is used as a positive electrode active material or a negative electrode active material of a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery, and this is prepared by adding at least one additive element selected from a group consisting of Al, B, Nb, Ti and W to molybdenum dioxide; and the non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery comprises the active material.

Abstract: In an all terrain vehicle, an engine body of an engine unit is positioned along a center line that is perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to a transverse direction of the vehicle. A continuously variable transmission of the engine unit is disposed transversely lateral to the engine body. A center console includes an inner space. The center console is disposed in a transverse center portion of a cabin space. The center console connects a space positioned forward of a front panel and a space positioned under a seat. An intake duct is connected to an upper surface of the engine unit, and extends forward therefrom. The intake duct is at least partially disposed in the interior of the center console. An exhaust duct is connected to the engine unit, and extends rearward therefrom.

Abstract: Capacity degradation due to charge/discharge cycles is suppressed in either a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary cell provided with a positive electrode including, as a positive electrode active material, a lithium-transition metal complex oxide having a layered structure and containing at least Ni and Mn as transition metals, and a negative electrode containing a carbon material as a negative electrode active material and having a higher initial charge-discharge efficiency than that of the positive electrode, or an assembled battery having a plurality of cells each of which is the secondary cell. A control circuit incorporated in the secondary cell or the assembled battery, or in an apparatus using the secondary cell or the assembled battery, monitors the voltage of the secondary cell or each of the cells in the assembled battery so that the end-of-discharge voltage of each cell is 2.9 V or higher.

Abstract: A semiconductor device include a semiconductor substrate comprising a substrate body, a base over the substrate body and a pillar over a first region of the base; a buried line adjacent to a side surface of the base; a first diffusion layer over a second region of the base; a second diffusion layer over the pillar, the second diffusion layer being higher in level than the first diffusion layer; and a third diffusion layer disposed between the buried line and the semiconductor substrate. The third diffusion layer is different in level from the first diffusion layer. The top level of the third diffusion layer is lower than the top level of the first diffusion layer.

Abstract: It is provided a method for producing a pressure-sensitive adhesive tape or sheet which is superior in a heat-resistance. A mixture is prepared by uniformly mixing a specific polymer having hydrolyzable silyl end groups and urethane linkages and/or urea linkages in the main chains or side chains with tackifying resins. A fluorine-containing compound selected from the group consisting of boron trifluoride, complex of boron trifluoride, fluorinating agent and alkali metal salt of fluorine-containing inorganic acid is uniformly mixed into the mixture to obtain a precursor of a pressure-sensitive adhesive agent. The adhesive precursor is applied on the surface of a tape substrate or sheet substrate. It is obtained a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer having three-dimensional reticulation structures by curing the specific polymer having hydrolyzable silyl end groups. Thereby, it is obtained the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape or sheet.

Abstract: A non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery is provided that uses as a positive electrode active material a low-cost lithium-containing transition metal composite oxide containing Ni and Mn as its main components, to improve the output power characteristics so that it can be used suitably for an electric power source for, for example, hybrid electric vehicles. A non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery has a positive electrode (11) containing a positive electrode active material, a negative electrode (12) containing a negative electrode active material, and a non-aqueous electrolyte solution (14) in which a solute is dissolved in a non-aqueous solvent. In the positive electrode active material, Nb2O5 in which the amount of niobium is 0.5 mol % with respect to the total amount of the transition metals and TiO2 in which the amount of titanium is 0.5 mol % with respect to the total amount of the transition metals are disposed on a surface of Li1.06Ni10.56Mn10.38O2.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes: a first vertical type transistor having a first lower diffusion layer, a first upper diffusion layer, and a gate electrode; a second vertical type transistor having a second lower diffusion layer, a second upper diffusion layer, and a second gate electrode; a gate wiring connected to the first and second gate electrodes; a first wiring connected to the first lower diffusion layer and second upper diffusion layer; and a second wiring connected to the first upper diffusion layer and second lower diffusion layer.

Abstract: In a semiconductor device of the invention, a semiconductor pillar configuring a vertical MOS transistor has an upper pillar having a first width and a lower pillar having a second width. A side surface of the upper pillar is covered with a second insulation film and a third insulation film and the lower pillar is covered with a first insulation film, which is a gate insulation film, from a side surface thereof to the second insulation film. A gate electrode is insulated from an upper conductive layer by the second and third insulation films.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a transistor, a conductive pad, and a contact. The conductive pad is electrically connected to the transistor. The conductive pad may include, but is not limited to, a first region and a second region. The contact is electrically connected to the conductive pad. At least a main part of the first region overlaps the transistor in plan view. At least a main part of the second region does not overlap the transistor in plan view. At least a main part of the contact overlaps the second region in plan view. The at least main part of the contact does not overlap the first region in plan view. The at least main part of the contact does not overlap the transistor in plan view.

Abstract: A non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery having a positive electrode (11) containing a positive electrode active material, a negative electrode (12) containing a negative electrode active material, and a non-aqueous electrolyte solution (14) in which a solute is dissolved in a non-aqueous solvent. The positive electrode active material is obtained by sintering a titanium-containing oxide on a surface of a layered lithium-containing transition metal oxide represented by the general formula Li1+xNiaMnbCocO2+d, where x, a, b, c, and d satisfy the conditions x+a+b+c=1, 0.7?a+b, 0<x?0.1, 0?c/(a+b)<0.35, 0.7?a/b?2.0, and ?0.1?d?0.1.

Abstract: In an all terrain vehicle, an engine unit is at least partially disposed under a seat. An exhaust pipe includes a first portion, a second portion and a third portion. The first portion is connected to a rear surface of the engine unit, and extends rearward therefrom. The second portion is connected to the first portion, and has a U-shaped configuration. The third portion is connected to the second portion, and extends forward therefrom. A muffler is connected to the exhaust pipe. The muffler is arranged such that the first portion and the third portion at least partially overlap with an area located between two tangent lines of the muffler. The tangent lines of the muffler are perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to a tangent line shared by the first portion and the third portion.

Abstract: A polysilicon film is formed all over a surface of a semiconductor substrate, then is subject to a CMP process through a mask pattern as a stopper. Then, a metal film is formed all over the resulting surface, and is allowed at least a part of the polysilicon film and at least a part of the metal film to react with each other to silicidize the metal. This forms the gate electrode.

Abstract: The storage characteristics in a charged state are improved in a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery containing a lithium cobalt oxide as a positive electrode active material. The non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery includes a positive electrode containing a positive electrode active material; a negative electrode containing a negative electrode active material other than metallic lithium; and a non-aqueous electrolyte. The positive electrode active material contains a lithium cobalt oxide as its main component. The non-aqueous electrolyte contains 0.1 to 10 volume % of a compound having an ether group. The positive electrode active material and the negative electrode active material are contained so that the charge capacity ratio of the negative electrode to the positive electrode is from 1.0 to 1.2 when the battery is charged until the potential of the positive electrode reaches 4.4 to 4.5 V (vs. Li/Li+).

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device in which the formation of buried wiring is facilitated includes: forming columnar patterns, which are arranged in a two-dimensional array, and bridge patterns, which connect the columnar patterns in a column direction, on a main surface of a silicon substrate; injecting an impurity in a surface portion of each of the columnar patterns and bridge patterns and in surface portions of the silicon substrate, thereby forming impurity injection layers; forming a side wall on sides of the columnar patterns and bridge patterns; removing the impurity injection layer, which has been formed in the silicon substrate, with the exception of the impurity injection layer covered by the bottom portions of the side walls; removing the side walls by etch-back; and thermally oxidizing the surface portion of the bridge patterns and then etching away the same. Buried wiring extending in the column direction of the columnar patterns is formed within the silicon substrate.

Abstract: It is provided a method for producing a pressure-sensitive adhesive tape or sheet which is superior in a heat-resistance. A mixture is prepared by uniformly mixing a specific polymer having hydrolyzable silyl end groups and urethane linkages and/or urea linkages in the main chains or side chains with tackifying resins. A fluorine-containing compound selected from the group consisting of boron trifluoride, complex of boron trifluoride, fluorinating agent and alkali metal salt of fluorine-containing inorganic acid is uniformly mixed into the mixture to obtain a precursor of a pressure-sensitive adhesive agent. The adhesive precursor is applied on the surface of a tape substrate or sheet substrate. It is obtained a pressure-sensitive adhesive layer having three-dimensional reticulation structures by curing the specific polymer having hydrolyzable silyl end groups. Thereby, it is obtained the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape or sheet.

Abstract: A non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery has a positive electrode (17) containing positive electrode active material, a negative electrode containing a negative electrode active material, a non-aqueous electrolyte, and a separator (18) disposed between the positive electrode (17) and the negative electrode. An inorganic particle layer (19) containing inorganic particles is formed between the positive electrode (17) and the separator (18), and the inorganic particle layer (19) contains a chelating agent (15) that forms a complex with transition metal ions.

Abstract: A positive electrode active material of a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery is improved by using an inexpensive lithium transition metal oxide containing nickel and manganese as main components. Output characteristics of the battery under various temperature conditions are thereby improved, and the battery is suitable as a power supply of a hybrid vehicle. The battery includes a positive electrode including a positive electrode active material, a negative electrode including a negative electrode active material, and a nonaqueous electrolyte prepared by dissolving a solute in a nonaqueous solvent.

Abstract: The storage characteristics in a charged state are improved in a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery containing a lithium cobalt oxide as a positive electrode active material. The non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery includes a positive electrode containing a positive electrode active material; a negative electrode containing a negative electrode active material other than metallic lithium; and a non-aqueous electrolyte. The positive electrode active material contains a lithium cobalt oxide as its main component. The non-aqueous electrolyte contains 0.1 to 10 volume % of a compound having an ether group. The positive electrode active material and the negative electrode active material are contained so that the charge capacity ratio of the negative electrode to the positive electrode is from 1.0 to 1.2 when the battery is charged until the potential of the positive electrode reaches 4.4 to 4.5 V (vs.

Abstract: A non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery using lithium-containing transition metal composite oxide which has a layer structure, contains a lot of Ni and Mn and is inexpensive as a positive electrode active material and attaining high output characteristics even under low temperature environment is provided. The non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery includes a positive electrode 11 containing a positive electrode active material, a negative electrode 12 containing a negative electrode active material and a non-aqueous electrolyte 14 having lithium ion conductivity, wherein lithium-containing transition metal composite oxide having a layer structure and being represented by a general formula Li1+xNiaMnbCocO2+d wherein x, a, b, c and d satisfy x+a+b+c=1, 0.25?a?0.60, 0.25?b?0.60, 0?c?0.40, 0?x?0.10, 0.7?a/b?2.0 and ?0.1?d?0.