Abstract: The present invention relates to a plastic lens comprising a multilayer antireflective film and to a method for manufacturing the same. The plastic lens has a multilayer antireflective film present on the surface of a plastic lens substrate, either directly or through another layer. The multilayer antireflective film comprises a composite layer in which at least two metal oxide layers, containing an identical metal element but different quantities of oxygen, are adjacent. In the method for manufacturing the above plastic lens, each of the metal oxide layers constituting said composite layer is formed by employing a single vaporization source and by vapor depositing adjacent layers under differing conditions of partial pressure of reactive oxygen gas.

Abstract: In a magnetic recording medium including a glass substrate (1) having a principal surface on which at least a magnetic layer (4) is formed, the magnetic recording medium has a coercive force of 2500 oersted or more in a circumferential direction thereof. The principal surface of the glass substrate is provided with a texture having a predetermined surface roughness so that the magnetic layer is given circumferential magnetic anisotropy. The magnetic recording medium further includes a magnetic anisotropy inducing layer (2) formed between the glass substrate and the magnetic layer so that the magnetic recording medium has an oriented ratio (OR) of 1.1 or more. The oriented ratio (OR) is defined as a ratio of a magnetic characteristic in circumferential direction to another magnetic characteristic in the radial direction.

Abstract: In a magnetic recording medium including a substrate (1) having a principal surface on which first and second magnetic layers (5 and 7) and a spacer layer (6) are at least formed, each of the first and the second magnetic layers being of a ferromagnetic material, the spacer layer being formed between the first and the second magnetic layers for inducing antiferromagnetic exchange interaction between the first and the second magnetic layers, the principal surface of the substrate is provided with concentric textures to have a predetermined surface roughness so that the spacer layer has a uniform thickness. The first magnetic layer is for controlling the antiferromagnetic exchange interaction.

Abstract: In a magnetic recording medium including a substrate (1) having a principal surface on which first and second magnetic layers (5 and 7) and a spacer layer (6) are at least formed, each of the first and the second magnetic layers being of a ferromagnetic material, the spacer layer being formed between the first and the second magnetic layers for inducing antiferromagnetic exchange interaction between the first and the second magnetic layers, the principal surface of the substrate is provided with concentric textures to have a predetermined surface roughness so that the spacer layer has a uniform thickness. The first magnetic layer is for controlling the antiferromagnetic exchange interaction.

Abstract: In a magnetic recording medium including a glass substrate (1) having a principal surface on which at least a magnetic layer (4) is formed, the magnetic recording medium has a coercive force of 2500 oersted or more in a circumferential direction thereof. The principal surface of the glass substrate is provided with a texture having a predetermined surface roughness so that the magnetic layer is given circumferential magnetic anisotropy. The magnetic recording medium further includes a magnetic anisotropy inducing layer (2) formed between the glass substrate and the magnetic layer so that the magnetic recording medium has an oriented ratio (OR) of 1.1 or more. The oriented ratio (OR) is defined as a ratio of a magnetic characteristic in circumferential direction to another magnetic characteristic in the radial direction.

Abstract: In a magnetic recording medium including a substrate (1) having a principal surface on which first and second magnetic layers (5 and 7) and a spacer layer (6) are at least formed, each of the first and the second magnetic layers being of a ferromagnetic material, the spacer layer being formed between the first and the second magnetic layers for inducing antiferromagnetic exchange interaction between the first and the second magnetic layers, the principal surface of the substrate is provided with concentric textures to have a predetermined surface roughness so that the spacer layer has a uniform thickness. The first magnetic layer is for controlling the antiferromagnetic exchange interaction.

Abstract: A method of producing a substrate for an information recording medium in which there is a step of washing and drying the substrate, which is also subjected to precision polishing. In the method, a correlation is preliminarily obtained between a contact angle of water on a surface of the substrate before the washing/drying step and a size (height) of protrusions attached to the surface of the substrate during the washing/drying step. The contact angle of water on the surface of the substrate before the washing/drying step is controlled so that the protrusions have a size (1) so as not to cause a hit when at least a recording layer is formed on the surface of the substrate and when a slider provided with a recording device and/or a reproducing device is made to run on a surface of the information recording medium, and (2) so as not to cause an error upon recording and/or reproducing the information recording medium.

Abstract: In a method of producing a substrate for an information recording medium, the method including a washing/drying step of washing and drying said substrate subjected to precision polishing, a correlation is preliminarily obtained between a contact angle of water on a surface of the substrate before the washing/drying step and a size (height) of protrusions attached to the surface of the substrate during the washing/drying step. The contact angle of water on the surface of the substrate before the washing/drying step is controlled so that the protrusions have the size so as not to cause a hit when at least a recording layer is formed on the surface of the substrate to produce the information recording medium and when a slider provided with a recording device and/or a reproducing device is made to run on a surface of the information recording medium.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a magnetic recording medium by using an in-line sputtering apparatus to successively form, on a substrate, at least one underlying layer, a first magnetic CoPt-based film, a nonmagnetic intermediate film, and a second magnetic CoPt-based film. The underlying film and/or the nonmagnetic film, which are in contact with the first magnetic film, are deposited at a low sputtering power between 100 and 1000 watts to improve the magnetic properties of the magnetic recording medium. Low power sputtering is also effective to improve the distribution of difference of the crystal lattice spacings between the nonmagnetic intermediate film and the first magnetic film and between the underlying layer and the first magnetic film.

Abstract: Disclosed are magnetic recording media comprising, on a substrate, two or more CrPt based magnetic layers and one or more CrMo based non-magnetic spacer layers between the magnetic layers and processes for preparation thereof. The magnetic recording media of the present invention include magnetic tapes and magnetic disks. The magnetic recording media are capable of suppressing noise generation upon reproducing recorded signals by employing magnetic layers having a small thickness. The magnetic recorders utilizing the above magnetic recording media are also disclosed.

Abstract: According to the present invention, a magnetic recording medium comprises a glass substrate, a first under layer, a second under layer, a magnetic layer, a protective layer and a lubricant layer in the named order. The first under layer is formed on a glass plate, a surface of which is highly polished. The second under layer is formed, on the first under layer, of a material differing from a material of the first under layer, and has a thickness greater than a thickness of the first under layer. The magnetic layer is formed on the second under layer. The protective layer is formed on the magnetic layer, on whose surface a texture due to dispersed hard minute particles appears. The lubricant layer is formed on the protective layer.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a magnetic recording medium by using an in-line sputtering apparatus to successively form, on a substrate, at least one underlying layer, a first magnetic CoPt-based film, a nonmagnetic intermediate film, and a second magnetic CoPt-based film. The underlying film and/or the nonmagnetic film, which are in contact with the first magnetic film, are deposited at a low sputtering power between 100 and 1000 watts to improve the magnetic properties of the magnetic recording medium. Low power sputtering is also effective to improve the distribution of difference of the crystal lattice spacings between the nonmagnetic intermediate film and the first magnetic film and between the underlying layer and the first magnetic film.

Abstract: A magnetoresistive element is used to detect a surface roughness of an object, such as a magnetic recording medium, a photomask blank, a semiconductor wafer, and is assembled into a reproducing head which moves along a surface of the object and which can produce an electric signal related to the surface roughness. The reproducing head may be incorporated with a recording head into a head unit. The head unit can monitor a magnetic characteristic of the magnetic recording medium in addition to detection of the surface roughness, by recording a predetermined signal by the recording head and by reproducing the predetermined signal by the reproducing head.

Abstract: In a magnetic recording medium comprising a substrate of either a glass material or a ceramic material, a magnetic layer, a protection layer, and a lubricant layer, the protection layer comprises a first protection layer of a nonmagnetic material on the magnetic film and a second protection film of an inorganic compound on the first protection layer. The first protection film may be composed of at least one material selected from nonmagnetic metals, semiconductors, and their compounds and may have a thickness between 20 and 150 angstroms while the second protection film is formed by an inorganic oxide film and hard minute particles which have an average particle size between 50 and 300 angstroms and which are dispersed into the inorganic oxide film.

Abstract: In a magnetic recording medium comprising a substrate of either a glass material or a ceramic material, a magnetic layer, a protection layer, and a lubricant layer, the protection layer comprises a first protection layer of a nonmagnetic material on the magnetic film and a second protection film of an inorganic compound on the first protection layer. The first protection film may be composed of at least one material selected from nonmagnetic metals, semiconductors, and their compounds and may have a thickness between 20 and 150 angstroms while the second protection film is formed by an inorganic oxide film and hard minute particles which have an average particle size between 50 and 300 angstroms and which are dispersed into the inorganic oxide film.

Abstract: In an electroluminescent panel comprising a transparent electrode, a back electrode, an electroluminescent layer between the transparent and the back electrodes, and a light absorption layer between the electroluminescent layer and the back electrode, the light absorption layer comprises a lower-order oxide of germanium and has a light absorption coefficient which is not smaller than 3.3.times.10.sup.-4 cm.sup.-1. The light absorption coefficient may be discretely or continuously increased from an electroluminescent layer side towards a back electrode side. The light absorption layer may be selectively deposited under the back electrode when it has a low resistivity.

Abstract: An electroluminescence element has a luminescence layer sandwiched between a transparent electrode and a back electrode so as to generate luminescence upon an application of an electric field between the transparent and back electrodes, wherein a light reflector is arranged behind the back electrode, and a light absorber is arranged at a side of a light extraction side of the electroluminescence element.

Abstract: In a solar cell comprising first and second members opposite other and an amorphous silicon lamina interposed between the first and the second members, a predetermined one of the first and the second members comprises a transparent conductive layer having an average particle size between 300 and 900 angstroms. The transparent conductive layer is positioned between the amorphous silicon lamina and a transparent insulative substrate (11) directed towards light when the first member is transparent while the transparent conductive layer is overlaid on the amorphous silicon layer and directed towards the light when the second member is transparent. The transparent conductive layer may comprise indium oxide, tin oxide, indium tin oxide, or the like.