Abstract: Provided is a silicon refining device that is used when industrially producing silicon of high purity by vacuum melting, has a high P removal rate and thus high productivity, and is a practical device cost-wise with a simple and cheap device configuration. This silicon refining device comprises, in a decompression vessel provided with a vacuum pump, a crucible that contains a metal silicon material, a heating device that heats the crucible, and a molten metal surface thermal insulation member that covers the upper portion of silicon molten metal and has an exhaust opening with an opening area that is smaller than the silicon molten metal surface area. The molten metal surface thermal insulation member comprises a laminated insulation material with a multilayer structure in which three or more laminates are laminated at predetermined intervals from each other, and which exhibits a radiant heat insulating function based on the multilayer structure.

Abstract: Provided are: a method for manufacturing a highly pure silicon by unidirectional solidification of molten silicon, that can inexpensively and industrially easily manufacture highly pure silicon that has a low oxygen concentration and low carbon concentration and is suitable for applications such as manufacturing solar cells; highly pure silicon obtained by this method; and silicon raw material for manufacturing highly pure silicon. A method for manufacturing highly pure silicon using molten silicon containing 100 to 1000 ppmw of carbon and 0.5 to 2000 ppmw of germanium as the raw material when manufacturing highly pure silicon by unidirectionally solidifying molten silicon raw material in a casting container, the highly pure silicon obtained by this method, and the silicon raw material for manufacturing the highly pure silicon.

Abstract: In this method for refining silicon by vacuum melting, the falling of impurity condensate from an impurity trap located above a crucible and contamination of the molten silicon are prevented. A crucible for housing molten silicon, and a heating means for heating the crucible are located inside a treatment chamber equipped with a vacuum pump; further provided are: an impurity trap having an impurity condensation unit for cooling and condensing the vapor of impurities evaporating from the liquid surface of the molten silicon; and a contamination prevention device for preventing contamination of the molten silicon, having an impurity catch unit for catching impurities when impurities trapped by the impurity trap fall.

Abstract: An objective of the present invention is, in refining a metal or a semiconductor melt, without impairing refining efficiency, to alleviate wear and tear commensurate with unevenness in a crucible caused by instability in melt flow, and to allow safe operation over long periods of time such that leakages from the crucible do not occur. Provided is a metal or semiconductor melt refining method, in which, by using an AC resistance heating heater as a crucible heating method, the melt is heat retained and mixed by a rotating magnetic field which is generated by the resistance heating heater.

Abstract: Provided are a silicon purification apparatus that uses a ring-shaped thermal-insulating lid, which can be replaced while heating a crucible, as a thermal-insulating means for keeping the surface of a silicon melt at a high temperature, and has a simple structure and is easy to produce, said silicon purification apparatus being capable of continuously processing several tens of portions of charged silicon with the crucible heated as is; a silicon purification method that makes use of the silicon purification apparatus; and a purification method.

Abstract: In this method for refining silicon by vacuum melting, the falling of impurity condensate from an impurity trap located above a crucible and contamination of the molten silicon are prevented. A crucible for housing molten silicon, and a heating means for heating the crucible are located inside a treatment chamber equipped with a vacuum pump; further provided are: an impurity trap having an impurity condensation unit for cooling and condensing the vapor of impurities evaporating from the liquid surface of the molten silicon; and a contamination prevention device for preventing contamination of the molten silicon, having an impurity catch unit for catching impurities when impurities trapped by the impurity trap fall.

Abstract: Provided is a silicon refining device that is used when industrially producing silicon of high purity by vacuum melting, has a high P removal rate and thus high productivity, and is a practical device cost-wise with a simple and cheap device configuration. This silicon refining device comprises, in a decompression vessel provided with a vacuum pump, a crucible that contains a metal silicon material, a heating device that heats the crucible, and a molten metal surface thermal insulation member that covers the upper portion of silicon molten metal and has an exhaust opening with an opening area that is smaller than the silicon molten metal surface area. The molten metal surface thermal insulation member comprises a laminated insulation material with a multilayer structure in which three or more laminates are laminated at predetermined intervals from each other, and which exhibits a radiant heat insulating function based on the multilayer structure.

Abstract: Provided are a method for manufacturing a highly pure silicon by unidirectional solidification of molten silicon, that can inexpensively and industrially easily manufacture highly pure silicon that has a low oxygen concentration and low carbon concentration and is suitable for applications such as manufacturing solar cells; highly pure silicon obtained by this method and silicon raw material for manufacturing highly pure silicon. A method for manufacturing highly pure silicon using molten silicon containing 100 to 1000 ppmw of carbon and 0.5 to 2000 ppmw of germanium as the raw material when manufacturing highly pure silicon by unidirectionally solidifying molten silicon raw material in a casting container, the highly pure silicon obtained by this method, and the silicon raw material for manufacturing the highly pure silicon.

Abstract: A process for production of Si, characterized by adding an oxide, hydroxide, carbonate or fluoride of an alkali metal element, or an oxide, hydroxide, carbonate or fluoride of an alkaline earth metal element, or two or more of such compounds, to solid SiO in a total molar amount of from 1/20 to 1000 times with respect to the moles of solid SiO, heating the mixture at between the melting point of Si and 2000° C. to induce a chemical reaction which produces Si and separating and recovering the Si from the reaction by-product, for the purpose of inexpensively and efficiently producing Si from various forms of solid SiO with no industrial value produced from Si production steps and the like.

Abstract: A sealing technique is established in which a seal can be easily formed and which is excellent in reliability and a heat cycle property in a high temperature region of 800° C. or higher, so as to provide a composite body preferably used for a device for producing pure oxygen, oxygen-rich air, and the like, a membrane reactor represented by that for partial oxidation of a hydrocarbon gas, a solid oxide fuel cell, an oxygen purification device, a heat exchanger, or the like. The present invention makes it possible to increase a possibility of practical use in a wide area which has been delayed in development owing to a bottleneck of improvement in a sealing property. Particularly, its application to the device for producing pure oxygen, oxygen-rich air, or the like, the membrane reactor represented by that for partial oxidation of the hydrocarbon gas, the solid oxide fuel cell, the oxygen purification device, the heat exchanger, or the like can greatly contribute to acceleration of the development.

Abstract: A porous catalyst layer containing mixed conducting oxide having substantially a perovskite structure and containing a first element selected from Co and Fe, and a second element selected from In, Sn and Y arranged in the B site in the perovskite structure is contiguous to a second surface (1a) of a selective oxygen-permeable dense continuous layer (1) containing mixed conducting oxide. A porous intermediate catalyst layer (3) containing mixed conducting oxide and at least one of Co, Fe, Mn and Pd is contiguous to a first layer (1b) of the dense continuous layer (1). A porous reactive catalyst layer (4) provided with a metal catalyst selected from at least one of Ni, Co, Ru, Rh, Pt, Pd, Ir and Re and a support is continguous to the porous intermediate catalyst layer (3) in a manner to sandwich between the dense continuous layer (1) and the porous reactive catalyst layer (4).

Abstract: A ceramic composite with a mixed conducting oxide that has perovskite type crystal structure of {Ln1?aAa}{BxB?yB?z}O(3??) where a, x, y, and z are within the range of 0.8?a?1, 0<x, 0<y?0.5, 0?z?0.2, 0.98?x+y+z?1.02, and ? denotes a value that is determined so as to meet a charge neutralization condition. A denotes a combination of one or more kinds of elements selected out of Ba, Sr, and Ca. B denotes a combination of one or more kinds of elements selected out of Co, Fe, Cr, and Ga, the combination always containing Fe or Co. B? denotes a combination of one or more kinds of elements selected out of Nb, Ta, Ti, and Zr, the combination always containing Nb or Ta. The present invention is also directed to a mixed conducting oxide and a ceramic composite. The mixed conducting oxide is of formula AFexO(3??). A is selected out of Ba, Sr, and Ca, and is within the range of 0.98?x?1.02, and ? denotes a value determined so as to meet the charge neutralization conditions.

Abstract: A process for production of Si, characterized by adding an oxide, hydroxide, carbonate or fluoride of an alkali metal element, or an oxide, hydroxide, carbonate or fluoride of an alkaline earth metal element, or two or more of such compounds, to solid SiO in a total molar amount of from {fraction (1/20)} to 1000 times with respect to the moles of solid SiO, heating the mixture at between the melting point of Si and 2000° C. to induce a chemical reaction which produces Si and separating and recovering the Si from the reaction by-product, for the purpose of inexpensively and efficiently producing Si from various forms of solid SiO with no industrial value produced from Si production steps and the like.

Abstract: A porous catalyst layer containing mixed conducting oxide is contiguous to a second surface (1a) of a selective oxygen-permeable dense continuous layer (1) containing mixed conducting oxide. A porous intermediate catalyst layer (3) containing mixed conducting oxide is contiguous to a first layer (1b) of the dense continuous layer (1). A porous reactive catalyst layer (4) provided with a metal catalyst and a support is contiguous to the porous intermediate catalyst layer (3) in a manner to sandwich between the dense continuous layer (1) and the porous reactive catalyst layer (4).

Abstract: A sealing technique is established in which a seal can be easily formed and which is excellent in reliability and a heat cycle property in a high temperature region of 800° C. or higher, so as to provide a composite body preferably used for a device for producing pure oxygen, oxygen-rich air, and the like, a membrane reactor represented by that for partial oxidation of a hydrocarbon gas, a solid oxide fuel cell, an oxygen purification device, a heat exchanger, or the like. The present invention makes it possible to increase a possibility of practical use in a wide area which has been delayed in development owing to a bottleneck of improvement in a sealing property. Particularly, its application to the device for producing pure oxygen, oxygen-rich air, or the like, the membrane reactor represented by that for partial oxidation of the hydrocarbon gas, the solid oxide fuel cell, the oxygen purification device, the heat exchanger, or the like can greatly contribute to acceleration of the development.

Abstract: A high density magneto-optical recording medium utilizing a polycrystalline garnet two-layer film. The film thickness of an under layer of the garnet polycrystal on a glass substrate is made 100 nm or less, and a crystal grain diameter of a recording layer formed thereon is made 0.1 .mu.m or less. Furthermore, the under layer is demagnetized at room temperature. With this, a bit having a regular shape can be written, thus reducing medium noise by a large margin.