Abstract: The present invention is a side-surface light-emitting unit to illuminate one or more illuminated objects disposed on a flat surface to extend in one direction, from a side surface of the illuminated object and includes a light guiding body which is disposed along the side surface of the illuminated object and emits light toward the side surface of the illuminated object, and an LED disposed at at least one end of light guiding body, an upper surface and a lower surface of the light guiding body except the side surface facing the object being optically shielded. It is possible to brightly illuminate objects such as key switches or the like from one end of the arrangement along a direction of the arrangement by uninterrupted continuous emission light.

Abstract: After the periphery of the magnetic sensitive element is surrounded by an elastic member, the magnetic sensitive element is mold-formed with resin material. Soft epoxy or gel resin is employed as the elastic member, poured in an element-mounting space and solidified. The magnetic sensitive element is surrounded by silicone rubber. Such construction allows the magnetic sensitive element not to be affected by vibration and allows the elastic member to absorb the stress which is created due to the thermal deformation of the molded resin.

Abstract: A nonvolatile semiconductor memory device can carry out a forming process simultaneously on the nonvolatile variable resistive elements of memory cells and make the forming time shorter. The nonvolatile semiconductor memory device has a forming detection circuit provided between the memory cell array and the second selection line (bit line) decoder. The forming detection circuit detects the completion of the forming process for memory cells by measuring the fluctuation in the potential of second selection lines or the current flowing through the second selection lines when applying a voltage pulse for a forming process through the second selection lines simultaneously to the memory cells on which a forming process is to be carried out connected to the same first selection line (word line), and prevents a voltage from being applied to the second selection lines connected to the memory cells where the completion of the forming process is detected.

Abstract: Provided is a variable resistance element capable of performing a stable resistance switching operation and having a favorable resistance value retention characteristics, comprising a variable resistor 2 sandwiched between a upper electrode 1 and lower electrode 3 and formed of titanium oxide or titanium oxynitride having a crystal grain diameter of 30 nm or less. When the variable resistance 2 is formed under the substrate temperature of 150° C. to 500° C., an anatase-type crystal having a crystal grain diameter of 30 nm or less is formed. Since the crystalline state of the variable resistor changes by applying a voltage pulse and the resistance value changes, no forming process is required. Moreover, it is possible to perform a stable resistance switching operation and obtain an excellent effect that the resistance fluctuation is small even if the switching is repeated, or the variable resistance element is stored for a long time under a high temperature.

Abstract: Provided is a variable resistive element which performs high speed and low power consumption operation. The variable resistive element comprises a metal oxide layer between first and second electrodes wherein electrical resistance between the first and second electrodes reversibly changes in accordance with application of electrical stress across the first and second electrodes. The metal oxide layer has a filament, which is a current path where the density of a current flowing between the first and second electrodes locally increases. A portion including at least the vicinity of an interface between the certain electrode, which is one or both of the first and second electrodes, and the filament, on an interface between the certain electrode and the metal oxide layer is provided with an interface oxide which is an oxide of at least one element included in the certain electrode and different from the oxide of the metal oxide layer.

Abstract: A side surface light emitting unit illuminates, from its side surfaces, one or more objects to be illuminated which are arranged to extend in one direction on a flat surface. The side surface light emitting unit is provided with a light guide body arranged along the side surface of the objects to be illuminated, for projecting light to the side surfaces of the objects, and an LED arranged at least on one end of the light guide body. In the side surface light emitting unit, the upper surface and the lower surface, excluding the side surfaces facing the objects, are blocked from light. The objects to be illuminated, such as key switches, can be brightly illuminated by unintermittent continuous outgoing light, along the arrangement direction of the objects from one end.

Abstract: Provided is a nonvolatile semiconductor memory device capable of performing a writing action for a memory cell at high speed. The device comprises: a memory cell array having a first sub-bank and a second sub-bank each having a plurality of nonvolatile memory cells arranged in a form of a matrix; a row decoder shared by the first sub-bank and the second sub-bank; a first column decoder and a second column decoder provided in the first sub-bank and the second sub-bank, respectively; and a control circuit arranged to execute alternately a first action cycle to perform a programming action in the first sub-bank and a reading action for a programming verifying action in the second sub-bank and a second action cycle to perform the reading action for the programming verifying action in the first sub-bank and the programming action in the second sub-bank.

Abstract: A sheet switch module including a circuit board (22), at least one key switch (25) disposed on the circuit board, and a flexible light guiding sheet (31) which is disposed on the key switch and configured to cover the circuit board, the light guiding sheet being configured to flexibly fit over and follow the shape of the key switch along an outer surface of the key switch, when the light guiding sheet is disposed on the circuit board.

Abstract: A light-emitting diode includes: a light-transmitting substrate; a light-emitting element mounted on the upper surface of the light-transmitting substrate; and a light-transmitting resin that seals the light-emitting element. The outer surface of the light-transmitting resin is covered with a reflecting layer formed from a silver or aluminum thin film. The light emitted from the light-emitting element is reflected from the reflecting layer, and the reflected light is guided out from the lower surface of the light-transmitting substrate in an efficient manner with minimum wastage of light intensity, and thus, high luminance light can be emitted.

Abstract: A manufacturing method for a variable resistive element according to which a stable switching operation can be achieved with excellent reproducibility is provided. A conductive thin film is deposited on a semiconductor substrate and patterned to a predetermined form, and after that, a first interlayer insulating film is deposited. An opening is then created in a predetermined location on the first interlayer insulating film in such a manner that the upper surface of the conductive thin film is exposed and the thickness of the conductive thin film formed at the bottom of this opening is reduced through processing, and after that, an oxidation process is carried out on the periphery of the exposed conductive thin film. As a result, a variable resistor film is formed in the peripheral region of the opening, and this variable resistor film divides the conductive thin film into a first electrode and a second electrode.

Abstract: A variable resistive element comprising a configuration that an area of an electrically contributing region of a variable resistor body is finer than that constrained by an upper electrode or a lower electrode and its manufacturing method are provided. A bump electrode material is formed on a lower electrode arranged on a base substrate. The bump electrode material is contacted to a variable resistor body at a surface different from a contact surface to the lower electrode. The variable resistor body is contacted to an upper electrode at a surface different from a contact surface to the bump electrode material. Thus, a cross point region between the bump electrode material (the variable resistor body) and the upper electrode becomes an electrically contributing region of the variable resistor body, and then an area thereof can be reduced compared with that of the region regarding the conventional variable resistive element.

Abstract: The variable resistance element of the present invention is a variable resistance element having an electrode, the other electrode, and a metal oxide material sandwiched between the electrodes and having an electrical resistance, between the electrodes, changing reversibly in response to a voltage applied between the electrodes. The variable resistance element further includes, inside the metal oxide material, a low resistance material having a lower electrical resistance than the metal oxide material and being out of contact with at least either one of the electrodes. This makes it possible to reduce a forming voltage for providing a conductive section inside the metal oxide material, without causing a leakage current to increase.

Abstract: In a variable resistance element having a variable resistor between first and second electrodes and changing its electric resistance when a voltage pulse is applied between both electrodes, data holding characteristics can be improved by increasing a programming voltage and programming in a high current density. Therefore, a booster circuit for supplying a high voltage is needed when the variable resistance element is applied to a nonvolatile memory. When the smaller of the areas of the contact regions between the first electrode and variable resistor and between the second electrode and variable resistor is set to the electrode area of the variable resistance element, it is set within a specific range not larger than the predetermined electrode area. Thereby the programming current density can be increased without raising the programming voltage, and the variable resistance element having preferable data holding characteristics even at a high temperature can be provided.

Abstract: Provided is a variable resistance element capable of performing a stable resistance switching operation and having a favorable resistance value retention characteristics, comprising a variable resistor 2 sandwiched between a upper electrode 1 and lower electrode 3 and formed of titanium oxide or titanium oxynitride having a crystal grain diameter of 30 nm or less. When the variable resistance 2 is formed under the substrate temperature of 150° C. to 500° C., an anatase-type crystal having a crystal grain diameter of 30 nm or less is formed. Since the crystalline state of the variable resistor changes by applying a voltage pulse and the resistance value changes, no forming process is required. Moreover, it is possible to perform a stable resistance switching operation and obtain an excellent effect that the resistance fluctuation is small even if the switching is repeated, or the variable resistance element is stored for a long time under a high temperature.

Abstract: Provided are a variable resistive element having a configuration that the area of an electrically contributing region in a variable resistor body is smaller than the area defined by an upper electrode or a lower electrode, and a method for manufacturing the variable resistive element. The cross section of a current path, in which an electric current flows through between the two electrodes via the variable resistor body at the time of applying the voltage pulse to between the two electrodes, is formed with a line width of narrower than that of any of the two electrodes and of smaller than a minimum work dimension regarding manufacturing processes, so that its area can be made smaller than that of the electrically contributing region in the variable resistive element of the prior art.

Abstract: A light-emitting diode includes: a light-transmitting substrate; a light-emitting element mounted on the upper surface of the light-transmitting substrate; and a light-transmitting resin that seals the light-emitting element. The outer surface of the light-transmitting resin is covered with a reflecting layer formed from a silver or aluminum thin film. The light emitted from the light-emitting element is reflected from the reflecting layer, and the reflected light is guided out from the lower surface of the light-transmitting substrate in an efficient manner with minimum wastage of light intensity, and thus, high luminance light can be emitted.

Abstract: According to the present invention, a bonding pad 10 of a semiconductor integrated circuit is arranged such that the opening pathways P through which metal wiring layers are connected have openings of at least two different widths including: a first width required to fill the opening pathway; and a second width being larger than the first width, and the openings are arranged lengthwise and crosswise.

Abstract: A sheet switch module including a circuit board (22), at least one key switch (25) disposed on the circuit board, and a flexible light guiding sheet (31) which is disposed on the key switch and configured to cover the circuit board, the light guiding sheet being configured to flexibly fit over and follow the shape of the key switch along an outer surface of the key switch, when the light guiding sheet is disposed on the circuit board.

Abstract: A light emitting apparatus including a base (2) having electrodes (6a, 6b), an LED (4) mounted on the base and electrically connected through electrical connecting members to the electrodes, a translucent sealing resin (8) to seal the light emitting element, a wavelength conversion material (9) to convert at least one portion of light emitted from the light emitting element to a different wavelength and a precipitation-prevention agent (10) to reduce precipitation of the wavelength conversion material being contained in the sealing resin, the precipitation-prevention agent being capable of controlling an amount of the wavelength conversion material precipitated.