Abstract: A pre-curing viscous solution (precursor solution) is applied to the back surface of a substrate for forming an optically transparent layer principally composed of an inorganic material. The substrate is heated or irradiated with UV light while being pressed with unevenness of a mold. By removing the substrate from the mold, the optically transparent, inorganic material layer principally composed of the inorganic material is formed on the substrate. In this manner, the inorganic material layer with the unevenness is formed on the back surface of the substrate (a light extraction surface) by embossing.

Abstract: An organometallic polymer material having a -M-O-M-bond (M is a metal atom) and containing a metal alkoxide having only one hydrolyzable group and/or a hydrolysate of the metal alkoxide and preferably further containing an organic acid anhydride and/or an organic acid.

Abstract: A composite magnetic material contains first magnetic particles made of a first magnetic material and second magnetic particles made of a second magnetic material, the first and second magnetic particles being mixed with each other. A frequency characteristic of the first magnetic material is different from that of the second magnetic material. The first and second magnetic particles are mixed so that, at a frequency of an intersecting point between a first curve representing a frequency characteristic of a real part of a complex magnetic permeability of the first magnetic material and a second curve representing a frequency characteristic of a real part of a complex magnetic permeability of the second magnetic material, a value of a real part of a complex magnetic permeability of the composite magnetic material is larger than a value of the intersecting point.

Abstract: A gradient-index lens is structured by a multilayer film that includes therein a plurality of layers each of which has different refractive index and layer thickness from the other.

Abstract: An optical device includes a substrate, a core provided on the substrate, a first clad and a second clad formed around the core. The optical device further includes a light absorber layer, provided on the substrate, which absorbs light leaked from the core. The light absorber layer is formed of, for instance, the same material as that constituting the core.

Abstract: Between dielectric ceramic sheets 11A-11C and magnetic ceramic sheets 13A-13C, metallic alkoxide solution films are formed so as not to interfere with wiring patterns 12A-12C and 14A-14C. Thereafter, the dielectric ceramic sheets 11A-11C and the magnetic ceramic sheets 13A-13C are stacked and heat-treated at the temperature of about 200-400° C. This heat treatment leads to a sol-gel reaction of the metallic alkoxide solution, thereby providing intermediate layers 15. Through the intermediate layers 15, the adjacent ceramic sheets are coupled with each other. Since the ceramic sheets are coupled with each other using the sol-gel reaction which proceeds at a low temperature of about 200-400° C., the ceramic laminate is prevented from being deformed due to a difference in the thermal shrinkage coefficient between the ceramic sheets, thereby providing a ceramic laminate with no warpage and peeling.

Abstract: An organic-inorganic composite material is formed by polycondensating a metal alkoxide through hydrolysis until the unreacted metal alkoxide is reduced to 3 vol. % or less, and mixing it with an organic polymer. The composite material has a light transmittance of at least 90% per 10 &mgr;m material thickness for light of 600 to 1000 nm. The metal element content of the composite material is preferably 0.1 to 46 wt. %, more preferably 5 to 37 wt. %. By laminating layers of such organic-inorganic composite materials having respective different compositions, the resulting laminate has a concentration gradient wherein the metal element content increases or decreases monotonously, or increases and decreases in succession, from one side to the other side of the laminate. The resulting refractive index varies opposite the metal element content. The material can be used for an optical waveguide or a light transmission structure.

Abstract: In the optical waveguide which comprises a core layer to be an optical transmission region and an upper clad layer and a lower clad layer covering the surrounding of the core layer and of which the upper clad layer is formed while being shrunk in the volume, a stress moderating layer formed a material with a smaller storage modulus than that of the upper clad layer is formed between the upper clad layer and the lower clad layer in at least a portion of a region where the upper clad layer and the lower clad layer are brought into contact with each other.

Abstract: A method of producing an organic-inorganic composite material formed from an organic polymer and a metal alkoxide, comprising the steps of polycondensating the metal alkoxide through hydrolysis until the unreacted metal alkoxide is reduced to 3 vol. % or less, and mixing it with the organic polymer to form the organic-inorganic composite material. By laminating such organic-inorganic composite materials, the resulting laminate is provided with a concentration gradation wherein the metal element of the metal alkoxide is increased or decreased from one side to the other side of the laminate.

Abstract: An optical waveguide in which a groove is formed on the top surface of a substrate used as a lower clad and a core is formed in the groove, characterized in that the core is formed in such a way that the top face of the core within the groove is at a lower level than the top face of the substrate, and an upper clad may also be provided on the core, and the core is preferably formed from an organic-inorganic hybrid material.

Abstract: A method of producing an organic-inorganic composite material formed from an organic polymer and a metal alkoxide, comprising the steps of polycondensating the metal alkoxide through hydrolysis until the unreacted metal alkoxide is reduced to 3 vol. % or less, and mixing it with the organic polymer to form the organic-inorganic composite material. By laminating such organic-inorganic composite materials, the resulting laminate is provided with a concentration gradation wherein the metal element of the metal alkoxide is increased or decreased from one side to the other side of the laminate.

Abstract: A composite magnetic material comprising first magnetic particles made of a first magnetic material and second magnetic particles made of a second magnetic material, the first magnetic particles and the second magnetic particles being mixed with each other, and a frequency characteristic of the first magnetic material being different from that of the second magnetic material, wherein the first magnetic particles and the second magnetic particles are mixed so that at a frequency of a intersecting point between a curve representing a frequency characteristic of a real part of complex magnetic permeability of the first magnetic material and a curve representing a frequency characteristic of a real part of complex magnetic permeability of the second magnetic material, a value of a real part of complex magnetic permeability of the composite magnetic material is larger than a value of the intersecting point.

Abstract: The space between a material sheet laminate 105 and the inner wall of a processing chamber 13a is filled with a buffer material. The material sheet laminate is heated in a firing furnace while the material sheet laminate is pressurized through the buffer material in a way of reducing the volume of a processing chamber 13a by loading of a weight 17. In this way, the material sheet laminate 105 is fired which it is pressurized from all the directions through the buffer material 14. This suppresses the warp of a ceramic laminate 100 due to the densification phenomenon occurring during the step of firing the material sheet laminate 105, thereby providing the ceramic laminate 100 with no warp.

Abstract: A production process for an oxide magnetic material comprising the steps of blending raw material powder so as to take the composition of a hexagonal ferrite including: at least one kind of an element A selected from the group consisting of Ba, Sr and Ca; Co and Cu; Fe; and O; and sintering said blended powder at a temperature lower than 1000° C.

Abstract: A hard carbon film-coated substrate is disclosed which has between a substrate and a hard carbon film an interlayer principally comprised of at least one selected from the group consisting of Al, Cr, Sn, Co and B, oxides, nitrides and carbides thereof.

Abstract: A hard carbon thin film formed on a substrate has a graded structure in which a ratio of sp2 to sp3 carbon-carbon bonding in the thin film decreases in its thickness direction from a thin film/substrate interface toward a surface of the thin film. A method of forming the thin film involves varying the film-forming ion species over time to produce the composition gradient or structural gradient in the thickness direction of the thin film.

Abstract: A sliding member having a sliding surface for sliding contact with a cooperative member is disclosed. A protective film is deposited not only on the sliding surface but also a surface region immediately adjacent the sliding surface such that a ratio d1/d2 is controlled to be 1 or greater, where d1 is a thickness of the protective film on the sliding surface and d2 is a thickness of the protective film on the surface region immediately adjacent the sliding surface. Alternatively, the protective film is deposited at least on the sliding surface such that the protective film is varied in thickness to define an irregular top surface.

Abstract: A member is disclosed which includes a hard carbon film provided through an interlayer or directly on a main body such as a vane. A mixed layer is formed within the main body or interlayer adjacent to an outer surface of the main body or interlayer. The mixed layer contains carbon and a constituent element of either the main body or the interlayer. The mixed layer has a carbon content gradient in its thickness direction so that a carbon content in a thickness portion thereof closer to an outer surface of the mixed layer is higher than in a thickness portion thereof remoter from the outer surface of the mixed layer.

Abstract: A member is disclosed which includes a hard carbon film provided through an interlayer or directly on a main body such as a vane. A mixed layer is formed within the main body or interlayer adjacent to an outer surface of the main body or interlayer. The mixed layer contains carbon and a constituent element of either the main body or the interlayer. The mixed layer has a carbon content gradient in its thickness direction so that a carbon content in a thickness portion thereof closer to an outer surface of the mixed layer is higher than in a thickness portion thereof remoter from the outer surface of the mixed layer.

Abstract: A hard carbon thin film formed on a substrate has a graded structure in which a ratio of sp.sup.2 to sp.sup.3 carbon-carbon bonding in the thin film decreases in its thickness direction from a thin film/substrate interface toward a surface of the thin film.