Abstract: A near-field exposure mask according to an embodiment includes: a silicon substrate; and a near-field light generating unit that is formed on the silicon substrate, the near-field light generating unit being a layer containing at least one element selected from the group consisting of Au, Al, Ag, Cu, Cr, Sb, W, Ni, In, Ge, Sn, Pb, Zn, Pd, and C, or a film stack formed with layers made of some of those materials.

Abstract: A near-field exposure mask according to an embodiment includes: a substrate; a concave-convex structure having convexities and concavities and formed on one surface of the substrate; a near-field light generating film arranged at least on a tip portion of each of the convexities, the near-field light generating film being a layer containing at least one element selected from the group consisting of Au, Al, Ag, Cu, Cr, Sb, W, Ni, In, Ge, Sn, Pb, Zn, Pd, and C, or a film stack formed with layers made of some of those materials; and a resin filled in each of the concavities.

Abstract: A solid state imaging device according to an embodiment includes a photo detector arranged two-dimensionally in a semiconductor substrate, a readout circuit provided in the semiconductor substrate, a first photoelectric conversion layer provided above the photo detector, a plurality of first metal dots provided above the first photoelectric conversion layer, a second photoelectric conversion layer provided above the first metal dots, and a plurality of second metal dots provided above the second photoelectric conversion layer.

Abstract: A near-field exposure mask according to an embodiment includes: a substrate; a concave-convex structure having convexities and concavities and formed on one surface of the substrate; a near-field light generating film arranged at least on a tip portion of each of the convexities, the near-field light generating film being a layer containing at least one element selected from the group consisting of Au, Al, Ag, Cu, Cr, Sb, W, Ni, In, Ge, Sn, Pb, Zn, Pd, and C, or a film stack formed with layers made of some of those materials; and a resin filled in each of the concavities.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a waveguide includes: a substrate and a member. The member covers at least a part of the substrate and has a difference in the refractive index from the substrate not less than 2. A plurality of concave parts are provided on the substrate. The concave parts are arrayed on an upper face of the substrate. At least a part of a side face of each of the concave parts includes an arc. An inner diameter of each of the concave parts is not more than 50 nm. Intervals of the neighboring concave parts are not more than the inner diameter. The member fills the concave part.

Abstract: A particle includes: a metal; and a compound containing a hydrogen-bonding forming group, an absorption group different from the hydrogen-bonding forming group, and an aromatic ring, M representing the metal, A representing the absorption group, B representing the hydrogen-bonding forming group, a representing an integer of 0 or greater, b representing an integer of 0 or greater, c representing an integer of 1 or greater, R1 representing an aromatic ring (a planar ring up to a pi-electron number of 24) and a derivative of the aromatic ring, R2 through R5 representing a hydrogen atom, saturated hydrocarbon, unsaturated hydrocarbon, an ether bond, an ester bond, a cyano group, or derivatives of the substances and bonds, and the compound having a structure expressed by the following chemical formula.

Abstract: A method using a chemical synthesis method to produce a metallic nanoparticle inorganic composite having fine metallic nanoparticles that are uniformly dispersed at a high density in a solidified matrix, a metallic nanoparticle inorganic composite, and a plasmon waveguide using this composite are provided. Thus, a method including: preparing a precursor solution, applying the precursor solution onto a substrate, and then hydrolyzing the precursor solution to form an oxide film having fine pores, bringing the oxide film into contact with an acidic aqueous solution of tin chloride to chemically adsorb Sn2+ ions in the fine pores, removing an excess of the Sn2+ ions, bringing the oxide film into contact with an aqueous metal chelate solution to precipitate metallic nanoparticles in the fine pores, and removing an excess of ions of the metal is provided.

Abstract: A near-field exposure mask according to an embodiment includes: a silicon substrate; and a near-field light generating unit that is formed on the silicon substrate, the near-field light generating unit being a layer containing at least one element selected from the group consisting of Au, Al, Ag, Cu, Cr, Sb, W, Ni, In, Ge, Sn, Pb, Zn, Pd, and C, or a film stack formed with layers made of some of those materials.

Abstract: Certain embodiments provide an optical recording/reproducing apparatus including: a slider that has a medium facing surface that faces an optical recording medium, and moves along a recording/reproducing face of the optical recording/reproducing medium; a metal nanoparticle structure that is provided in the medium facing surface of the slider; a light illumination device that illuminates the optical recording medium and the metal nanoparticle structure with light that has polarization components in a direction perpendicular to the recording/reproducing face; and a detection device that detects Rayleigh scattering light that is generated from a portion of the optical recording medium and is intensified by the metal nanoparticle structure, the portion being located close to the metal nanoparticle structure.

Abstract: A process for producing a metallic-nanoparticle inorganic composite 10 includes an oxide film formation step in which an oxide film 14 having micropores is formed on a substrate by a sol-gel method in which a metal alkoxide is partly hydrolyzed by the action of an acid catalyst, a tin deposition step in which the oxide film 14 is brought into contact with an acidic aqueous solution of tin chloride, an excess Sn2+ ion removal step in which Sn2+ ions are removed from the micropores, a metallic-nanoparticle deposition step in which the oxide film 14 is brought into contact with an aqueous solution of a metal chelate to deposit metallic nanoparticles 12 in the micropores, and an excess metal ion removal step in which metal ions are removed from the micropores; and a metallic-nanoparticle inorganic composite 10 is produced by this process.

Abstract: A process for producing a metallic-nanoparticle inorganic composite 10 includes an oxide film formation step in which an oxide film 14 having micropores is formed on a substrate by a sol-gel method in which a metal alkoxide is partly hydrolyzed by the action of an acid catalyst, a tin deposition step in which the oxide film 14 is brought into contact with an acidic aqueous solution of tin chloride, an excess Sn2+ ion removal step in which Sn2+ ions are removed from the micropores, a metallic-nanoparticle deposition step in which the oxide film 14 is brought into contact with an aqueous solution of a metal chelate to deposit metallic nanoparticles 12 in the micropores, and an excess metal ion removal step in which metal ions are removed from the micropores; and a metallic-nanoparticle inorganic composite 10 is produced by this process.

Abstract: A particle includes: a metal; and a compound containing a hydrogen-bonding forming group, an absorption group different from the hydrogen-bonding forming group, and an aromatic ring, M representing the metal, A representing the absorption group, B representing the hydrogen-bonding forming group, a representing an integer of 0 or greater, b representing an integer of 0 or greater, c representing an integer of 1 or greater, R1 representing an aromatic ring (a planar ring up to a pi-electron number of 24) and a derivative of the aromatic ring, R2 through R5 representing a hydrogen atom, saturated hydrocarbon, unsaturated hydrocarbon, an ether bond, an ester bond, a cyano group, or derivatives of the substances and bonds, and the compound having a structure expressed by the following chemical formula.

Abstract: A refractive index variable element includes a structure including quantum dots having discrete energy levels and a dielectric matrix surrounding the quantum dots, and an electron injector injecting an electron into the quantum dots through the dielectric matrix.

Abstract: It is made possible to provide an optical waveguide system that has a coupling mechanism capable of selecting a wavelength and has the highest possible conversion efficiency, and that is capable of providing directivity in the light propagation direction. An optical waveguide system includes: a three-dimensional photonic crystalline structure including crystal pillars and having a hollow structure inside thereof; an optical waveguide in which a plurality of metal nanoparticles are dispersed in a dielectric material, the optical waveguide having an end portion inserted between the crystal pillars of the three-dimensional photonic crystalline structure, and containing semiconductor quantum dots that are located adjacent to the metal nanoparticles and emit near-field light when receiving excitation light, the metal nanoparticles exciting surface plasmon when receiving the near-field light; and an excitation light source that emits the excitation light for exciting the semiconductor quantum dots.

Abstract: A refractive index variable element has a structure including a solid matrix, and one or more types of quantum dots dispersed in the solid matrix and having discrete occupied and unoccupied electron energy levels. The quantum dots perform a function of generating a pair of positive and negative charges upon irradiation with light, a function of trapping a positive charge, and a function of trapping a negative charge. The quantum dots performing the function of trapping a negative charge are selected from the group consisting of a combination of a negatively charged accepter and a positively charged atom, where the outermost electron shell of the positively charged atom is fully filled with electrons so that an additional electron occupies an upper different shell orbital when receives an electron, a metal chelate complex, and metallocene and derivatives thereof.

Abstract: A method using a chemical synthesis method to produce a metallic nanoparticle inorganic composite having fine metallic nanoparticles that are uniformly dispersed at a high density in a solidified matrix, a metallic nanoparticle inorganic composite, and a plasmon waveguide using this composite are provided. Thus, a method including: preparing a precursor solution, applying the precursor solution onto a substrate, and then hydrolyzing the precursor solution to form an oxide film having fine pores, bringing the oxide film into contact with an acidic aqueous solution of tin chloride to chemically adsorb Sn2+ ions in the fine pores, removing an excess of the Sn2+ ions, bringing the oxide film into contact with an aqueous metal chelate solution to precipitate metallic nanoparticles in the fine pores, and removing an excess of ions of the metal is provided.

Abstract: It is made possible to provide an optical waveguide system that has a coupling mechanism capable of selecting a wavelength and has the highest possible conversion efficiency, and that is capable of providing directivity in the light propagation direction. An optical waveguide system includes: a three-dimensional photonic crystalline structure including crystal pillars and having a hollow structure inside thereof; an optical waveguide in which a plurality of metal nanoparticles are dispersed in a dielectric material, the optical waveguide having an end portion inserted between the crystal pillars of the three-dimensional photonic crystalline structure, and containing semiconductor quantum dots that are located adjacent to the metal nanoparticles and emit near-field light when receiving excitation light, the metal nanoparticles exciting surface plasmon when receiving the near-field light; and an excitation light source that emits the excitation light for exciting the semiconductor quantum dots.

Abstract: A near-field interaction control element includes a near-field optical waveguide containing particles formed of a metal, a metal anion or a metal cation with a diameter of 0.5 nm or more and 3 nm or less and a dielectric constant of ?2.5 or more and ?1.5 or less, an electron injector/discharger injecting or discharging an electron into or from the particles contained in the near-field optical waveguide to vary a dielectric constant of the near-field optical waveguide, a near-field light introducing part introducing near-field light into the near-field optical waveguide, and a near-field light emitting part emitting the near-field light having guided through the near-field optical waveguide.

Abstract: An optical waveguide includes a propagating light waveguide, a coupler including a photonic crystal, and a surface plasmon waveguide, the propagating light waveguide, the coupler, and the surface plasmon waveguide being disposed in one plane along a waveguiding direction.

Abstract: An optical waveguide includes a propagating light waveguide, a coupler including a photonic crystal, and a surface plasmon waveguide, the propagating light waveguide, the coupler, and the surface plasmon waveguide being disposed in one plane along a waveguiding direction.