Abstract: Provided are a negative electrode that is for use in a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery, includes a porous metal body as a current collector, contains a skeleton-forming agent highly infiltrated in the current collector so that it is less likely to suffer from structural degradation and provides improved cycle durability; and a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery including such a negative electrode. The negative electrode for use in a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery includes a current collector including a porous metal body; a first negative electrode material disposed in pores of the porous metal body and including a conductive aid, a binder, and a negative electrode active material including a silicon-based material; and a second negative electrode material disposed in pores of the porous metal body and including a skeleton-forming agent including a silicate having a siloxane bond.

Abstract: An yttrium compound, a method of manufacturing an integrated circuit device, and a raw material for forming an yttrium-containing film, the yttrium compound being represented by the following General formula (1):

Abstract: An optical system for use in an optical pickup apparatus comprises a first optical surface having a superposition type diffractive structure including a plurality of ring-shaped zones which are formed concentrically around an optical axis, wherein each ring-shaped zone is composed of a plurality of stepped sections stepwise, and a second optical surface having a diffractive structure including a plurality of ring-shaped zones which are formed concentrically around an optical axis, wherein each of the plurality of ring-shaped zones are divided by a stepped section to generate a diffractive light ray of diffractive order whose absolute value is not small than 1 for the light flux.

Abstract: An optical system for use in an optical pickup apparatus comprises a first optical surface having a superposition type diffractive structure including a plurality of ring-shaped zones which are formed concentrically around an optical axis, wherein each ring-shaped zone is composed of a plurality of stepped sections stepwise, and a second optical surface having a diffractive structure including a plurality of ring-shaped zones which are formed concentrically around an optical axis, wherein each of the plurality of ring-shaped zones are divided by a stepped section to generate a diffractive light ray of diffractive order whose absolute value is not small than 1 for the light flux.

Abstract: An optical system for use in an optical pickup apparatus comprises a first optical surface having a superposition type diffractive structure including a plurality of ring-shaped zones which are formed concentrically around an optical axis, wherein each ring-shaped zone is composed of a plurality of stepped sections stepwise, and a second optical surface having a diffractive structure including a plurality of ring-shaped zones which are formed concentrically around an optical axis, wherein each of the plurality of ring-shaped zones are divided by a stepped section to generate a diffractive light ray of diffractive order whose absolute value is not small than 1 for the light flux.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a bore tube inside which an imaging space is formed to place a subject, a static field generating section which is placed outside the tube and generates a static field in the imaging space, a gradient field generating section which is placed between the tube and the static field generating section and generates a gradient field to superimpose on the static field, a cover which is mounted to a side end of the static field generating section and forms a vacuum space in a surrounding of the gradient field generating section together with the tube and the static field generating section, wherein the cover is fixed by fixation parts thereof to the static field generating section and a load of an air pressure to be applied on the cover at a different part from the fixation part is received by the static field generating section.

Abstract: A method of producing a lens that includes shifting a first die relative to a second die, and pressing an optical material shaped in a preliminary form between the first die and the second die so as to form a lens having a configuration corresponding to a hollow portion formed by the first die and the second die while shifting the first die relative to the second die. The produced lens includes an effective optical surface configured to converge a light flux. The effective optical surface includes a light entrance side, a light exit side, and an optical axis. The effective optical surface is a convex surface shaped such that when a maximum normal line angle is defined as an angle formed between the optical axis and a normal line at the outermost circumference of the effective optical surface, the maximum normal angle is 60° to 90°.

Abstract: An optical system for use in an optical pickup apparatus comprises a first optical surface having a superposition type diffractive structure including a plurality of ring-shaped zones which are formed concentrically around an optical axis, wherein each ring-shaped zone is composed of a plurality of stepped sections stepwise, and a second optical surface having a diffractive structure including a plurality of ring-shaped zones which are formed concentrically around an optical axis, wherein each of the plurality of ring-shaped zones are divided by a stepped section to generate a diffractive light ray of diffractive order whose absolute value is not small than 1 for the light flux.

Abstract: An optical system for use in an optical pickup apparatus comprises a first optical surface having a superposition type diffractive structure including a plurality of ring-shaped zones which are formed concentrically around an optical axis, wherein each ring-shaped zone is composed of a plurality of stepped sections stepwise, and a second optical surface having a diffractive structure including a plurality of ring-shaped zones which are formed concentrically around an optical axis, wherein each of the plurality of ring-shaped zones are divided by a stepped section to generate a diffractive light ray of diffractive order whose absolute value is not small than 1 for the light flux.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical element for an optical pickup device, wherein the optical element is produced by molding a resin material, in which inorganic particles having a diameter of not more than 30 nm are dispersed in a plastic resin, an optical pickup device using the optical element, and a producing method of the optical element.

Abstract: A method of producing a lens that includes shifting a first die relative to a second die, and pressing an optical material shaped in a preliminary form between the first die and the second die so as to form a lens having a configuration corresponding to a hollow portion formed by the first die and the second die while shifting the first die relative to the second die. The produced lens includes an effective optical surface configured to converge a light flux. The effective optical surface includes a light entrance side, a light exit side, and an optical axis. The effective optical surface is a convex surface shaped such that when a maximum normal line angle is defined as an angle formed between the optical axis and a normal line at the outermost circumference of the effective optical surface, the maximum normal angle is 60° to 90°.

Abstract: A apparatus includes a bore tube inside which an imaging space is formed to place a subject, a static field generating section which is placed outside the tube and generates a static field in the imaging space, a gradient field generating section which is placed between the tube and the static field generating section and generates a gradient field to superimpose on the static field, cover which is mounted to side end of the static field generating section and forms a vacuum space in a surrounding of the gradient filed generating section around together with the tube and the static field generating section, wherein the cover are fixed by fixation parts thereof to the static field generating section and a load of an air pressure to be applied on the covers at a different part from the fixation part is received by the static field generating section.

Abstract: A procurement system for procuring a plurality of subjects, comprises a storage, a relation processor, a determining processor, and a bidding processor. The storage is configured to store information on a price, a function, and a quantity of each of the subjects. The relation processor is configured to obtain a relation between prices and functions of the subjects, based on the information stored in the storage. The determining processor is configured to determine a priority, for at least one of the subjects each of whose price is higher than a reference value which corresponds to the function of the each subject. The priority is obtained from the relation obtained by the relation processor. Further, the priority is determined based on the quantity of the each subject stored in the storage and a divergence between the price and the reference value of the each subject.

Abstract: An optical system for use in an optical pickup apparatus comprises a first optical surface having a superposition type diffractive structure including a plurality of ring-shaped zones which are formed concentrically around an optical axis, wherein each ring-shaped zone is composed of a plurality of stepped sections stepwise, and a second optical surface having a diffractive structure including a plurality of ring-shaped zones which are formed concentrically around an optical axis, wherein each of the plurality of ring-shaped zones are divided by a stepped section to generate a diffractive light ray of diffractive order whose absolute value is not small than 1 for the light flux.

Abstract: An optical system for use in an optical pickup apparatus comprises a first optical surface having a superposition type diffractive structure including a plurality of ring-shaped zones which are formed concentrically around an optical axis, wherein each ring-shaped zone is composed of a plurality of stepped sections stepwise, and a second optical surface having a diffractive structure including a plurality of ring-shaped zones which are formed concentrically around an optical axis, wherein each of the plurality of ring-shaped zones are divided by a stepped section to generate a diffractive light ray of diffractive order whose absolute value is not small than 1 for the light flux.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical element for an optical pickup device, wherein the optical element is produced by molding a resin material, in which inorganic particles having a diameter of not more than 30 nm are dispersed in a plastic resin, an optical pickup device using the optical element, and a producing method of the optical element.

Abstract: An optical pickup apparatus having a light source unit including a plurality of light emitting, a beam regulating element to regulate a light flux emitted from the light source unit so that the an angle of divergence of the light flux emitted from the light source unit is changed to a first direction and/or a second direction, wherein a distance from each of the light emitting element to a surface of a protective layer that protects the recording surface is constant regardless a type of the optical information recording medium.

Abstract: An optical system for use in an optical pickup apparatus comprises a first optical surface having a superposition type diffractive structure including a plurality of ring-shape zones which are formed concentrically around an optical axis, wherein each ring-shaped zone is composed of a plurality of stepped sections stepwise, and a second optical surface having a diffractive structure including a plurality of ring-shaped zones which are formed concentrically around an optical axis, wherein each of the plurality of ring-shaped zones are divided by a stepped section to generate a diffractive light ray of diffractive order whose absolute value is not small than 1 for the light flux.

Abstract: A formed lens produced by pressing an optical material so as to shape a predetermined configuration, has an optical surface having a light entrance side, a light exit side and an optical axis. When a normal line angle is defined as an angle formed between the optical axis and a normal line at an arbitrary point on the optical surface, the maximum normal angle is 60° to 90° and an intersection at which the maximum normal line forming the maximum normal line angle intersects with the optical axis is located at the light exit side from the point of the maximum normal line on the optical surface, and Abbe's number &ngr;d of the optical material is 60 or more.

Abstract: A procurement system for procuring a plurality of subjects, comprises a storage, a relation processor, a determining processor, and a bidding processor. The storage is configured to store information on a price, a function, and a quantity of each of the subjects. The relation processor is configured to obtain a relation between prices and functions of the subjects, based on the information stored in the storage. The determining processor is configured to determine a priority, for at least one of the subjects each of whose price is higher than a reference value which corresponds to the function of the each subject. The priority is obtained from the relation obtained by the relation processor. Further, the priority is determined based on the quantity of the each subject stored in the storage and a divergence between the price and the reference value of the each subject.