Abstract: This electron emitting element includes a lower electrode, a surface electrode facing the lower electrode, a resistance layer arranged between the lower electrode and the surface electrode, and an insulating layer arranged between the lower electrode and the surface electrode. The resistance layer is an insulating resin layer containing conductive fine particles in a dispersed state. The insulating layer has a peripheral region for defining the electron emission region, and an emission control region which is arranged so as to overlap the electron emission region defined by the peripheral region. The emission control region is configured by a line-shaped insulating layer, a plurality of dot-shaped insulating layers, or both a line-shaped insulating layer and a plurality of dot-shaped insulating layers. The percentage of an area that the emission control region represents within an area of an electron emission region defined by the peripheral region is 2% or more and 60% or less.

Abstract: The present invention provides a cell stimulation device capable of uniformly electrically stimulating cells intended to be electrically stimulated, and of preventing medium components from decomposing and depositing. [Solution] The cell stimulation device according to the present invention is intended to stimulate the cells being cultured in a culture medium, and is characterized in that the cell stimulation device includes an electron emission element for feeding electric charges to the culture medium via a gas phase, and an electric charge collecting electrode for collecting the electric charges from the culture medium, the electron emission element includes a lower electrode, a surface electrode, and an intermediate layer disposed between the lower electrode and the surface electrode, and the electric charge collecting electrode is disposed so as to be contactable with the culture medium.

Abstract: An ionizer of the present invention includes a housing, an electron discharge element arranged in the housing, a controller, and a gas introduction, wherein the electron discharge element has a bottom electrode, a surface electrode, and an intermediate layer arranged between the bottom electrode and the surface electrode, and the controller is so set as to apply a voltage to across the bottom electrode and the surface electrode, and so set as to execute a forming process when an electron discharge performance of the electron discharge element is decreased, and the forming process is a process of applying, in a state where a forming process gas is introduced into the housing by using the gas introduction, a forming voltage to across the bottom electrode and the surface electrode using the controller.

Abstract: An ion generation apparatus according to the present invention includes an electron emission device, an opposite electrode, and a controller, the electron emission device includes a lower electrode, a surface electrode, and an intermediate layer provided between the lower electrode and the surface electrode, the opposite electrode is provided to be opposite to the surface electrode, and the controller is provided to apply a voltage to the surface electrode, the lower electrode, or the opposite electrode such that a potential of the surface electrode becomes higher than a potential of the lower electrode and a potential of the opposite electrode in a positive ion mode.

Abstract: The fermentation management method according to the present invention includes a sampling step of sampling a gas containing substances produced in association with fermentation, an analysis step of analyzing the sampled gas by ion mobility spectrometry, and an operation step of operating at least one of adjustment of the fermentation, termination of the fermentation, mixing of a fermented product, addition of materials or additives to the fermented product, temperature regulation for the fermented product, stirring regulation for the fermented product, firing of the fermented product, sedimentation, and filtration of the fermented product on the basis of at least one of a peak intensity, a peak area, and peak appearance in an IMS spectrum obtained in the analysis step. The analysis step is a step of ionizing and analyzing the substances produced in association with the fermentation by using electrons emitted from an electron emitting element.

Abstract: This electron emitting element includes a lower electrode, a surface electrode facing the lower electrode, a resistance layer arranged between the lower electrode and the surface electrode, and an insulating layer arranged between the lower electrode and the surface electrode. The resistance layer is an insulating resin layer containing conductive fine particles in a dispersed state. The insulating layer has a peripheral region for defining the electron emission region, and an emission control region which is arranged so as to overlap the electron emission region defined by the peripheral region. The emission control region is configured by a line-shaped insulating layer, a plurality of dot-shaped insulating layers, or both a line-shaped insulating layer and a plurality of dot-shaped insulating layers. The percentage of an area that the emission control region represents within an area of an electron emission region defined by the peripheral region is 2% or more and 60% or less.

Abstract: An electron emission element of the present invention includes a lower electrode, a surface electrode, and a silicone resin layer disposed between the lower electrode and the surface electrode, wherein the surface electrode includes a silver layer, and the silver layer is in contact with the silicone resin layer.

Abstract: An electron emission element of the present invention includes a lower electrode, a surface electrode, and a silicone resin layer disposed between the lower electrode and the surface electrode, wherein the surface electrode includes a silver layer, and the silver layer is in contact with the silicone resin layer.

Abstract: An electron emitting device (100) includes a first electrode (12), a second electrode (52), and a semi-conductive layer (30) provided between the first electrode (12) and the second electrode (52). The semi-conductive layer (30) includes a porous alumina layer (32) having a plurality of pores (34) and silver (42) supported in the plurality of pores (34) of the porous alumina layer (32).

Abstract: The present invention provides a cell stimulation device capable of uniformly electrically stimulating cells intended to be electrically stimulated, and of preventing medium components from decomposing and depositing. [Solution] The cell stimulation device according to the present invention is intended to stimulate the cells being cultured in a culture medium, and is characterized in that the cell stimulation device includes an electron emission element for feeding electric charges to the culture medium via a gas phase, and an electric charge collecting electrode for collecting the electric charges from the culture medium, the electron emission element includes a lower electrode, a surface electrode, and an intermediate layer disposed between the lower electrode and the surface electrode, and the electric charge collecting electrode is disposed so as to be contactable with the culture medium.

Abstract: A method of producing an electron emitting device includes: step A of providing an aluminum substrate or providing an aluminum layer supported by a substrate; step B of anodizing a surface of the aluminum substrate or a surface of the aluminum layer to form a porous alumina layer having a plurality of pores; step C of applying Ag nanoparticles in the plurality of pores to allow the Ag nanoparticles to be supported in the plurality of pores; step D of, after step C, applying a dielectric layer-forming solution onto substantially the entire surface of the aluminum substrate or the aluminum layer, the dielectric layer-forming solution containing, in an amount of not less than 7 mass % but less than 20 mass %, a polymerization product having siloxane bonds; step E of, after step D, at least reducing a solvent contained in the dielectric layer-forming solution to form the dielectric layer; and step F of forming an electrode on the dielectric layer.

Abstract: Provided are an electron emission device having a novel structure and being capable of improving characteristics and/or extending a lifetime of a related-art electron emission device, and a method of manufacturing the electron emission device.

Abstract: An electron emitting device (100) includes a first electrode (12), a second electrode (52), and a semi-conductive layer (30) provided between the first electrode (12) and the second electrode (52). The semi-conductive layer (30) includes a porous alumina layer (32) having a plurality of pores (34) and silver (42) supported in the plurality of pores (34) of the porous alumina layer (32).

Abstract: A method of producing an electron emitting device includes: step A of providing an aluminum substrate or providing an aluminum layer supported by a substrate; step B of anodizing a surface of the aluminum substrate or a surface of the aluminum layer to form a porous alumina layer having a plurality of pores; step C of applying Ag nanoparticles in the plurality of pores to allow the Ag nanoparticles to be supported in the plurality of pores; step D of, after step C, applying a dielectric layer-forming solution onto substantially the entire surface of the aluminum substrate or the aluminum layer, the dielectric layer-forming solution containing, in an amount of not less than 7 mass % but less than 20 mass %, a polymerization product having siloxane bonds; step E of, after step D, at least reducing a solvent contained in the dielectric layer-forming solution to form the dielectric layer; and step F of forming an electrode on the dielectric layer.

Abstract: Provided are an electron emission device having a novel structure and being capable of improving characteristics and/or extending a lifetime of a related-art electron emission device, and a method of manufacturing the electron emission device.

Abstract: A cleaning device 70 includes: contact and release system 63 which switches a position of a cleaning roller 62 between a position where the cleaning roller 62 is in contact with a charging roller 61 and a position where the cleaning roller 62 is separated from the charging roller 61; and a voltage selecting section 71 which switches a voltage to be applied to the charging roller 61 from a DC voltage to an AC voltage during the rotation of a photoreceptor 11. The contact and release system 63 brings the cleaning roller 62 into contact with the charging roller 61 at the application of the AC voltage to the charging roller 61. This makes it possible to enhance performance on cleaning of the charging roller.

Abstract: When image forming is performed by a photosensitive drum according to operating conditions corresponding to an image forming mode selected out of a predetermined plurality of candidates, an actual cumulative number of printed sheets Pi is corrected and recorded based on the image forming mode (monochrome mode or color mode; low-temperature and low humidity ambience mode or other ambience mode) selected at the time of each image forming (S7) and an adjustment volume (ko×Pia) of a charging applied voltage Ey is calculated and the charging applied voltage Ey is set based on a corrected cumulative number of printed sheets Pia (S5). As a result, the charging applied voltage Ey to a charging unit is changed according to a cumulative number of printed sheets and at the same time, a pace of change thereof is adjusted based on the image forming mode.

Abstract: A cleaning device 70 includes: contact and release system 63 which switches a position of a cleaning roller between a position where the cleaning roller 62 is in contact with a charging roller 61 and a position where the cleaning roller 62 is separated from the charging roller 61; and a voltage selecting section 71 which switches a voltage to be applied to the charging roller 61 from a DC voltage to an AC voltage during the rotation of a photoreceptor 11. The contact and release system 63 brings the cleaning roller 62 into contact with the charging roller 61 at the application of the AC voltage to the charging roller 61. This makes it possible to enhance performance on cleaning of the charging roller.

Abstract: When image forming is performed by the photosensitive drum according to operating conditions corresponding to an image forming mode selected out of a predetermined plurality of candidates, the actual cumulative number of printed sheets Pi is corrected and recorded based on the image forming mode (monochrome mode or color mode; low-temperature and low humidity ambience mode or other ambience mode) selected at the time of each image forming (S7) and an adjustment volume (ko×Pia) of the charging applied voltage Ey is calculated and the charging applied voltage Ey is set based on the corrected cumulative number of printed sheets Pia (S5). As a result, the applied voltage Ey to a charging unit is changed according to the cumulative number of printed sheets and at the same time, a pace of change thereof is adjusted based on the image forming mode.

Abstract: As outermost coating-like layer(s) of charging roller(s) is or are made to contact and/or slide against photosensitive drum(s), charge is applied from the outermost coating-like layer(s) to the photosensitive drum(s), charging the photosensitive drum(s). This being the case, resistance of the outermost coating-like layer(s) of the charging roller(s) fluctuates, and surface(s) thereof become scratched and so forth, and gradually deteriorate. Moreover, if remedial action is not taken, charging capability of the charging roller(s) may decrease, leading to nonuniformity in charging of the photosensitive drum(s) and causing lowering of image quality and/or reduction in service life of the photosensitive drum(s). The outermost coating-like layer(s) of the charging roller(s) is or are therefore periodically stripped off therefrom to rejuvenate the charging roller surface(s).