Abstract: Provided are a method of producing single crystal AlN, single crystal AlN, and a single crystal AlN production apparatus with which single crystal AlN can be cheaply and continuously produced. The method of producing single crystal AlN includes a melt formation step of heating and melting an alloy to form a melt of the alloy and a deposition step of cooling a portion of the melt and providing a temperature gradient in the melt while causing deposition of single crystal AlN. In the deposition step, a nitrogen-containing gas is brought into contact with a high-temperature portion of the melt and a single crystal AlN seed crystal or a substrate for crystal growth is held in a low-temperature portion of the melt so as to continue to take nitrogen into the melt in the high-temperature portion while causing deposition of single crystal AlN.

Abstract: In an actuator for an optical mechanical scanner comprising a positioning element for an optical mirror wherein the positioning element is an electrically heatable flexible element consisting of a shape memory alloy having a Curie temperature and a transformation temperature, and wherein the flexible element is ferromagnetic when cold and can be bent in a first position by a magnet but is heated to exceed the Curie temperature and the transformation temperature so as to become paramagnetic whereby the flexible element becomes deformed in the opposite direction.

Abstract: In an actuator for an optical mechanical scanner comprising a positioning element for an optical mirror wherein the positioning element is an electrically heatable flexible element consisting of a shape memory alloy having a Curie temperature and a transformation temperature, and wherein the flexible element is ferromagnetic when cold and can be bent in a first position by a magnet but is heated to exceed the Curie temperature and the transformation temperature so as to become paramagnetic whereby the flexible element becomes deformed in the opposite direction.

Abstract: A three-dimensional memory module includes a plurality of semiconductor device units, every adjacent two of which are stack-connected via through-holes by a bump connecting method. Each of the plurality of semiconductor device units includes a carrier having a circuit pattern and the through-holes connected to the circuit pattern. The semiconductor device unit also includes at least one semiconductor memory chip mounted on the carrier such that the semiconductor memory chip is connected to the circuit pattern, and at least one chip select semiconductor chip mounted on the carrier to be connected to the circuit pattern such that the chip select semiconductor chip can select the semiconductor memory chip.

Abstract: In each module (11) of three or more central processor modules of a fault tolerant computer system, a detector (45) receives a comparator output signal and like comparator output signals from two adjacent modules and produces a detector output signal which confirms absence and presence of a fault in one of the above-mentioned each module. When the fault is confirmed, a controller or processor (49) isolates the module under consideration from the system by inhibiting delivery of a controlled output signal to a bus (31) and by connecting, with the module in question bypassed, switching units (53(1), 53(2)) of the adjacent modules. Preferably, one of the modules of the system is used as a master module of ordinarily delivering the controlled output signal to the bus with others used as checker modules of ordinarily inhibiting the delivery.