Abstract: The present invention provides an optical waveguide device wherein a driving voltage to be applied is reduced. The optical waveguide device comprises a substrate cut in a Z-axis direction and having an electro-optical effect, an interference type optical waveguide formed on the substrate for causing lights which propagate along a plurality of parallel optical waveguides to interfere with each other, and a lumped-constant type electrode for applying a voltage for the electro-optical effect to the light propagating along the optical waveguides which form the interference type optical waveguide. The lumped-constant type electrode complements potentials to be supplied to adjacent ones of the plurality of parallel optical waveguides to each other such that voltages having an equal absolute value but having the opposite signs are applied to the adjacent optical waveguides. The apparatus of the present invention is applied to, for example, an optical communication system.

Abstract: The invention provides an optical device which can lower the drive voltage which is used as one of the parameters for performance evaluation of the optical device. The optical device includes a substrate having first and second ridges, first and second grooves, a third groove, and first and second banks formed thereon, a Mach-Zehnder optical waveguide formed on the substrate, and an electrode set including first and second signal electrodes and a grounding electrode for controlling light which propagates in the optical wveguide. The grounding electrode extends to the first groove adjacent to the first bank and the second groove adjacent to the second bank. The optical device is applied, for example, to a transmission side apparatus for a long distance optical transmission system.

Abstract: The method of carbonization of organic waste according to the present invention comprises the steps of supplying organic waste to a dryer, reducing an amount of water in the organic waste by heating with high-temperature gas, supplying the organic waste to a carbonization furnace for carbonizing the organic waste in a high-temperature ambience, removing carbide from the carbonization furnace, incinerating gas, which is generated in the carbonization furnace, in a re-incinerating furnace, and supplying combustion gas of the re-incinerating furnace to the dryer as the high-temperature gas.

Abstract: The invention provides an optical modulator which suppresses the loss of a microwave which advances through an electrode and of light which propagates in a waveguide and makes the losses in individual arm waveguides substantially equal to each other to suppress the deterioration of the extinction coefficient to improve the transmission quality. The optical modulator includes a substrate having an electro-optical effect and having a ridge, first and second grooves and first and second banks formed thereon, a Mach-Zehnder optical waveguide, an electrode, and first and second recesses formed at symmetrical positions with respect to the ridge on the first and second banks, respectively. The optical modulator is applied, for example, to a transmission side apparatus for a long distance optical transmission system.

Abstract: The invention provides an optical modulator which suppresses the loss of a microwave which advances through an electrode and of light which propagates in a waveguide and makes the losses in individual arm waveguides substantially equal to each other to suppress the deterioration of the extinction coefficient to improve the transmission quality. The optical modulator includes a substrate having an electro-optical effect and having a ridge, first and second grooves and first and second banks formed thereon, a Mach-Zehnder optical waveguide, an electrode, and first and second recesses formed at symmetrical positions with respect to the ridge on the first and second banks, respectively. The optical modulator is applied, for example, to a transmission side apparatus for a long distance optical transmission system.

Abstract: The present invention provides an optical waveguide device wherein a driving voltage to be applied is reduced. The optical waveguide device comprises a substrate cut in a Z-axis direction and having an electro-optical effect, an interference type optical waveguide formed on the substrate for causing lights which propagate along a plurality of parallel optical waveguides to interfere with each other, and a lumped-constant type electrode for applying a voltage for the electro-optical effect to the light propagating along the optical waveguides which form the interference type optical waveguide. The lumped-constant type electrode complements potentials to be supplied to adjacent ones of the plurality of parallel optical waveguides to each other such that voltages having an equal absolute value but having the opposite signs are applied to the adjacent optical waveguides. The apparatus of the present invention is applied to, for example, an optical communication system.

Abstract: The invention provides an optical device which can lower the drive voltage which is used as one of the parameters for performance evaluation of the optical device. The optical device includes a substrate having first and second ridges, first and second grooves, a third groove, and first and second banks formed thereon, a Mach-Zehnder optical waveguide formed on the substrate, and an electrode set including first and second signal electrodes and a grounding electrode for controlling light which propagates in the optical wveguide. The grounding electrode extends to the first groove adjacent to the first bank and the second groove adjacent to the second bank. The optical device is applied, for example, to a transmission side apparatus for a long distance optical transmission system.

Abstract: The invention provides an optical modulator which suppresses the loss of a microwave which advances through an electrode and of light which propagates in a waveguide and makes the losses in individual arm waveguides substantially equal to each other to suppress the deterioration of the extinction coefficient to improve the transmission quality. The optical modulator includes a substrate having an electro-optical effect and having a ridge, first and second grooves and first and second banks formed thereon, a Mach-Zehnder optical waveguide, an electrode, and first and second recesses formed at symmetrical positions with respect to the ridge on the first and second banks, respectively. The optical modulator is applied, for example, to a transmission side apparatus for a long distance optical transmission system.

Abstract: The invention provides an optical device which can lower the drive voltage which is used as one of the parameters for performance evaluation of the optical device. The optical device includes a substrate having first and second ridges, first and second grooves, a third groove, and first and second banks formed thereon, a Mach-Zehnder optical waveguide formed on the substrate, and an electrode set including first and second signal electrodes and a grounding electrode for controlling light which propagates in the optical waveguide. The grounding electrode extends to the first groove adjacent to the first bank and the second groove adjacent to the second bank. The optical device is applied, for example, to a transmission side apparatus for a long distance optical transmission system.

Abstract: The method of carbonization of organic waste according to the present invention comprises the steps of supplying organic waste to a dryer, reducing an amount of water in the organic waste by heating with high-temperature gas, supplying the organic waste to a carbonization furnace for carbonizing the organic waste in a high-temperature ambience, removing carbide from the carbonization furnace, incinerating gas, which is generated in the carbonization furnace, in a re-incinerating furnace, and supplying combustion gas of the re-incinerating furnace to the dryer as the high-temperature gas.

Abstract: The invention provides an optical device which can lower the drive voltage which is used as one of the parameters for performance evaluation of the optical device. The optical device includes a substrate having first and second ridges, first and second grooves, a third groove, and first and second banks formed thereon, a Mach-Zehnder optical waveguide formed on the substrate, and an electrode set including first and second signal electrodes and a grounding electrode for controlling light which propagates in the optical waveguide. The grounding electrode extends to the first groove adjacent to the first bank and the second groove adjacent to the second bank. The optical device is applied, for example, to a transmission side apparatus for a long distance optical transmission system.

Abstract: The invention provides an optical modulator which suppresses the loss of a microwave which advances through an electrode and of light which propagates in a waveguide and makes the losses in individual arm waveguides substantially equal to each other to suppress the deterioration of the extinction coefficient to improve the transmission quality. The optical modulator includes a substrate having an electro-optical effect and having a ridge, first and second grooves and first and second banks formed thereon, a Mach-Zehnder optical waveguide, an electrode, and first and second recesses formed at symmetrical positions with respect to the ridge on the first and second banks, respectively. The optical modulator is applied, for example, to a transmission side apparatus for a long distance optical transmission system.

Abstract: The invention provides a double-sided printing apparatus which includes a first image forming process unit, a second image forming process unit, a first fixing station, a second fixing station and a transport system all disposed in a first housing. The transport system includes a transport direction changing element which contacts with one of surfaces of a medium to change the transporting direction of the medium so that the medium is sent out to the second fixing station. While the medium is transported in a substantially vertical direction in the single double-sided printing apparatus, the height of the transport path of the medium is suppressed so as not to become very high, thereby miniaturizing the apparatus.

Abstract: A developing apparatus of an electrophotographic apparatus includes a housing for accommodating a developer, first, second and third developing rollers are rotatably disposed in the housing and arranged opposite to a photoconductor drum for conveying a developer carried on respective surfaces of the developing rollers, and a conveyor roller rotatably disposed in the housing for conveying the developer carried on a surface thereof to one of the developing rollers. First and second screw conveyors are disposed in the housing for conveying the developer in an axial direction opposite to each other. Each of these conveyors has an axial length larger than an axial length of the developing rollers. A partition wall is disposed between the first and second screw conveyors. A toner container for accommodating a toner is mounted on the housing. The toner in the toner container is supplied into the housing and agitators agitate the toner in the housing.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a plurality of process units contacting a continuous recording medium and transferring images on the recording medium, a separating and contacting mechanism for controlling at least one of the recording medium and each of the process units to a separated state where the recording medium and the process unit are separated from each other and a contacting state where the recording medium and the process unit contact each other, and a controller for controlling the separating and contacting mechanism at a position where the process unit confronts a non-printing region on the recording medium so as to put the recording medium and the process unit to the contacting state.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing unit including at least a pair of rollers which thermally fix a toner image formed on a surface of a recording medium by pressing against the recording medium, and a separating and contacting mechanism supporting the pair of rollers so that the rollers can separate from and make contact with the recording medium, where the separating and contacting mechanism controls the rollers when contacting the rollers to the recording medium, by contacting each of the rollers approximately perpendicularly to the surface of the recording medium and so that the recording medium thereafter makes contact with a surface of each of the rollers for a wrap-around angle greater than 0.degree..