Abstract: Provided is a ferroelectric thin film formed on a substrate and having an amount of remanent polarization increased in its entirety. The ferroelectric thin film contains a perovskite-type metal oxide formed on a substrate, the ferroelectric thin film containing a column group formed of multiple columns each formed of a spinel-type metal oxide, in which the column group is in a state of standing in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the substrate, or in a state of slanting at a slant angle in a range of ?10° or more to +10° or less with respect to the perpendicular direction.

Abstract: Provided are a piezoelectric material without using lead or an alkali metal, the piezoelectric material having a stable crystal structure in a wide temperature range, high insulation property, and high piezoelectric property, and a piezoelectric element using the piezoelectric material, in which the piezoelectric material is made of a metal oxide having a tetragonal crystal structure and expressed by Ba(SixGeyTiz)O3 (here, 0?x?1, 0?y?1, and 0?z?0.5), the piezoelectric element includes the piezoelectric material and a pair of electrodes sandwiching the piezoelectric material, and at least one of the pair of electrodes is made of SrRuO3 or Ni.

Abstract: Provided is a piezoelectric material including a lead-free perovskite-type composite oxide which is excellent in piezoelectric characteristics and temperature characteristics and is represented by the general formula (1): xABO3-yA?BO3-zA?B?O3 in which A is a Bi element; A? is a rare earth element including La; B is at least one element selected from Ti, Zn, Sn and Zr; A? is at least one element selected from Ba, Sr and Ca; B? is at least one element selected from divalent, trivalent, pentavalent, tetravalent, and hexavalent elements; and x is a value of 0.10 or more and 0.95 or less, y is a value of 0 or more and 0.5 or less, and z is a value of 0 or more and 0.7 or less, provided that x+y+z=1.

Abstract: Provided are a bismuth-based piezoelectric material whose insulation property is improved while its performance as a piezoelectric body is not impaired and a piezoelectric device using the piezoelectric material. The piezoelectric material includes a perovskite-type metal oxide represented by the following general formula (1): Bix(Fe1-yCoy)O3??(1) where 0.95?x?1.25 and 0?y?0.30, and a root mean square roughness Rq (nm) of a surface of the piezoelectric material satisfies a relationship of 0<Rq?25y+2 (0?y?0.30).

Abstract: Provided are an oxynitride piezoelectric material which exhibits ferroelectricity and has good piezoelectric properties and a method of producing the oxynitride piezoelectric material. The oxynitride piezoelectric material includes a tetragonal perovskite-type oxynitride represented by the following general formula (1): A1-xBix+?1B1-yB?y+?2O3-zNz??(1) where A represents a divalent element, B and B? each represent a tetravalent element, x represents a numerical value of 0.35 or more to 0.6 or less, y represents a numerical value of 0.35 or more to 0.6 or less, z represents a numerical value of 0.35 or more to 0.6 or less, and ?1 and ?2 each represent a numerical value of ?0.2 or more to 0.2 or less, in which the A includes at least one kind selected from Ba, Sr, and Ca and the B and the B? each include at least one kind selected from Ti, Zr, Hf, Si, Ge, and Sn.

Abstract: Provided is a piezoelectric material excellent in piezoelectricity. The piezoelectric material includes a perovskite-type complex oxide represented by the following General Formula (1). A (ZnxTi1-x))yM(1-y)O3??(1) wherein A represents at least one kind of element containing at least a Bi element and selected from a trivalent metal element; M represents at least one kind of element of Fe, Al, Sc, Mn, Y, Ga, and Yb; x represents a numerical value satisfying 0.4?x?0.6; and y represents a numerical value satisfying 0.1?y?0.9.

Abstract: Provided are a piezoelectric material without using lead or an alkali metal, the piezoelectric material having a stable crystal structure in a wide temperature range, high insulation property, and high piezoelectric property, and a piezoelectric element using the piezoelectric material, in which the piezoelectric material is made of a metal oxide having a tetragonal crystal structure and expressed by Ba(SixGeyTiz)O3 (here, 0?x?1, 0?y?1, and 0?z?0.5), the piezoelectric element includes the piezoelectric material and a pair of electrodes sandwiching the piezoelectric material, and at least one of the pair of electrodes is made of SrRuO3 or Ni.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for producing granulated organic matters wherein a precipitated fraction obtaied in a settling tank from a methane fermentation fluid having been treated aerobically in an aeration tank is added to a fermentation waste fluid. According to the present invention, there is provided a process for producing physically stable granulated organic matters with reduced increase of stickiness occurring at the time of manufacturing granulated organic matters from fermentation waste fluid.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for producing a composition for ruminants, which is characterized in that a nucleus containing a physiologically active substance is coated with a coating material prepared by suspending in water (i) an emulsion comprising water and at least one hydrophobic substance hardly soluble in water and (ii) a slurry containing at least one polymer soluble in water of pH 5.0 or below and insoluble in water of pH over 5.0 In the process, an aqueous suspension is used for coating instead of a meterial dissolved in an organic solvent.

Abstract: The present invention provides a DNA coding for uricase from the genus Cellulomonas and a process for producing uricase using a microorganism which carries a recombinant DNA containing the DNA.

Abstract: An anti-theft device for an automobile with high reliability is proposed. The device detects an intrusion and a battery disconnection and disables the engine. The device is powered by a battery prepared exclusively for the device besides the main battery of the automobile. The battery is mounted on the same board as the device, therefore increasing the reliability of that device. The device is simple to operate. When the driver leaves the car and the doors are locked, the anti-theft device is activated. No additional operation is required from the driver. The anti-theft device is even more reliable with the use of a key which has a bar-code printed on its surface.