Abstract: A scintillator panel is provided. The scintillator panel comprises: a support; a scintillator configured to generate light in accordance with incident radiation; a light reflecting layer arranged between the support and the scintillator and configured to reflect the light; a semi-transmissive layer arranged between the light reflecting layer and the scintillator and configured to reflect part of the light and transmit other part of the light; and an optical adjustment layer arranged between the light reflecting layer and the semi-transmissive layer and configured to make an optical distance between the light reflecting layer and the semi-transmissive layer become a length with which the light resonates.

Abstract: A scintillator panel is provided. The scintillator panel comprises: a support; a scintillator configured to generate light in accordance with incident radiation; a light reflecting layer arranged between the support and the scintillator and configured to reflect the light; a semi-transmissive layer arranged between the light reflecting layer and the scintillator and configured to reflect part of the light and transmit other part of the light; and an optical adjustment layer arranged between the light reflecting layer and the semi-transmissive layer and configured to make an optical distance between the light reflecting layer and the semi-transmissive layer become a length with which the light resonates.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion device, including: a photoelectric conversion substrate having a plurality of photoelectric conversion portions and a microlens array arranged on the plurality of photoelectric conversion portions; a light-transmitting plate covering the microlens array; and a film arranged between the microlens array and the light-transmitting plate, wherein the film has a refractive index within a range from 1.05 to 1.15, an average transmittance of light in a wavelength region within a range from 400 nm to 700 nm of 98.5% or higher, and a film thickness within a range from 500 nm to 5000 nm.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion device, including: a photoelectric conversion substrate having a plurality of photoelectric conversion portions and a microlens array arranged on the plurality of photoelectric conversion portions; a light-transmitting plate covering the microlens array; and a film arranged between the microlens array and the light-transmitting plate, wherein the film has a refractive index within a range from 1.05 to 1.15, an average transmittance of light in a wavelength region within a range from 400 nm to 700 nm of 98.5% or higher, and a film thickness within a range from 500 nm to 5000 nm.

Abstract: Provided are a barium titanate-based piezoelectric ceramics having satisfactory piezoelectric performance and a satisfactory mechanical quality factor (Qm), and a piezoelectric element using the same. Specifically provided are a piezoelectric ceramics, including: crystal particles; and a grain boundary between the crystal particles, in which the crystal particles each include barium titanate having a perovskite-type structure and manganese at 0.04% by mass or more and 0.20% by mass or less in terms of a metal with respect to the barium titanate, and the grain boundary includes at least one compound selected from the group consisting of Ba4Ti12O27 and Ba6Ti17O40, and a piezoelectric element using the same.

Abstract: Provided are a barium titanate-based piezoelectric ceramics having satisfactory piezoelectric performance and a satisfactory mechanical quality factor (Qm), and a piezoelectric element using the same. Specifically provided are a piezoelectric ceramics, including: crystal particles; and a grain boundary between the crystal particles, in which the crystal particles each include barium titanate having a perovskite-type structure and manganese at 0.04% by mass or more and 0.20% by mass or less in terms of a metal with respect to the barium titanate, and the grain boundary includes at least one compound selected from the group consisting of Ba4Ti12O27 and Ba6Ti17O40, and a piezoelectric element using the same.

Abstract: Provided are a barium titanate-based piezoelectric ceramics having satisfactory piezoelectric performance and a satisfactory mechanical quality factor (Qm), and a piezoelectric element using the same. Specifically provided are a piezoelectric ceramics, including: crystal particles; and a grain boundary between the crystal particles, in which the crystal particles each include barium titanate having a perovskite-type structure and manganese at 0.04% by mass or more and 0.20% by mass or less in terms of a metal with respect to the barium titanate, and the grain boundary includes at least one compound selected from the group consisting of Ba4Ti12O27 and Ba6Ti17O40, and a piezoelectric element using the same.

Abstract: Provided is an optical element that can generate and extinguish a diffraction grating and can change the grating pitch of the appearing diffraction grating. The optical element includes a pair of opposing substrates, a plurality of electrodes arranged on one of the substrates, an electrochromic layer disposed so as to be in contact with the plurality of electrodes, and a counter electrode disposed so as to oppose the plurality of electrodes with the electrochromic layer therebetween. The optical element further includes insulating layers each disposed between the substrate and one of two adjacent electrodes in the plurality of electrodes and each having a thickness larger than that of the other electrode of the two adjacent electrodes.

Abstract: Provided are a barium titanate-based piezoelectric ceramics having satisfactory piezoelectric performance and a satisfactory mechanical quality factor (Qm), and a piezoelectric element using the same. Specifically provided are a piezoelectric ceramics, including: crystal particles; and a grain boundary between the crystal particles, in which the crystal particles each include barium titanate having a perovskite-type structure and manganese at 0.04% by mass or more and 0.20% by mass or less in terms of a metal with respect to the barium titanate, and the grain boundary includes at least one compound selected from the group consisting of Ba4Ti12O27 and Ba6Ti17O40, and a piezoelectric element using the same.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus configured to expose a substrate using exposure light provided by a light source, comprises an optical element located in an optical path of the exposure light, a gas supply configured to supply a gas into a space including the optical path, a decomposing unit configured to process the gas supplied into the space, thereby decomposing a silicon-containing organic material in the gas, and a controller configured to control the decomposing unit to supply the gas processed by the decomposing unit to the optical element located in the space in at least an adhesion suppressed period for which adhesion of a silicon-containing organic material onto the optical element is to be suppressed, wherein the adhesion suppressed period starts when application of the exposure light onto the optical element is stopped, and ends when a predetermined time has elapsed from the start time.

Abstract: A laminate film for protecting a printed image formed on a recording medium by an ink-jet recording system, comprising a surface layer, an intermediate layer and a penetrative layer formed on a heat-resistant substrate in that order. The surface layer and the intermediate layer have a thermally softening property, the intermediate layer has a glass transition temperature lower than that of the surface layer, and the penetrative layer has a thermally melting property.

Abstract: An illumination optical system illuminates a surface to be illuminated. The illumination optical system includes a mirror having a surface effective to shape X-rays from a source into X-rays having an arcuate sectional shape, and an optical system for illuminating the surface to be illuminated, with the X-rays having an arcuate sectional shape from the mirror and in an oblique direction with respect to that surface.

Abstract: A laminate film for protecting a printed image formed on a recording medium by an ink-jet recording system, comprising a surface layer, an intermediate layer and a penetrative layer formed on a heat-resistant substrate in that order. The surface layer and the intermediate layer have a thermally softening property, the intermediate layer has a glass transition temperature lower than that of the surface layer, and the penetrative layer has a thermally melting property.

Abstract: A reflection type mask includes a substrate on which a multi-layered film for reflecting X-rays is provided, a mask pattern which is formed on the multi-layered film for absorbing the X-rays, and a cover for protecting the mask pattern. The cover is detachably attached to the substrate.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus for illuminating a pattern with light from a light source and for exposing a predetermined surface with light from the pattern includes (i) a projection optical system for projecting the pattern onto the predetermined surface, the projection optical system having at least one optical element having optical surfaces, and (ii) a gas supplying device for locally supplying a gas to the at least one optical element. In one aspect, the gas supplying device directly blows the gas toward one of the optical surfaces of the at least one optical element, which is closest to the predetermined surface, from the predetermined surface side.

Abstract: An illumination optical system for illuminating a surface to be illuminated. The illumination optical system includes a mirror having a surface effective to shape X-rays from a source into X-rays having an arcuate sectional shape, and an optical system for illuminating the surface to be illuminated, with the X-rays having an arcuate sectional shape from the mirror and in an oblique direction with respect to that surface.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus includes a chuck for holding an object and an optical system for directing light from a light source to the object held by the chuck. The optical system includes a multilayer film mirror which has a concave reflecting surface, wherein an area of contacting portions of the chuck is set so that the contact portions area of the chuck is at most 10% of an area of the object held by the chuck.

Abstract: An X-ray illumination optical system for an X-ray reduction projection exposure apparatus includes an oblique projection reflection integrator having a reflection surface provided by a plurality of small cylindrical surfaces arrayed in parallel, to perform Koehler illumination of a region of arcuate shape. It enables X-ray illumination of only an arcuate region and reduces loss of light quantity and exposure time.

Abstract: Disclosed is an exposure apparatus which includes an optical element, a gas supplying unit for supplying a predetermined gas around the optical element, and an organic compound decomposition mechanism for decomposing an organic compound in the gas. This structure prevents adhesion of organic compounds to the optical element without a necessity of using many filters in combination.

Abstract: The present invention provides a laminating film which has a thin base material processable with a low energy and a protection layer capable of giving a high optical density and a high glossiness to a printed image by lamination, and to provide a process for lamination with the laminating film. The laminating film of the present invention comprises a base material, and an image protection layer formed on the base material and having at least an adhesion layer capable of adhering to an image surface, wherein the base material has a thickness ranging from 1.5 to 6.0 &mgr;m and has an arithmetic average roughness (Ra) of not more than 50 nm and a ten point height of roughness profile (Rz) ranging from 1200 nm to 2000 nm according to JIS B0601.