Abstract: The present invention relates to a polyimide-metal laminate that ensures a high adhesion of a metal layer and suitable for use as a material of a high density circuit board. In particular, it provides a polyimide film characterized by having undergone a surface treatment with an alkaline aqueous solution containing a permanganate. The alkaline aqueous solution preferably contains a hydroxide. It also provides a polyimide-metal laminate characterized in that on a surface of the polyimide film a thermoplastic polyimide layer and a metal layer are formed, and a method of producing the polyimide-metal laminate.

Abstract: A p-type GaN guiding layer, an n-type GaN layer, and an n-type AlGaN current blocking layer are sequentially formed over an active layer, and then part of the current blocking layer is etched by using an alkali solution and irradiating the part with light to form an opening. Thereafter, a second p-type GaN guiding layer is formed on the current blocking layer to cover the opening. In this structure, the GaN layer has a smaller energy gap than the AlGaN current blocking layer.

Abstract: A light emitting element including: a semiconductor layer stack including a light emitting layer; a metal optical reflection film which is formed on the surface of the semiconductor layer stack opposite to the surface from which light emitted from the light emitting layer is taken out of the semiconductor layer stack to reflect the emitted light; a metal cover film which is formed above the metal optical reflection film to prevent the metal optical reflection film from coming off; and a metal anti-diffusion film which is formed between the metal optical reflection film and the metal cover film to prevent interdiffusion between the metal optical reflection film and the metal cover film. The metal anti-diffusion film is a single layer film made of any one of tungsten, rhenium and tantalum or a layered film made of two or more of tungsten, rhenium and tantalum.

Abstract: A plastic substrate is processed by a functional water obtained by electrolysis of water or functional water containing active oxygen or active hydrogen for a predetermined time period to selectively remove an alkali and/or halogen component in a surface layer of the plastic substrate to stabilize or remove oligomer in a resin matrix, whereby deterioration of resin and deterioration of properties of a recording medium caused by a remaining unreacted catalyst used for processing the plastic substrate surface or the like can be prevented and the adhesion strength and the durability of a recoding coating to be formed on the substrate are improved.

Abstract: In a thin-film transistor to be used in an active matrix liquid crystal display device, each of a gate signal line, a source signal line, and a drain extraction electrode has a three-layer structure. Specifically, each of these members is made up of a lower layer made of a titanium film, an intermediate layer made of an aluminum film, and an upper layer made of a titanium film containing nitrogen. Since the respective upper layers, in contact with a gate insulating film or an interlayer insulating film made of a silicon nitride film, are made of titanium films containing nitrogen, they have superior adhesion to the silicon nitride film. Consequently, film peeling, etc. during the manufacturing process can be suppressed. Further, providing the titanium film beneath the aluminum film contributes to reduction of the resistance of the aluminum film.

Abstract: A plastic substrate is processed by a functional water obtained by electrolysis of water or functional water containing active oxygen or active hydrogen for a predetermined time period to selectively remove an alkali and/or halogen component in a surface layer of the plastic substrate to stabilize or remove oligomer in a resin matrix, whereby deterioration of resin and deterioration of properties of a recording medium caused by a remaining unreacted catalyst used for processing the plastic substrate surface or the like can be prevented and the adhesion strength and the durability of a recoding coating to be formed on the substrate are improved.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a mechanism and method for supporting a substrate to be coated with a film, which enables transporting a substrate coated with a thin film, out of a film forming apparatus without damaging the substrate or the thin film. A support mechanism is provided with a stage, a shaft member, and support pins. When the substrate is placed on the stage which is held in a horizontal state, the shaft member is rotated so that the stage is lifted up to a film forming position where a substrate bearing surface of the stage becomes a substantially vertical. After film formation has been carried out at the film forming position, an actuator is driven so as to move the support pins provided in the stage. Accordingly, cracks and chips in the substrate as well as peeling-off of the thin film can be almost completely prevented.

Abstract: In a thin-film transistor to be used in an active matrix liquid crystal display device, each of a gate signal line, a source signal line, and a drain extraction electrode has a three-layer structure. Specifically, each of these members is made up of a lower layer made of a titanium film, an intermediate layer made of an aluminum film, and an upper layer made of a titanium film containing nitrogen. Since the respective upper layers, in contact with a gate insulating film or an interlayer insulating film made of a silicon nitride film, are made of titanium films containing nitrogen, they have superior adhesion to the silicon nitride film. Consequently, film peeling, etc. during the manufacturing process can be suppressed. Further, providing the titanium film beneath the aluminum film contributes to reduction of the resistance of the aluminum film.

Abstract: A glass substrate is cleaned by contacting a preliminarily polished glass surface with functional water having a positive ORP potential for a predetermined period of time in the last rinsing step in order to repair the structure of the glass so as to achieve higher surface hardness and improved corrosion resistance.

Abstract: In a thin-film transistor to be used in an active matrix liquid crystal display device, each of a gate signal line, a source signal line, and a drain extraction electrode has a three-layer structure. Specifically, each of these members is made up of a lower layer made of a titanium film, an intermediate layer made of an aluminum film, and an upper layer made of a titanium film containing nitrogen. Since the respective upper layers, in contact with a gate insulating film or an interlayer insulating film made of a silicon nitride film, are made of titanium films containing nitrogen, they have superior adhesion to the silicon nitride film. Consequently, film peeling, etc. during the manufacturing process can be suppressed. Further, providing the titanium film beneath the aluminum film contributes to reduction of the resistance of the aluminum film.

Abstract: To propose a method of cleaning a surface of a glass substrate fabricated by a process of strengthening a surface thereof by alkaline ion exchange reaction by selectively removing alkaline metal on the surface by cleaning the surface by using an activated ionic water produced by electric polarization and as a result, to provide a glass substrate for a magnetic disk having a magnetic medium with insignificant corrosion and excellent S/N ratio, in cleaning a glass substrate for a magnetic disk using a glass substrate pulled up from a chemically strengthening treatment solution produced by an alkaline ion exchange reaction, after a final polishing step of fabricating the glass substrate for a magnetic disk, the glass substrate is cleaned by an activated anodically electrolyzed water produced by electric polarization to thereby selectively remove the alkaline metal at the vicinity of the surface.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine has an exhaust system and an oxygen sensor fitted to the exhaust system including a sensor element and an electrically powered heater for heating the sensor element. A method is disclosed for controlling the power supplied to the heater by determining a target value therefor according to engine operational parameters, by applying a smoothing correction to the target value to produce an actual value, and by supplying power to the heater in an amount according to this actual power value. The smoothing may be done by time-smoothing, and may be done by performing the calculation repeatedly in a cycle and by setting the actual power value amount equal to a function of this target power value and of values of this actual power value amount determined in previous cycles. This function may take the form of a weighted average, and as a special case such a weighted average may use only the actual power value amount determined in the previous cycle.

Abstract: The oxygen sensor has a solid electrolytic element made of an oxygen ion-conducting metal oxide. This element is formed in a cup shape, closed at one end and opened at its other end. The outer peripheral surface of the element is exposed to exhaust gas, and the inner peripheral surface of the element is exposed to the atmosphere. A first electrode is fixed to the outer peripheral surface of the element, and a second electrode is fixed to the inner peripheral surface of the element. An electrically insulating layer is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the element except where the first electrode is disposed. A metal lead of thin film, connected to the first electrode, is formed on the insulating layer. Further, a retaining lead connected to the first electrode is formed on the metal lead. This retaining lead is formed by densely sintering a conductive material and a binding material.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine has an exhaust system and an oxygen sensor fitted to the exhaust system including a sensor element and an electrically powered heater for heating the sensor element. A method is disclosed for controlling the power supplied to said heater by restricting it to be less than a predetermined value. This restriction may be done by controlling the value of a relatively steady current flowing through said heater, or alternatively may be done by supplying an intermittent voltage to said heater and by controlling the duty factor of said intermittent voltage. The power supplied to said heater may be determined by detecting the current flowing through said heater, or may be determined by detecting the voltage across said heater and the current flowing through said heater. Thereby, during engine heating up operation, the temperature of the heater element is raised as quickly as practicable, without any risk of over quick heating of the heater occurring, which might lead to damage thereto.

Abstract: An oxygen sensor according to the present invention comprises a tumbler-shaped solid electrolytic element formed of an oxygen-ion-conductive metal oxide. A first electrode and a lead electrically connected thereto are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the element which is exposed to exhaust gas. A second electrode is fixed to the inner peripheral surface of the element which is exposed to the atmosphere. The element is held by a ring-shaped metallic holder. The holder and the first electrode are electrically insulated from each other. A conductive metallic pipe member is disposed between the element and the holder. One end of the pipe member is electrically connected to the lead by means of a conductive metal ring. A partition wall extends integrally from one end of the pipe member, defining between its inner surface and the other peripheral surface of the element a space for housing the conductive metal ring between the pipe member and the lead.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine has an exhaust system and an oxygen sensor fitted to the exhaust system including a sensor element and an electrically powered heater for heating the sensor element. A method is disclosed for controlling the air/fuel ratio of the air-fuel mixture supplied to the engine, by, when the voltage of the power supply to the heater has dropped below a first predetermined value and thereafter has remained below a second predetermined value higher than the first predetermined value for longer than a predetermined time period, controlling the air/fuel ratio according to engine operational parameters by an open loop form of control with no account being taken of the output signal of the oxygen sensor, and otherwise controlling the air/fuel ratio according to these engine operational parameters by a closed loop form of control taking into account the output signal of the oxygen sensor so as to obtain an optimum air/fuel ratio for the engine by a feedback control process.