Abstract: A plurality of backlight blocks are configured by being juxtaposed in the plane direction of an illumination device and include a bidirectional backlight block. Light sources are formed on both lateral sides of the bidirectional backlight block in the direction of the axes of emission of the light sources, the light sources formed on one lateral side are arranged so that light is emitted in the direction toward the light sources formed on the other lateral side, the light sources formed on the other lateral side are arranged so that light is emitted in the direction toward the light sources formed on the one lateral side, and the bidirectional backlight block is arranged in the center part of the illumination device in the direction of the axes of emission of the light sources.

Abstract: An illumination unit includes an LED and a tabular light guide plate having a light emitting surface for emitting light from the LED as planar light, wherein a recessed portion is formed in the opposite surface of the tight emitting surface of the light guide plate, and wherein the LED is provided in the recessed portion so that the optical axis of the LED becomes parallel to the light emitting surface of the light guide plate. Further, a plurality of LEDs are arranged along the longer direction of the recessed portion, a dimming pattern is provided at a location corresponding to each of a plurality of LED of the light emitting surface of the light guide plate, and the shape or the size of the dimming pattern is varied with a location on the light emitting surface of the light guide plate.

Abstract: An illumination unit of the present invention includes a tabular light guide plate having a light emitting surface for emitting light coming from an LED as planar light, wherein a recessed portion is formed in the opposite surface of the light emitting surface of the light guide plate, and wherein the LED is provided in the recessed portion so that the optical axis of the LED becomes parallel to the light emitting surface of the light guide plate. Then, a dimming pattern is provided at a location corresponding to the LED of the light emitting surface of the light guide plate, and the dimming pattern includes a main portion covering the LED on the light emitting surface side, and protrusions radially extending toward a light emitting direction of the LED around the LED.

Abstract: An illumination unit includes LEDs and a tabular light guide plate having a light emitting surface for emitting light from the LEDs as planar light, wherein a recessed portion is formed in the opposite surface of the light emitting surface of the light guide plate, and the LED is provided in the recessed portion so that the optical axis of the LED becomes parallel to the light emitting surface of the light guide plate. Here, a dimming pattern is provided at a location corresponding to the LED of the light emitting surface of the light guide plate, and furthermore a first light guide pattern is provided on the light emitting surface of the light guide plate and a second light guide pattern is provided on a rear surface that is a reflective surface.

Abstract: A method of cleaning a supply pipe of an immersion exposure apparatus includes a cycle including a step of increasing a flow rate of a cleaning liquid via a supply pipe, which supplies a liquid to a gap between a substrate and a final surface of a projection optical system, and a step of decreasing the flow rate, wherein the cycle is executed a plurality of times after one of completion of one of setting and maintenance of the immersion exposure apparatus and completion of exposure of at least one substrate, and before exposure of a first shot region on a new substrate using the immersion exposure apparatus.

Abstract: An imprint apparatus of the present invention that molds and cures an imprint material on a substrate using a mold to form a pattern on the substrate. The imprint apparatus includes a supply unit configured to supply a gas into a gap between the imprint material on the substrate and the mold. The supply unit is configured to supply a mixed gas in which a permeable gas, which permeates at least one of the mold, the imprint material and the substrate, and a condensable gas, which is liquefied under a pressure generated by the molding, is mixed with each other.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus that includes a chamber in which an optical element, including a capping layer, is arranged, and that exposes a substrate to exposure light via the optical element. The apparatus includes a supply unit configured to supply a material into the chamber and a providing unit configured to provide electromagnetic waves to the capping layer. The apparatus is configured so that the electromagnetic waves provided by the providing unit cause a photochemical reaction of the material, to grow a layer on the capping layer, with at least one of a condition of supply of the material by the supply unit and a condition of provision of the electromagnetic waves by the providing unit being changed in accordance with each position of the capping layer, based on information of a decrease in an amount of the capping layer at each position, so as to repair the capping layer.

Abstract: A disk array apparatus where, when a failure occurs at a part of a cache memory, a memory area of an I/O processing controller other than the memory area where the failure has occurred is utilized without taking over the whole I/O processing to an I/O processing controller of other system is provided, so that influence of performance degradation can be minimized. In a disk array apparatus including dual cache memories, when a failure occurs at a part of the cache memory, only a memory area where the failure has occurred is closed, and reallocation thereof to another memory area of the same cache memory is conducted to continue an I/O processing.

Abstract: It is intended to develop a technique for producing a water-soluble polyphenol at high purity and with high efficiency in a short time from hop bract or the like which is a by-product in the beer brewing.

Abstract: A method for controlling communications paths in a storage system provided between a storage device and a plurality of host devices.

Abstract: A disk array apparatus where, when a failure occurs at a part of a cache memory, a memory area of an I/O processing controller other than the memory area where the failure has occurred is utilized without taking over the whole I/O processing to an I/O processing controller of other system is provided, so that influence of performance degradation can be minimized. In a disk array apparatus including dual cache memories, when a failure occurs at a part of the cache memory, only a memory area where the failure has occurred is closed, and reallocation thereof to another memory area of the same cache memory is conducted to continue an I/O processing.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus includes a chamber where an optical element having a capping layer is arranged, and exposes a substrate by using the optical element. The exposure apparatus includes a supply unit which supplies a material to repair the capping layer into the chamber, and a providing unit which provides electromagnetic waves to the optical element. The electromagnetic waves cause a photochemical reaction of the material to grow a layer on the capping layer so as to repair the capping layer.

Abstract: The present invention prompts path switching in accordance with the state of occurrence of intermittent failures, and prevents the responsiveness of a storage system from declining, or the like. Here, it is supposed, for example, that a host 1 is performing data communications with a storage device 2 by means of the path P1, and that an intermittent failure such as a communications time-out has occurred in path P1 on a number of occasions equal to or exceeding the prescribed threshold value. In this case, the controller 3 sends back a hardware error response in reply to an access from the host 1. Upon receiving a hardware error response from the storage device 2, the path control section 1B switches from the path P1 where the intermittent failure was detected (the original path) to a path P2 that is functioning normally (the target path), and then re-attempts the access command.

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: An optical instrument includes an optical element and a detector for detecting an impurity concentration in an ambience containing a space surrounding the optical element. By controlling the impurity concentration on the basis of an output of the detector, deposition of impurities on the optical element and deterioration of the optical characteristic of the optical element thereby can be prevented effectively.

Abstract: The present invention provides a fruit polyphenol obtained by subjecting unripe fruits of Rosaceae to pressing and/or extraction and then purifying the resulting juice or extract. The present invention further provides an antioxidant, a hypotensive agent, an antimutagenic agent, an antiallergic agent and an anticariogenic agent each comprising, as an effective component, a fruit polyphenol obtained by subjecting unripe fruits of Rosaceae to pressing and/or extraction and then purifying the resulting juice or extract. The fruit polyphenol of the present invention has various physiological activities, for example, an antioxidative activity, an ACE-inhibiting activity, an antimutagenic activity, a hyalulonidase-inhibiting activity and a GTase-inhibiting activity.

Abstract: The present invention provides a fruit polyphenol obtained by subjecting unripe fruits of Rosaceae to pressing and/or extraction and then purifying the resulting juice or extract. The present invention further provides an antioxidant, a hypotensive agent, an antimutagenic agent, an antiallergic agent and an anticariogenic agent each comprising, as an effective component, a fruit polyphenol obtained by subjecting unripe fruits of Rosaceae to pressing and/or extraction and then purifying the resulting juice or extract. The fruit polyphenol of the present invention has various physiological activities, for example, an antioxidative activity, an ACE-inhibiting activity, an antimutagenic activity, a hyalulonidase-inhibiting activity and a GTase-inhibiting activity.

Abstract: Cosmetics are herein disclosed which contain a polyphenol derived from the fruits of Rosaceae, and the polyphenol is obtainable by purifying a pressed juice or an extract of the unripe fruits of the Rosaceae, for example, apples, pears or peaches. The cosmetics have many useful functions such as an ultraviolet light absorbing activity and a free radical erasing activity.