Abstract: When a size is increased for mass production, an area of a pressurized surface is increased. This raised a problem in that insufficient load or the like causes a pressure during pressure sintering and a relative density of a thermoelectric conversion element to be likely to become insufficient. As a solution, there is provided a method for producing a thermoelectric conversion element, including: a step of mixing a skutterudite-type thermoelectric conversion material powder containing Sb and a sintering agent containing a compound including Mn and Sb, to obtain a mixture; and a step of sintering the mixture.

Abstract: This method is for manufacturing a thermoelectric conversion module in which a first conductive member, a thermoelectric conversion element, a second conductive member are joined by joining members, the method comprising: a step for, after applying on the first conductive member a first paste including metal particles, disposing the thermoelectric conversion element on the first paste, and compressing and spreading the first paste; a step for disposing the second conductive member, after applying a second paste including metal particles in a controlled amount, on the thermoelectric conversion element, and compressing and spreading the second paste; and a step for sintering the first and the second pastes to obtain joining members.

Abstract: When a size is increased for mass production, an area of a pressurized surface is increased. This raised a problem in that insufficient load or the like causes a pressure during pressure sintering and a relative density of a thermoelectric conversion element to be likely to become insufficient. As a solution, there is provided a method for producing a thermoelectric conversion element, including: a step of mixing a skutterudite-type thermoelectric conversion material powder containing Sb and a sintering agent containing a compound including Mn and Sb, to obtain a mixture; and a step of sintering the mixture.

Abstract: This method is for manufacturing a thermoelectric conversion module in which a first conductive member, a thermoelectric conversion element, a second conductive member are joined by joining members, the method comprising: a step for, after applying on the first conductive member a first paste including metal particles, disposing the thermoelectric conversion element on the first paste, and compressing and spreading the first paste; a step for disposing the second conductive member, after applying a second paste including metal particles in a controlled amount, on the thermoelectric conversion element, and compressing and spreading the second paste; and a step for sintering the first and the second pastes to obtain joining members.

Abstract: A thermoelectric conversion material includes a sintered body including a main phase including a plurality of crystal grains including Ce, Mn, Fe, and Sb and forming a skutterudite structure, and a grain boundary between crystal grains adjacent to each other. The grain boundary includes a sintering aid phase including at least Mn, Sb, and O. Thus, with respect to a skutterudite-type thermoelectric conversion material including Sb, which is a sintering-resistant material, it is possible to improve sinterability while maintaining a practical dimensionless figure-of-merit ZT, and to reduce processing cost.

Abstract: A thermoelectric conversion material having a high dimensionless figure of merit ZT includes: a large number of polycrystalline grains which include a skutterudite-type crystal structure containing Yb, Co, and Sb; and an intergranular layer which is between the neighboring polycrystalline grains and includes crystals in which an atomic ratio of O to Yb is more than 0.4 and less than 1.5. A method for manufacturing a thermoelectric conversion material includes: a weighing step; a mixing step; a ribbon preparation step by rapidly cooling and solidifying a melt of the raw materials by using a rapid liquid cooling solidifying method; a first heat treatment step including heat treating in an inert atmosphere with an adjusted oxygen concentration; a second heat treatment step including heat treating in a reducing atmosphere; and manufacturing the thermoelectric conversion material by a pressure sintering step in an inert atmosphere.

Abstract: A thermoelectric conversion material includes a sintered body including a main phase including a plurality of crystal grains including Ce, Mn, Fe, and Sb and forming a skuttterudite structure, and a grain boundary between crystal grains adjacent to each other. The grain boundary includes a sintering aid phase including at least Mn, Sb, and O. Thus, with respect to a skutterudite-type thermoelectric conversion material including Sb, which is a sintering-resistant material, it is possible to improve sinterability while maintaining a practical dimensionless figure-of-merit ZT, and to reduce processing cost.

Abstract: A thermoelectric conversion material having a high dimensionless figure of merit ZT includes: a large number of polycrystalline grains which include a skutterudite-type crystal structure containing Yb, Co, and Sb; and an intergranular layer which is between the neighboring polycrystalline grains and includes crystals in which an atomic ratio of O to Yb is more than 0.4 and less than 1.5. A method for manufacturing a thermoelectric conversion material includes: a weighing step; a mixing step; a ribbon preparation step by rapidly cooling and solidifying a melt of the raw materials by using a rapid liquid cooling solidifying method; a first heat treatment step including heat treating in an inert atmosphere with an adjusted oxygen concentration; a second heat treatment step including heat treating in a reducing atmosphere; and manufacturing the thermoelectric conversion material by a pressure sintering step in an inert atmosphere.

Abstract: A nitride semiconductor template includes a substrate, and a chlorine-containing nitride semiconductor layer. The chlorine-containing nitride semiconductor layer contains an iron concentration of not higher than 1×1017 cm?3.

Abstract: There is provided a nitride semiconductor epitaxial substrate having a group III nitride semiconductor layer with C-plane as a surface, grown on a substrate via a buffer layer of the group III nitride semiconductor containing Al, wherein the buffer layer has an inversion domain on the surface.

Abstract: A metal chloride gas generator includes: a tube reactor including a receiving section for receiving a metal on an upstream side, and a growing section in which a growth substrate is placed on a downstream side; a gas inlet pipe arranged to extend from an upstream end with a gas inlet via the receiving section to the growing section, for introducing a gas from the upstream end to supply the gas to the receiving section, and supplying a metal chloride gas produced by a reaction between the gas and the metal in the receiving section to the growing section; and a heat shield plate placed in the reactor to thermally shield the upstream end from the growing section. The gas inlet pipe is bent between the upstream end and the heat shield plate.

Abstract: A nitride semiconductor template includes a substrate, and a chlorine-containing nitride semiconductor layer. The chlorine-containing nitride semiconductor layer contains an iron concentration of not higher than 1×1017 cm?3.

Abstract: There is provided a nitride semiconductor epitaxial substrate having a group III nitride semiconductor layer with C-plane as a surface, grown on a substrate via a buffer layer of the group III nitride semiconductor containing Al, wherein the buffer layer has an inversion domain on the surface.

Abstract: There is provided a nitride semiconductor epitaxial substrate having a group III nitride semiconductor layer with C-plane as a surface, grown on a substrate via a buffer layer of the group III nitride semiconductor containing Al, wherein the buffer layer has an inversion domain on the surface.

Abstract: A nitride semiconductor growth substrate includes a principal surface including a C-plane of a sapphire substrate, and a convex portion that is formed on the principal surface, has a cone or pyramid shape or a truncated cone or pyramid shape, is disposed to form a lattice pattern in a top view thereof, and includes a side surface inclined at an angle of less than 90 degrees relative to the principal surface. The convex portion has a height of 0.5 to 3 ?m from the principal surface. A distance between adjacent ones of the convex portion is 1 to 6 ?m. The side surface of the convex portion has a surface roughness (RMS) of not more than 10 nm.

Abstract: A metal chloride gas generator includes: a tube reactor including a receiving section for receiving a metal on an upstream side, and a growing section in which a growth substrate is placed on a downstream side; a gas inlet pipe arranged to extend from an upstream end with a gas inlet via the receiving section to the growing section, for introducing a gas from the upstream end to supply the gas to the receiving section, and supplying a metal chloride gas produced by a reaction between the gas and the metal in the receiving section to the growing section; and a heat shield plate placed in the reactor to thermally shield the upstream end from the growing section. The gas inlet pipe is bent between the upstream end and the heat shield plate.

Abstract: There is provided a nitride semiconductor epitaxial substrate having a group III nitride semiconductor layer with C-plane as a surface, grown on a substrate via a buffer layer of the group III nitride semiconductor containing Al, wherein the buffer layer has an inversion domain on the surface.

Abstract: A quality evaluation method and apparatus for non-bran rice evaluate quality or taste of non-bran rice by identifying proportions of a hull layer, an aleurone layer, an endosperm layer, which adhere to a surface of the non-bran rice according to luminance levels of self-emitted fluorescence obtained by irradiating the non-bran rice with excitation light.

Abstract: A quality evaluation method and apparatus for non-bran rice evaluate quality or taste of non-bran rice by identifying proportions of a hull layer, an aleurone layer, an endosperm layer, which adhere to a surface of the non-bran rice according to luminance levels of self-emitted fluorescence obtained by irradiating the non-bran rice with excitation light.

Abstract: A radioactive diagnostic agent for renal cortex, adrenal cortex, myocardium, brain stem, spinal nerve, etc., which comprises as an essential component monoiodoacetic acid wherein the iodine atom is radioactive.