Abstract: A wireless IC module that can function as a component of an RFID system even when mounted on a metal article includes a loop-shaped electrode that is constructed such that a plane of a loop of the loop-shaped electrode is substantially perpendicular to the mounting surface of a wireless IC module. The loop-shaped electrode functions as a magnetic field antenna and is electromagnetically coupled with a metal article so that the surface of the metal article functions as a radiator antenna.

Abstract: Regarding a boundary acoustic wave device in which at least a part of an IDT electrode is embedded in a groove disposed in a piezoelectric substrate, the acoustic velocity is increased. A boundary acoustic wave device is provided with a piezoelectric substrate, a first dielectric layer, and an IDT electrode. The surface of the piezoelectric substrate is provided with a groove. The IDT electrode is disposed at the boundary between the piezoelectric substrate and the first dielectric layer in such a way that at least a part thereof is located in the groove. In the inside of the groove, the groove angle ?, which is the size of an angle formed by an upper end portion of the inside surface of the groove with the surface of the piezoelectric substrate, is less than 90 degrees.

Abstract: In a switching control circuit, a length of a soft start period is set by a time constant of an external circuit that is connected to a soft start terminal of a switching control IC. After a voltage of the soft start terminal has reached a predetermined voltage at the termination of the soft start period, the on-pulse period of a first switching device is limited by a maximum value. When a Zener diode is connected between the soft start terminal and ground, the upper limit voltage of the soft start terminal is a Zener voltage and, hence, the maximum on-pulse period is limited by this voltage. As a result, the switching control circuit and a switching power supply apparatus, which have a soft start function and a power limiting function, are reduced in size and cost by limiting the number of terminals.

Abstract: A wireless communication device includes a wireless IC device, a dielectric substrate, and a metal plate. A radiation conductor coupled to the wireless IC device is provided on the front surface of the dielectric substrate, and a ground conductor connected to the radiation conductor through an interlayer connection conductor is provided on a back surface. The dielectric substrate is fixed to the metal plate via an insulating adhesive, and is crimped by a conductive member. The front and back surfaces of the metal plate are electrically connected to each other by the conductive member, and when a high-frequency signal is supplied from the wireless IC device, a high-frequency signal current on the front surface side of the metal plate is conducted to the back surface side of the metal plate through a surface boundary portion between the conductive member and the metal plate, and radiated as a high-frequency signal.

Abstract: A ladder acoustic wave filter device is constructed such that ripples in the pass band are suppressed, and insertion loss is small in both of a high frequency side portion and a low frequency side portion of the pass band. Apodization weighting is applied to a series-arm-side IDT electrode. Busbars of the series-arm-side IDT electrode are configured so that in an acoustic wave propagation direction, a distance in an overlap width direction between the busbars becomes shorter as the overlap width of electrode fingers becomes smaller. Each of a pair of comb-shaped electrodes of a parallel-arm-side IDT electrode further includes a plurality of dummy electrodes that extend from a busbar and are opposed to electrode fingers of the other comb-shaped electrode in the overlap width direction. The parallel-arm-side IDT electrode is a normal IDT electrode in which the overlap width is constant.

Abstract: An electronic component that can be prevented from being mounted on a circuit board with inclination, and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. An electronic component is mountable on a circuit board including a first land and a second land. The electronic component includes outer electrodes on a lower surface of a stack to be arranged along a direction and are connectable to the first land and the second land, respectively. With the eletronic component mounted to the circuit board, respective contact surfaces of the outer electrodes to the first land and the second land have a structure being symmetric about a line parallel to the direction, and each respective contact surface is divided into a plurality of portions.

Abstract: A thin-film capacitor and a method for making the thin-film capacitor having a structure that can prevent vertical stress acting on outer connecting terminals, such as bumps, from concentrating on electrode layers, and capable of easily increasing the equivalent series resistance to a desired value. The thin-film capacitor includes a substrate, a capacitor unit disposed above the substrate and composed of at least one dielectric thin film and two electrode layers, a protective layer covering at least part of the capacitor unit, a lead conductor electrically connected to one of the electrode layers of the capacitor unit, and a bump disposed above the lead conductor. The lead conductor includes a connecting part disposed in an opening in the protective layer and electrically connected to one of the electrode layers of the capacitor unit, and a wiring part extending over the protective layer. The bump is disposed above the wiring part.

Abstract: A high-frequency module includes an inductor and an ESD protection element. The inductor is a circuit element defining a low pass filter, and includes parasitic capacitance between a signal line and a ground in a specific frequency band. The ESD protection element transfers a surge current flowing through a signal line to the ground, includes a capacitor in a specific frequency band, and has a configuration in which the capacitor and the parasitic capacitance of the inductor are connected in parallel.

Abstract: A package substrate includes a main package body including a first principal surface on which an IC is mounted, and a second principal surface, opposed to the first principal surface, on which first bonding materials for mounting are provided. An internal circuit is provided within the main package body and connected to the first bonding materials. A sub-package is arranged on the second principal surface and includes electronic components embedded therein. A thickness direction dimension being the distance from the second principal surface to a portion of the sub-package most distant from the second principal surface, is not more than a thickness direction dimension being the distance from the second principal surface to an edge of the first bonding material at the second principal surface.

Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a module board, an electronic component is mounted on a first principal surface of a small board. A cavity defining a through hole is formed in a core board. The electronic component is housed in the cavity by mounting the small board on a surface electrode arranged around the cavity. Resin layers are formed on both principal surfaces of the core board, and resin flows through a gap between the core board and the small board. Hence, the inside of the cavity is filled with the resin, and the electronic component is sealed with the resin.

Abstract: A ceramic body including therein conductors more effectively prevents ingress of moisture into voids between the conductors and the ceramic body. A supercritical fluid containing a monomer flows in the voids between internal electrode layers and a ceramic laminated body. Then, the voids between the internal electrode layers and the ceramic laminated body are filled with a polymer by the polymerization of the monomer.

Abstract: A highly reliable ESD protection device that prevents failure of discharge and variation of a discharge start voltage even when protection from static electricity is repeatedly performed includes a cavity provided in a ceramic multilayer substrate. First and second discharge electrodes are provided in the ceramic multilayer substrate and face each other across a gap. A tip of the first discharge electrode and a tip of the second discharge electrode are positioned at edges of the cavity or at positions receded from the edges.

Abstract: A high-temperature structural material which not only has a coefficient of thermal expansion close to the coefficient of thermal expansion of an electrolyte material, but also undergoes no decrease in mechanical strength even in a reducing atmosphere, and can be sintered at relatively low temperatures just by adding a predetermined sintering aid, a structural body for a solid electrolyte fuel cell, which is formed with the use of the high-temperature structural material, and a solid electrolyte fuel cell including the structural body. The high-temperature structural material contains strontium titanate and aluminum, wherein the aluminum is in an amount of 10 parts by mol or more and 60 parts by mol or less with respect to 100 parts by mol of the strontium titanate.

Abstract: A piezoelectric actuator that includes a piezoelectric substrate, first and second electrodes, and a conductive layer. The first and second electrodes are configured to apply a voltage to the piezoelectric substrate. The conductive layer is formed on the first electrode. The conductive layer is made of a metal or an alloy different in color from the second electrode.

Abstract: A light-emitting element where a positive electrode is formed on the surface of a transparent substrate; a hole transport layer is formed on the surface of the positive electrode; and a light-emitting layer made of quantum dots is formed on the surface of the hole transport layer. The light-emitting layer has a light-emitting region that emits light of a first predetermined wavelength in which a surfactant is present on the surface of the quantum dots and a non-light-emitting region that does not emit light in which a surfactant is absent on the surface of the quantum dots. A second light-emitting layer that emits light of a second predetermined wavelength is formed on the surface of the light-emitting layer, and a negative electrode is formed on the surface of the second light-emitting layer.

Abstract: A dual-band surface acoustic wave filter is mounted on a circuit board together with a high-frequency switch, constitutes a composite high-frequency component together with the high-frequency switch, and significantly reduces and prevents deterioration of filter characteristics of the composite high-frequency component. A first input terminal is located on a first corner portion of a second principal surface of a wiring board. A second input terminal is located on the second principal surface of the wiring board and along a first long side or a first short side so as to be next to the first input terminal. First and second output terminals are arranged on an edge portion of the second principal surface of the wiring board on a second long side and along the second long side.

Abstract: A surface acoustic wave device includes a piezoelectric substrate including a groove located in a surface thereof, an IDT electrode, and a dielectric film. The IDT electrode includes a first electrode layer located in the groove and a second electrode layer located outside the groove. The dielectric film is arranged on the piezoelectric substrate so as to cover the IDT electrode. The second electrode layer is tapered toward a side opposite to the piezoelectric substrate.

Abstract: A method of measuring characteristics of a specimen by holding the specimen on an aperture array structure, which is formed of a flat plate and which includes at least two apertures penetrating therethrough in a direction perpendicular to a principal surface thereof; applying a linearly-polarized electromagnetic wave to the aperture array structure on which the specimen is held; and detecting a frequency characteristic of the electromagnetic wave having transmitted through the aperture array structure. The aperture array structure has a lattice structure in which the apertures are periodically arrayed at least in one direction in the principal surface of the aperture array structure, and a ratio (s/A) of a lattice spacing (s) of the aperture array structure to a thickness (A) of the specimen is 100 or less.

Abstract: An operation-position detector having a tube that allows an ultrasonic signal to propagate therethrough. The tube has a plurality of holes capable of being selectively closed or opened by an operation and is provided with an ultrasonic transmitter-receiver arranged at a first end thereof. A signal processor drives the ultrasonic transmitter-receiver and causes an ultrasonic signal to propagate through the inside of the tube, receives a reflection signal corresponding to a closed or open state of each of the holes, and detects the state of each hole on the basis of the reflection signal, thereby detecting the operation position of an operation conducted by an operator.

Abstract: In an elastic wave device that significantly reduces and prevents deterioration of a frequency characteristic without roughening an undersurface of a piezoelectric substrate, a structure is bonded to a surface of a piezoelectric substrate other than a main surface of the piezoelectric substrate on which IDTs are located. The structure is provided so that a path difference is defined between a first component and a second component of a bulk wave that is excited by the IDT and propagates in the piezoelectric substrate toward the bonding surface. The first component of the bulk wave is reflected from the bonding surface. The second component of the bulk wave enters the structure from the bonding surface, propagates in the structure, enters the piezoelectric substrate from the bonding surface, and propagates in the same direction as that of the first component reflected from the bonding surface in the piezoelectric substrate.