Abstract: A complex material, which emits light with a light hand or finger touch of a person and only when subjected to a stress, comprises stress emission particles and an elastic material. The stress emission particles such as SrAl2O4:Eu particles emit light when subjected to a stress. The elastic material is a soft material having a Young's modulus smaller than 10 MPa, such as silicone rubber, synthetic rubber, natural rubber, or the like. Weight percent of the particles in the complex material is from equal to or more than 10% to less than 100%, ore preferably from equal to or less more than 10% to equal to or less than 90%. The particles are preferably surface-treated by a silane coupling agent. The complex material is used as an artificial light-emitting skin or an artificial light-emitting body.

Abstract: An epitaxial rare earth oxide (001)/silicon (001) structure is realized by epitaxially growing a rare earth oxide such as cerium dioxide in the (001) orientation on a (001)-oriented silicon substrate. For this purpose, the surface of the (001)-oriented Si substrate is processed into a dimer structure by 2×1, 1×2 surface reconstruction, and a rare earth oxide of a cubic system or a tetragonal system, such as CeO2 film, is epitaxially grown in the (001) orientation on the Si substrate by molecular beam epitaxy, for example. During this growth, a source material containing at least one kind of rare earth element is supplied after the supply of an oxidic gas is supplied onto the surface of the Si substrate. If necessary, annealing is conducted in vacuum after the growth.

Abstract: A complex material, which emits light with a light hand or finger touch of a person and only when subjected to a stress, comprises stress emission particles and an elastic material. The stress emission particles such as SrAl2O4:Eu particles emit light when subjected to a stress. The elastic material is a soft material having a Young's modulus smaller than 10 MPa, such as silicone rubber, synthetic rubber, natural rubber, or the like. Weight percent of the particles in the complex material is from equal to or more than 10% to less than 100%, ore preferably from equal to or less more than 10% to equal to or less than 90%. The particles are preferably surface-treated by a silane coupling agent. The complex material is used as an artificial light-emitting skin or an artificial light-emitting body.

Abstract: An epitaxial rare earth oxide (110)/silicon (001) structure is realized by epitaxially growing a rare earth oxide such as cerium dioxide in the (110) orientation on a (001)-oriented silicon substrate at a growth temperature lower than conventional ones. For this purpose, the surface of the (001)-oriented Si substrate is processed into a dimer structure by 2×1, 1×2 surface reconstruction, and a rare earth oxide of a cubic system or a tetragonal system, such as CeO2 film, is epitaxially grown in the (110) orientation on the Si substrate in an atmosphere containing an oxidic gas by using a source material made up of at least one kind of rare earth element. During this growth, a source material containing at least one kind of rare earth element is supplied after the supply of an oxidic gas is supplied onto the surface of the Si substrate.

Abstract: An epitaxial rare earth oxide (001)/silicon (001) structure is realized by epitaxially growing a rare earth oxide such as cerium dioxide in the (001) orientation on a (001)-oriented silicon substrate. For this purpose, the surface of the (001)-oriented Si substrate is processed into a dimer structure by 2×1, 1×2 surface reconstruction, and a rare earth oxide of a cubic system or a tetragonal system, such as CeO2 film, is epitaxially grown in the (001) orientation on the Si substrate by molecular beam epitaxy, for example. During this growth, a source material containing at least one kind of rare earth element is supplied after the supply of an oxidic gas is supplied onto the surface of the Si substrate. If necessary, annealing is conducted in vacuum after the growth.

Abstract: An epitaxial rare earth oxide (001)/silicon (001) structure is realized by epitaxially growing a rare earth oxide such as cerium dioxide in the (001) orientation on a (001)-oriented silicon substrate. For this purpose, the surface of the (001)-oriented Si substrate is processed into a dimer structure by 2×1, 1×2 surface reconstruction, and a rare earth oxide of a cubic system or a tetragonal system, such as CeO2 film, is epitaxially grown in the (001) orientation on the Si substrate by molecular beam epitaxy, for example. During this growth, a source material containing at least one kind of rare earth element is supplied after the supply of an oxidic gas is supplied onto the surface of the Si substrate. If necessary, annealing is conducted in vacuum after the growth.

Abstract: A driving system using an intercalation substance as a novel mechanochemical system includes an actuator using the intercalation substance and driven by exchange of solutions or by changing concentration of a solution, and a solution supplier that supplies the actuator with the driving solution or solutions. The actuator is composed of one or more cylindrical or fiber-shaped elements each extending in the expanding and contracting direction of the intercalation substance, or one or more film-shaped or plate-shaped elements each having a major surface extending vertically of the expanding and contracting direction of the intercalation substance. The driving system is used as artificial muscle, for example.

Abstract: It is intended to provide a ferroelectric that exhibits superior ferroelectricity. A ferroelectric provided is an oxide having a layered crystal structure that is composed of Bi, a first element Me, a second element R, and O. The first element Me is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Na, K, Ca, Ba, Sr, Pb, and Bi. The second element R is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Fe, Ti, Nb, Ta, and W. Ninety-eight percent or more of the entire body of the ferroelectric exhibits ferroelectricity. After an oxide having a layered crystal structure has been grown by a vapor-phase method (crystal growth step), electrodes are attached to the oxide having a layered crystal structure and a voltage is applied thereto (voltage application step).

Abstract: An epitaxial rare earth oxide (110)/silicon (001) structure is realized by epitaxially growing a rare earth oxide such as cerium dioxide in the (110) orientation on a (001)-oriented silicon substrate at a growth temperature lower than conventional ones. For this purpose, the surface of the (001)-oriented Si substrate is processed into a dimer structure by 2×1, 1×2 surface reconstruction, and a rare earth oxide of a cubic system or a tetragonal system, such as CeO2 film, is epitaxially grown in the (110) orientation on the Si substrate in an atmosphere containing an oxidic gas by using a source material made up of at least one kind of rare earth element. During this growth, a source material containing at least one kind of rare earth element is supplied after the supply of an oxidic gas is supplied onto the surface of the Si substrate.

Abstract: A solid-state displacement element includes an inorganic layered compound having a layered structure and an organic substance inserted between layers of the inorganic layered compound. The solid-state displacement element expands or contracts in the lamination direction of the inorganic layered compound when irradiated with controlling light. An optical element and an interference filter using the same principle of expansion or contraction as that in the solid-state displacement element are also disclosed.

Abstract: A driving system using an intercalation substance as a novel mechanochemical system includes an actuator using the intercalation substance and driven by exchange of solutions or by changing concentration of a solution, and a solution supplier that supplies the actuator with the driving solution or solutions. The actuator is composed of one or more cylindrical or fiber-shaped elements each extending in the expanding and contracting direction of the intercalation substance, or one or more film-shaped or plate-shaped elements each having a major surface extending vertically of the expanding and contracting direction of the intercalation substance. The driving system is used as artificial muscle, for example.

Abstract: A layer-structured oxide exhibiting a paraelectric characteristic and a layer-structured oxide having a preferable remanent polarization, and a process of producing the same. A layer-structured oxide containing Bi, a first component Me, a second component R, and O is produced by heating raw materials at a high temperature of about 1400° C. for several ten minutes by a self-flux method using Bi2O3 as a flux. The first component Me is composed of at least one kind selected from a group consisting of Sr, Pb, Ba, and Ca, and the second component R is composed of at least one kind selected from a group consisting of Nb and Ta. The composition formula of the oxide is expressed by Bi2−aMe1+bR2O9+c where a, b, and c are values in ranges of 0<a<2, 0<b≦0.4, and −0.3≦c≦1.4. The layer-structured oxide exhibits a paraelectric characteristic or a ferroelectric characteristic at a composition in a specific range out of the stoichiometric composition.

Abstract: A layer crystal structure oxide, and memory element comprising same, comprising bismuth (Bi), a first element, a second element and oxygen (O), wherein the first element is at least one selected from the group consisting of sodium (Na), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), barium (Ba), strontium (Sr), lead (Pb), and bismuth (Bi), the second element is at least one selected from the group consisting of iron (Fe), titanium (Ti), niobium (Nb), tantalum (Ta), and tungsten (W), and the composition ratio of the bismuth with respect to the second element is larger than the stoichiometric composition ratio, wherein, the composition ratio of the bismuth with respect to the first element is in the range of (2±0.17)/(m−1) including the stoichiometric composition ratio 2/(m−1), where m is an integer from, and including, 2 to 5.

Abstract: It is intended to provide a ferroelectric that exhibits superior ferroelectricity. A ferroelectric provided is an oxide having a layered crystal structure that is composed of Bi, a first element Me, a second element R, and O. The first element Me is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Na, K, Ca, Ba, Sr, Pb, and Bi. The second element R is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Fe, Ti, Nb, Ta, and W. Ninety-eight percent or more of the entire body of the ferroelectric exhibits ferroelectricity. After an oxide having a layered crystal structure has been grown by a vapor-phase method (crystal growth step), electrodes are attached to the oxide having a layered crystal structure and a voltage is applied thereto (voltage application step).

Abstract: Provided are a layered crystal structure oxide showing ferroelectricity or paraelectricity and a process for easily producing the same. A raw material containing Bi.sub.2 O.sub.3 as a flux is heated up to 1330.degree. C. or higher and 1450.degree. C. or lower at a suitable temperature-elevating rate (heating step); the raw material is maintained at this heating temperature for prescribed time (constant temperature step); and then, it is slowly cooled down to 800.degree. C. or higher and 1300.degree. C. or lower at a rate of 1.degree. C./hour or more and 20.degree. C./hour or less (slow cooling step). This makes it possible to evaporate the flux and take out directly Bi.sub.2 SrTa.sub.2 O.sub.9. In this Bi.sub.2 SrTa.sub.2 O.sub.9, Bi is partially substituted with Sr, and oxygen is selectively deficient or disordered. Or, Bi and O in the fluorite layer are relatively displaced each other in the polarization direction.

Abstract: A production method of a crystal structure oxide that includes the steps of evaporating the material by heating the material to generate a gas phase and precipitating crystals from the gas phase at a precipitating part so as to produce a layer crystal structure oxide. The precipitating part is provided away from the material in a range of greater than or equal to about 10 mm to about 30 mm.

Abstract: A ceramic composition having the general formula:xNa.sub.2 O.yTa.sub.2 O.sub.5wherein the ratio of x/y is at least 0.85 less than 1.00, the composition having a coefficient of thermal expansion which matches that of a metal thin film type magnetic recording head so that the composition can be used as a base for the head with a minimum risk of detachment or peeling between the metal thin film and the ceramic composition substrate.

Abstract: A ceramic composition particularly useful for use in thin film magnetic heads, the composition having the general formula:xNaO.yNb.sub.2 O.sub.5wherein the ratio x/y is at least 0.74 but less than 1.00, the composition having a coefficient of thermal expansion closely matching that of the magnetic alloy film with which it is used so as to prevent separation of the two upon changes in temperature.