Abstract: A laser annealing apparatus according to an embodiment includes a laser light source, an annealing optical system, a linear irradiation region along a Y-direction, a moving mechanism configured to change a relative position of the irradiation region with respect to the substrate along an X-direction, an illumination light source configured to generate illumination light for illuminating the substrate along a third direction, and a detector configured to detect detection light reflected, in a fourth direction, on the substrate illuminated by the illumination light so as to photograph an annealed part of the substrate in a linear field of view along the Y-direction. In a YZ-plane view, the third direction is inclined from the vertical direction and the fourth direction is inclined from the vertical direction.

Abstract: In a method for measuring transmission parameters of a balanced pair, a unbalanced type equipment which is widely used as compared to a balanced type equipment which is not used in practical is used. In the measurement, the balanced pair is connected to the unbalanced type equipment or via a unbalanced/balanced type transformer thereto at the measuring end, wherein predetermined terminated states are set at the measuring and far-ends to measure input admittances dependent on the terminated states. A characteristic impedance and a propagation constant for the transmission parameters are calculated from predetermined equations into which the measured input admittances are substituted.

Abstract: An elastic supporting and sealing member, for mutually supporting a first body and a second body, and for sealing the gap between the first body and the second body, includes a first portion and a second portion of wire net and a piece of thermal foaming material, between the first and the second wire net portion, which expands and foams when it is heated up. A method of making such a member includes the steps of flattening a tubular shaped piece of wire net, and of introducing a strip shaped piece of such thermal foaming material between the two sides of the flattened tube of wire net, so that the longitudinal directions of the strip shaped piece of thermal foaming material and of the flattened wire net tube substantially coincide.

Abstract: A catalytic converter includes a tubular casing within which is held a monolithic catalyst body which is generally of a columnar shape. The ends of the monolithic catalyst body are each engaged with a cushion ring, and each cushion ring is engaged with a retainer ring therefor, which is substantially axially fixed within the casing near to an end thereof. The monolithic catalyst body is supported within the casing by axial compressive force present between the retainer rings on the outside, the cushion rings between the retainer rings, and the monolithic catalyst body between the cushion rings.