Abstract: A near-field exposure mask according to an embodiment includes: a silicon substrate; and a near-field light generating unit that is formed on the silicon substrate, the near-field light generating unit being a layer containing at least one element selected from the group consisting of Au, Al, Ag, Cu, Cr, Sb, W, Ni, In, Ge, Sn, Pb, Zn, Pd, and C, or a film stack formed with layers made of some of those materials.

Abstract: An organic molecular memory of an embodiment includes a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer, and an organic molecular layer interposed between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer, the organic molecular layer including charge-storage molecular chains or variable-resistance molecular chains, the charge-storage molecular chains or the variable-resistance molecular chains including fused polycyclic groups.

Abstract: A near-field exposure mask according to an embodiment includes: a substrate; a concave-convex structure having convexities and concavities and formed on one surface of the substrate; a near-field light generating film arranged at least on a tip portion of each of the convexities, the near-field light generating film being a layer containing at least one element selected from the group consisting of Au, Al, Ag, Cu, Cr, Sb, W, Ni, In, Ge, Sn, Pb, Zn, Pd, and C, or a film stack formed with layers made of some of those materials; and a resin filled in each of the concavities.

Abstract: An organic molecular memory of an embodiment includes a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer, and an organic molecular layer interposed between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer, the organic molecular layer including charge-storage molecular chains or variable-resistance molecular chains, the charge-storage molecular chains or the variable-resistance molecular chains including fused polycyclic groups.

Abstract: A near-field exposure mask according to an embodiment includes: a silicon substrate; and a near-field light generating unit that is formed on the silicon substrate, the near-field light generating unit being a layer containing at least one element selected from the group consisting of Au, Al, Ag, Cu, Cr, Sb, W, Ni, In, Ge, Sn, Pb, Zn, Pd, and C, or a film stack formed with layers made of some of those materials.

Abstract: A near-field exposure mask according to an embodiment includes: a substrate; a concave-convex structure having convexities and concavities and formed on one surface of the substrate; a near-field light generating film arranged at least on a tip portion of each of the convexities, the near-field light generating film being a layer containing at least one element selected from the group consisting of Au, Al, Ag, Cu, Cr, Sb, W, Ni, In, Ge, Sn, Pb, Zn, Pd, and C, or a film stack formed with layers made of some of those materials; and a resin filled in each of the concavities.

Abstract: A solid catalyst having a close-packed structure has basic structural units present in the surface of the solid catalyst, the basic structural units including (i) a triangular lattice constituted of atoms of platinum, ruthenium, and at least one additional element which are disposed at the vertexes in the triangular lattice so that each atom of one of the elements adjoins atoms of the other elements or (ii) a rhombic lattice constituted of atoms of platinum, ruthenium, and at least one additional element which are disposed at the vertexes in the rhombic lattice in an atomic ratio of 1:2:1 so that each ruthenium atom directly adjoins a platinum atom and an atom of the additional element; and a fuel cell includes either of the solid catalyst as an anode-side electrode catalyst.

Abstract: A near-field exposure mask according to an embodiment includes: a substrate; a concave-convex structure having convexities and concavities and formed on one surface of the substrate; a near-field light generating film arranged at least on a tip portion of each of the convexities, the near-field light generating film being a layer containing at least one element selected from the group consisting of Au, Al, Ag, Cu, Cr, Sb, W, Ni, In, Ge, Sn, Pb, Zn, Pd, and C, or a film stack formed with layers made of some of those materials; and a resin filled in each of the concavities.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a waveguide includes: a substrate and a member. The member covers at least a part of the substrate and has a difference in the refractive index from the substrate not less than 2. A plurality of concave parts are provided on the substrate. The concave parts are arrayed on an upper face of the substrate. At least a part of a side face of each of the concave parts includes an arc. An inner diameter of each of the concave parts is not more than 50 nm. Intervals of the neighboring concave parts are not more than the inner diameter. The member fills the concave part.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a carbon dioxide absorbing solution capable of avoiding precipitation of a product formed by the reaction with carbon dioxide. The absorbing solution is an aqueous solution characterized by containing an amino acid salt comprising at least one carboxylic acid salt connected to a heterocyclic ring including at least one nitrogen atom as the ring member atom.

Abstract: A method using a chemical synthesis method to produce a metallic nanoparticle inorganic composite having fine metallic nanoparticles that are uniformly dispersed at a high density in a solidified matrix, a metallic nanoparticle inorganic composite, and a plasmon waveguide using this composite are provided. Thus, a method including: preparing a precursor solution, applying the precursor solution onto a substrate, and then hydrolyzing the precursor solution to form an oxide film having fine pores, bringing the oxide film into contact with an acidic aqueous solution of tin chloride to chemically adsorb Sn2+ ions in the fine pores, removing an excess of the Sn2+ ions, bringing the oxide film into contact with an aqueous metal chelate solution to precipitate metallic nanoparticles in the fine pores, and removing an excess of ions of the metal is provided.

Abstract: An organic molecular memory of an embodiment includes a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer, and an organic molecular layer interposed between the first conductive layer and the second conductive layer, the organic molecular layer including charge-storage molecular chains or variable-resistance molecular chains, the charge-storage molecular chains or the variable-resistance molecular chains including fused polycyclic groups.

Abstract: A near-field exposure mask according to an embodiment includes: a silicon substrate; and a near-field light generating unit that is formed on the silicon substrate, the near-field light generating unit being a layer containing at least one element selected from the group consisting of Au, Al, Ag, Cu, Cr, Sb, W, Ni, In, Ge, Sn, Pb, Zn, Pd, and C, or a film stack formed with layers made of some of those materials.

Abstract: An acid gas absorbent of which recovery amount of acid gas such as carbon dioxide is high, and an acid gas removal device and an acid gas removal method using the acid gas absorbent are provided. The acid gas absorbent of the embodiment comprising at least one type of tertiary amine compound represented by the following general formula (1). (In the above-stated formula (1), either one of the R1, R2 represents a substituted or non-substituted alkyl group of which carbon number is 2 to 5, and the other one represents a substituted or non-substituted alkyl group of which carbon number is 1 to 5. The R3 represents a methyl group or an ethyl group, and the R4 represents a hydroxyalkyl group. The R1, R2 may either be the same or different, and they may be coupled to form a cyclic structure.

Abstract: A process for producing a metallic-nanoparticle inorganic composite 10 includes an oxide film formation step in which an oxide film 14 having micropores is formed on a substrate by a sol-gel method in which a metal alkoxide is partly hydrolyzed by the action of an acid catalyst, a tin deposition step in which the oxide film 14 is brought into contact with an acidic aqueous solution of tin chloride, an excess Sn2+ ion removal step in which Sn2+ ions are removed from the micropores, a metallic-nanoparticle deposition step in which the oxide film 14 is brought into contact with an aqueous solution of a metal chelate to deposit metallic nanoparticles 12 in the micropores, and an excess metal ion removal step in which metal ions are removed from the micropores; and a metallic-nanoparticle inorganic composite 10 is produced by this process.

Abstract: A process for producing a metallic-nanoparticle inorganic composite 10 includes an oxide film formation step in which an oxide film 14 having micropores is formed on a substrate by a sol-gel method in which a metal alkoxide is partly hydrolyzed by the action of an acid catalyst, a tin deposition step in which the oxide film 14 is brought into contact with an acidic aqueous solution of tin chloride, an excess Sn2+ ion removal step in which Sn2+ ions are removed from the micropores, a metallic-nanoparticle deposition step in which the oxide film 14 is brought into contact with an aqueous solution of a metal chelate to deposit metallic nanoparticles 12 in the micropores, and an excess metal ion removal step in which metal ions are removed from the micropores; and a metallic-nanoparticle inorganic composite 10 is produced by this process.

Abstract: A refractive index variable element includes a structure including quantum dots having discrete energy levels and a dielectric matrix surrounding the quantum dots, and an electron injector injecting an electron into the quantum dots through the dielectric matrix.

Abstract: It is made possible to provide an optical waveguide system that has a coupling mechanism capable of selecting a wavelength and has the highest possible conversion efficiency, and that is capable of providing directivity in the light propagation direction. An optical waveguide system includes: a three-dimensional photonic crystalline structure including crystal pillars and having a hollow structure inside thereof; an optical waveguide in which a plurality of metal nanoparticles are dispersed in a dielectric material, the optical waveguide having an end portion inserted between the crystal pillars of the three-dimensional photonic crystalline structure, and containing semiconductor quantum dots that are located adjacent to the metal nanoparticles and emit near-field light when receiving excitation light, the metal nanoparticles exciting surface plasmon when receiving the near-field light; and an excitation light source that emits the excitation light for exciting the semiconductor quantum dots.

Abstract: A refractive index variable element has a structure including a solid matrix, and one or more types of quantum dots dispersed in the solid matrix and having discrete occupied and unoccupied electron energy levels. The quantum dots perform a function of generating a pair of positive and negative charges upon irradiation with light, a function of trapping a positive charge, and a function of trapping a negative charge. The quantum dots performing the function of trapping a negative charge are selected from the group consisting of a combination of a negatively charged accepter and a positively charged atom, where the outermost electron shell of the positively charged atom is fully filled with electrons so that an additional electron occupies an upper different shell orbital when receives an electron, a metal chelate complex, and metallocene and derivatives thereof.

Abstract: A solid catalyst has a close-packed structure and has a first surface layer and a second surface layer, wherein the first surface layer includes platinum as a main component and the second surface layer contains PtaXb (wherein X is one element selected from the group consisting of Zr, Hf, Nb, Ta, Mo, and W; a+b=100; and 25?b?50); and a fuel cell includes the solid catalyst as an anode-side electrode catalyst.