Abstract: A motor drive device has a spindle motor driver adapted to drive a spindle motor. the spindle motor driver includes lower side NMOSFETs, one for each phase, which connect and disconnect terminals, one for each phase, of the spindle motor to and from a ground terminal; a controller adapted to generate a switch control signal and a brake control signal; lower side pre-drivers, one for each phase, connected between an application terminal of an internal power supply voltage and the ground terminal and adapted to generate lower side gate signals, one for each phase, in accordance with the switch control signal to output the lower side gate signals to the lower side NMOSFETs, one for each phase; and a brake unit adapted to pull up to the internal power supply voltage all the lower side gate signals, one for each phase, in accordance with the brake control signal.

Abstract: A motor drive device has a motor driver adapted to receive a first power supply voltage to drive a motor; an internal regulator adapted to generate from an input voltage an internal power supply voltage; and a power supply switcher adapted to receive both the first power supply voltage and a second power supply voltage lower than the first power supply voltage to output, as the input voltage, the second power supply voltage when the second power supply voltage is normal and to output, as the input voltage, the first power supply voltage when the second power supply voltage is abnormal.

Abstract: A motor drive device has a spindle motor driver adapted to receive electric power from a power supply line to drive a spindle motor; an isolation switch adapted to connect and disconnect an application terminal of a power supply voltage to and from the power supply line, and a current monitor adapted to monitor a first current flowing into the isolation switch.

Abstract: A light-emitting apparatus includes a light-emitting, a first lead, a second lead, and a resin molded body configured to support the first lead and the second lead. The main surfaces of the first and second leads includes first and second coverage areas covered by the resin molded body and first and second exposure regions exposed from the resin molded body at a window portion of the resin molded body, respectively. First and second metal layers are provided to cover main surfaces of the first and second leads at first and second exposure regions, respectively.

Abstract: A thermal printhead includes a substrate, a resistor layer formed on the substrate, an electrode layer formed on the substrate and electrically connected to the resistor layer, and an insulating layer. The electrode layer includes a first electrically conductive portion and a second electrically conductive portion spaced apart from each other. The resistor layer includes a heater portion that bridges the first electrically conductive portion and the second electrically conductive portion as viewed in the thickness direction of the substrate. The insulating layer includes a portion positioned between the electrode layer and the heater portion. This arrangement reduces formation of a eutectic region between the heater portion and the electrode layer.

Abstract: A semiconductor light-emitting device includes a substrate, an LED chip mounted on the substrate, and a resin package covering the LED chip. The substrate includes a base and a wiring pattern formed on the base. The resin package includes a lens. The base includes an upper surface, a lower surface and a side surface extending between the upper surface and the lower surface. The LED chip is mounted on the upper surface of the base. The side surface of the base is oriented in a lateral direction. The wiring pattern includes a pair of first mount portions and a pair of second mount portions. The paired first mount portions are formed on the lower surface of the base. The paired second mount portions are oriented in the lateral direction and offset from the side surface of the base in the lateral direction.

Abstract: A semiconductor device provided with a silicon carbide semiconductor substrate, and an ohmic metal layer joined to one surface of the silicon carbide semiconductor substrate in an ohmic contact and composed of a metal material whose silicide formation free energy and carbide formation free energy respectively take negative values. The ohmic metal layer is composed of, for example, a metal material such as molybdenum, titanium, chromium, manganese, zirconium, tantalum, or tungsten.

Abstract: There is provided a semiconductor device with which stress can be prevented from locally concentrating on an external connecting terminal on a post and thus damages of the external connecting terminal can be prevented. The semiconductor device includes a semiconductor chip, a sealing resin layer stacked on a surface of the semiconductor chip, and the post which penetrates the sealing resin layer in a stacking direction of the semiconductor chip and the sealing resin layer, protrudes from the sealing resin layer, and has a periphery of the protruding portion opposedly in contact with a surface of the sealing resin layer in the stacking direction.

Abstract: There is provided a dye-sensitized photovoltaic device, which can achieve low-resistivity of an optical transparent electrode film composing first and second electrodes and can improve photovoltaic power generation characteristics, includes: a first substrate; a first electrode disposed on the first substrate; a catalyst layer formed on the first electrode and having a catalytic activity for a redox electrolyte; an electrolysis solution contacted with the catalyst layer and dissolving a redox electrolyte in a solvent; a porous semiconductor layer contacted with the electrolysis solution and including semiconductor fine particles and dye molecules; a second electrode disposed on the porous semiconductor layer; a second substrate disposed on the second electrode; and a sealant disposed between the first and second substrates, and sealing the electrolysis solution. The first and second electrodes are composed of an annealed layer of an ITO fine particles contained film coated on the first and second substrates.

Abstract: A rotation control apparatus includes: a controller configured to supply test currents to a plurality of different paths of a motor when the motor is stopped; and a stop position detector configured to detect a rotational position of the motor based on an order of current values of the test currents. The controller causes one of the test currents to flow through one of the plurality of different paths, measure time taken until the corresponding detection voltage reaches a reference voltage, and set electrical conduction time of the test currents based on a result of the measurement.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a gate insulating film formed on the semiconductor substrate; a floating gate formed on the gate insulating film; a control gate formed on the floating gate and has a side coplanar with a side of the floating gate; a tunnel diffusion layer facing a portion of the floating gate; and a tunnel window formed in a portion of the gate insulating film between the floating gate and the tunnel diffusion layer, the tunnel window being formed to be thinner than a remaining peripheral portion of the gate insulating film.

Abstract: According to the present disclosure, a manufacturing method of a fine wiring pattern is disclosed. The manufacturing method includes preparing a support member, forming a first layer on the support member by thick-film printing, and forming a second layer including Ag on the first layer by the thick-film printing. The method also includes forming a predetermined fine wiring pattern by performing an etching process upon the first layer and the second layer.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device having a VDMOSFET (Vertical Double-diffused Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor) and a planar gate MOSFET (Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor), including forming a semiconductor layer of a first conductivity type by epitaxy, forming a body region recess for forming a body region of the VDMOSFET on the semiconductor layer, and embedding a semiconductor material of a second conductivity type in the body region recess by epitaxy or CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition).

Abstract: A microchip which includes a fluid circuit defined by a space formed in the microchip and migrates a liquid present in the fluid circuit to a desired position in the fluid circuit by an applied centrifugal force, and a movement path control region (a surface region where an uneven pattern is formed on an inner surface of the fluid circuit) for controlling a movement path of the fluid.

Abstract: An LED flash module includes: a module substrate; an energy device disposed on the module substrate; an LED module arranged on the module substrate includes a plurality of LED blocks arranged in a first direction, each LED block including a plurality of LED elements which is arranged in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and emits light with power supplied from the energy device; a charger circuit arranged on the module substrate to charge the energy device; and a control circuit arranged on the module substrate to control emission of LED elements. A wiring length from one of the LED elements to a plus terminal of a power supply portion supplying power to each of the LED elements and a wiring length from the one of the LED elements to a minus terminal of the power supply portion is substantially the same for all of the LED elements.

Abstract: A light emitting device includes a light emitting element, a wire connected to the light emitting element, and a substrate supporting the light emitting element. The substrate is formed with a first recess and a second recess that are open in a common surface of the substrate. The first recess includes a first bottom surface and a first side surface connected to the first bottom surface, and the light emitting element is disposed on the first bottom surface. The second recess includes a second bottom surface and a second side surface connected to the second bottom surface, and the wire is bonded to the second bottom surface. Both of the first side surface and the second side surface reach the common surface. The first side surface is connected to both of the second bottom surface and the second side surface. The opening area of the first recess is larger than the opening area of the second recess.

Abstract: A semiconductor device in which a semiconductor chip, a lead frame and metal wires for electrically connecting the lead frame are sealed with sealing resin. The lead frame has a plurality of lead terminal portions, a supporting portion for supporting the semiconductor chip, and hanging lead portions supporting the supporting portion. Each of the lead terminal portions adjacent to the hanging lead portion is a chamfered lead terminal portion having, at its head, a chamfered portion formed substantially in parallel with the hanging lead portion so as to avoid interference with the hanging lead portion.

Abstract: A microchip includes fluid circuits therein, formed by uniting together at least a first substrate that is a transparent substrate and a second substrate having grooves provided at the substrate surface and/or through holes penetrating in a thickness direction. The fluid circuits include a liquid reagent receptacle unit to store a liquid reagent, a quantification unit to quantify the liquid reagent or specimen, and an overflow liquid storage unit connected to the quantification unit to store the liquid reagent or specimen overflowing from the quantification unit during quantification. There is also provided a method of using the microchip.

Abstract: Provided is a liquid reagent containing microchip having a fluid circuit formed of a space inside thereof. Liquid present in the fluid circuit is transferred to a desired position in the fluid circuit by applying centrifugal force. The fluid circuit includes a reagent retaining portion for accommodating a liquid reagent. The microchip includes an air introduction path formed of a groove provided on an outer surface of the microchip and coupled to the reagent retaining portion for introducing air into the reagent retaining portion, and a sealing portion provided so as to be detachable from the microchip for sealing the air introduction path. A method of using the microchip and a packaged liquid reagent containing microchip using the microchip are also provided.

Abstract: A capacitive pressure sensor includes: a semiconductor substrate having a reference pressure chamber formed therein; a diaphragm which is formed in a front surface of the semiconductor substrate and has a ring-like peripheral through hole penetrating between the front surface of the semiconductor substrate and the reference pressure chamber and defining an upper electrode and a plurality of central through holes; a peripheral insulating layer which fills the peripheral through hole and electrically isolates the upper electrode from other portions of the semiconductor substrate; and a central insulating layer which fills the central through holes.