Abstract: A method of manufacturing a transparent conductive film is provided, which is capable of obtaining a transparent conductive film having both reduced specific resistance and reduced film compressive stress, and a transparent conductive film manufactured by the same method is also provided. The temperature of a substrate placed in opposed relation to an anode is set to not more than 130° C. A plasma beam is generated by discharge plasma generating means constituting a cathode and guided to the anode such that an evaporation material received in the anode evaporates and particles of the evaporated materials are ionized, to thereby form the transparent conductive film on a surface of the substrate. The transparent conductive film thus formed is subjected to a heat treatment at a temperature of not less than 180° C. The resulting transparent conductive film has a specific resistivity of 230 &mgr;&OHgr;·cm or less and a film compressive stress of 0.35 GPa or less.

Abstract: In foam molding for molding a foam-molded article from a foaming material, heat is applied while controlling the amount of foaming of the foaming material, control of the amount of foaming of the foaming material is halted, heating of the foaming material is removed and the foaming material is molded into a desired shape. The foaming material can be molded into a prescribed shape and at high speed even if the molded article is a complicated one.