Abstract: An immunostimulatory oligonucleotide that is represented by the general formula 5?-Gm-GACGATCGTC-Gn-3? or 5?-Gm-CACGATCGTG-Gn-3? (in the formula, m and n are each independently an integer from 1 to 9 and m+n=10) and that comprises any of the following base sequences: GGACGATCGTCGGGGGGGGG (SEQ. ID. NO.: 1), GGGACGATCGTCGGGGGGGG (SEQ. ID. NO.: 2), GGGGACGATCGTCGGGGGGG (SEQ. ID. NO.: 3), GGGGGGGACGATCGTCGGGG (SEQ ID NO: 4), GGGGGGGGACGATCGTCGGG (SEQ. ID. NO.: 5), GGGGGGGGGACGATCGTCGG (SEQ. ID. NO.: 6), GGGGGGGGGGACGATCGTCG (SEQ. ID. NO.: 7), and GGGGGGGGGCACGATCGTGG (SEQ. ID. NO.: 8).

Abstract: An immunostimulatory oligonucleotide that is represented by the general formula 5?-Gm-GACGATCGTC-Gn-3? or 5?-Gm-CACGATCGTG-Gn-3? (in the formula, m and n are each independently an integer from 1 to 9 and m+n=10) and that comprises any of the following base sequences: GGACGATCGTCGGGGGGGGG, (SEQ ID NO: 1) GGGACGATCGTCGGGGGGGG, (SEQ ID NO: 2) GGGGACGATCGTCGGGGGGG, (SEQ ID NO: 3) GGGGGGGACGATCGTCGGGG, (SEQ ID NO: 4) GGGGGGGGACGATCGTCGGG, (SEQ ID NO: 5) GGGGGGGGGACGATCGTCGG, (SEQ ID NO: 6) GGGGGGGGGGACGATCGTCG, (SEQ ID NO: 7) and GGGGGGGGGCACGATCGTGG.

Abstract: The posterior segment 20 of the orthodontic archwire of the present invention has the connector 30 provided in advance on the free end 23 of a loop 22 formed by bending one end of the segment. The archwire 1 where the main wire portion 10 of the anterior segment 10 is connected to the main wire portion 21 of the posterior segment 20 on the same axial center can be obtained by inserting and securing the connection end 12 formed by bending each opposite end of the said anterior segment 10 into the said connector 30.

Abstract: A lead frame is placed on a lower mold with its non-mounting surface facing upward. An unused portion of a resin tape is supplied between the upper mold and the lower mold. The resin tape is sucked to the upper mold and preheated. A molten resin is injected into a cavity for curing, with the upper and lower molds closed together, and with the lead frame positioned loosely without being tightly clamped between the upper and lower molds. The injected resin presses the lead frame against the resin tape on the upper mold surface. Thus, resin sealing is performed. In this method, the resin tape is kept in close contact with the non-mounting surface of the lead frame and held in a space of the lead frame for resin sealing, so that formation of a cured resin on the bottom surface of the package can be prevented.

Abstract: The posterior segment 20 of the orthodontic archwire of the present invention has the connector 30 provided in advance on the free end 23 of a loop 22 formed by bending one end of the segment. The archwire 1 where the main wire portion 10 of the anterior segment 10 is connected to the main wire portion 21 of the posterior segment 20 on the same axial center can be obtained by inserting and securing the connection end 12 formed by bending each opposite end of the said anterior segment 10 into the said connector 30.

Abstract: A lead frame is placed on a lower mold with its non-mounting surface facing upward. Unused portion of resin tape is supplied between the upper mold and the lower mold. The resin tape is sucked to the upper mold and preheated. A molten resin is poured into a cavity for curing with the upper and lower molds closed together. Thus, resin sealing is performed. In this method, the resin tape is kept in close contact with the non-mounting surface of the lead frame and held in a space of the lead frame for resin sealing, so that formation of a cured resin from the bottom surface of the package can be prevented.

Abstract: A hyper-resolution optical device which can focus a beam of light to a diameter less than the diffraction limit. The optical device has an optical system disposed on a transmissive substrate. One component in the optical system is a hyper-resolution optical component which passes or reflects light and which has a central portion which does not pass or reflect light, respectively. The hyper-resolution optical component can be integrated with the transmissive substrate. Such optical devices are particularly suitable for optical pick-up devices, laser printers, sensors.

Abstract: A semiconductor light emitting device which allows part of an active layer to generate light by supplying current to the part of the active layer is disclosed. The semiconductor light emitting device includes: a semiconductor substrate having upper and lower surfaces, the upper surface having a stepped portion, the stepped portion dividing the upper surface into at least a first area and a second area; a current confining layer, formed on the upper surface of the substrate, the current confining layer being discontinuous at the stepped portion, the current flowing through an area between the first area and the second area of the substrate; a multilayer structure formed on the current confining layer, the multilayer structure including the active layer; a first electrode which covers only part of an upper surface of the multilayer structure; and a second electrode formed over the lower surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A semiconductor laser device is disclosed which emits laser light from a facet. The semiconductor laser device comprises a multi-layered structure formed on a semiconductor substrate, the multi-layered structure having an AlGaAs active layer for laser oscillation, and a protective film formed on the facet, wherein a film containing sulfur is provided between the facet and the protective film.

Abstract: A semiconductor laser device is provided which is constituted by semiconductor materials so as to emit laser light from a cavity end facet, the laser light being excited in a waveguide within an active layer sandwiched between a pair of cladding layers, wherein a window layer made of a semiconductor material having a band gap greater than that of the active layer is formed on the cavity end facet from which the laser light is emitted, so as to have a thickness sufficient to prevent local generation of crystal defects by lattice mismatching between the semiconductor material of the window layer and the semiconductor materials at the cavity end facet. There is also provided a method for producing such a semiconductor laser device with high efficiency.

Abstract: A semiconductor laser device is disclosed which emits laser light from a facet. The semiconductor laser device comprises a multi-layered structure formed on a semiconductor substrate, the multi-layered structure having an AlGaAs active layer for laser oscillation, and a protective film formed on the facet, wherein a film containing sulfur is provided between the facet and the protective film.

Abstract: An optical information processing apparatus which includes a substrate of a transparent material, first and second optical waveguides formed on opposite faces of said transparent substrate, a light introducing device for introducing reflected light from an information writing medium into the first and second optical waveguides, and a detecting device for detecting a reproduction signal, tracking error signal and focusing error signal based on the reflected light introduced into the first and second optical waveguides.

Abstract: A window semiconductor laser device comprising a stripe-channeled substrate, an active layer for laser oscillation and a cladding layer disposed under the active layer, wherein the surface of the active layer is flat and the thickness of the portion of the active layer corresponding to the striped channel of said substrate in each of the window regions in the vicinity of the facets is thinner than that of the portion of the active corresponding to the striped channel of said substrate in the stimulated region positioned between the window regions.

Abstract: An ID unit storing ID data of an article is attached to the article to be recognized. A write/read control unit writes or reads predetermined data in a contactless manner into/from the ID unit through a head. A monitor unit can be attachably and detachably connected to the write/read control unit. The monitor unit has a mode setting device, a key input apparatus, and a display device. When the RUN mode is set, the control unit performs the writing/reading operations for the ID unit under control of an upper control apparatus. When the MONITOR mode is set, the control unit performs the writing/reading operations for the ID unit in response to an input command from the key input apparatus of the monitor unit. When the TEST mode is set, the writing/reading operations are continously executed and a check is made to see if each of the writing/reading operations has correctly been executed or not, and the result of the discrimination is displayed on the display device of the monitor unit.

Abstract: A semiconductor laser device and a method for the production of the semiconductor laser device are provided, which semiconductor laser device includes a striped channel formed in a semiconductor substrate through a current blocking layer on the substrate and at least two dummy grooves formed in the current blocking layer on each side of the striped channel. Also provided are a semiconductor wafer prepared for the purpose of producing optical devices with an optical waveguide, and a method for the production of the semiconductor wafer. The semiconductor wafer includes a semiconductor substrate, the surface of which has an orientation inclined from the [100] direction to one of the [011] and [011] directions of an angle .theta. satisfying the relationship 0.1.degree.<.vertline..theta..vertline.<4.degree.

Abstract: A semiconductor laser device is disclosed which comprises a semiconductor substrate, a striped mesa disposed on the substrate and having an active layer for laser oscillation, a current injection layer disposed on the striped mesa and having a width smaller than that of the striped mesa, and a burying layer disposed on both sides of the current injection layer so as to come into contact with the side walls of the current injection layer, the burying layer being capable of absorbing laser light produce in the active layer and of preventing current from flowing through the outside of the striped mesa.

Abstract: There is disclosed a semiconductor laser device with a strip-channeled substrate and a double-heterostructure multi-layered crystal disposed over the substrate, the multi-layered crystal containing an active layer for laser oscillation.

Abstract: A photoelectric switching apparatus comprises: a light projecting device; a photo sensing device; an objective lens having a double structure comprising an outer peripheral portion and a central portion each of which acts as a lens; and a reflecting surface to deflect the lights on the optical axis of the central portion of the objective lens to the side. An elongated portion which extends on the optical axis of the central portion of the objective lens and has the reflecting surface at the end portion thereof is formed integrally with the objective lens.

Abstract: A semiconductor laser device with a protective film on the facets, wherein said protective film is made of a multi-layered dielectric film composed of alternate layers consisting of at least two kinds of dielectric film, one of which is a first dielectric film of low refractive index and the other of which is a dielectric film of high refractive index, said multi-layered dielectric film which covers at least one of the facets therewith being a light-permeable film with a reflectivity of 30% or less.

Abstract: A semiconductor laser array includes a plurality of stripe-shaped stimulated regions of the index guide type. A plurality of buried layers are disposed between each of the plurality of stripe-shaped stimulated regions. A light absorption layer is formed in each of the plurality of stripe-shaped stimulated regions so that the stimulated region has the optical loss greater than an buried layer, whereby optical coupling is performed with no phase difference.