Abstract: A manufacturing method of a TMR element having a tunnel barrier layer sandwiched between lower and upper ferromagnetic layers. A fabricating process of the tunnel barrier layer includes a step of depositing a first metallic material film on the lower ferromagnetic layer, a step of oxidizing the deposited first metallic material film using an oxygen gas with a first pressure, a step of depositing a second metallic material film of the same material as that of the first metallic film or of metallic material containing primarily the same material as that of the first metallic film, on the oxidized first metallic film, and a step of oxidizing the deposited second metallic material film using an oxygen gas with a second pressure that is lower than the first pressure.

Abstract: A manufacturing method of a TMR element having a magnetization fixed layer, a magnetization free layer and a tunnel barrier layer sandwiched between the magnetization fixed layer and the magnetization free layer. A fabricating process of the tunnel barrier layer includes a step of depositing a first metallic material film on the magnetization fixed layer or the magnetization free layer, and a step of oxidizing the deposited first metallic material film under an environment with an impurity concentration of 1E-02 or less.

Abstract: A vapor lock in a fuel pump can be prevented by reducing the formation of vapor within the fuel. A first group of concavities may be formed in an inner circumferential region of an intake side face of an impeller, and a second group of concavities may be formed concentrically in a region outside of the first group of concavities. A third group of concavities that communicates with the second group of concavities may be formed in a discharge side face of the impeller. The impeller is housed within a casing. A first groove that faces the first group of concavities and a second groove that faces the second group of concavities may be formed in the face of the casing that faces the intake side face of the impeller. A third groove that faces the third group of concavities may be formed in the face of the casing that faces the discharge side face of the impeller.

Abstract: A magneto-resistive element includes a lower magnetic shield film and a magneto-resistive film disposed above the lower magnetic shield film. The lower magnetic shield film includes a lower shield layer and an upper shield layer. The upper shield layer is amorphous or microcrystalline, made of a NiFe or CoFe composition containing B or P, and deposited on the lower shield layer. The lower shield layer is a magnetic conductive layer which is amorphous or microcrystalline with a crystal grain size equal to or less than 20 nm.

Abstract: An impeller pump for a fluid includes a rotary impeller (10; 20) and a pump casing (4). The pump casing defines a first pump channel (51) and a second pump channel (71). The impeller is disposed within the pump casing and opposes to the first pump channel and the second pump channel, respectively. The fluid discharged from the first pump channel and the fluid discharged from the second pump channel converge at a convergence channel (62). A pulsation canceling device serves to cancel pulsations of the fluid discharged from the first pump channel and the second pump channel, respectively. An impact reducing device (155, 175; 357; 455, 457; 555, 557) serves to reduce impacts produced by at least one of the flow of the fluid from the first pump channel and the flow of the fluid from the second channel.

Abstract: A magneto-resistive device is provided for contributing to a higher MR ratio and a reduced cleaning time for cleaning the surface of a cap layer. In the magneto-resistive device, a cap layer which serves as a protection layer is formed on a free layer which is the topmost layer of a magneto-resistive layer constituting a TMR devise. An upper electrode which is additionally used as an upper magnetic shield is electrically connected to the free layer through an upper metal layer. The cap layer comprised of a two-layer film made up of a conductive layer closer to the free layer and a topmost conductive layer. The conductive layer closer to the free layer is made of a material having higher oxygen bond energy than Ru, such as Zr, Hf, or the like. The topmost conductive layer is made of a material having lower oxygen bond energy, such as a noble metal or the like.

Abstract: A magneto-resistive element has a lower layer, a tunnel barrier layer, and an upper layer. The lower layer, the tunnel barrier layer, and the upper layer are disposed adjacent to each other and are stacked in this order. A magnetization direction of either of the lower layer and the upper layer is fixed relative to an external magnetic field, and a magnetization direction of the other layer is variable in accordance with the external magnetic field. A crystalline portion and a non-crystalline portion co-exist in a plane that is parallel with a surface of the tunnel barrier layer.

Abstract: A tunneling magneto-resistive element includes: a tunneling magneto-resistive film including an antiferromagnetic layer, a pinned layer, a barrier layer and a free layer; and a lower magnetic shielding film disposed below the tunneling magneto-resistive film with respect to a lamination direction. The barrier layer is constituted of magnesium oxide. The lower magnetic shielding film has a multi-layer structure including a crystalline layer and an amorphous layer disposed above the crystalline layer with respect to the lamination direction. The crystalline layer contains at least one crystal grain having a grain size of 500 nm or more.

Abstract: A magnetic field detecting element has a lower layer, a tunnel barrier layer, and an upper layer, wherein the lower layer, the tunnel barrier layer, and the upper layer are stacked adjacent to each other in this order, wherein a magnetization direction of either the lower layer or the upper layer is fixed relative to an external magnetic field, and a magnetization direction of the other can be changed in accordance with the external magnetic field such that a magnitude of the external magnetic field is detected based on a change in resistance relative to a sense current, the change in resistance depending on the external magnetic field, wherein the lower layer comprises: a first layer that is formed in an amorphous state; and a second layer that is made of cobalt, iron, nickel or a combination thereof and that is formed in a substantially amorphous state, the second layer being adjacent to the first layer and the tunnel barrier layer on both sides.

Abstract: An MR element comprises: a tunnel barrier layer having two surfaces that face toward opposite directions; a free layer disposed adjacent to one of the surfaces of the tunnel barrier layer and having a direction of magnetization that changes in response to an external magnetic field; and a pinned layer that is a ferromagnetic layer disposed adjacent to the other of the surfaces of the tunnel barrier layer and having a fixed direction of magnetization. The free layer incorporates: a first soft magnetic layer disposed adjacent to the one of the surfaces of the tunnel barrier layer; a high polarization layer disposed such that the first soft magnetic layer is sandwiched between the tunnel barrier layer and the high polarization layer; and a second soft magnetic layer disposed such that the high polarization layer is sandwiched between the first and second soft magnetic layers.

Abstract: While the memory amount is reduced through minimizing correction data prepared in advance, the capability of uniformity correction can be improved, compared to a related art. Correction data for correcting display unevenness between pixels for representative pixel points is stored. Correction data for pixels except for the representative pixel points is calculated by interpolation. The representative pixel points are arranged with a higher density in a pixel region with relatively finer display unevenness.

Abstract: A flat display panel such as an FED panel is provided in which high display luminance is obtained with high picture quality and a simple wiring structure.

Abstract: [Problems] To realize a reliable and stable transfer of digital data that does not require a reference clock and a handshake operation. [Means for Solving the Problem] The present invention provides a digital data transfer method for alternately and periodically transferring first information and second information respectively in a first period and in a second period, wherein: an amount of information of the first information per unit time in the first period is greater than an amount of information of the second information per unit time in the second period; and the second information in the first period is transferred as pulse-width-modulated serial data.

Abstract: A matrix type display unit includes a plurality of row wires, and a plurality of column wires, and the matrix type display unit includes a scanning signal applying section performing scanning on each frame of image display through sequentially and alternatively applying a scanning signal to each of the plurality of row wires on a line-by-line basis with normal scan timing, and sequentially and alternatively applying the scanning signal again with scan timing delayed for a predetermined period from the normal scan timing after applying the scanning signal, and a modulation signal applying section applying a modulation signal corresponding to each pixel to a pixel on a line to which the scanning signal is applied with the normal scan timing and a pixel on a line to which the scanning signal is applied with the delay scan timing.

Abstract: A magnetic head is provided for further improving a correlation between the dynamic characteristics and static characteristics. A lower magnetic shield layer, a magneto-resistive layer, and an upper magnetic shield layer are laminated on a base in this order. A lower lead layer and an upper lead layer apply a sense current to the magneto-resistive layer in a direction substantially perpendicular to the film plane thereof through the magnetic shield layers. The lower magnetic shield layer and upper magnetic shield layer have their shapes and sizes which substantially exactly overlap each other, when viewed in a laminating direction. The lower lead layer is electrically connected to the lower magnetic shield layer. At least a portion of the lower lead layer closer to the lower magnetic shield layer is made of a non-magnetic conductive material. The upper lead layer is electrically connected to the upper magnetic shield layer.

Abstract: In a conventional contrast adjustment circuit, since an entire signal level of a luminance signal is shifted, peak luminance is lowered, and luminance deterioration is undesirably raised. In the present invention, a direct-current component of a luminance signal is shifted according to need, and a predetermined expansion processing to increase a signal level of highlight portion is performed for a luminance signal having its direct-current component shifted.

Abstract: A video signal-processing device that can improve the apparent contrast of the luminance signal at a television receiving set includes a quantity of black expansion computing section for computationally determining the quantity of black expansion when the luminance component of the input video signal is not higher than a first luminance level, a gain controller for regulating the quantity of black expansion as computationally determined by the quantity of black expansion computing section, a quantity of black expansion adding section for generating an output video signal by adding the quantity of black expansion regulated by the gain controller to the luminance component of the input video signals and a vertical span adding block for integrating the luminance component of the output video signal not higher than a second luminance level for a field.

Abstract: The present invention provides a liquid crystal display apparatus of a lateral direction electric field drive type comprising an array substrate including a plurality of TFTs each having a gate electrode, a gate insulation film, a semiconductor layer, and a source electrode/drain electrode formed on a transparent substrate and an opposing substrate arrange so as to oppose to the array substrate, wherein the semiconductor layer has a width in the gate length direction identical to the gate length.

Abstract: A magneto-resistive device is provided for contributing to a higher MR ratio and a reduced cleaning time for cleaning the surface of a cap layer. In the magneto-resistive device, a cap layer which serves as a protection layer is formed on a free layer which is the topmost layer of a magneto-resistive layer constituting a TMR devise. An upper electrode which is additionally used as an upper magnetic shield is electrically connected to the free layer through an upper metal layer. The cap layer comprised of a two-layer film made up of a conductive layer closer to the free layer and a topmost conductive layer. The conductive layer closer to the free layer is made of a material having higher oxygen bond energy than Ru, such as Zr, Hf, or the like. The topmost conductive layer is made of a material having lower oxygen bond energy, such as a noble metal or the like.

Abstract: An impeller pump has a pump casing (6) that defines a pump chamber. The pump chamber includes a first chamber (21) and a second chamber (22). An impeller (10) is rotatably disposed within the pump chamber. The impeller has a first groove group and a second groove group on opposite surfaces. The first groove group and the second groove group oppose to the first chamber and the second chamber, respectively, so that a fluid is draw into and discharged from the first and second chambers as the impeller rotates. The flows of the fluid discharged from the first and second chambers are converged at a converging channel (26). Pulsations of the fluid discharged from the fist and second chambers are canceled each other when the flows converge at the converging channel.