Abstract: In a longitudinal magnetic recording medium and a method to manufacture the medium, employing a granular magnetic layer minimizes magnetic particles, resistance to thermal fluctuation is superior, and as a result, SNR is enhanced. The longitudinal magnetic recording medium includes a nonmagnetic underlayer, a nonmagnetic intermediate layer, a magnetic stabilizing layer, a nonmagnetic metallic spacer layer, a magnetic layer, a protective film layer, and a liquid lubricant layer, which are sequentially laminated on a nonmagnetic substrate. The magnetic layer has a granular structure including ferromagnetic crystal grains with a hexagonal closest packed structure and a nonmagnetic grain boundary region surrounding the grains and including an oxide. The stabilizing layer and the magnetic layer are antiferromagnetically coupled to one another through the spacer layer.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium according to the invention includes a nonmagnetic substrate made of a polymer resin, the nonmagnetic substrate having been treated to improve an adhesion characteristic thereof; an adhesive layer on the nonmagnetic substrate, a nonmagnetic undercoating layer on the an adhesive layer; a magnetic layer above the nonmagnetic undercoating layer; a protection layer above the magnetic layer; and a liquid lubricant layer on the protection layer. A method of manufacturing the magnetic recording medium described above includes the steps of: treating a nonmagnetic substrate to improve an adhesion characteristic thereof; forming an adhesive layer on the nonmagnetic substrate, the adhesion thereof having been improved; forming a nonmagnetic undercoating layer on the adhesive layer; forming a magnetic layer above the nonmagnetic undercoating layer; forming a protection layer above the magnetic layer; and forming a liquid lubricant layer on the protection layer.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium has a nonmagnetic substrate, a nonmagnetic underlayer containing at least one metal selected from Ru, Os, and Re laminated on the substrate, and a magnetic layer including ferromagnetic crystal grains and nonmagnetic grain boundaries surrounding the ferromagnetic crystal grains laminated on the underlayer. The underlayer is deposited in a gas atmosphere containing argon and at least one of krypton and xenon in an amount sufficient to reduce the argon remaining in the underlayer to less than 1,000 ppm. Such a gas atmosphere contains at least 10% of krypton or xenon, and pressurized to a range of 30-70 mTorr. The underlayer is formed having film structure composed of fine particles, which is suitable for controlling the structure of the magnetic layer.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium and manufacture method therefore and magnetic recording apparatus include a nonmagnetic base layer, a nonmagnetic intermediate layer, and a magnetic layer. The nonmagnetic base layer, the nonmagnetic intermediate layer, and the magnetic layer are sequentially stacked on a nonmagnetic substrate to control a partial pressure of H2O in an Ar atmosphere during film formation to make crystal grains of the magnetic layer finer, to obtain a uniform grain size, and to exhibit ferromagnetism and a nonmagnetic grain boundary surrounding the fine crystal grains.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium and a manufacturing method therefore includes a protective film, a nonmagnetic substrate, a nonmagnetic base layer, a nonmagnetic intermediate layer, a magnetic layer, and a liquid lubricant layer. The nonmagnetic base layer has a body-centered cubic structure and a (200) plane including a crystal-orientation parallel with a surface of the protective film. The nonmagnetic intermediate layer has a hexagonal close-packed structure and a (110) plane including a crystal-orientation parallel with the surface of the protective film. The magnetic layer has a granular structure including hexagonal close-packed ferromagnetic crystal grains and oxide-based nonmagnetic grain boundaries surrounding the ferromagnetic crystal grains. The nonmagnetic base layer, the nonmagnetic intermediate layer, the magnetic layer, the protective film, and the liquid lubricant layer are sequentially stacked on the nonmagnetic substrate.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium exhibits a high coercive force and suppresses noises caused therefrom at a low level. The magnetic recording medium includes a nonmagnetic substrate, a nonmagnetic undercoating layer on the substrate where the undercoating layer has a hexagonal close packing structure or a combination of the hexagonal close packing structure and a body center cubic structure. The magnetic recording medium includes a nonmagnetic intermediate layer on the undercoating layer, where the intermediate layer has a hexagonal close packing structure or a combination of the hexagonal close packing structure and a body center cubic structure, and a magnetic layer on the intermediate layer. The magnetic layer has a granular structure formed of ferromagnetic crystal grains and oxide grain boundaries or nitride grain boundaries surrounding the ferromagnetic crystal grains.

Abstract: In a single lever mixing valve, having a sliding member sliding on a lever holder, for adjusting an amount and temperature of discharge water by rotating a disk actuating stem on an axis thereof or by operating a handle lever for inclining the disk actuating stem. A fit-in hole is so formed on the handle lever that the disk actuating stem is loosely fitted therein, with a gap formed between a side surfaced of the disk actuating stem and a gap-defining inner surface of the handle lever; a spacer so sized as to close the gap is provided; a spacer insertion hole is formed in the handle lever such that the spacer insertion hole is open on an outer surface of the handle lever; and the spacer is inserted into the spacer insertion hole to fix the disk actuating stem fitted in the spacer insertion hole.

Abstract: A critical dimension measurement method and apparatus capable of measurement even for a object below a resolution of an optical microscope. An image of an object is picked up by using an optical microscope and an image sensor. From an obtained video signal, signal positions of two points coinciding with a predetermined luminance level are extracted. A difference in position between the two points is multiplied by a ratio of maximum luminance between the two points to maximum luminance serving as a reference. On the basis of a resultant product, a size of the object is measured.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium has a non-magnetic under-layer, a magnetic layer, a protective film and a liquid lubricant layer sequentially laminated on a non-magnetic substrate. The magnetic layer has a multi-layer structure laminated with two or more magnetic layer components, each of the magnetic layer components having ferromagnetic grains and non-magnetic grain boundaries surrounding the grain. The resulting magnetic recording medium has a granular magnetic layer exhibiting very high Hc accompanying high density of magnetic recording, while decreasing the amount of platinum needed for attaining the high Hc, and reducing media noise accompanying the high recording density.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium has at least a non-magnetic under-layer, a magnetic layer, a protective layer and a liquid lubricant layer sequentially laminated on a non-magnetic substrate. The magnetic layer includes ferromagnetic grains and non-magnetic grain boundaries formed of metallic oxide or carbide surrounding the ferromagnetic grains. A non-magnetic intermediate layer, having grains of non-magnetic substance and non-magnetic grain boundaries, formed of metallic oxide or carbide, surrounding the grains of non-magnetic substance, is provided between the non-magnetic under-layer and the magnetic layer. The resulting magnetic recording medium exhibits a high coercive force, Hc, and low noise. Furthermore, the resulting magnetic recording medium prevents the deterioration of the media characteristics in an initial growth region in the granular magnetic layer.

Abstract: In a magnetic recording medium, a plurality of non-magnetic metallic intermediate layers is laminated between an under-layer and a magnetic layer. One of the intermediate layers is composed of at least an element selected from the group consisting of Ru, Re and Os and contains oxygen, and another is composed of a CoCr alloy containing at least an element selected from the group consisting of Nb, Mo, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ta, W, Re Os, Ir and Pt. The resulting magnetic recording medium provides reduced costs and improved recording characteristics.

Abstract: A method and a device used in an optical microscope apparatus and for automatic focusing, and using an image contrast detection method which is not affected by noise. In order to remove a noise component, a contour component of an image picked up by the microscope is detected as a contour signal obtained by a difference between an original image and a delayed signal of the original image. A difference in level in maximum and minimum values of this contour signal is adopted as an image contrast signal. Such image contrast signals are produced at various microscope focusing direction positions. A position where a maximum image contrast signal is obtained is made to be an in-focus position.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium achieves excellent noise reduction by controlling the crystal orientation of a magnetic layer without thermal processing. The magnetic recording medium includes multiple layers laminated to a substrate. These layers include at least the magnetic layer and a non-magnetic under layer. The magnetic layer has a granular structure consisting of ferromagnetic grains with a hexagonal close-packed structure and non-magnetic grain boundaries composed mainly oxide or a nitride. The non-magnetic under-layer is a material having a body centered cubic crystal structure with a preferential orientation along a (200) plane parallel to a film surface of the under-layer.

Abstract: A manufacturing method achieves excellent magnetic recording characteristics by sequentially sputtering a non-magnetic under-layer, a non-magnetic intermediate layer, and a magnetic layer on a non-magnetic substrate in an atmosphere of H2O partial pressure of 2×10−10 Torr or lower. This process allows beneficial deposition of the magnetic layer and reduces raw materials costs. The magnetic layer includes ferromagnetic grains and non-magnetic grain boundaries. The intermediate layer has a hexagonal close-packed crystal structure. The manufacturing method allows manufacture of a high quality magnetic recording medium without a heating step thereby allowing use of lower cost materials, reduces manufacturing time, and increases savings.

Abstract: Video coding apparatus and decoding apparatus capable of reproducing decoded pictures without introducing unwanted noises, even if any considerable difference in pixel values or discontinuity exists at a certain block boundary. In a video coding apparatus employing predictive techniques, a dequantizer and an inverse DCT processor reproduce a prediction error signal from quantized transform coefficients. Here, a first resolution conversion unit (or downsampling unit) might have subsampled the original prediction error signal to reduce its picture resolution. If this is the case, a second resolution conversion unit (or upsampling unit) attempts to restore the original resolution of the prediction error signal by applying an upsampling process to the reproduced prediction error signal having the reduced resolution. In this upsampling process, each new pixel value in a certain block are calculated with reference to some surrounding pixels.

Abstract: Video coding apparatus and decoding apparatus capable of reproducing decoded pictures without introducing unwanted noises, even if any considerable difference in pixel values or discontinuity exists at a certain block boundary. In a video coding apparatus employing predictive techniques, a dequantizer and an inverse DCT processor reproduce a prediction error signal from quantized transform coefficients. Here, a first resolution conversion unit (or downsampling unit) might have subsampled the original prediction error signal to reduce its picture resolution. If this is the case, a second resolution conversion unit (or upsampling unit) attempts to restore the original resolution of the prediction error signal by applying an upsampling process to the reproduced prediction error signal having the reduced resolution. In this upsampling process, each new pixel value in a certain block are calculated with reference to some surrounding pixels.

Abstract: A video coding apparatus for performing predictive coding of digital video input signals. The apparatus employs a resolution selection controller that selects picture resolution to be used in coding of a source picture of a current frame, according to coding information in a previous frame. Such coding information includes quantizer step size, amount of coded data, and buffer occupancy. Before being supplied to a coding unit, the source picture is sent to a resolution converter, where the source picture is converted to gain the resolution selected by said resolution selection controller. The coding unit then encodes the source picture with the selected picture resolution.

Abstract: Databases are prepared for data of circuit parts to be used in designing ASICs. Each part data contains functional element indicative of kinds of devices and connection information of the devices, a characteristic element indicative of operational characteristic values for the devices, and structural element indicative of sizes and shapes of the devices and terminal positions of the devices. By extracting and synthesizing these elements, new part data can be generated. For example, elements are extracted from part data A by a process P1 and elements a1 to a3 are obtained, and elements are extracted from part data B by a process P2 and elements b1 to b3 are obtained. The elements a3, b2 are synthesized by a process P3, and new part data C is generated. The executed processes P1, P2, P3 are stored in a memory in addition to the part data A, B, C. When the part data A is revised, the stored processes P1, P3 are read to recognize the part data C needs the revising.

Abstract: A stairway lift is provided on the treads of a stairway along a sidewall. A guide of the lift is provided on the treads along the sidewall so that a space is formed between the sidewall and the guide. The guide has a first side that faces the sidewall, a first rail provided on the first side, a chain rack on the first side that extends along the sidewall and a second side that faces away from the sidewall. A mobile body is supported by the first rail in the space formed between the sidewall and the guide. The mobile body has a drive sprocket engageable with the chain rack and an electric motor coupled with the drive sprocket for rotatively driving the drive sprocket. A carrier is provided for carrying a person or object to be moved along the stairway. A coupling arrangement couples the mobile body and the carrier so that the carrier is removably supported by the mobile body on the second side of the guide and guided for travel by the guide.

Abstract: A system for controlling a power shovel for use in civil engineering works is described. The control system comprises a manual control lever consisting of a control boom, a control arm and a control bucket which are miniature of a boom, an arm and a bucket of the power shovel, and a control circuit. The control circuit includes means for detecting the displacement of the elements of the control lever, means for detecting the displacement of the elements of the power shovel, means for comparing the displacement of the control lever with one of the power shovel. The differential signal from the circuit is applied to servo-mechanisms for following up the power shovel in accordance with the movement of the control lever. The power shovel can be controlled equally with the manual control lever.