Abstract: A method for producing a resin fine particle includes dissolving or melting an oily mixture containing at least a polyester resin, a base, and a basic dye while applying a shearing force to the oily mixture, and emulsifying the dissolved or molten oily mixture by adding a surfactant and an aqueous medium while applying a shearing force to the dissolved or molten oily mixture to prepare a dispersion liquid of the resin fine particle. The resin fine particle includes the polyester resin and the basic dye, has a volume average particle diameter of 0.05 ?m or more and 1 ?m or less, and has a ratio of a concentration of the basic dye in a center of gravity portion of the resin fine particle to a concentration of the basic dye in a surface layer portion having a depth of 10 nm or less from a surface of the resin fine particle of 0.8 or more.

Abstract: A charging device is provided. The charging device switches to a (n+1)-th charging rate from a n-th charging rate when constant current charging is performed on a secondary battery at the n-th charging rate, at an SOC smaller than an SOC at which a voltage local minimum value appears when an experimental battery is charged at the n-th charging rate. The (n+1)-th charging rate is lower than the n-th charging rate, and n is a natural number.

Abstract: Described herein is a method for controlling the acoustic noise generated by a spindle motor of a hard disk drive includes detecting vibrations of the hard disk drive, and distorting an input signal to the spindle motor based on the vibrations of the hard disk drive.

Abstract: A thin film magnetic head includes: an element part formed by laminating an antiferromagnetic layer, a fixed magnetic layer, an insulating barrier layer, and a free magnetic layer on a substrate; and a protective layer that protects an end surface of the element part opposite a recording medium. The insulating barrier layer is formed using an AlOx film or an MgO film.

Abstract: A thin-film magnetic head is provided. The thin-ffilm magnetic head includes an element portion including an antiferromagnetic layer, a pinned magnetic layer, an insulating barrier layer, and a free magnetic layer laminated on a substrate. A protective layer that protects an end face of the element portion where the end face faces a recording medium. An adhesion layer is disposed between the protective layer and the end face of the element portion, the insulating barrier layer is exposed at the end face of the element portion. The insulating barrier layer is a TiOx film, and nitrogen is present in at least the interface between the adhesion layer and the insulating barrier layer.

Abstract: A charge pump circuit includes terminals that are connectable with a flying capacitor and a charge capacitor, respectively, and driving transistors connected with the terminals, a power supply voltage, and a ground potential, for controlling the charging of the flying capacitor and the transfer of charges from the flying capacitor to the charge capacitor. By repeating alternately an operation of charging the flying capacitor and an operation of transferring charges stored in the flying capacitor to the charge capacitor according to control signals supplied to gates of the transistors, the power source voltage is stepped down or stepped up. At least one of the driving transistors has its gate to be connected to a driving buffer via an impedance element so that the control signal is supplied thereto via the driving buffer.