Abstract: A moisture data-acquiring device for acquiring data on moisture contained in a sheet comprises a force-applying unit for applying an external force to the sheet, a force-receiving unit for receiving the external force through the sheet, a signal outputting unit for outputting a signal reflecting a mechanical property of the sheet which unit is placed on at least one of the force-applying unit and the force-receiving unit, and a moisture data-acquiring unit for acquiring data on moisture of the sheet based on the signal from the signal outputting unit.

Abstract: A signal output apparatus comprises an impact applying unit applying an impact to a sheet from the outside thereof, and a detection unit outputting a signal by the impact. An apparatus for determining the type of sheet comprises an impact applying unit applying an impact to a sheet from the outside thereof, and a detection unit outputting a signal by the impact, wherein the type of the sheet is determined based on the signal from the detection unit. An image forming apparatus comprises an impact applying unit applying an impact to a sheet from the outside thereof, and a detection unit outputting a signal by the impact. A method for determining the type of sheet comprises the steps of applying an impact to a sheet from the outside thereof, outputting a signal from a detection unit by the applying step, and determining the type of sheet based on the signal. An apparatus carries out the method for determining the type of sheet.

Abstract: A double feed detection method for detecting whether sheet materials are double fed or not, includes the steps of applying an external force to a sheet material by bringing an external force into contact with the sheet material, detecting the external force applied to the sheet material, and determining whether the sheet materials are double fed or not using a signal obtained from the detection step.

Abstract: A double feed detection method for detecting whether sheet materials are double fed or not, includes the steps of applying an external force to a sheet material by bringing external force application means into contact with the sheet material, detecting the external force applied to the sheet material by detection means, and determining whether the sheet materials are double fed or not using a signal obtained from the detection means.

Abstract: A sheet material identifying device for identifying the kind of sheet material by applying vibration on the sheet material. The identifying device has a vibrator for applying vibration on the sheet material, a vibration sensor for detecting, via the sheet material, vibration applied by the vibrator, a device for changing a vibrating state between the vibrator and the vibration sensor, and an identifying section for identifying the kind of sheet material based on a detection result of the vibration sensor. Also, an image forming apparatus making use of the sheet material identifying device and a method of identifying the kind of sheet material are provided.

Abstract: A double feed detection method for detecting whether sheet materials are double fed or not, includes the steps of applying an external force to a sheet material by bringing external force application means into contact with the sheet material, detecting the external force applied to the sheet material by detection means, and determining whether the sheet materials are double fed or not using a signal obtained from the detection means.

Abstract: A device is formed by transferring a film onto a substrate when the film requires but the substrate is not adapted to a high temperature heat treatment process. The film having layers and formed on a first substrate having layers is transferred onto a second substrate having layers. The method of transferring the film comprises a first step of forming a lift-off layer and the film to be transferred on the first substrate, a second step of bonding the film to be transferred to the second substrate and a third step of separating the film to be transferred from the first substrate by etching the lift-off layer and transferring it onto the second substrate.

Abstract: A signal output apparatus comprises an impact applying unit applying an impact to a sheet from the outside thereof, and a detection unit outputting a signal by the impact. An apparatus for determining the type of sheet comprises an impact applying unit applying an impact to a sheet from the outside thereof, and a detection unit outputting a signal by the impact, wherein the type of the sheet is determined based on the signal from the detection unit. An image forming apparatus comprises an impact applying unit applying an impact to a sheet from the outside thereof, and a detection unit outputting a signal by the impact. A method for determining the type of sheet comprises the steps of applying an impact to a sheet from the outside thereof, outputting a signal from a detection unit by the applying step, and determining the type of sheet based on the signal. An apparatus carries out the method for determining the type of sheet.

Abstract: A signal output apparatus comprises a vibration applying unit that contacts with and applies a vibration to a sheet, and a detection unit that outputs a signal by the vibration. An apparatus for determining a type of a sheet comprises a vibration applying unit that contacts with and applies a vibration to a sheet, and a detection unit that outputs a signal by the vibration, wherein a type of the sheet is determined on the basis of the signal from said detection unit. An image forming apparatus comprises a vibration applying unit that contacts with and applies a vibration to a sheet, and a detection unit that outputs a signal by the vibration.

Abstract: An electrode substrate comprises a backing substrate carrying thereon a metal electrode layer and/or a recording layer, the layer or layers having a smooth surface area with a surface roughness of less than 1 nm by more than 1 &mgr;m2. The smooth surface of the metal electrode layer and/or the recording layer is formed by firstly forming the layer on another substrate having a corresponding smooth surface and then peeling the another substrate off the layer after the layer is bonded to the surface of the backing substrate, whereby the smooth surface profile of the another substrate is transferred to the surface of the layer formed on the backing substrate.

Abstract: Probe including a cantilever having a movable end and formed from an elastic body, an electroconductive sensing needle arranged at the movable end of the cantilever, and a field effect transistor arranged at the movable end of the cantilever and having a gate electrode electronically connected to the electroconductive sensing needle. The probe may further comprise another field effect transistor formed on the cantilever and having its drain electrically connected to the sensing needle. The probe may be used in an information recording/reproduction apparatus.

Abstract: A device is formed by transferring a film onto a substrate when the film requires but the substrate is not adapted to a high temperature heat treatment process. The film having layers and formed on a first substrate having layers is transferred onto a second substrate having layers. The method of transferring the film comprises a first step of forming a lift-off layer and the film to be transferred on the first substrate, a second step of bonding the film to be transferred to the second substrate and a third step of separating the film to be transferred from the first substrate by etching the lift-off layer and transferring it onto the second substrate.

Abstract: An electrode substrate comprises a backing substrate carrying thereon a metal electrode layer and/or a recording layer, the layer or layers having a smooth surface area with a surface roughness of less than 1 nm by more than 1 &mgr;m2. The smooth surface of the metal electrode layer and/or the recording layer is formed by firstly forming the layer on another substrate having a corresponding smooth surface and then peeling another substrate off the layer after the layer is bonded to the surface of the backing substrate, whereby the smooth surface profile of another substrate is transferred to the surface of the layer formed on the backing substrate.

Abstract: A recording medium for use in an information processing apparatus applying the STM technique, the recording medium is designed to have a surface which is made of a crystal having a spiral structure. The spiral structure is constituted by a step difference of a size not more than a diameter of an atom constituting the crystal.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a cantilever drive mechanism arranged in such a manner that a cantilever portion, in which a piezoelectric layer is disposed between electrode layers, and a circuit portion, which is positioned adjacent to the cantilever portion and which drives the cantilever, are formed on the same substrate. The method includes the steps of first forming the circuit portion and then forming the cantilever portion after the circuit portion has been formed.

Abstract: A cantilever type displacement element includes a piezoelectric film and an electrode provided on each face of the film to displace the film by convence piezoelectric effect. The electrodes are formed from platinum or palladium. The displacement element constitutes a cantilver type probe having a tip on the free end of the element. The probe is used in a scanning tunneling microscope or an information processing apparatus.

Abstract: A probe of torsion lever structure is provided with a flat-plate driving unit formed on a substrate with a gap therebetween, two beams positioned along a straight line parallel to the substrate and rotatably supporting the flat plate-shaped driving unit relative to the substrate, a drive device for driving the flat plate-shaped driving unit, and a tip for information input/output provided at an end of the flat plate-shaped driving unit. The two beams are provided at a position between the end of the flat plate-shaped driving unit and the other end thereof, closer to the other end than the center between the end and the other end of the flat plate-shaped driving unit.

Abstract: A recording medium comprises an electroconductive oxide film held between a substrate and an insulating oxide film. A recording method locally applies a voltage onto the medium to form a portion different in electric resistance or oxygen content in the electroconductive oxide film. A record-readout method comprises the steps of applying a voltage to the electroconductive oxide film having information recorded thereon and detecting the intensity of current flowing through a recorded portion to read out the recorded information.

Abstract: A compact information processing apparatus does not require any coarse mobile mechanism. In the information processing apparatus, a probe can be brought close to a medium to read information from the medium and to write it onto the medium. The information processing apparatus includes a device for applying a voltage between the probe 31 and the medium 31, and a device for generating a progressive wave in the in-plane direction of the medium to displace the medium.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes first, second and third upper electrodes provided on a first substrate, and first, second and third lower electrodes provided on a second substrate opposed to the first, second and third upper electrodes, respectively. Also provided are first, second and third detectors for detecting a first capacitance between the first upper and lower electrodes, a second capacitance between the second upper and lower electrodes and a third capacitance between the third upper and lower electrodes.