Abstract: A magnetic recording medium for contact recording has a layered structure sequentially with a substrate made of an aluminum alloy having a maximum surface roughness R.sub.max between 100 .ANG. and 300 .ANG. and having no surface protrusions or unevenness higher than 760 .ANG., a magnetic layer formed thereon by sputtering through underlying layers, a non-magnetic first protective film formed by sputtering, a second protective film having hard particulates with average diameter 50-300 .ANG. dispersed in an inorganic oxide film, and a lubricant film. The second protective film is formed by applying a solution containing both an organic compound and the particulates and subjecting it to a heat treatment. The medium has a maximum surface roughness of 100-300 .ANG. and no surface protrusions or unevenness high than 760 .ANG. and is usable for contact recording with a recording head having flying height of less than 760 .ANG..

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium for contact recording has a layered structure sequentially with a substrate made of an aluminum alloy having a maximum surface roughness R.sub.max between 100 .ANG. and 300 .ANG. and having no surface protrusions or unevenness higher than 760 .ANG., a magnetic layer formed thereon by sputtering through underlying layers of Tiw film and Cr film, a non-magnetic first protective film formed by sputtering, a second protective film having hard particulates with average diameter 50-300 .ANG. dispersed in an inorganic oxide film, and a lubricant film. The second protective film is formed by applying a solution containing both an organic compound and the particulates and subjecting it to a heat treatment. The medium has a maximum surface roughness of 100-300 .ANG. and no surface protrusions or unevenness high than 760 .ANG. and is usable for contact recording with a recording head having flying height of less than 760 .ANG..

Abstract: A magnetic disk drive of the Winchester type has magnetic disks layered around the external peripheral surface of a spindle and separated mutually from one another by spacers. The substrate of the magnetic disks are made of non-metallic materials such as glass or ceramics but do not break easily by the motion of the spindle or the change in temperature because either the adhesive used to form a unistructural assembly of the magnetic disks and the spacers or elastic members inserted in annular indentations formed in the spacers serve as a buffer when the magnetic disks and the spacers are compressed together.

Abstract: In depositing a lubricant layer on a protection layer of a magnetic base, a lubricant is vaporized in a hollow space which is kept at a predetermined temperature under ambient pressure. The predetermined temperature is between 100.degree. C. and 300.degree. C. in consideration of the material of the protection layer and the vapor pressure of the lubricant. Preferably, the vaporization of the lubricant is carried out in a thermostatic chamber which defines a hollow space divided by a mesh partition into upper and lower chambers. The magnetic base and the lubricant are placed in the upper chamber with the lubricant held in a boat while a heater is disposed in the lower chamber.

Abstract: In a method of depositing a lubricant layer on a protection layer of a magnetic base, a lubricant is vaporized in a hollow space which is kept at a predetermined temperature under ambient pressure. The predetermined temperature is determined between 100.degree. C. and 300.degree. C. in consideration of a material of the protection layer and a vapor pressure of the lubricant. Preferably, the vaporization of the lubricant is carried out in a thermostatic chamber which defines a hollow space divided by a mesh partition into an upper and a lower chamber. The magnetic base and the lubricant are placed in the upper chamber with the lubricant held in a boat while a heater is disposed in the lower chamber.

Abstract: In an electroluminescent panel comprising a transparent electrode, a back electrode, and an electroluminescent layer between the transparent and the back electrodes, an intermediate layer is interposed between the electroluminescent layer and the back electrode and essentially consists of germanium and nitrogen. The intermediate layer serves as a light absorption layer for absorbing ambient light. A nitrogen distribution in the intermediate layer may be either substantially uniform or decreased from the electroluminescent layer side towards the back electrode side. The decrease may be made stepwise or continuously. The intermediate layer may be superposed through a dielectric layer or directly on the electroluminescent layer.

Abstract: In a beam splitter for splitting a single input light beam into a plurality of outgoing light beams, a transparent block has first and second planar surfaces substantially parallel to each other. Antireflection and reflection layers are laid on incident and reflection areas defined on the first planar surface while a plurality of partial semitransparent layers are attached to an outgoing area defined on the second planar surface. The incident light beam enters through the antireflection layer into the block and exits as the outgoing light beams through the partial semitransparent layers. At least one of the partial semitransparent layers has a width wide enough to at least two of the outgoing light beams. The partial semitransparent layers may be deposited on the first planar surface in the vicinity of the antireflection layer. In this event, the reflection layer is deposited on the second planar surface.

Abstract: In an electroluminescent panel comprising a transparent electrode, a back electrode, an electroluminescent layer between the transparent and the back electrodes, and a dielectric layer between the transparent electrode and the electroluminescent layer, an intermediate layer consisting of silicon is interposed between the transparent electrode and the dielectric layer. The silicon layer may have a thickness between 10 angstroms and 200 angstroms. The silicon layer may be deposited on the transparent electrode by the use of a selected one of sputtering, vacuum evaporation, chemical vapor deposition, and ion plating techniques.

Abstract: In an electroluminescent panel which in turn comprises a transparent electrode member on a transparent substrate, a first dielectric layer, an electroluminescent layer, a second dielectric layer, and a back electrode member, at least one of the first and the second dielectric layers is divided into first and second partial dielectric films nearer to and farther from the transparent electrode member, respectively. The first partial dielectric film is deposited in a nonoxidization atmosphere by the use of a pellet which essentially consists of silicon and oxygen. Thereafter, the second partial dielectric film is deposited on the first partial dielectric film in an oxygen atmosphere and has a relative dielectric constant greater than the first partial dielectric film. Alternatively, each of the first and the second dielectric layers may comprise the first partial dielectric film of silicon and oxide and the second partial dielectric film mentioned above.

Abstract: In an electroluminescent panel comprising a first or transparent electrode, a second or back electrode, and an intermediate layer between the first and the second electrodes, a dielectric layer is included in the intermediate layer and comprises a mixture of tantalum oxide and aluminum oxide. The dielectric layer results from a target of tantalum pentoxide and aluminum oxide by the use of sputtering. Preferably, the target comprises the tantalum oxide and aluminum oxide in a ratio selected between 50:50 and 95:5 by weight. The dielectric layer may be divided into first and second dielectric films which underlies and overlies the electroluminescent layer, respectively. The electroluminescent layer may also be divided into first and second electroluminescent films with a transparent dielectric film interposed therebetween.