Abstract: A power supply system including: a DC power trunk line; a demand-side device; a supply-side device that is configured to supply electric power and that is connected with the DC power trunk line to output a DC power to the demand-side device that is connected with the DC power trunk line to receive a DC power, and a calculator that is configured to: set a power-feeding voltage of the supply-side device on a supply side; set a power-receiving voltage of the demand-side device on a demand side; and regard a charge amount or a time integration of current value supplied from the supply-side device to the DC power trunk line, as well as a charge amount or a time integration of current value supplied from the DC power trunk line to the demand-side device, as an amount of power interchange.

Abstract: A power supply system including: a DC power trunk line; a demand-side device; a supply-side device that is configured to supply electric power and that is connected with the DC power trunk line to output a DC power to the demand-side device that is connected with the DC power trunk line to receive a DC power, and a calculator that is configured to: set a power-feeding voltage of the supply-side device on a supply side; set a power-receiving voltage of the demand-side device on a demand side; and regard a charge amount or a time integration of current value supplied from the supply-side device to the DC power trunk line, as well as a charge amount or a time integration of current value supplied from the DC power trunk line to the demand-side device, as an amount of power interchange.

Abstract: A particulate material with a composition expressed by MaAlbXc in which “M” includes one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Ti, V, Cr, Zr, Nb, Mo, Hf and Ta and “X” includes C or one or more chemical structures selected from the group consisting of C(1.0?x)Nx (where “x” is 0<“x”?1.0), wherein: “a” is two or three; “b” is more than 0.02; and “c” is from 0.8 to 1.2 when “a” is two; or “c” is from 1.8 to 2.6 when “a” is 3. The particulate material has thicknesses whose average value is from 3.5 nm or more to 20 nm or less, and sizes, [{(longer sides)+(shorter sides)}/2], whose average value is from 50 nm or more to 300 nm or less.

Abstract: A particulate material with a composition expressed by Ti2Alx(C(1-y)Ny)z (where “x” is more than 0.02, “y” is 0<“y”<1.0, and “z” is from 0.8 to 1.20), the particulate material comprising layers including gap layers providing an interlayer distance of from 0.59 nm to 0.70 nm within a crystal lattice; and/or with another composition expressed by Ti3Alx(C(1-y)Ny)z (where “x” is more than 0.02, “y” is 0<“y”<1.0, and “z” is from 1.80 to 2.60), the particulate material comprising layers including gap layers providing an interlayer distance of from 0.44 nm to 0.55 nm within a crystal lattice.

Abstract: A particulate material with a composition expressed by Ti2Alx (C(1-y)Ny)z (where “x” is more than 0.02, “y” is 0<“y”<1.0, and “z” is from 0.8 to 1.20), the particulate material comprising layers including gap layers providing an interlayer distance of from 0.59 nm to 0.70 nm within a crystal lattice; and/or with another composition expressed by Ti3Alx(C(1-y)Ny)z (where “x” is more than 0.02, “y” is 0<“y”<1.0, and “z” is from 1.80 to 2.60), the particulate material comprising layers including gap layers providing an interlayer distance of from 0.44 nm to 0.55 nm within a crystal lattice.

Abstract: A particulate material with a composition expressed by MaAlbXc in which “M” includes one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Ti, V, Cr, Zr, Nb, Mo, Hf and Ta and “X” includes C or one or more chemical structures selected from the group consisting of C(1.0?x)Nx (where “x” is 0<“x”?1.0), wherein: “a” is two or three; “b” is more than 0.02; and “c” is from 0.8 to 1.2 when “a” is two; or “c” is from 1.8 to 2.6 when “a” is 3. The particulate material has thicknesses whose average value is from 3.5 nm or more to 20 nm or less, and sizes, [{(longer sides)+(shorter sides)}/2], whose average value is from 50 nm or more to 300 nm or less.

Abstract: The sulfide has the following composition, and the photoelectric element uses the sulfide. (1) The sulfide contains Cu, Zn, and Sn as a principal component. (2) When x is a ratio of Cu/(Zn+Sn), y is a ratio of Zn/Sn (x and y being atomic ratios), and the composition of the sulfide is represented by the (x, y) coordinates, with the points A=(0.78, 1.32), B=(0.86, 1.32), C=(0.86, 1.28), D=(0.90, 1.23), E=(0.90, 1.18), and F=(0.78, 1.28), the composition (x, y) of the sulfide is on any one of respective straight lines connecting the points A?B?C?D?E?F?A in that order, or within an area enclosed by the respective straight lines.

Abstract: A photovoltaic device includes a light absorbing layer as a p-type semiconductor, a buffer layer, and a window layer. The light absorbing layer, the buffer layer, and the window layer are provided in this order. A film of a sulfide-based compound semiconductor containing Cu, Zn, Sn, and S is used as the light absorbing layer. In addition, the buffer layer includes a material having a composition of Zn1-xMgxO (0<x?0.4), and including a phase having a hexagonal crystal structure as a main component.

Abstract: A compound semiconductor contains main constituent elements all of which satisfy the relationship (Cu1-wAw)2(1+a)(Zn1-xBx)1+b(Sn1-yCy)1+c(Sn1-zSez)4(1+d) and having a CZTSX-based compound as a main phase, where ?0.3?a?0.3, ?0.3 ?b?0.3, ?0.3?c?0.3, ?0.3?d?0.3, 0?w<0.5, 0?x <0.5, 0?y<0.5, 0?z<1.0 and 0<x+y+z+w. The element A is at least one element selected from the group consisting of group Ia elements, group IIa elements, group Ib elements (excluding Cu) and group IIb elements. The element B is at least one element selected from the group consisting of group IIa elements and group Ib elements. The element C is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Zn, group IIIb elements and group IVb elements. A compound in which x=y=z=0 and the element A is Ag, and a compound in which x=y=w=0 are_excluded from the formula.

Abstract: The sulfide has the following composition, and the photoelectric element uses the sulfide. (1) The sulfide contains Cu, Zn, and Sn as a principal component. (2) When x is a ratio of Cu/(Zn+Sn), y is a ratio of Zn/Sn (x and y being atomic ratios), and the composition of the sulfide is represented by the (x, y) coordinates, with the points A=(0.78, 1.32), B=(0.86, 1.32), C=(0.86, 1.28), D=(0.90, 1.23), E=(0.90, 1.18), and F=(0.78, 1.28), the composition (x, y) of the sulfide is on any one of respective straight lines connecting the points A?B-?C?D?E?F?A in that order, or within an area enclosed by the respective straight lines.

Abstract: A light guiding plate guides light from a light source to illuminate a liquid crystal cell. A reflector reflects light from the light source. A first surface and a second surface selectively transmits or reflects light. A first region is formed on the first surface at a location that is relatively near the light source. The first region includes a first inclined face and a second inclined face. The first inclined face reflects light from the light source to guide light to the reflector. The second inclined face reflects light from the light source to the second surface so that the second surface emits light. A second region is formed on the first surface at a location that is relatively far from the light source. The second region includes a third inclined face and a fourth inclined face. The third inclined face reflects light from the light source to the second surface so that the second surface emits light.

Abstract: A recording medium includes a first substance and a second substance at least in which the first and second substances undergo an oxidation-reduction reaction when an external energy is applied, thereby recording information by varying the optical characteristics. In the recording medium, the reaction of the first and second substances is suppressed, reaction which degrades the recording characteristics other than the case where the recording medium is subjected to recording. In an optical disk 100 (i.e., the recording medium), a WO3 film 2 (i.e., a second substance), a C film 3 (i.e., a third substance) and an Sn-10 atomic % Sr film 4 (i.e., a first substance) are formed successively on a substrate 1. When the recording medium is irradiated with a recording laser beam as an external energy, the WO3 forming the film 2 is reduced to WO2.

Abstract: In an optical disk which includes a recording film having a laminated construction, and which records information by changing optical characteristics of the recording film by applying a laser beam, there are laminatedly formed a WO3 film 2 as a second layer, the WO3 requiring energy by about 470 kJ when it dissociates 1 mol of oxygen molecules, an Sn—43 atomic % Bi film 3 which includes Sn as a first layer, the Sn generating energy by about 610 kJ when it bonds with 1 mol of oxygen molecules and having a melting point of about 139° C., and a resin film 4 in this order on a guide groove 1c forming surface 1b of a substrate 1. When a recording laser beam is applied, a part of Sn—43 atomic % Bi film 3 is turned into a liquid phase, both of the films 2 and 3 react, and the optical characteristics of the recording film 10 vary so that information is recorded. As a result, the retention characteristic of the recorded data is secured, and the reactivity of the recording film is enhanced.

Abstract: A recording medium includes a first substance and a second substance at least in which the first and second substances undergo an oxidation-reduction reaction when an external energy is applied, thereby recording information by varying the optical characteristics. In the recording medium, the reaction of the first and second substances is suppressed, reaction which degrades the recording characteristics other than the case where the recording medium is subjected to recording. In an optical disk 100 (i.e., the recording medium), a WO3 film 2 (i.e., a second substance), a C film 3 (i.e., a third substance) and an Sn-10 atomic % Sr film 4 (i.e., a first substance) are formed successively on a substrate 1. When the recording medium is irradiated with a recording laser beam as an external energy, the WO3 forming the film 2 is reduced to WO2.

Abstract: A recording medium which includes a first substance and a second substance, wherein an external energy is applied to at least one of the first and second substances to react them in order to change the optical characteristics of the substances for recording information, the recording medium including: a first layer composed of a first substance including at least one of S and Se, a second layer composed of a second substance including a metal, and a barrier layer being disposed between the first and second layers, which allows the reaction between the first and second layers when laser beam for recording is irradiated as an external energy, and suppresses the reaction between the first and second layers when laser beam for recording is not irradiated. Alternatively, the recording medium can be free from the barrier layer, and the second substance can be arranged to have two or more compositionally different portions or two or more phases with a different crystalline state.

Abstract: A recording medium is for recording information by varying optical characteristic thereof by application of an external energy thereto, and includes a first substance and a second substance. When the external energy is applied to the recording medium, the first and second substances react with each other to form a third substance having a tungsten-bronze crystalline structure, thereby varying the optical characteristic. The third substance absorbs the external energy and varies the reflectivity of the external energy. Thus, the recording medium records information thereon. The recording medium is good in environmental resistance and information retention, because the third substance is stable energetically.