Abstract: A wavelength conversion element includes at least one wavelength conversion layer. The wavelength conversion layer has a matrix layer and particles that is disposed in the matrix layer. The matrix layer is formed of a curable resin material or an inorganic material with a bandgap of 3 eV or more. The particles are formed of a wavelength conversion composition for wavelength-converting absorbed light in a specific wavelength range into light having energy lower than energy of the absorbed light, and that have a particle diameter of 3 nm to 20 nm. An interval between neighboring particles is equal to or less than the particle diameter of the particles. Consequently, the wavelength conversion layer prevents reflection of light in a wavelength range other than the specific wavelength range.

Abstract: This quantum dot structure has a matrix layer and a plurality of crystalline quantum dots provided spaced within the matrix layer. The quantum dots are provided at positions that differ in the direction of thickness of the matrix layer.

Abstract: A silicon-nitrogen compound film according to the first aspect of the present invention is made of a material expressed by a compositional formula Si3NxOyHz, where 10?(3x+2y)?12, 3.4?x?4.0, 0?y, 0?z<2.0, the peak-area ratio of a first area of a first peak appearing near a wave number of 2150 cm?1 in a Fourier-transform infrared absorption spectrum of the material and corresponding to a Si—H stretching vibration to a second area of a second peak appearing near a wave number of 810 cm?1 in the Fourier-transform infrared absorption spectrum and corresponding to a Si—N stretching vibration is smaller than 0.2, and the silicon-nitrogen compound film has a thickness t (in nanometers) and a density d (g/cm3) which satisfy the inequalities, 1.9?d?2.5, and ?700d+1930?6t??700d+2530.

Abstract: A solar battery including a transparent conductive film; and a solar battery element, wherein the transparent conductive film is bonded to a surface of the solar battery element, and the transparent conductive film is electrically connected to the solar battery element.

Abstract: A solar cell capable of restricting carrier loss and yields higher energy conversion efficiency than was conventionally possible and a method of producing a solar cell enabling formation of a light absorbing layer containing quantum dots through a low-temperature process using a coating or printing method requiring no vacuum equipment or complicated apparatuses. The solar cell includes a light absorbing layer containing quantum dots in a matrix layer, and the light absorbing layer is connected to an N-type semiconductor layer on one side and to a P-type semiconductor layer on the other side. In the light absorbing layer, the quantum dots are made of nanocrystalline semiconductor and arranged 3-dimensionally uniformly enough and spaced regularly so that a plurality of wave functions lie on one another between adjacent quantum dots to form intermediate bands. The matrix layer is formed of amorphous IGZO.

Abstract: A laser apparatus includes: a plurality of laser diodes respectively having light-emission points and being fixed to a block so that the light-emission points are aligned along a direction; and a collimator-lens array integrally formed to contain a plurality of collimator lenses which are arranged along a direction and respectively collimate laser beams emitted from the plurality of laser diodes. The block has a lens-setting surface which is flat, perpendicular to optical axes of the plurality of laser diodes, and located on the forward side of the plurality of laser diodes at a predetermined distance from the light-emission points, and the collimator-lens array is fixed to the block so that an end surface of the collimator-lens array is in contact with the lens-setting surface.

Abstract: A solar battery, which contains a transparent conductive layer having an average transmittance of 80% or more with an electromagnetic wave having a wavelength of 1,100 nm to 2,000 nm, and a sheet resistance of 20 ohm/sq. or less, in which the transparent conductive layer contains metal nanowires.

Abstract: A silicon-nitrogen compound film according to the first aspect of the present invention is made of a material expressed by a compositional formula Si3NxOyHz, where 10?(3x+2y)?12, 3.4?x?4.0, 0?y, 0?z?2.0, the peak-area ratio of a first area of a first peak appearing near a wave number of 2150 cm?1 in a Fourier-transform infrared absorption spectrum of the material and corresponding to a Si—H stretching vibration to a second area of a second peak appearing near a wave number of 810 cm?1 in the Fourier-transform infrared absorption spectrum and corresponding to a Si—N stretching vibration is smaller than 0.2, and the silicon-nitrogen compound film has a thickness t (in nanometers) and a density d (g/cm3) which satisfy the inequalities, 1.9?d?2.5, and ?700d+1930?6t??700d+2530.

Abstract: In a laser annealing process for transforming a noncrystalline semiconductor film into a laterally-crystallized film: irradiation of a region with laser light and a shift of the position of the region to be irradiated are repeated, where the shift is made so that each region to be irradiated contains a subregion of granular crystals produced by previous irradiation and a subregion of noncrystalline semiconductor material which has not yet been crystallized, and the shifted region is irradiated under such a condition that the granular crystals and the noncrystalline semiconductor material which are contained in the second region are transformed into lateral crystals without melting one or more regions of lateral crystals produced in the semiconductor film by previous irradiation.

Abstract: In a laser module comprising a hermetically sealed container having inside a semiconductor laser device whose emission wavelength is 350˜450 nm, generation of organic volatile gas is suppressed in the container and life of the module is prolonged. In a laser module comprising a hermetically sealed container having inside a semiconductor laser device whose emission wavelength is 350˜450 nm, optical components whose organic volatile gas generation measured by GC/MS is 10 ?g/g or less at 150° C. are positioned in the container. In addition, as an organic adhesive to fix the optical components such as a collimating lens is used an organic adhesive whose organic volatile gas generation measured by GC/MS is 100 ?g/g or less at 150° C.

Abstract: A laser module includes a semiconductor laser that emits laser light within a wavelength range of 350 to 450 nm, and hermetically sealing members, in which the semiconductor is sealed. The amount of organic adhesive utilized within the volume of the sealed sealing members is 1.0 g/ml or less, thereby causing a saturation concentration of outgas components generated from the adhesive to be less than 1000 ppm following a deaerating process. At least one optical component (e.g., a collimating lens) is adhesively fixed to a fixing member (e.g., a collimating lens holder) by inserting an adhesive composition including an alicyclic epoxy compound, a compound having an oxytanyl group, and a catalytic amount of an onium salt photoreaction initiator therebetween at an adhesive thickness of 0.05 ?m or greater and 5 ?m or less. Thereafter, the adhesive composition is cured by an activated energy beam to fix the optical component to the fixing member.

Abstract: In a laser module comprising a hermetically sealed container having inside a semiconductor laser device whose emission wavelength is 350˜450 nm, generation of organic volatile gas is suppressed in the container and life of the module is prolonged. In a laser module comprising a hermetically sealed container having inside a semiconductor laser device whose emission wavelength is 350˜450 nm and whose life is 5500 hours or more, optical components whose organic volatile gas generation measured by GC/MS is 10 ?g/g or less at 150° C. are positioned in the container. In addition, as an organic adhesive to fix the optical components such as a collimating lens is used an organic adhesive whose organic volatile gas generation measured by GC/MS is 300 ?g/g or less at 15° C.

Abstract: A package base for a semiconductor element is made of a carbon composite material. The mounting surface of the package base includes a first area on which at least one first element including at least one semiconductor element is to be mounted, and a second area on which at least one second element including at least a terminal for electrode wiring is to be mounted. Preferably, the carbon composite material is a high-density, isotropic carbon-fiber composite material. In addition, the mounting surface may have a step change in surface elevation for alignment of either of the at least one first element and the at least one second element.

Abstract: In a method for producing a laser element, a brazing material is placed between a nitride-based semiconductor laser bar and a fixation surface of a heat sink, where the brazing material contains gold and one of tin and silicon as main components, the nitride-based semiconductor laser bar has at least three light-emission points formed on a substrate, the heat sink is made of copper or copper alloy, and the fixation surface has a predetermined shape. Then, the nitride-based semiconductor laser bar is fixed to the fixation surface of the heat sink by melting and solidifying the brazing material while pressing the nitride-based semiconductor laser bar toward the heat sink with a tool having a shape corresponding to the predetermined shape of the fixation surface.

Abstract: In a disclosed laser module, a usage amount of organic adhesive is set to no more than 1.0 g/ml. Thus, an equilibrium density of outgas components from the adhesive after an air removal treatment is less than 1000 ppm. In another laser module, a heat sink at which a semiconductor laser element is adhered on a submount, an electrode terminal wire-connected with the laser element, a photodiode wire-connected with the electrode terminal, and a zeolite adsorbent are fixedly provided on a stem. These are ring-welded in a container in a dry air atmosphere (80% nitrogen, 20% oxygen). In still another laser module, sixteen multiplexed lasers are disposed in a container. The container is connected with an air circulation apparatus, which is provided with a filter for removing contaminants, a rotary pump for circulating inert gas, and a valve for controlling replenishment of the gas.

Abstract: In a laser apparatus, a plurality of semiconductor laser elements respectively emit laser beams; a multimode optical fiber has a light-entrance end and a light-emission end; an optical condensing system collects the laser beams emitted from the plurality of semiconductor laser elements, and couples the collected laser beams to the light-entrance end of the multimode optical fiber; and a protection member is arranged at the light-emission end of the multimode optical fiber, protects the light-emission end from the atmosphere, and has a light-emission window located at at least a predetermined distance from the light-emission end.

Abstract: In a laser-light source: submounts each being made of a material having a thermal expansion coefficient of 3.5 to 6.0×10?6/° C. and having a thickness of 200 to 400 micrometers are separately formed on a heat-dissipation block made of copper or copper alloy; a single-cavity nitride-based semiconductor laser chips are respectively mounted junction-side-down on the corresponding submounts; an optical condenser system collects laser beams emitted from the semiconductor laser chips, and couples the collected laser beams to a multimode optical fiber. A bonding surface of each semiconductor laser chip is bonded to a bonding surface of a corresponding submount through a metalization layer and an Au—Sn eutectic solder layer each of which is divided into areas.

Abstract: A plurality of multi-cavity laser diode chips, each having a plurality of light emitting points, are fixed side by side and form a laser diode array.

Abstract: In a laser module comprising a hermetically sealed container having inside a semiconductor laser device whose emission wavelength is 350˜450 nm, generation of organic volatile gas is suppressed in the container and life of the module is prolonged. In a laser module comprising a hermetically sealed container having inside a semiconductor laser device whose emission wavelength is 350˜450 nm, optical components whose organic volatile gas generation measured by GC/MS is 10 ?g/g or less at 150° C. are positioned in the container. In addition, as an organic adhesive to fix the optical components such as a collimating lens is used an organic adhesive whose organic volatile gas generation measured by GC/MS is 100 ?g/g or less at 150° C.

Abstract: A laser module includes a semiconductor laser that emits laser light within a wavelength range of 350 to 450 nm, and hermetically sealing members, in which the semiconductor is sealed. The amount of organic adhesive utilized within the volume of the sealed sealing members is 1.0 g/ml or less, thereby causing a saturation concentration of outgas components generated from the adhesive to be less than 1000 ppm following a deaerating process. At least one optical component (e.g., a collimating lens) is adhesively fixed to a fixing member (e.g., a collimating lens holder) by inserting an adhesive composition including an alicyclic epoxy compound, a compound having an oxytanyl group, and a catalytic amount of an onium salt photoreaction initiator therebetween at an adhesive thickness of 0.05 ?m or greater and 5 ?m or less. Thereafter, the adhesive composition is cured by an activated energy beam to fix the optical component to the fixing member.