Abstract: A photoelectric conversion element includes, in the following order: a substrate; a lower electrode; a photoelectric conversion layer; and an upper electrode comprising a transparent electrode material, the photoelectric conversion element further includes a stress relieving layer provided between the upper electrode and the photoelectric conversion layer, and the stress relieving layer includes a crystal layer capable of relieving a stress of the transparent electrode material.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion device is provided, the photoelectric conversion device including: a pair of electrodes; a photoelectric conversion layer arranged between the pair of electrodes and containing an n-type organic semiconductor; and a charge blocking layer arranged between one of the pair of electrodes and the photoelectric conversion layer, the charge blocking layer being formed of a single layer or two or more layers, wherein a difference ?1 between ionization potential Ip of a layer of the charge blocking layer adjacent to the photoelectric conversion layer and electron affinity Ea of the n-type organic semiconductor is at least 1 eV; and the charge blocking layer has a gross thickness of at least 20 nm.

Abstract: An organic semiconductor includes: a compound represented by formula (I): wherein A1 represents O, S or N—R15; each of R11, R12, R13, R14 and R15 independently represents a hydrogen atom or a substituent W as defined in the specification, R11 and R12 may be linked to form a ring; B1 represents a ring structure containing at least one nitrogen atom; and n1 represents an integer of 0 to 2.

Abstract: An organic photoelectric conversion material for a photoelectric conversion element is provided, the organic photoelectric conversion material represented by formula 1 and having a molecular weight of 250 or greater but not greater than 800: wherein, A represents an electron withdrawing atomic group; R1, R2 and R3 each independently represents a hydrogen atom or a substituent; L represents a divalent TC conjugated substituent; D represents an electron donating aromatic substituent; and X represents O, S, or N—Ra in which Ra represents a hydrogen atom or a substituent.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion element is provided and includes: an electrically conductive thin layer; an organic photoelectric conversion layer; and a transparent electrically conductive thin layer. The organic photoelectric conversion layer contains: a compound represented by formula (I); and a fullerene or a fullerene derivative. In the formula, Z1 represents an atomic group necessary for forming a 5- or 6-membered ring, L1, L2 and L3 each independently represents an unsubstituted methine group or a substituted methine group, D1 represents an atomic group, and n represents an integer of 0 or more.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion element is provided and includes: an electrically conductive thin layer; an organic photoelectric conversion layer containing a compound having a partial structure represented by the following formula (I) and a fullerene or a fullerene derivative; and a transparent electrically conductive thin layer. X represents O, S or N—R10, R10 represents a hydrogen atom or a substituent, Rx and Ry represent a hydrogen atom or a substituent, with at least one representing an electron-withdrawing group, Rx and Ry may combine to form a ring, R represents a bond (—), a hydrogen atom or a substituent, with at least one being the bond, nr represents an integer of 1 to 4, R's may be the same or different when nr is 2 or more, and R's at the 2- and 3-positions or R's at the 5- and 6-positions may combine with each other to form a ring.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion element is provided and includes: a conductive thin layer; an organic photoelectric conversion layer including a compound represented by formula (I); and a transparent conductive thin layer, in this order: In the formula (I), X represents O, S or N—R10; Rx and Ry each independently represents a hydrogen atom or a substituent, at least one of Rx and Ry is an electron-withdrawing group, and Rx and Ry may be connected to each other to form a ring, provided that Rx and Ry do not represent a cyano group at the same time; R7 to R10 each independently represents a hydrogen atom or a substituent, and R8 and R9 may be connected to each other to form a ring; L represents a linking group comprising a conjugated bond; and D1 represents a group of atoms.

Abstract: A squarylium dye represented by formula (1): wherein A1 and B1 each independently represents a ring structure, and R1 and R2 each independently represents a substituent having a carbon number of 1 to 12.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion element comprises a first photoelectric conversion part, the first photoelectric conversion part comprising: a pair of electrodes; and a photoelectric conversion film between the pair of electrodes, wherein the photoelectric conversion film comprises an organic photoelectric conversion material having an absorption peak in an infrared region of an absorption spectrum within a combined range of a visible region and the infrared region and generating an electric charge according to light absorbed, and the first photoelectric conversion part as a whole transmits 50% or more of light in the visible region.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion element comprises a photoelectric conversion section that includes: a pair of electrodes; and a photoelectric conversion layer disposed between the pair of electrodes, wherein the photoelectric conversion section further comprises between one of the pair of electrodes and the photoelectric conversion layer a first charge-blocking layer that restrains injection of charges from the one of the electrodes into the photoelectric conversion layer when a voltage is applied to the pair of electrodes, and the first charge-blocking layer comprises a plurality of layers.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion device comprising a photo-electric conversion part including a first electrode layer, a second electrode layer and a photoelectric conversion layer provided between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer, wherein light is made incident from an upper part of the second electrode layer into the photoelectric conversion layer; the photoelectric conversion layer generates a charge containing an electron and a hole corresponding to the incident light from the upper part of the second electrode layer; and the first electrode layer works as an electrode for extracting the hole.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion device comprising: a substrate; a conducting layer; a photoelectric conversion layer; and a transparent conducting layer provided in this order, wherein the transparent conducting layer has a thickness of not more than ? of that of the photoelectric conversion layer.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion element comprising: a substrate; a conductive layer; a photoelectric conversion layer; and a transparent conductive layer, provided in this order, wherein the transparent conductive layer has a sheet resistance of from 100 to 10000?/?.

Abstract: A process of producing a silver halide photographic emulsion containing tabular silver halide grains having an aspect ratio of 5 or more, which comprises using silver halide fine grains as prepared by the following method in at least one of a nucleation step and a growth step of the production of silver halide emulsion, the method comprising mixing at least a silver salt aqueous solution and a halide aqueous solution to prepare silver halide fine grains, wherein one of the silver salt aqueous solution and the halide aqueous solution is introduced as a jet flow into a mixer; a region where the jet flow slows down is provided within the mixer; and the other solution is introduced into the jet flow before the velocity of the jet flow has become {fraction (1/10)} of the velocity at the time when the jet flow comes into the slowing-down region.

Abstract: A process for producing a photosensitive silver halide emulsion is disclosed, comprising silver halide grains and a dispersion medium, said process comprising steps of adding a water-soluble silver solution, an aqueous alkali halide solution and an aqueous solution of gelatin having a molecular weight of 5,000 to 30,000 or less to a mixing vessel different from a reactor for the production of emulsion to prepare silver halide fine grains, adding the silver halide fine grains to the reactor for the production of emulsion to grow silver halide grains, and ultrafiltering the silver halide grains during the addition of silver halide fine grains, wherein 50% or more of the entire projected area of said emulsion grains is occupied by silver halide tabular grains having an aspect ratio of 10 or more and a thickness of 0.15 &mgr;m or less.

Abstract: A process for producing a photosensitive silver halide emulsion is disclosed, comprising silver halide grains and a dispersion medium, said process comprising steps of adding a water-soluble silver solution, an aqueous alkali halide solution and an aqueous solution of gelatin having a molecular weight of 5,000 to 30,000 or less to a mixing vessel different from a reactor for the production of emulsion to prepare silver halide fine grains, adding the silver halide fine grains to the reactor for the production of emulsion to grow silver halide grains, and ultrafiltering the silver halide grains during the addition of silver halide fine grains, wherein 50% or more of the entire projected area of said emulsion grains is occupied by silver halide tabular grains having an aspect ratio of 10 or more and a thickness of 0.15 &mgr;m or less.

Abstract: A process of producing a silver halide photographic emulsion containing tabular silver halide grains having an aspect ratio of 5 or more, which comprises using silver halide fine grains as prepared by the following method in at least one of a nucleation step and a growth step of the production of silver halide emulsion, the method comprising mixing at least a silver salt aqueous solution and a halide aqueous solution to prepare silver halide fine grains, wherein one of the silver salt aqueous solution and the halide aqueous solution is introduced as a jet flow into a mixer; a region where the jet flow slows down is provided within the mixer; and the other solution is introduced into the jet flow before the velocity of the jet flow has become {fraction (1/10)} of the velocity at the time when the jet flow comes into the slowing-down region.

Abstract: A process for producing a photosensitive silver halide emulsion is disclosed, comprising silver halide grains and a dispersion medium, said process comprising steps of adding a water-soluble silver solution, an aqueous alkali halide solution and an aqueous solution of gelatin having a molecular weight of 5,000 to 30,000 or less to a mixing vessel different from a reactor for the production of emulsion to prepare silver halide fine grains, adding the silver halide fine grains to the reactor for the production of emulsion to grow silver halide grains, and ultrafiltering the silver halide grains during the addition of silver halide fine grains, wherein 50% or more of the entire projected area of said emulsion grains is occupied by silver halide tabular grains having an aspect ratio of 10 or more and a thickness of 0.15 &mgr;m or less.

Abstract: A trailing link type beam suspension suitable for use as the rear suspension of a front-drive type automobile. The beam suspension comprises a hollow axle beam having a left first end and a right second end to which left and right wheels are connected rotatably; a first trailing arm having one end fixed to the first end of the axle beam and the other end connected to the chassis; a second trailing arm having one end rotatably connected to the second end of the axle beam and the other end connected to the chassis; a stabilizer received by the hollow axle beam and having one end fixed to the first end of the axle beam and the other end swingably supported by the second end of the axle beam; and a link through which the other end of the stabilizer is connected to the second trailing arm.

Abstract: A suspension apparatus for a vehicle which comprises an axle beam for mounting a wheel on each end thereof, a Panal rod connected between the axle beam and the body of the vehicle, for supporting the axle, and a pair of trailing arms, each trailing arm being connected between the axle rod and the body of the vehicle, at least one of the trailing arms including bearings for connecting the trailing arms to the axle such that the trailing arm is rotatable about the axle. The suspension apparatus further includes a stabilizer bar extending parallel to the axle beam, the stabilizer bar having one end connected to the longitudinal middle of the axle beam and the other end connected to a trailing arm.