Abstract: Provided is a method of unevenly distributing a specific element in a copper phase out of platinum group elements that exist in the copper phase, including further adding copper into a molten copper phase containing the platinum group elements including at least rhodium, thereby increasing a distribution ratio of rhodium in the molten copper phase.

Abstract: An insulating layer is layered above a substrate, and a plurality of pixel electrodes are formed above the insulating layer in a matrix with intervals therebetween. A photoelectric conversion layer and an opposing electrode are formed in respective order above the pixel electrodes. A dummy layer is formed above the insulating layer in a region that in plan-view is more peripheral than a pixel region in which the pixel electrodes are formed. The dummy layer is formed from the same material as the pixel electrodes. The dummy layer is composed of a plurality of dummy layer portions that are each equal to each of the pixel electrodes in terms of size in plan-view. The dummy layer functions as a support layer for planarization during polishing by chemical mechanical polishing.

Abstract: A control method for drying clothes is disclosed. The method finds a difference in surface temperature between clothes catching air blow and the same clothes catching no air blow, and then determines a degree of dryness in the clothes based on the difference. Based on the degree of dryness, the method determines at what time heating should start.

Abstract: In a metamaterial, a dielectric layer includes a host medium and dielectric bodies disposed in rows with predetermined intervals therebetween is sandwiched between a pair of conductive mesh plates each having holes, thereby forming a functional layer including dielectric resonators corresponding to the dielectric bodies. The metamaterial is configured by laminating the functional layers. The holes and the dielectric resonators are positioned coaxially and an electromagnetic wave is propagated in each of the functional layers in a propagation direction perpendicular to a multi-layered laminate surface such that the metamaterial function as a left-handed metamaterial in relation to the propagation direction perpendicular to the multi-layered surface.

Abstract: A solid-state imaging device includes: a substrate; a plurality of first electrodes arranged in a matrix above the substrate, and electrically isolated from each other; an insulator layer covering the first electrodes, having a planarized upper surface, and comprising an insulator; a photoelectric conversion film which is formed above the insulator layer, and converts light into signal charges; a second electrode formed above the photoelectric conversion film; and a signal readout circuit which is formed on the substrate, and generates a readout signal by detecting an amount of current change or voltage change caused by the signal charges at each of the first electrodes, in which the insulator layer allows conduction of at least electrons or holes by quantum mechanical tunneling.

Abstract: A nonreciprocal transmission line apparatus is provided with a cascade connection of unit cells between ports. Each unit cell includes a transmission line part for a microwave signal, and shunt branch circuits equivalently including inductive elements. Each unit cells has spontaneous magnetization or is magnetized by an external magnetic field so as to have gyrotropy by being magnetized in a magnetization direction different from a propagation direction of the transmission line part. In each of the unit cells, the shunt branch circuits includes a first stub conductor formed on one side with respect to a plane composed of the propagation direction and the magnetization direction, and a second stub conductor formed on the other side with respect to the plane, and the stub conductors have different electric length from each other.

Abstract: A power semiconductor device has the power semiconductor elements having back surfaces bonded to wiring patterns and surface electrodes, cylindrical communication parts having bottom surfaces bonded on the surface electrodes of the power semiconductor elements and/or on the wiring patterns, a transfer mold resin having concave parts which expose the upper surfaces of the communication parts and cover the insulating layer, the wiring patterns, and the power semiconductor elements. External terminals have one ends inserted in the upper surfaces of the communication parts and the other ends guided upward, and at least one external terminal has, between both end parts, a bent area which is bent in an L shape and is embedded in the concave part of the transfer mold resin.

Abstract: A reflective impedance element is connected to a port of a composite right/left-handed transmission line, and operates at a predetermined operating frequency so that an impedance when the reflective impedance element is seen from the port becomes a pure imaginary number jB. A reflective impedance component is connected to a port of the composite right/left-handed transmission line, and operates at the predetermined operating frequency so that an impedance when the reflective impedance element is seen from the port becomes ?jB.

Abstract: The present invention provides a composition capable of hermetically sealing a PCR reaction vessel without using a closure member or adhesive seal. Disclosed is a composition for preventing evaporation of a nucleic acid amplification reaction solution during nucleic acid amplification reaction, which is a liquid during the reaction and becomes a solid through chemical or thermal changes after completion of the reaction. Also disclosed is a composition for preventing evaporation of a nucleic acid amplification reaction solution during nucleic acid amplification reaction, wherein the melting point of the composition is 0-15° C. Also disclosed is a composition for preventing evaporation of a nucleic acid amplification reaction solution during nucleic acid amplification reaction, wherein the melting point of the composition is 5-10° C.

Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a base plate having one main surface joined to an insulating substrate on which a semiconductor chip and the like are mounted and a transfer mold resin which is so provided as to cover the one main surface of the base plate, the insulating substrate, the semiconductor chip, and the like and expose the other main surface of the base plate. The coefficient of linear expansion of the base plate is lower than that of copper and the coefficient of linear expansion of the transfer mold resin is not higher than 16 ppm/° C. The transfer mold resin has such scooped shapes as to expose opposed short-side centers and the vicinity of the base plate, respectively. The base plate has mounting holes in portions exposed by the scooped shapes of the transfer mold resin.

Abstract: A transmission line microwave apparatus includes at least one nonreciprocal transmission line part, which includes a series branch circuit equivalently including a capacitive element and a shunt branch circuit equivalently including an inductive element. The nonreciprocal transmission line part has gyrotropic characteristic by being magnetized in a magnetization direction different from the propagation direction of a microwave, and has an asymmetric structure to a plane formed by the propagation direction and the magnetization direction. The nonreciprocal transmission line part has a propagation constant and an operating frequency set in a dispersion curve that represents a relation between the propagation constant and the operating frequency so that the propagation constant in the forward direction and the propagation constant in the backward direction have nonreciprocal phase characteristics different from each other.

Abstract: In a metamaterial, a dielectric layer includes a host medium and dielectric bodies disposed in rows with predetermined intervals therebetween is sandwiched between a pair of conductive mesh plates each having holes, thereby forming a functional layer including dielectric resonators corresponding to the dielectric bodies. The metamaterial is configured by laminating the functional layers. The holes and the dielectric resonators are positioned coaxially and an electromagnetic wave is propagated in each of the functional layers in a propagation direction perpendicular to a multi-layered laminate surface such that the metamaterial function as a left-handed metamaterial in relation to the propagation direction perpendicular to the multi-layered surface.

Abstract: A power semiconductor device of the present invention has the power semiconductor elements having back surfaces bonded to the wiring patterns and surface electrodes on surfaces, the cylindrical communication parts having bottom surfaces bonded on the surface electrodes of the power semiconductor elements and/or on the wiring patterns, the transfer mold resin having concave parts which expose the upper surfaces of the communication parts and covering surfaces other than the upper surfaces of the communication parts, the insulating layer, the wiring patterns, and the power semiconductor elements, and the external terminals having one ends inserted in the upper surfaces of the communication parts and the other ends guided upward, and at least one external terminal has, between both end parts, the bent area which is bent in an L shape and the bent area is embedded in the concave part of the transfer mold resin.

Abstract: A method of operating fuel cell system includes generating electricity by a fuel cell using fuel gas and oxidizing gas and allowing cooling water to flow in the fuel cell and thereby cooling the fuel cell. The method includes transferring moisture from exhaust gas to supply gas using a first humidifier, the exhaust gas being discharged from the fuel cell, the supply gas being supplied to the fuel cell, and transferring moisture from the cooling water to the supply gas humidified using a second humidifier. The method includes at least one of detecting humidity of the supply gas humidified, detecting temperature of the cooking water, detecting the flow rate of the supply gas and detecting the amount of electricity generated by the fuel cell. The method also includes controlling the humidity of the supply gas humidified based on the value detected.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes the steps of forming a plurality of lower interconnections at intervals in a first insulating film; removing a portion of the first insulating film located between the lower interconnections, thereby forming an interconnection-to-interconnection gap; forming a second insulating film over the first insulating film in which the lower interconnections and the interconnection-to-interconnection gap are formed such that an air gap is formed out of the interconnection-to-interconnection gap; and forming, in the second insulating film, a connection portion connected to one of the lower interconnections and an upper interconnection connected to the connection portion. The connection portion is formed to be connected to one of the lower interconnections not adjacent to the air gap.

Abstract: A control method for drying clothes is disclosed. The method finds a difference in surface temperature between clothes catching air and the same clothes catching no air, and then determines a degree of dryness in the clothes based on the difference. Based on the degree of dryness, the method determines at what time heating should start.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes the steps of forming a plurality of lower interconnections at intervals in a first insulating film; removing a portion of the first insulating film located between the lower interconnections, thereby forming an interconnection-to-interconnection gap; forming a second insulating film over the first insulating film in which the lower interconnections and the interconnection-to-interconnection gap are formed such that an air gap is formed out of the interconnection-to-interconnection gap; and forming, in the second insulating film, a connection portion connected to one of the lower interconnections and an upper interconnection connected to the connection portion. The connection portion is formed to be connected to one of the lower interconnections not adjacent to the air gap.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a semiconductor device includes the steps of: forming a plurality of lower interconnections at intervals in a first insulating film; removing a portion of the first insulating film located between the lower interconnections, thereby forming an interconnection-to-interconnection gap; forming a second insulating film over the first insulating film in which the lower interconnections and the interconnection-to-interconnection gap are formed such that an air gap is formed out of the interconnection-to-interconnection gap; and forming, in the second insulating film, a connection portion connected to one of the lower interconnections and an upper interconnection connected to the connection portion. The connection portion is formed to be connected to one of the lower interconnections not adjacent to the air gap.

Abstract: There is disclosed a fuel cell system according to the invention comprising; a material gas feeder (1); a reformer (3); a fuel cell (4); a combustor (5); communication passages (6A-6E); and a controller (20), wherein during a shutdown period of the fuel cell (4), the controller (20) determines whether the fuel cell system is in a normal condition where a shutdown operation of the fuel cell (4) is performed; and wherein if the controller (20) determines that the fuel cell system is not in the normal condition, the controller (20) controls the material gas feeder (1) to execute a material gas feed process before a next ignition of the combustor (5), the material gas feed process being performed such that the material gas is supplied to a hydrogen-containing gas flow path constituted by the reformer (3) and the communication passages (6A-6E) located between the reformer (3) and the combustor (5).

Abstract: A method of operating fuel cell system includes generating electricity by a fuel cell using fuel gas and oxidizing gas and allowing cooling water to flow in the fuel cell and thereby cooling the fuel cell. The method includes transferring moisture from exhaust gas to supply gas using a first humidifier, the exhaust gas being discharged from the fuel cell, the supply gas being supplied to the fuel cell, and transferring moisture from the cooling water to the supply gas humidified using a second humidifier. The method includes at least one of detecting humidity of the supply gas humidified, detecting temperature of the cooking water, detecting the flow rate of the supply gas and detecting the amount of electricity generated by the fuel cell. The method also includes controlling the humidity of the supply gas humidified based on the value detected.