Abstract: A multi-color luminous fluorescent display device includes therein a vacuum-sealed vessel having a glass substrate, an anode disposed on the glass substrate, a cathode installed in the vacuum-sealed vessel, a first phosphorescent layer containing a phosphor emitting yellow to red light, and a second phosphorescent layer containing a phosphor emitting blue to green light. The first phosphorescent layer contains a Ln2O2S:Eu phosphor (Ln is at least one selected from a group consisting of La, Gd, Lu and Y) which emits yellow to red light, and the second phosphorescent layer contains at least one phosphor selected from ZnO:Zn phosphor, ZnGa2O4 phosphor and ZnGa2O4:Mn phosphor which emit blue to green light.

Abstract: A sensor device is formed from a metal film having a plurality of openings, a sensor material positioned within each of the openings, a light source that emits light having a first wavelength, and a light detector that detects light emitted from the light source and transmitted through or reflected from the openings. The plurality of openings are arranged periodically in a first direction in the metal film, and both a size of each of the plurality of openings and an interval thereof in the first direction are equal to or less than the wavelength of the light.

Abstract: An electronic device includes a main body, a drive mechanism configured to move the main body, a detector having a plurality of sensors mounted in the main body for detecting distances to an object which is present in a space around the main body, a calculator configured to calculate a direction of the object relative to the main body based on the detected distances, and a controller configured to control the drive mechanism to change an orientation of the main body dependent on the calculated direction.

Abstract: A lower electrode 4 and an auxiliary electrode 8, a piezoelectric/electrostrictive film 5, and an upper electrode 6 are sequentially arranged in layers on a substrate 1. The lower electrode 4 is continuously formed in a region ranging from a first portion of the thick-walled portion 2 to a thin-walled diaphragm portion 3. The auxiliary electrode 8 is continuously formed in a region ranging from a second portion of the thick-walled portion 2 opposite the first portion to a position on the thin-walled diaphragm portion 3, the position being separated from the lower electrode 4. The upper electrode 6 is formed in such a manner as to overlie the piezoelectric/electrostrictive film 5 and the auxiliary electrode 8. Furthermore, a connection electrode 20 is provided for electrically connecting the upper electrode 6 and the auxiliary electrode 8. Thus, a plurality of paths are provided for electrically connecting the upper electrode 6 and the auxiliary electrode 8.

Abstract: In an inspecting method of a piezoelectric/electrostrictive actuator having a piezoelectric/electrostrictive element and two or more electrodes, the frequency response characteristics is picked up when a vibration is given to the piezoelectric/electrostrictive actuator, and the amount of displacement of the piezoelectric/electrostrictive actuator is predicted by the frequency response characteristics. The piezoelectric/electrostrictive actuator is precisely inspected without dissolution and destruction and without actual driving as a product.

Abstract: A driving force control device includes an individual-wheel friction-circle limit-value calculating portion that calculates friction-circle limit-values of individual wheels, an individual-wheel requested-resultant-tire-force calculating portion that calculates requested resultant tire forces of the individual wheels, an individual-wheel resultant-tire-force calculating portion that calculates resultant tire forces of the individual wheels, an individual-wheel requested-excessive-tire-force calculating portion that calculates requested excessive tire forces of the individual wheels, an individual-wheel excessive-tire-force calculating portion that calculates excessive tire forces of the individual wheels, an excessive-tire-force calculating portion that calculates an excessive tire force, an over-torque calculating portion that calculates an over-torque, and a control-amount calculating portion that calculates a control amount that is output to an engine control unit.

Abstract: A sensor device is formed from a metal film having a plurality of openings, a sensor material positioned within each of the openings, a light source that emits light having a first wavelength, and a light detector that detects light emitted from the light source and transmitted through or reflected from the openings. The plurality of openings are arranged periodically in a first direction in the metal film, and both a size of each of the plurality of openings and an interval thereof in the first direction are equal to or less than the wavelength of the light.

Abstract: In a chemical sensing apparatus utilizing a surface plasmon resonance in a small aperture formed in a metal thin film or on a surface of a metal fine particle, a capturing substance is disposed in the small aperture or on the surface of the metal fine particle for capturing a target substance. A marker substance, having a size comparable to that of the small aperture or the metal fine particle is combined with the target substance. As a result, a spectral change is increased in the transmitted light or the scattered light, induced by a surface plasmon resonance and resulting from the capture of the target substance.

Abstract: A lower electrode 4 and an auxiliary electrode 8, a piezoelectric/electrostrictive film 5, and an upper electrode 6 are sequentially arranged in layers on a substrate 1. The lower electrode 4 is continuously formed in a region ranging from a first portion of the thick-walled portion 2 to a thin-walled diaphragm portion 3. The auxiliary electrode 8 is continuously formed in a region ranging from a second portion of the thick-walled portion 2 opposite the first portion to a position on the thin-walled diaphragm portion 3, the position being separated from the lower electrode 4. The upper electrode 6 is formed in such a manner as to overlie the piezoelectric/electrostrictive film 5 and the auxiliary electrode 8. Furthermore, a connection electrode 20 is provided for electrically connecting the upper electrode 6 and the auxiliary electrode 8. Thus, a plurality of paths are provided for electrically connecting the upper electrode 6 and the auxiliary electrode 8.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a piezoelectric/electrostrictive element includes a step of subjecting the piezoelectric/electrostrictive film to a heat treatment and a polarization treatment after the film is allowed to stand until the value of an electric constant has converged after the heat treatment. The piezoelectric/electrostrictive element manufactured in this method has small stress remaining in the piezoelectric/electrostrictive film, and predetermined performance regarding, for example, a displacement amount, a displacement-generating force, and an electric power efficiency (consumed electric power) as a piezoelectric/electrostrictive element (piezoelectric/electrostrictive film) is never spoiled.

Abstract: An ultrasonic motor piezoelectric actuator element uses a primary longitudinal mode and a secondary bending mode and includes a stacked piezoelectric element in which piezoelectric layers and electrode layers are stacked alternately in such a manner that the electrode layers divide the piezoelectric layers into two approximately equal portions. A piezoelectric inactive region is formed from the surface portion to the center portion in the thickness direction of the stacked piezoelectric element. The migration resistance of the piezoelectric actuator element is improved while suppressing a decrease in displacement so that a short circuit can be prevented and portions generating heat during alternating polarization can be dispersed, whereby reliability is increased. Moreover, the amount of electrode material used can be reduced, whereby cost can be reduced.

Abstract: A light-condensing method of irradiating light whose electric field vectors show two or more than two different directions onto a member having apertures arranged at least at two positions and forming a light-condensing section having a strong electric field between the apertures arranged at two positions.

Abstract: A method for inspecting a piezoelectric element includes first-inspection-signal application step of applying to the piezoelectric element a first inspection signal Vp(1) having a first predetermined voltage waveform; first-characteristic-value measurement step of measuring, as a first characteristic value, an electrical characteristic value of the piezoelectric element after application of the first inspection signal; second-inspection-signal application step of applying to the piezoelectric element a second inspection signal Vp(2) having a second predetermined voltage waveform and an electrical power greater than that of the first inspection signal; second-characteristic-value measurement step of measuring, as a second characteristic value, the electrical characteristic value of the piezoelectric element after application of the second inspection signal; and anomaly determination step of determining whether or not the piezoelectric element is anomalous on the basis of a value corresponding to the difference

Abstract: A communication terminal includes a CPU (28). The CPU (28) issues to a router (16) a send request for requesting the router (16) to send an ask signal for repetitive responses to a server (14). Then, the ask signal is sent to the server (14) by the router (16), and a receive port is temporarily opened. From the server (14), a response signal is repeatedly sent in response to the ask signal. To the response signal, time information representative of a waiting time from receiving an ask signal to its reply is attached. A response signal sent back while the receive port is opened arrives at the communication terminal through the router (16), but a response signal sent back after the receive port is closed is discarded in the router (16). The CPU (28) repeatedly issues a send request to the router (16) regarding a time indicated by time information attached to the response signal lastly received as an issuance cycle (T).

Abstract: A probe which generates near-field light from an aperture at the tip is provided. The tip is covered with a lightproof member, at least the interior of the lightproof member is in the shape of a cone having a plane-shaped top, and the aperture is provided in the top plane.

Abstract: A near-field light source device including a semiconductor laser comprised of laminated semiconductor layers and having a ring-type optical resonator with a plurality of wave guides connected via mirror portions, a light blocking film formed in one of the mirror portions and having a small opening not greater than a wavelength size, and a diffraction grating formed on the light blocking film. The light oscillated from the semiconductor laser is diffracted by the diffraction grating, the diffracted light is coupled to a rotation mode in the ring-type optical resonator, and near-field light is generated via the small opening.

Abstract: A near-field exposure mask includes a mask base material and a light blocking layer formed on the base material, the light blocking layer includes a fine metal structure or fine opening formed in the light blocking layer. The size of the metal structure or the size of the opening is not more than a wavelength of light for exposure, and at least one of a cross section of the fine metal structure in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the mask, and a cross section of the fine opening in a direction perpendicular to the mask surface has an asymmetrical sectional shape with respect to an arbitrary axis perpendicular to the mask surface.

Abstract: Even when only a few antigens exist in a specimen, a change in a dielectric constant and a change in an optical spectrum accompanied thereto in the periphery of a conductive member are made larger, so that sensing at high sensitivity can be performed. A structure including a protrusion including a dielectric material protruded on a substrate and a conductive member provided on a first surface of the protrusion, in which the maximum value of the cross-sectional area in the cross-section in parallel with a first surface of the conductive member is larger than the area of the first surface.