Abstract: The present invention is a rhodium alloy suitable for wire for a probe pin, the rhodium alloy comprising 30 to 150 ppm of Fe, 80 to 350 ppm of Ir and 100 to 300 ppm of Pt as additive elements, and the balance being Rh. A probe pin composed of the material maintains processability of rhodium, has stable contact resistance even at a low contact pressure, and has excellent strength and antifouling properties, and therefore, can be used in a stable manner for a long period.

Abstract: The present invention provides an iridium alloy suitable for a wire rod for probe pins, with zirconium as an additive element contained as an essential element and with aluminum and/or copper further added. In this iridium alloy, the additive concentration of zirconium is 100 to 500 ppm and the total additive concentration of aluminum and copper is 10 to 500 ppm. The present invention will be able to meet such requirements placed on a material for probe pins as that further miniaturization thereof would be demanded in the future and that use environment thereof becomes severe.

Abstract: The present invention is a rhodium alloy suitable for wire for a probe pin, the rhodium alloy comprising 30 to 150 ppm of Fe, 80 to 350 ppm of Ir and 100 to 300 ppm of Pt as additive elements, and the balance being Rh. A probe pin composed of the material maintains processability of rhodium, has stable contact resistance even at a low contact pressure, and has excellent strength and antifouling properties, and therefore, can be used in a stable manner for a long period.

Abstract: A thin film for a reflection film or for a semi-transparent reflection film, having a compound phase formed of at least one chemical compound selected from the group consisting of a nitride, an oxide, a composite oxide, a nitroxide, a carbide, a sulfide, a chloride, a silicide (excluding silicon), a fluoride, a boride, a hydride, a phosphide, a selenide and a telluride of aluminum, magnesium, tin, zinc, indium, titanium, zirconium, manganese and silicon, dispersed in a matrix formed of silver or a silver alloy. The thin film may disperse at least one compound selected from the group consisting of a nitride, an oxide, a composite oxide, a nitroxide, a carbide, a sulfide, a chloride, a silicide, a fluoride, a boride, a hydride, a phosphide, a selenide and a telluride of silver, gallium, palladium or copper, in addition to aluminum or the like, therein.

Abstract: A thin film for a reflection film or a semi-transparent reflection film, which has a compound phase comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of a nitride, an oxide, a complex oxide, a nitroxide, a carbide, a sulfide, a chloride, a silicide, a fluoride, a boride, a hydride, a phosphide, a selenide and a telluride of gallium, palladium or copper, dispersed in a matrix formed of silver or a silver alloy. The compound phase in the thin film may include at least one compound selected from the group consisting of nitride, oxide, complex oxide, nitroxide, carbide, sulfide, chloride, silicide, fluoride, boride, hydride, phosphide, selenide and telluride of silver. The thin film of the present invention minimizes the deterioration of the reflectance even after a long period of use, and can prolong the life of various devices which use the thin film as a reflection film, such as an optical recording medium and a display.

Abstract: The present invention provides an iridium alloy suitable for a wire rod for probe pins, with zirconium as an additive element contained as an essential element and with aluminum and/or copper further added. In this iridium alloy, the additive concentration of zirconium is 100 to 500 ppm and the total additive concentration of aluminum and copper is 10 to 500 ppm. The present invention will be able to meet such requirements placed on a material for probe pins as that further miniaturization thereof would be demanded in the future and that use environment thereof becomes severe.

Abstract: A thin film for reflective film or semi-reflective film comprising a matrix of silver or silver alloy and, dispersed therein, a compound phase of at least one member selected from among aluminum, magnesium, tin, zinc, indium, titanium, zirconium, manganese and silicon nitrides, oxides, composite oxides, nitroxides, carbides, sulfides, chlorides, silicides (excluding silicon), fluorides, borides, hydrides, phosphides, selenides and tellurides. In this thin film, in addition to the above aluminum, etc., there may be dispersed at least one member selected from among silver, gallium, palladium and copper nitrides, oxides, composite oxides, nitroxides, carbides, sulfides, chlorides, silicides, fluorides, borides, hydrides, phosphides, selenides and tellurides.

Abstract: A thin film for a reflection film or a semi-transparent reflection film, having a compound phase formed of at least one chemical compound selected from the group consisting of a nitride, an oxide, a complex oxide, a nitroxide, a carbide, a sulfide, a chloride, a silicide, a fluoride, a boride, a hydride, a phosphide, a selenide and a telluride of dysprosium, gadolinium, erbium, praseodymium, samarium, lanthanum and yttrium, dispersed in a matrix formed of silver or a silver alloy. The thin film may disperse at least one compound selected from the group consisting of a nitride, an oxide, a complex oxide, a nitroxide, a carbide, a sulfide, a chloride, a silicide, a fluoride, a boride, a hydride, a phosphide, a selenide and a telluride of silver, and/or gallium, palladium or copper, in addition to dysprosium or the like, therein.

Abstract: The present invention provides a thin film for a reflection film or for a semi-transparent reflection film, which has at least one silver compound phase of nitride, oxide, complex oxide, nitroxide, carbide, sulfide, chloride, silicide, fluoride, boride, hydride, phosphide, selenide and telluride of silver, dispersed in a matrix formed of silver. The thin film according to the present invention keeps its reflectance without significant loss even after a long period of use, and can prolong the life of various devices which comprises the thin film as a reflection film, such as an optical recording medium and a display. The thin film can be also applied to a semi-reflective/semi-transparent film used in the optical recording medium.

Abstract: A thin film for a reflection film or a semi-transparent reflection film, which has a compound phase comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of a nitride, an oxide, a complex oxide, a nitroxide, a carbide, a sulfide, a chloride, a silicide, a fluoride, a boride, a hydride, a phosphide, a selenide and a telluride of gallium, palladium or copper, dispersed in a matrix formed of silver or a silver alloy. The compound phase in the thin film may include at least one compound selected from the group consisting of nitride, oxide, complex oxide, nitroxide, carbide, sulfide, chloride, silicide, fluoride, boride, hydride, phosphide, selenide and telluride of silver. The thin film of the present invention minimizes the deterioration of the reflectance even after a long period of use, and can prolong the life of various devices which use the thin film as a reflection film, such as an optical recording medium and a display.

Abstract: The present invention is a silver alloy including silver as the main component and at least one rare-earth element as a first dopant element, and excellent in reflectance maintenance property. In the present invention, the first dopant element is preferably samarium, neodymium, lanthanum, cerium, ytterbium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, europium, and gadolinium. Also, in the present invention, the silver alloy preferably includes, as a second dopant element, at least one element selected from copper, manganese, silicon, chromium, nickel, cobalt, yttrium, iron, scandium, zirconium, niobium, molybdenum, tantalum, tungsten, platinum, gold, rhodium, iridium, palladium, indium, tin, lead, aluminum, calcium, gallium, bismuth, antimony, strontium, hafnium, and germanium.

Abstract: The present invention provides a silver alloy for use in a reflection film in an optical recording medium, comprising silver as a main component, and at least one metal element as a first additive element having lower melting point than that of silver. Preferable first additive elements in the present invention are aluminum, indium, tin, bismuth, gallium, zinc, strontium, calcium and germanium. Further, second additive elements in the present invention are preferable if they contain at least one of elements comprising platinum, gold, rhodium, iridium, ruthenium, palladium, lead, copper, manganese, silicon, nickel, chrome, cobalt, yttrium, iron, scandium, zirconium, titanium, niobium, molybdenum, tantalum, tungsten, hafnium, lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, samarium, europium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, thulium, ytterbiumm, magnesium, and boron.

Abstract: The present invention is a silver alloy including silver as the main component and at least one precious metal element as a first dopant element, and excellent in reflectance maintenance property. In the present invention, the first dopant element is preferably platinum, gold, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium and iridium. Also, in the present invention, the silver alloy preferably includes, as a second dopant element, at least one element selected from copper, manganese, silicon, chromium, nickel, cobalt, iron, scandium, zirconium, niobium, molybdenum, tantalum, tungsten, indium, tin, lead, aluminum, calcium, germanium, gallium, bismuth, antimony, strontium, hafnium, gadolinium, samarium, neodymium, lanthanum, cerium, ytterbium and europium.

Abstract: The present invention is a silver alloy including silver as the main component and at least one rare-earth element as a first dopant element, and excellent in reflectance maintenance property. In the present invention, the first dopant element is preferably samarium, neodymium, lanthanum, cerium, ytterbium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, europium, and gadolinium. Also, in the present invention, the silver alloy preferably includes, as a second dopant element, at least one element selected from copper, manganese, silicon, chromium, nickel, cobalt, yttrium, iron, scandium, zirconium, niobium, molybdenum, tantalum, tungsten, platinum, gold, rhodium, iridium, palladium, indium, tin, lead, aluminum, calcium, gallium, bismuth, antimony, strontium, hafnium, and germanium.

Abstract: The present invention is a silver alloy including silver as the main component and at least one element as a first dopant element higher than silver in melting point, and excellent in reflectance maintenance property. In the present invention, the first dopant element is preferably copper, manganese, silicon, nickel, cobalt, yttrium, iron, scandium, zirconium, niobium, molybdenum, tantalum and tungsten. Also, in the present invention, the silver alloy preferably includes, as a second dopant element, at least one element selected from platinum, gold, rhodium, iridium, ruthenium, palladium, chromium, germanium, indium, tin, lead, aluminum, calcium, gallium, bismuth, antimony, strontium, hafnium, gadolinium, samarium, neodymium, lanthanum, cerium, ytterbium and europium.

Abstract: The present invention provides a silver alloy for use in a reflection film in an optical recording medium, comprising silver as a main component, and at least one metal element as a first additive element having lower melting point than that of silver. Preferable first additive elements in the present invention are aluminum, indium, tin, bismuth, gallium, zinc, strontium, calcium and germanium. Further, second additive elements in the present invention are preferable if they contain at least one of elements comprising platinum, gold, rhodium, iridium, ruthenium, palladium, lead, copper, manganese, silicon, nickel, chrome, cobalt, yttrium, iron, scandium, zirconium, titanium, niobium, molybdenum, tantalum, tungsten, hafnium, lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, samarium, europium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, thulium, ytterbiumm, magnesium, and boron.

Abstract: A printer mounted on an electronic cash register (ECR) performs printing on printing paper by moving a print head left to right and right to left, i.e. bidirectionally. The printer uses right and left reset signals to determine the print start position and printing direction of the print head, the right and left reset signals being fed alternately and regularly to the driving circuit for the print head for performing bidirectional printing, thereby assuring correct bidirectional printing. The right and left reset signals are constantly monitored. If the reset signals of the same kinds are successively detected, it is judged that trouble has occurred, hampering correct bidirectional printing, and notice is issued accordingly.