Abstract: A PZT-based ferroelectric thin film formed on a lower electrode of a substrate having the lower electrode in which the crystal plane is oriented in a (111) axis direction, having an orientation controlling layer which is formed on the lower electrode and has a layer thickness in which a crystal orientation is controlled in a (111) plane preferentially in a range of 45 nm to 270 nm, and a film thickness adjusting layer which is formed on the orientation controlling layer and has the same crystal orientation as the crystal orientation of the orientation controlling layer, in which an interface is formed between the orientation controlling layer and the film thickness adjusting layer.

Abstract: An image processing apparatus that generates contour information of an image object included in input image data and compresses image data using the contour information includes a smoothing processing part that performs a smoothing process on the input image data; a contour extraction part that extracts the contour information of the image object included in the image data on which the smoothing process is performed; and a contour correction part that corrects the contour information extracted by the contour extraction part.

Abstract: A method for producing a ferroelectric thin film comprising: coating a composition for forming a ferroelectric thin film on a base electrode of a substrate having a substrate body and the base electrode that has crystal daces oriented in the (111) direction, calcining the coated composition, and subsequently performing firing the coated composition to crystallize the coated composition, and thereby forming a ferroelectric thin film on the base electrode, wherein the method includes formation of an orientation controlling layer by coating the composition on the base electrode, calcining the coated composition, and firing the coated composition, where an amount of the composition coated on the base electrode is controlled such that a thickness of the orientation controlling layer after crystallization is in a range of 5 nm to 30 nm, and thereby controlling the preferential crystal orientation of the orientation controlling layer to be in the (110) plane.

Abstract: A method for producing a ferroelectric thin film comprising: coating a composition for forming a ferroelectric thin film on a base electrode of a substrate having a substrate body and the base electrode that has crystal faces oriented in the (111) direction, calcining the coated composition, and subsequently performing firing the coated composition to crystallize the coated composition, and thereby forming a ferroelectric thin film on the base electrode, wherein the method includes formation of an orientation controlling layer by coating the composition on the base electrode, calcining the coated composition, and firing the coated composition, where an amount of the composition coated on the base electrode is controlled such that a thickness of the orientation controlling layer after crystallization is in a range of 35 nm to 150 nm, and thereby controlling the preferential crystal orientation of the orientation controlling layer in the (100) plane.

Abstract: A method for producing a ferroelectric thin film comprising: coating a composition for forming a ferroelectric thin film on a base electrode of a substrate having a substrate body and the base electrode that has crystal daces oriented in the (111) direction, calcining the coated composition, and subsequently performing firing the coated composition to crystallize the coated composition, and thereby forming a ferroelectric thin film on the base electrode, wherein the method includes formation of an orientation controlling layer by coating the composition on the base electrode, calcining the coated composition, and firing the coated composition, where an amount of the composition coated on the base electrode is controlled such that a thickness of the orientation controlling layer after crystallization is in a range of 5 nm to 30 nm, and thereby controlling the preferential crystal orientation of the orientation controlling layer to be in the (110) plane.

Abstract: A PZT-based ferroelectric thin film is formed by coating a PZT-based ferroelectric thin film-forming composition on a lower electrode of a substrate one or two or more times, pre-baking the composition, and baking the composition to be crystallized, and this thin film includes PZT-based particles having an average particle size in a range of 500 nm to 3000 nm when measured on a surface of the thin film, in which heterogeneous fine particles having an average particle size of 20 nm or less, which are different from the PZT-based particles, are precipitated on a part or all of the grain boundaries on the surface of the thin film.

Abstract: A method includes: coating a composition for forming a PZT ferroelectric film not containing Nb on a lower electrode 11 formed on a substrate 10, prebaking the composition, and baking the composition to be crystallized and to thereby form a crystallization promoting layer 12 having a thickness 45 to 90 nm thereon; coating a composition for forming a PNbZT-based ferroelectric film, containing 4 to 10 at % of Nb in 100 at % of all the perovskite B site atoms (Zr, Ti) contained in the composition, on the formed crystallization promoting layer 12 to form a coating film 13a of PNbZT thereon; and pre-baking the coating film 13a and then baking the coating film 13a to be crystallized and to thereby form a PNbZT ferroelectric thin film on the lower electrode 11.

Abstract: In a PZT-based ferroelectric thin film-forming composition, a ratio of a PZT precursor to 100 wt % of the composition is 17 to 35 wt % in terms of oxides, a ratio of a diol to 100 wt % of the composition is 16 to 56 wt %, a ratio of a polyvinyl pyrrolidone or a polyethylene glycol to 1 mol of the PZT precursor is 0.01 to 0.25 mol in terms of monomers, a ratio of the water to 1 mol of the PZT precursor is 0.5 to 3 mol, and the composition does not further contain a linear monoalcohol having 6 to 12 carbon chains which has a ratio of 0.6 to 10 wt % with respect to 100 wt % of the composition.

Abstract: A method of preparing a ferroelectric thin film-forming composition, specifically, a method of preparing a PZT thin film-forming composition includes: a step of allowing composition precursor raw materials, which contain PZT precursor substances at a concentration of 23 to 38 mass % in terms of oxides in 100 mass % of the composition precursor raw materials, and a high-molecular compound to react with each other to obtain a PZT thin film-forming composition precursor; and a step of aging the PZT thin film-forming composition precursor at a temperature of 0 to 10° C. for at least 30 days.

Abstract: This PZT-based ferroelectric thin film-forming composition comprises: a PZT precursor; a diol; one of polyvinyl pyrrolidones and a polyethylene glycol; water, and a linear monoalcohol having 6 to 12 carbon chains. In this composition, a concentration of the PZT precursor in 100 wt % of the composition is 17 wt % to 35 wt % in terms of oxides, the ratio of the diol to 100 wt % of the composition is 16 wt % to 56 wt %, the ratio of the one of the polyvinyl pyrrolidones and the polyethylene glycol to 1 mol of the PZT precursor is 0.01 mol to 0.25 mol, the ratio of the water to 1 mol of the PZT precursor is 0.5 mol to 3 mol, and the ratio of the linear monoalcohol to 100 wt % of the composition is 0.6 wt % to 10 wt %.

Abstract: This ferrite thin film-forming composition is a composition for forming a thin film of NiZn ferrite, CuZn ferrite, or NiCuZn ferrite using a sol-gel method, and the composition includes: metal raw materials; and a solvent containing N-methyl pyrrolidone, wherein a ratio of an amount of N-methyl pyrrolidone to 100 mass % of the total amount of the composition is in a range of 30 to 60 mass %.

Abstract: This ferroelectric thin film-forming sol-gel solution contains: a PZT-based compound; a high-molecular compound used to adjust the viscosity containing polyvinyl pyrrolidone; and an organic dopant containing N-methyl pyrrolidone, in which the amount of the PZT-based compound is greater than or equal to 17 mass % in terms of oxides, the molar ratio (PZT-based compound:polyvinyl pyrrolidone) of the polyvinyl pyrrolidone to the PZT-based compound is 1:0.1 to 1:0.5 in terms of monomers, and the amount of the organic dopant containing N-methyl pyrrolidone in the sol-gel solution is 3 mass % to 13 mass %.

Abstract: To convert N-valued input image data to output image data, where N is an integer equal to or greater than two, a concentration value is determined for each pixel in a set of pixels including a pixel of interest and its neighboring pixels. Ranks are assigned to each of these pixels on the basis of the concentration values. The pixel values of the pixel of interest and its neighboring pixels are then redistributed according to the assigned ranks. This scheme enables pixel clustering to be manipulated in a natural way.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus for depicting a gradation image through halftones includes a threshold value generating unit for generating a threshold value matrix, and a comparison unit for converting the gradation image. The threshold value generating unit determines an order of gradations of pixels in halftones. The threshold value generating unit determines an order of standard dots. Further, the threshold value generating unit is configured to determine a priority order of gradations between the halftones. The threshold value generating unit further determines an order of the threshold values of the gradations of all of the pixels according to the order of the gradations of the pixels contained in the halftones and the priority order of the gradations between the halftones, so that the threshold value generating unit generates the threshold value matrix.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image reading portion for reading an image of an original to generate image data; a printing portion for printing the image on a medium according to the image data; a missing page determining portion for determining whether a missing page of the original occurs according to the image data generated with the image reading portion; and a discharge position control portion for discharging the medium corresponding to the missing page of the original to a specific discharge position different from that of other medium.

Abstract: A PZT-based ferroelectric thin film formed on a lower electrode of a substrate having the lower electrode in which the crystal plane is oriented in a (111) axis direction, having an orientation controlling layer which is formed on the lower electrode and has a layer thickness in which a crystal orientation is controlled in a (111) plane preferentially in a range of 45 nm to 270 nm, and a film thickness adjusting layer which is formed on the orientation controlling layer and has the same crystal orientation as the crystal orientation of the orientation controlling layer, in which an interface is formed between the orientation controlling layer and the film thickness adjusting layer.

Abstract: A method of forming a ferrite thin film by carrying out a process for forming a coated film by coating a ferrite thin film-forming composition on a heat-resistant substrate and a process for calcining the coated film once or a plurality of times so that the thickness of the calcined film on the substrate becomes a desired thickness, and firing the calcined film formed on the substrate, in which the conditions for firing the calcined film formed on the substrate are under the atmosphere or an oxygen gas or inert gas atmosphere, a temperature-rise rate of 1° C./minute to 50° C./minute, a holding temperature of 500° C. to 800° C., and a holding time of 30 minutes to 120 minutes.

Abstract: To provide a ferrite thin film-forming composition material that is a composition material for forming a ferrite thin film by using the sol-gel method which can form a thin ferrite thin film having a uniform thickness and, furthermore, has excellent long-term storage stability, a method of forming a ferrite thin film using the above composition material, and a ferrite thin film formed by using the above method. A ferrite thin film-forming composition material is a composition material for forming a NiZn ferrite, CuZn ferrite, or NiCuZn ferrite thin film by using a sol-gel method, in which the composition material is formed by dissolving metallic raw materials in a solvent including acetonitrile, and the fraction of acetonitrile is 30 mass % to 60 mass % with respect to 100 mass % of the composition material.

Abstract: A PZT-based ferroelectric thin film formed on a lower electrode of a substrate having the lower electrode in which the crystal plane is oriented in a (111) axis direction, having an orientation controlling layer which is formed on the lower electrode and has a layer thickness in which a crystal orientation is controlled in a (100) plane preferentially in a range of 45 nm to 150 nm, and a film thickness adjusting layer which is formed on the orientation controlling layer and has the same crystal orientation as the crystal orientation of the orientation controlling layer, in which an interface is formed between the orientation controlling layer and the film thickness adjusting layer.

Abstract: A PZT-based ferroelectric thin film is manufactured on a lower electrode by coating, calcining, and then firing so as to crystallize a PZT-based ferroelectric thin film-forming composition. A PZT-based ferroelectric thin film-forming composition is coated on the surface of the lower electrode using a CSD method. Calcination is slowly carried out on a formed sol film in a temperature pattern including a first holding step in which the temperature of the composition is increased from a predetermined temperature such as room temperature using infrared rays and the composition is held at a temperature in a range of 200° C. to 350° C. and a second holding step in which the temperature of composition is increased from the holding temperature of the first holding step and is held at a temperature in a range of 350° C. to 500° C. higher than the holding temperature of the first holding step.