Abstract: The invention relates to a technique for forming a thin film of good quality on a base substance via an intermediate layer. Such a film formation technique is suitably applicable to formation of an oxide high-temperature superconductor thin film usable for a superconducting wire material, a superconducting device or the like. In the method of forming a thin film on a base substance via an intermediate layer, an interface energy Ea at an interface A between the base substance and the intermediate layer, an interface energy Eb at an interface B between the intermediate layer and the thin film, and an interface energy Ec at an interface C between the base substance and the thin film in a state where the intermediate layer is omitted are calculated, and then a substance for the intermediate layer is selected so as to satisfy conditions of Ea<Ec and Eb<Ec.

Abstract: The invention relates to a technique for forming a single crystalline thin film of good quality on an underlayer. Such a technique is suitably applicable to provision of an oxide high-temperature superconductor thin film usable for a superconducting wire material, a superconducting device or the like. The single crystalline thin film formed on a substratum is made of a substance different from that of the substratum. A specific atomic layer contained in common in the substratum and the thin film is shared at an interface between the substratum and the thin film. In a region as adjacent to the interface as 100 or fewer unit cells of the thin film apart from the interface, a ratio of crystalline region having grown with an orientation of ±2 degrees or less deviation angle on the basis of a crystal orientation of the substratum is 50% or more.

Abstract: The invention relates to a trap for automotive exhaust particulates, with a high trapping efficiency and a low pressure loss for exhaust gas passage. The trap is a honeycomb-type filter with a three-dimensional network skelton. Further, provision of a ceramic incinerator comprising a heater in front of the honeycomb filter makes it easy to incinerate trapped particulates for removal.