Abstract: Provided are a method of evaluating an ion irradiation effect, a process simulator and a device simulator, which allow the influence of ion irradiation on atoms making up a substrate to be evaluated with high accuracy. The method includes irradiating a sample with a beam of ions, and evaluating influence of the ions used for the irradiation on atoms making up the sample, provided that the sample is prepared by alternately and periodically stacking a plurality of thin film layers, and of the plurality of thin film layers, the layer of at least one kind is composed of an isotope layer.

Abstract: There are provided a process for producing a siliceous film having excellent insulating properties, and a coating composition for use in the process. The coating composition comprises a perhydropolysilazane or modified perhydropolysilazane having a number average molecular weight of 100 to 50,000 and an aluminum compound, the composition having an aluminum content of not less than 10 ppb and not more than 100 ppm in terms of the molar ratio of the aluminum atom to the silicon atom. The siliceous film is produced by coating the coating composition onto a substrate and firing the coated substrate in an atmosphere containing steam, oxygen, or a mixed gas composed of steam and oxygen.

Abstract: This magnetostrictive torque sensor includes: a shaft made of a magnetized material; a magnetostrictive portion provided on the shaft at a position distanced for a predetermined length from an end of the shaft; a detection coil that is arranged so as to face the magnetostrictive portion, and detects a change in a magnetic characteristic of the magnetostrictive portion; and a plating made of an nonmagnetic material, that is provided on the end of the shaft.

Abstract: A magnetostrictive torque sensor includes a shaft having a magnetostrictive film; a detection coil for detecting a change in a magnetic property of the magnetostrictive film; and a cutoff circuit for supplying an excitation signal for detecting the change in the magnetic property and inhibiting the excitation signal from being supplied to the detection coil for a predetermined interval from power on. The cutoff circuit cuts off the excitation signal I and its inverted signal to the bridge circuit.

Abstract: A hybrid vehicle (100) can be driven using both of respective driving forces from an engine (10) and a motor (80). A heating mechanism (120) of an air conditioning apparatus (110) uses thermal energy from cooling water of the engine (10) to heat the interior of a passenger compartment. An ECU (90) takes into consideration engine efficiency from the standpoint of fuel economy enhancement to primarily determine the driving force share ratio between the engine (10) and the motor (80). Further, the ECU (90) calculates a preset temperature corresponding to a cooling water temperature necessary for desired heating as well as a control target temperature in which the preset temperature is reflected, and corrects the primarily determined driving force share ratio to increase the share of the driving force of the engine by an amount according to a deviation between the cooling water temperature (Tw) measured by a water temperature sensor (98) and the control target temperature.

Abstract: A magnetostrictive torque sensor includes first and second magnetostrictive films which are provided at a shaft and have different magnetic anisotropies; a first measurement coil and a second measurement coil which face the first magnetostrictive film; and a third measurement coil and a fourth measurement coil which face the second magnetostrictive film. A torque applied to the shaft is measured based on a variation in magnetic characteristics of the first and the second magnetostrictive films; and a failure of the magnetostrictive torque sensor is detected based on a first difference between output values from the first and the second measurement coils and a second difference between output values from the third and the fourth measurement coils. An electric steering system includes the magnetostrictive torque sensor for measuring a steering torque of the system; and an electric motor driven based on the measured magnetostrictive torque for steering the vehicle.

Abstract: A magnetostrictive torque sensor system stabilizes and detects steering torque applied to a steering shaft.

Abstract: An electric power steering apparatus includes a worm gear mechanism for transmitting the torque generated by an electric motor to a steered road wheel of the vehicle. The worm gear mechanism has a worm gear made of metal and a worm wheel formed of plastic material and meshing with the worm gear. The worm gear has a tooth profile including a dedendum part formed in an involute shape and an addendum part formed in a circular arc shape with a center located on a line of action.

Abstract: In response to the driver's brake OFF operation after a gearshift operation of a gearshift lever to a parking position, a motor MG2 is controlled to sequentially output a torque in a backward direction of a vehicle and a torque in a forward direction of the vehicle. Gears are accordingly engaged in a parking lock mechanism during rotation of a parking gear by an angle corresponding to half a tooth in the backward direction of the vehicle or during subsequent rotation of the parking gear by an angle corresponding to one tooth in the forward direction of the vehicle. This arrangement effectively ensures gear engagement in the parking lock mechanism, while desirably reducing a moving distance from a vehicle stop position before gear engagement in the parking lock mechanism.

Abstract: An electric motor having a rotation shaft includes a motor housing into which the electric motor is accommodated, at least one pair of rolling bearings positioned in the motor housing and rotatably supporting both ends of the rotation shaft, and a displacement restriction member provided inside the motor housing and restricting a displacement of the rolling bearing in an axial direction of the rolling bearing. Each rolling bearing includes an inner race, an outer race, and rolling elements rotatably supported between the inner race and the outer race. The inner race is press fitted without any gaps onto an outer peripheral surface of the rotation shaft, and the outer race is press fitted without any gaps into a bearing attachment portion provided inside the motor housing.

Abstract: A magnetostrictive mechanical quantity sensor for detecting torque or axial force is disclosed, which sensor comprises a hollow shaft and an operation shaft. The hollow shaft has a magnetostrictive film formed on its outer perimeter surface. The operation shaft is subject to torque or axial force acting from outside and is linked to and fit inside the hollow shaft.

Abstract: A second communications server obtains adjustment information of an adjustment unit in an exposure apparatus and information related to image forming quality (such as wavefront aberration) of a projection optical system under an exposure condition that serves as a reference, via a first communications server, and then calculates an optimal adjustment amount of the adjustment unit under a target exposure condition based on the information. In addition, the second communications server obtains adjustment information of the adjustment and actual measurement data of image forming quality of the projection optical system via the first communications server, and then calculates the optimal adjustment amount of the adjustment unit under the target exposure condition based on the information. And, the second communications server controls the adjustment unit in the exposure apparatus via the first communications server, based on the calculations results.

Abstract: A second communications server obtains adjustment information of an adjustment unit in an exposure apparatus and information related to image forming quality (such as wavefront aberration) of a projection optical system under an exposure condition that serves as a reference, via a first communications server, and then calculates an optimal adjustment amount of the adjustment unit under a target exposure condition based on the information. In addition, the second communications server obtains adjustment information of the adjustment and actual measurement data of image forming quality of the projection optical system via the first communications server, and then calculates the optimal adjustment amount of the adjustment unit under the target exposure condition based on the information. And, the second communications server controls the adjustment unit in the exposure apparatus via the first communications server, based on the calculations results.

Abstract: An exposure method of forming pattern on object via projection optical system, including deciding optimal adjustment amount of adjustment device which adjusts image forming property of the projection optical system to optimize the image forming property under pattern to be formed and exposure condition of the pattern, based on information related to wavefront aberration of the projection optical system, Zernike Sensitivity Chart corresponding to the pattern and the exposure condition, wavefront aberration variation table that denotes relation between adjustment amount of the adjustment device and change in coefficients of terms in the Zernike polynomial, and restraint condition with respect to the adjustment amount of the adjustment device, and exposing the pattern on the object under the exposure condition via the projection optical system of which the image forming property is adjusted by the adjustment device based on the decided optimal adjustment amount.

Abstract: An electrically powered steering apparatus in which at least one torque selected from a steering torque and a motor torque is transmitted from a torque transmission shaft to a rack-and-pinion mechanism to steer steered wheels. The torque transmission shaft has a torque-side shaft provided with a magnetostrictive film of a magnetostrictive sensor for sensing torque; and a pinion shaft provided with a pinion of the rack-and-pinion mechanism. The torque-side shaft and the pinion shaft are separate components which are linked together.

Abstract: In the case where a start command of an engine is given with a gearshift lever being operated to a parking position, when a cooling water temperature Tw is lower than a threshold value Twref, and a stop time tst of the engine is a threshold value tstref or longer (S110 and S120), a relatively large predetermined torque T2 is set to a power-holding torque Tg (S140), and the power-holding torque Tg added to a torque for canceling a reaction torque is output from a second motor to motor and start the engine. This allows the engine to be started with a backlash between gears being eliminated even when resistance in motoring the engine is relatively large.

Abstract: A manufacturing method is provided to be used in place of a conventional mechanical alloying method. A powdered metal and a nanocarbon material are placed in an empty metal mill vessel containing no balls, and a mixture in which the powdered metal is coated with this nanocarbon material is obtained by shaking in three dimensions.

Abstract: A shift control ECU includes the steps of storing a position of a shift lever; starting a count-up timer when the shift lever comes to a neutral position; and recognizing a driver's request for the neutral position when a count-up timer value attains TN(1) if the stored shift lever position is a home position and when a count-up timer value attains TN(2) if the stored shift lever position is not the home position. Here, TN(1) is set to be smaller than TN(2).

Abstract: A shift control system rotates an actuator to cause a wall of a detent plate to contact a roller of a detent spring, and detects the position of contact so as to detect the position of the wall of the detent plate. This wall position is set as a reference position of the actuator. Accordingly, the rotation of the actuator can appropriately be controlled even if an encoder which can only detect relative positional information is employed, and thus the shift range can appropriately be switched.

Abstract: A shift control system rotates an actuator to allow a wall of a detent plate and a roller of a detent spring to contact each other and then detects the position of contact so as to detect the position of the wall of the detent plate. After the wall position is determined, the actuator is driven in the direction opposite to the wall until the actuator reaches a position located before the wall position and distant therefrom by a predetermined amount, in order to cancel flexure or extension of the detent spring that is caused when the detent spring is pushed against the wall of the detent plate. Accordingly, such a situation where the shift position is moved by the recovery force of the detent spring can be avoided.