Abstract: A liquid crystal display device that includes a pair of transparent substrates between which a liquid crystal layer is disposed. A common electrode is formed on an inside of at least one of the substrates. A plurality of pixel electrodes are formed on an inside of at least one of the substrates. At least one MIM layered structure is connected to each of the pixel electrodes. A hard carbon film constitutes an insulator layer of the MIM structure.

Abstract: Inventive rare earth oxide voidless spherical grains having a mean grain diameter of from about 30-300 .mu.m formed by agglomerating a rare earth oxide powder having a mean grain diameter of 1 .mu.m or less are disclosed. An agglomeration method is disclosed comprising slurrying a rare earth oxide powder by dispersing it in water, admixing a salt of an organic acid with the slurry, and spray-drying the slurry.

Abstract: A thin film two terminal element comprises a lower metallic electrode disposed on an insulating substrate; an insulating film disposed on the insulating substrate and formed by a hard carbon film including at least one of amorphous and microcrystal properties with carbon and hydrogen atoms as a main structure forming element; and an upper metallic electrode disposed on the insulating substrate and formed by a metal having a standard free energy in the production of an oxide at a room temperature equal to or greater than that in the production of H.sub.2 O or CO.sub.2. The lower metallic electrode is disposed to partially overlap a transparent electrode and is formed by a metal having a standard electrode potential in an aqueous solution equal to or higher than that of the transparent electrode.

Abstract: According to this invention, light is radiated on a pattern to be measured while being scanned, and light reflected by the pattern is received so as to form a light intensity profile curve based on the reflection light corresponding to the pattern width of the pattern to be measured. Then, coefficients of optimal values are calculated by the method of least squares using three sets or more of pattern width values and light intensity values obtained from the light intensity profile curve. A pattern width value (X1) of the pattern to be measured is calculated using equation (II) below having these optimal values as coefficients. A very small line width of a resist film can be easily and accurately measured as a bottom value using an optical apparatus without being influenced by light interference at an edge portion of the pattern to be measured.y1=d/{1+a1.multidot.exp(-b1X1)} (II)y1=a1.sub.1 X.sup.n-2 +a1.sub.2 X.sup.n-3 . . .