Fabrication of a 7.6‐in.‐diagonal prototype ballistic electron surface‐emitting display on a glass substrate

Abstract— A prototype ballistic electron surface‐emitting display (BSD) was fabricated on a TFT or PDP glass substrate by using a low‐temperature process. A 84 × 63‐pixel, 7.6‐in.‐diagonal full‐color BSD shows excellent performance, comparable to the previously reported 2.6‐in. model. This result demonstrates the strong possibility of large‐panel BSDs.     

A method for designing CDO conformed to investment parameters

We propose a method for designing CDOs (Collateralized Debt Obligation) that meets investor needs regarding CDO attributes. It is demonstrated that adjusting the attributes (credit capability and issue amount) of CDOs to investors' preferences causes a capital loss risk that the agent takes. We formulate a CDO optimization problem by defining an objective function using the above risk and setting constraints that arise from investor needs and a risk premium that is paid for the agent. Our prototype experiment, in which fictitious underlying obligations and investor needs are given, verifies that CDOs can be designed without opportunity loss and dead stock loss, and that the capital loss is not more than a thousandth part of the amount of annual payment under guarantee for small and medium‐sized enterprises by a general credit guarantee institution. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 161(4): 20– 28, 2007; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.20581     

Synthesis and characterization of liquid crystalline polystyrenes with disiloxane linkage in the spacer

Summary Novel polystyrenes with mesogenic groups as p-substituents connected through disiloxane-containing spacer are synthesized by anionic and radical polymerization and characterized. Some polymers are found to show smectic phases. Influences of the position of the siloxane linkage in the spacer, molecular weight and molecular weight distribution of the polymer on liquid crystallinity are observed.     

Thin film characteristics of fluorine-substituted monolayers prepared by chemical adsorption from solution

Monolayers containing a fluorine-substituted carbon chain were prepared by the chemical adsorption (CA) technique. Characteristics of the monolayers were evaluated by spectroscopy, copper decoration technique, current-voltage characteristics (current density and resistivity), measurement of the contact angle, and friction tests. By the copper decoration technique, the CA monolayer was more pinhole free and uniform than a Langmuir-Blodgett film. The characteristics (such as the leakage current density, resistivity, critical surface tension and coefficient of kinetic friction) of the fluorine-substituted monolayers depended markedly on the number of substituted fluorine atoms.     

Electrochromic imaging with polymer electrolyte having high-temperature-dependent conductivity

Space-selective electrochromic imaging was successfully performed with a novel polymer electrolyte composed of poly(vinylbutyral) (PVB), poly(ethyleneglycole) (PEG) and tetra-butylammonium perchlorate (TBAP). The spreading of the electrochromic image is a shortcoming when the image is space-selectively formed by electrochemical reaction. This is due to a cell formation between colored and uncolored parts through an ionic conductor. In order to inhibit the spreading, it would be effective to apply a polymer electrolyte with very low ionic conductivity at room temperature to the imaging system. Based on this, we designed the polymer electrolyte to have a large difference in ionic conductivity between high and low temperatures. This polymer electrolyte enables writing and erasing at a high temperature due to high ionic conductivity, and the image is to be preserved without change in ambient temperature due to very low ionic conductivity. In fact, space-selective image was successfully formed on the electrochromic device with the present polymer electrolyte at 100 °C, and was stable without change for more than a week when the device was kept at 20 °C.     

Geometrical separation method for lipoproteins using bioformulated-fiber matrix electrophoresis: size of high-density lipoprotein does not reflect its density

The increasing number of patients with metabolic syndrome is a critical global problem. In this study, we describe a novel geometrical electrophoretic separation method using a bioformulated-fiber matrix to analyze high-density lipoprotein (HDL) particles. HDL particles are generally considered to be a beneficial component of the cholesterol fraction. Conventional electrophoresis is widely used but is not necessarily suitable for analyzing HDL particles. Furthermore, a higher HDL density is generally believed to correlate with a smaller particle size. Here, we use a novel geometrical separation technique incorporating recently developed nanotechnology (Nata de Coco) to contradict this belief. A dyslipidemia patient given a 1-month treatment of fenofibrate showed an inverse relationship between HDL density and size. Direct microscopic observation and morphological observation of fractionated HDL particles confirmed a lack of relationship between particle density and size. This new technique may improve diagnostic accuracy and medical treatment for lipid related diseases.     

Discovery of a small peptide from combinatorial libraries that can activate the plant immune system by a jasmonic acid signaling pathway

Plants defend themselves by using an innate immune system that is activated in response to a variety of molecules derived from pathogens. These molecules have provided profound insights into the mechanisms of pathogen recognition and subsequent signaling pathways in plants. In the present study, we screened a combinatorial random hexapeptide library for peptides that activate the plant immune system, by using a cell-based high-throughput screening system in which H(2)O(2) generation was monitored. We discovered a novel small peptide (YGIHTH-amide, PIP-1) that triggered H(2)O(2) production in tobacco and tomato cells, but not in Arabidopsis cells. PIP-1 induced significant levels of phytoalexin biosynthesis and defense-related gene expression in tobacco cells; this is likely to be activated by a jasmonic acid pathway.     

Formation of Particle Layer Within Coated Slurry Characterized by Thickness Variation

An understanding of the conversion process from slurry to particle layer on a substrate is required for the precise control of the particle alignment and the material distribution in the coated slurry. In this work, variation of coated slurry thickness during drying was applied to evaluate drying and particle layer formation simultaneously. The slurry used consisted of micron-sized silica or poly (methyl methacrylate) particles and an aqueous solution of poly-vinyl alcohol (PVA) possessing differing degrees of hydrolysis. During the drying process, initially the thickness of the coated slurry was observed to decrease at a constant rate in the concentration stage, and subsequently it began to show large fluctuations due to the emergence of particles on the drying surface in the packing stage. In the final fixing stage, the fluctuation of film thickness was restricted because particles were immobilized by highly viscous concentrated PVA or by PVA molecule bridging. Based on the variation and fluctuation of film thickness, we introduced two characteristic dimensionless time ratios: (a) void fraction in a packed particle layer at the end of concentration stage; and (b) the time required to fix particle position after the end of the packing stage. We concluded that the dispersed state and settling velocity of the particle determines the space between particles in a loose packing layer, and we found that the distribution of polymers in a particle layer has a strong influence on the mobility of particles in a tightly packed layer.     

Microscale patterning of single crystal diamond by thermochemical reaction between sidero-metal and diamond

Single crystal diamond is expected to be a new material for not only micromachining tools, but also innovative microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). In this paper, we propose a new method for micro-patterning of bulk diamond by exploiting the thermochemical reaction between diamond and sidero-metals. We demonstrate the micro-patterning of single crystal diamond by annealing at temperatures from 1073 K to 1173 K after either micro-patterning nickel on the diamond or placing the diamond on a silicon substrate with a micro-patterned nickel layer. The nickel patterning, and thus the diamond patterning, can be conducted in a mass producible manner using photolithography. Etching rates greater than 0.2 μm/min were successfully achieved. The etching mechanisms were also experimentally elucidated, with oxygen playing a crucial role in the etching processes.