A method of producing an ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid or ester, preferably an , ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid or ester. The method includes contacting formaldehyde or a suitable source thereof with a carboxylic acid or ester in the presence of a catalyst and optionally in the presence of an alcohol. The catalyst includes a nitrided metal oxide having at least two types of metal cations, M.sup.1 and M.sup.2, wherein M.sup.1 is selected from the metals of group 2, 3, 4, 13 (called also IIIA) or 14 (called also IVA) of the periodic table and M2 is selected from the metals of groups 5 or 15 (called also VA) of the periodic table.

A metal oxynitride thin film having a perovskite structure, in which the metal oxynitride thin film has a composition represented by a compositional formula A.sub.1+BO.sub.x+N.sub.y wherein is larger than zero and 0.300 or less, x+ is larger than 2.450, and y is 0.300 or more and 0.700 or less, an AO structure having a layered structure parallel to a plane perpendicular to a c-axis of the perovskite structure and having a composition represented by a general formula AO, and the AO structure is bonded with the perovskite structure and incorporated in the perovskite structure.

Phosphors include a CaAlSiN.sub.3 family crystal phase, wherein the CaAlSiN.sub.3 family crystal phase comprises at least one element selected from the group consisting of Mn, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, and Yb.

There are provided a phosphor which is a divalent europium-activated oxynitride phosphor substantially represented by General formula (A): Eu.sub.aSi.sub.bAl.sub.cO.sub.dN.sub.e, a divalent europium-activated oxynitride phosphor substantially represented by General formula (B): MI.sub.fEu.sub.gSi.sub.hAl.sub.kO.sub.mN.sub.n or a divalent europium-activated nitride phosphor substantially represented by General formula (C): (MII.sub.1-pEu.sub.p)MIIISiN.sub.3, having a reflectance of light emission in a longer wavelength region of visible light than a peak wavelength of 95% or larger, and a method of producing such phosphor; a nitride phosphor and an oxynitride phosphor which emit light efficiently and stably by the light having a wavelength ranging from 430 to 480 nm from a semiconductor light emitting device by means of a light emitting apparatus using such phosphor, and a producing method of such phosphor; and a light emitting apparatus having stable characteristics and realizing high efficiency.

Provided are a fluorescent material including a high light emission intensity and a light emitting device using the same. The present fluorescent material includes at least an A element, a M element, a D element, a E element, and an X element, wherein the A element is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Sr, Mg, Ca, and Ba; the M element is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Eu, Mn, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Tb, Dy, and Yb; the D element is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Si, Ge, Sn, Ti, Zr, and Hf, the E element is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Al, B, Ga, In, Sc, Y, and La; the X element is at least one element selected from the group consisting of O, N, and F; and a molar ratio of the M element to the sum of the A element and the M element [M/(A+M)] is 0.06 or less.

A polycrystalline dielectric thin film and a capacitor element have a large relative dielectric constant. The polycrystalline dielectric thin film has a perovskite oxynitride as a principal component. The perovskite oxynitride is represented by compositional formula A.sub.a1B.sub.b1O.sub.oN.sub.n (a1+b1+o+n=5), and the a-axis length of the crystal lattice of the perovskite oxynitride is larger than a theoretical value.

The object of the present invention is to provide a dielectric thin film and a capacitance element having excellent dielectric property.

A dielectric thin film comprising a main component comprised of an oxynitride expressed by a compositional formula of A.sub.aB.sub.bO.sub.oN.sub.n (a+b+o+n=5), wherein said A is one or more selected from the group consisting of Sr, Ba, Ca, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, and Na, said B is one or more selected from the group consisting of Ta, Nb, Ti, and W, and crystalline particles constituting said dielectric thin film are polycrystalline which are not aligned to a particular crystal plane orientation, and a size of a crystallite of the crystalline particles included in the dielectric thin film is 100 nm or less.

To provide a sintered material having excellent oxidation resistance, as well as excellent abrasion resistance and chipping resistance. A sintered material containing a first compound formed of Ti, Al, Si, O, and N is provided.

Phosphors include a CaAlSiN.sub.3 family crystal phase, wherein the CaAlSiN.sub.3 family crystal phase comprises at least one element selected from the group consisting of Mn, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, and Yb.

A solar energy conversion niobium oxynitride microcone and a method of the synthesis and use of niobium oxynitride microcones are provided. The material is useful for solar energy conversion, optics, photocatalysis, electrochromics, sensors and biomedical applications. According to one embodiment, Nb205 microcones are formed by anodization of (1M NaF and 1 wt. % HF electrolyte 40 V 20 min), they were annealed in ammonia gas to allow their doping with nitrogen. Nitridation of the micro cones shifts the absorption edge from 450 nm for the oxide form to 777 nm for the oxynitride form.