A three-dimensional shaped article production method includes a layer formation step of forming a layer by ejecting a composition containing particles and a solvent in a predetermined pattern using a dispenser, a measurement step of determining the height of the layer, and a bonding step of subjecting a stacked body including a plurality of layers to a bonding treatment for bonding the particles, wherein when n represents an arbitrary integer of 1 or more, by selecting driving waveform data for the dispenser when ejecting the composition from a data group including a plurality of pieces of driving waveform data based on the information of the height of the layer in the n-th position (n-th layer) determined in the measurement step, the ejection amount of the composition per unit area onto the n-th layer in the layer formation step of forming the layer in the (n+1)th position ((n+1)th layer) is adjusted.

Focus is on zinc oxide itself, which is a base material for a zinc oxide varistor (laminated varistor), wherein specified quantities of additives are added to a zinc oxide powder having a crystallite size of 20 to 50 nm, grain diameter of 15 to 60 nm found using the specific surface area BET method, untamped density of 0.38 to 0.50 g/cm.sup.3, and tap density of 0.50 to 1.00 g/cm.sup.3. This allows securing of uniformity, high compactness, and high electrical conductivity of a zinc oxide sintered body, and provision of a zinc oxide varistor having high surge resistance.

Focus is on zinc oxide itself, which is a base material for a zinc oxide varistor (laminated varistor), wherein specified quantities of additives are added to a zinc oxide powder having a crystallite size of 20 to 50 nm, grain diameter of 15 to 60 nm found using the specific surface area BET method, untamped density of 0.38 to 0.50 g/cm.sup.3, and tap density of 0.50 to 1.00 g/cm.sup.3. This allows securing of uniformity, high compactness, and high electrical conductivity of a zinc oxide sintered body, and provision of a zinc oxide varistor having high surge resistance.

A composite member includes a matrix part including an inorganic substance, and an organic infrared absorbing material present in a dispersed state inside the matrix part. The composite member has a porosity of 20% or less in a section of the matrix part. A heat generation device includes the composite member, and an infrared light source for irradiating the composite member with infrared rays. A building member and a light emitting device each include the composite member, or the heat generation device.

The inventive concept relates to a complex for detecting gas responsive to gas to be tested. The complex for the detecting the gas contains a nanostructure made of an oxide semiconductor, and a Terbium (Tb) additive supported on the nanostructure.

A sputtering target includes at least one single piece with a length of at least 600 mm. The sputtering target has a backing structure provided with target material for sputtering. At least 40% of the mass of the target material includes a so-called target volatile material which shows, at pressures between 700 hPa and 1300 hPa, either a sublimation temperature, or decomposition temperature below its melting point or a melting temperature and an absolute boiling temperature being close to each other. The sputtering target has a target material density of at least 95% of the theoretical density of the target material. The sputtering target includes a bonding layer with a thickness of 0 to 500 μm between the backing structure and the target material.

A method of manufacturing a sputtering target includes the steps of providing a backing structure, providing target material comprising ceramic target material for spraying, subsequently thermal spraying the target material over the backing structure thus providing a target product where at least 40% in mass, for example at least 50% in mass, of the target material including a ceramic target material, and subsequently performing hot isostatic pressing on the target product thus increasing the density of the target material.

An object shaping method includes a step of forming a powder layer using first powder, a step of placing second powder having an average particle diameter smaller than an average particle diameter of the first powder at a part of a region of the powder layer, and a first heating step of heating the powder layer in which the second powder is placed. The average particle diameter is equal to or larger than 1 nm and equal to or smaller than 500 nm, and the first heating step performs heating the powder layer at a temperature at which particles contained in the second powder are sintered or melted.

A novel metal oxide or a novel sputtering target is provided. A sputtering target includes a conductive material and an insulating material. The insulating material includes an oxide, a nitride, or an oxynitride including an element M1. The element M1 is one or more kinds of elements selected from Al, Ga, Si, Mg, Zr, Be, and B. The conductive material includes an oxide, a nitride, or an oxynitride including indium and zinc. A metal oxide film is deposited using the sputtering target in which the conductive material and the insulating material are separated from each other.

A novel metal oxide or a novel sputtering target is provided. A sputtering target includes a conductive material and an insulating material. The insulating material includes an oxide, a nitride, or an oxynitride including an element M1. The element M1 is one or more kinds of elements selected from Al, Ga, Si, Mg, Zr, Be, and B. The conductive material includes an oxide, a nitride, or an oxynitride including indium and zinc. A metal oxide film is deposited using the sputtering target in which the conductive material and the insulating material are separated from each other.