All The Claims

1. A hybrid comprising at least one inorganic layered compound in the form of fullerene-like structure or a nanotube and at least one metal nanoparticle, wherein said hybrid is a photocatalyst.
2. A hybrid according to claim 1, wherein said at least one inorganic layered compound is a compound of formula (I):
MpXn\u2003\u2003(I)

wherein
M is a metal selected from the group consisting of transition metals, post-transition metals, lanthanoid metals and actinoid metals;
X is selected from the group consisting of S, Se, and Te;
p is 1 or 2; and
n is 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5.
3. A hybrid according to claim 2, wherein M is selected from W, Mo, V, Zr, Hf, Pt, Re, Nb, Ti, Ga, In, Sn, Pb, Ta and Bi.
4. A hybrid according to claim 1, wherein said at least one inorganic layered compound is selected from a group consisting of WS2, MoS2, WSe2, MoSe2, NbS2, ReS2, TiS2, TaS2, ZrS2 and any combination thereof.
5. A hybrid according to claim 1, wherein said at least one inorganic layered compound is in the form of a nanotube.
6. A hybrid according to claim 1, wherein said at least one metal nanoparticle is selected from the group consisting of Ni, Co, Fe, Ti, Cu, V, Mn, Cr, Au, Pt, Pd, Ru, Rh, Ir, Ag, Os and any combination thereof and oxides thereof.
7. A hybrid according to claim 1, wherein said at least one metal nanoparticle is deposited on the surface of said at least one inorganic layered compound.
8. A hybrid according to claim 1, wherein said at least one nanoparticle has a particle size of between about 1 mn to about 100 nm.
9. A hybrid according to claim 1, wherein said inorganic layered compound and nanoparticle have a diameter in the range of between about 20 nm to about 200 nm.
10. A hybrid according to claim 1, comprising WS2 nanostructure and at least one metal nanoparticle.
11. A hybrid according to claim 1, comprising at least one inorganic fullerene-like nanoparticle and at least one metal nanoparticle.
12. A hybrid according to claim 1, for use as a catalytic agent.
13. A process for the preparation of a hybrid comprising at least one inorganic layered compound or fullerene-like nanoparticle and at least one metal nanoparticle, said process comprising:
providing at least one inorganic layered compound or fullerene-like nanoparticle;
electroless plating at least a portion of the surface of said inorganic layered compound or fullerene-like nanoparticle with at least one metal nanoparticle; thereby providing said hybrid.
14. A method of catalyzing an organic decomposition reaction, comprising performing said organic decomposition reaction in the presence of at least one catalytic agent comprising at least one inorganic layered compound in the form of fullerene-like structure or a nanotube and at least one metal nanoparticle.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A method of forming a silicon containing film on the surface of one or more substrates, characterized in that: a silylamine moiety and one or more reactant precursors are reacted in a process chamber by flowing the silylamine moiety and the one or more reactant precursors across a top surface of the one or more substrates to form a film thereon.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the method is carried out at a deposition temperature of less than 550\xb0 C.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein said silylamine moiety is comprised of the formula:
HmN(SiH3)n

where n is an integer from 1 to 3 and m is equal to 3\u2212n.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein said silylamine moiety is comprised of the formula:
HmN(Si2H5)n

where n is an integer from 1 to 3 and m is equal to 3\u2212n.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein a silicon oxide film is formed on the surface of the substrate and the method is carried out a deposition temperature in the range of approximately 150-550\xb0 C.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein a silicon nitride film is formed on the surface of the substrate and the method is carried out a deposition temperature in the range of approximately 300-800\xb0 C.,
7. The method of claim 6 wherein the deposition temperature is in the range of approximately 500-520\xb0 C.
8. The method of claim 1 where the silylamine moiety and precursors are flowed into the process chamber concurrently.
9. The method of claim 1 where the silylamine moiety and precursors are flowed into the process chamber sequentially.
10. A method of forming a silicon containing film on one or more substrates in a process chamber comprising: conveying to the process chamber, either sequentially or concurrently, a precursor comprising a silylamine moiety and at least one reactant containing nitrogen to form a silicon-nitrogen film on the surface of one or more substrates.
11. The method of claim 10 wherein the process chamber is configured to contain a single substrate.
12. The method of claim 10 wherein the process chamber is configured to contain a plurality of substrates.
13. The method of claim 10 wherein:
the method is performed at a temperature in the range of approximately 300 to 800\xb0 C.;
at a pressure between 0.01 mTorr and 760 Torr; and
using total precursor flow rates between 0 and 20,000 sccm.
14. The method of claim 10 wherein said silylamine moiety is comprised of the formula:
HmN(SiH3)n

where n is an integer from 1 to 3 and m is equal to 3\u2212n.
15. The method of claim 10 wherein said silylamine moiety is comprised of the formula:
HmN(Si2H5)n

where n is an integer from 1 to 3 and m is equal to 3\u2212n.
16. The method of claim 10 wherein the silylamine moiety and the at least one reactant precursor, are flowed concurrently and across a top surface of the one or more substrates to form a film thereon.
17. The method of claim 10 wherein the deposition temperature is in the range of approximately 500-550\xb0 C.
18. A method of forming a silicon containing film on one or more substrates in a process chamber comprising: conveying to a process chamber, either sequentially or concurrently, a precursor comprising a silylamine moiety and at least one reactant containing oxygen to form a silicon-oxygen film on the one or more substrates.
19. The method of claim 18 wherein the process chamber is configured to contain a single substrate.
20. The method of claim 18 wherein the process chamber is configured to contain a plurality of substrates.
21. The method of claim 18 wherein:
the method is performed at a temperature of less than 550\xb0 C.;
at a pressure between 0.01 mTorr and 760 Torr; and
using total precursor flow rates between 0 and 20,000 sccm.
22. The method of claim 18 wherein said silylamine moiety is comprised of the formula:
HmN(SiH3)n

where n is an integer from 1 to 3 and m is equal to 3\u2212n.
23. The method of claim 18 wherein said silylamine moiety is comprised of the formula:
HmN(Si2H5)n

where n is an integer from 1 to 3 and m is equal to 3\u2212n.
24. The method of claim 18 wherein the silylamine moiety and the at least one reactant, are flowed concurrently and across a top surface of the one or more substrates to form a film thereon.
25. The method of claim 18 wherein the method is carried out at a deposition temperature in the range of approximately 150-550\xb0 C.
26. A method of forming a film on one or more substrates in a process chamber comprising:
conveying a first precursor comprising a silylamine moiety to the process chamber sequence to form a first layer on the substrate;
conveying a second reactant containing both nitrogen and oxygen to react with the first layer to form a silicon-nitrogen-oxygen film; and
repeating the above steps until the desired thickness of the silicon-nitrogen-oxygen film is formed.
27. The method of claim 26 wherein the process chamber is configured to contain a single substrate.
28. The method of claim 26 wherein the process chamber is configured to contain a plurality of substrates.
29. The method of claim 26 wherein:
the method is performed at a temperature of less than 550\xb0 C.;
at a pressure between 0.01 mTorr and 760 Torr; and
using total precursor flow rates between 0 and 20,000 sccm.
30. A method comprising: conveying, either sequentially or concurrently, a first precursor comprising a silylamine moiety to the process chamber a second reactant containing nitrogen and a third reactant containing oxygen to form a silicon-nitrogen-oxygen film.
31. The method of claim 30 wherein the process chamber is configured to contain a single substrate.
32. The method of claim 30 wherein the process chamber is configured to contain a plurality of substrates.
33. The method of claim 30 wherein:
the method is performed at a temperature of less than 550\xb0 C.;
at a pressure between 0.01 mTorr and 760 Torr; and
using total precursor flow rates between 0 and 20,000 sccm.
34. The method of claim 30 where the silylamine moiety, the second reactant containing nitrogen and the third reactant containing oxygen are conveyed concurrently and flow across a top surface of the one or more substrates to form a film thereon.

1. A developing apparatus comprising:
a developer container for containing a developer;
a first screw, provided in a first chamber in said developer container, for feeding the developer;
a second screw, provided in a second chamber in said developer container, for feeding the developer in a direction opposite from that of said first screw;
an opening through which the developer is moved between the first chamber and the second chamber; and
a developer carrying member, provided in the first chamber, for carrying the developer to effect development of an electrostatic image,
wherein at least one of said first screw and said second screw has a multiple thread screw portion having a number n of threads and a thread pitch P, and
wherein said opening is located downstream from the multiple thread screw portion in a developer feeding direction and extends from a downstream-side end of the multiple thread screw portion in the developer feeding direction toward an upstream side of the multiple thread screw portion in a length equal to or more than nP.
2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said opening extends in a length of nP or more and 2nP or less.
3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the developer comprises a toner and a carrier.
4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said developer carrying member has both end portions, in the developer feeding direction, each located at a position opposite to an associated opening.
5. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said developing apparatus further comprises a partition wall for partitioning an inner space of said developer container into said first chamber and said second chamber, and
wherein said developer carrying member has both end portions, in a developing area in the developer feeding direction, located at positions opposite to the partition wall.
6. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said first screw and said second screw having the multiple thread screw portion has a developer returning screw portion on a downstream side from the multiple thread screw portion in the developer feeding direction.
7. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the developer returning screw portion is located close to said opening located downstream from the multiple thread screw portion in the developer feeding direction.
8. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said developing apparatus further comprises a partition wall for partitioning an inner space of said developer container into said first chamber and said second chamber,
wherein the multiple thread screw portion is provided to said first screw, and
wherein the partition wall has a shape with a thickness, at a downstream-side end portion thereof, smaller than that at a central portion thereof so as to increase a width of said first chamber in a horizontal direction at the downstream side end portion of the partition wall.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A method of providing an audio file to a wireless communications device for use as an indicia of an incoming communication, the method comprising:
allowing a party initiating a communication to browse a plurality of audio files;
allowing the initiating party to select at least one of the browsed audio files;
sending at least a portion of the selected audio file to the wireless communications device;
receiving the selected audio file with the communications device; and
using the selected audio file to alert a user of the wireless communications device of the incoming communication.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising allowing the initiating party to review the selected audio file prior to providing the selected audio file to the wireless communications device.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the format of the selected audio file is from the group comprising: MIDI, MPEG, MP3, WAV, PCM, Windows Media Audio code (WMA), or Adaptive Transform Acoustic Coding (ATRAC).
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the selected audio file produces polyphonic sound when the selected audio file is used to alert the user of the wireless communications device of the incoming communication.
5. The method of claim 1 further comprising allowing the initiating party to search a remote database for a certain desired audio file using title or description information to aid in locating the desired audio file.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the browsing of audio files is accomplished at least in part using a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) compliant system.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the sending of audio files is accomplished at least in part using a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) compliant system.
8. The method of claim 1 further comprising preventing the unauthorized distribution of the audio file provided to the communication device.
9. The method of claim 1 characterized by the use of a personal computer to perform the browsing step.
10. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing the initiating party with an opportunity to modify the selected audio file.
11. The method of claim 10 further comprising allowing the initiating party to review a modified audio file prior to providing a selected modified audio file to the wireless communications device.
12. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication device is configured to operate in conjunction with copyright protection software to prevent the unauthorized distribution of the selected audio file.
13. The method of claim 1 further comprising allowing the wireless communication device to return to using any previously used indicia of an incoming communication after the incoming communication is received.
14. The method of claim 1 wherein the audio file includes a video component which is played on a display screen of the wireless communication device when receiving the incoming communication.
15. A method of providing an audio file to a wireless communications device for use as an indicia of an incoming communication, the method comprising:
allowing a party initiating a communication to browse a plurality of audio files;
allowing the initiating party to select at least one of the browsed audio files;
converting the selected audio file to format usable by the wireless communications device, if necessary;
sending at least a portion of the selected audio file to the wireless communications device;
receiving the selected audio file with the communications device; and
using the selected audio file to alert a user of the wireless communications device of the incoming communication.
16. The method of claim 15 further comprising determining a file format compatible with the wireless communication device.
17. The method of claim 15 further comprising allowing the initiating party to review the selected audio file prior to providing the selected audio file to the wireless communications device.
18. The method of claim 15 wherein the format of the selected audio file is from the group comprising: MIDI, MPEG, MP3, WAV, PCM, Windows Media Audio code (WMA), or Adaptive Transform Acoustic Coding (ATRAC).
19. The method of claim 15 wherein the selected audio file produces polyphonic sound when the selected audio file is used to alert the user of the wireless communications device of the incoming communication.
20. The method of claim 15 further comprising allowing the initiating party to search a remote database for a certain desired audio file using title or description information to aid in locating the desired audio file.
21. The method of claim 1 wherein the browsing of audio files is accomplished at least in part using a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) compliant system.
22. The method of claim 1 wherein the sending of audio files is accomplished at least in part using a Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) compliant system.
23. The method of claim 1 further comprising preventing the unauthorized distribution of the audio file provided to the communication device.
24. The method of claim 1 characterized by the use of a personal computer to perform the browsing step.
25. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing the initiating party with an opportunity to modify the selected audio file.
26. The method of claim 25 further comprising allowing the initiating party to review a modified audio file prior to providing a selected modified audio file to the wireless communications device.
27. The method of claim 15 wherein the communication device is configured to operate in conjunction with copyright protection software to prevent the unauthorized distribution of the selected audio file.
28. The method of claim 15 further comprising allowing the wireless communication device to return to using any previously used indicia of an incoming communication after the incoming communication is received.
29. The method of claim 15 wherein the audio file includes a video component which is played on a display screen of the wireless communication device when receiving the incoming communication.