We aimed to obtain widefield (WF) swept source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) data and examine the features of choroidal thickness maps in healthy eyes. The posterior pole choroidal thickness was examined in 127 eyes using enhanced depth imaging of SS-OCT with a viewing angle of 20 (vertical) × 23 (horizontal) mm, and choroidal thickness maps were generated. For SS-OCT image analysis, we developed a grid with inner and outer rings, each divided into superotemporal, inferotemporal, superonasal, and inferonasal quadrants, comprising a total of nine subfields, including the central 3-mm ring. The posterior pole choroidal thicknesses were significantly lower at the periphery than in the central area, in the inferior field than in the superior field, and in the nasal field than in the temporal field (p < 0.001 for all). We also evaluated the effects of age and axial length (AL) on the WF choroidal thickness. The choroidal thickness in all subfields was negatively associated with advanced age (p < 0.05). The choroidal thicknesses in the central and inferonasal inner and outer subfields were negatively associated with AL (p = 0.042, 0.034, and 0.022, respectively). These findings provide insights into the two-dimensional characteristics of choroidal thickness and its association with age and AL.

We aimed to obtain widefield (WF) swept source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) data and examine the features of choroidal thickness maps of healthy eyes. The posterior pole choroidal thickness was examined for 127 eyes using enhanced-depth imaging (EDI) of SS-OCT with a viewing angle of 20 (vertical) × 23 (horizontal) mm, and choroidal thickness maps were generated. For SS-OCT image analysis, we developed a grid with inner and outer rings, each divided into superotemporal, inferotemporal, superonasal, and inferonasal quadrants, respectively, making up a total of nine subfields including the central 3-mm ring. The posterior pole choroidal thicknesses were significantly lesser at the periphery than in the central area, in the inferior field than in the superior field, and in the nasal field than in the temporal field (p < 0.001 for all). We also evaluated the effects of age and axial length (AL) on the WF choroidal thickness. Choroidal thicknesses in all subfields were negatively associated with advanced age (p < 0.05). Choroidal thicknesses in the central subfield and the inferonasal inner and outer subfields were negatively associated with AL (p = 0.042, 0.034, and 0.022, respectively). These findings provide insights into the two-dimensional characteristics of the choroidal thickness and their associations with age and AL.

Recently, as a new clean and renewable energy, much attention has been paid to the polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) because of energy and environmental problems, such as depletion of petroleum and global warming. PEFC has the characteristics of a simple structure, is easy to maintain and has a low cost. One of the parts of the PEFC is called the 'separator'; metal separators have a major issue regarding compatibility with corrosion resistance and electrical conductivity, in addition to low cost. Using current technology, a stainless steel AISI316L with an Au/Ni skin film has here been selected. Therefore, there is a need to make a thinner skin film, especially an Au top film for suppressing the PEFC total cost. When thinking about skin film, defects in the Au top film increase gradually as the thickness of Au film decreases. As a result, extensive corrosion is generated due to defects in the Au/Ni skin film. There are few reports evaluating the correlation between the corrosion characteristics of stainless steel with an Au/Ni skin film under a PEFC environment and existing defects in the Au/Ni skin film. Therefore, in this study, the pinhole defect ratio especially in Au film was evaluated using the critical passivation current density (CPCD) method. Au/Ni double layered coating was formed on AISI316L stainless steel employing the sputtering method because of its high adhesion strength. As the quasi-PEFC environment, 1 M H2SO4 aqueous solution was selected and then the pinhole defect ratio was evaluated by the CPCD method. As a result, the pinhole defect area ratio of 80 nm thick Au film was obtained to be about 1.1% in 1 M H 2 SO 4 aqueous solution.

The durability of coated materials with high performance should be adequately evaluated prior to their application. This study aims at establishing a procedure to estimate the durability of such materials. In this study, a borosilicate glass was coated with ceramic films by a radio-frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering method, and mechanical properties of materials coated with single ceramic materials, alumina (Al 2 O 3 ), silicon carbide (SiC), or titanium nitride (TiN), were investigated. Roughness and hardness were measured as surface characteristics of coated glass. The strength of coated glass was evaluated under three-point bending mode. It was found that the strength properties were improved by coating ceramic materials on glass. As for the strength properties, TiN-coated glass was superior to Al 2 O 3 -or SiC-coated glass, although the surface of TiN-coated glass was rougher compared with that of Al 2 O 3 -or SiC-coated glass. A new procedure to estimate the strength of coated materials was proposed by incorporating relative hardness and roughness variations with sputtering time. The strength in experiments was adequately estimated by using the proposed procedure.

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