Abstract: The present invention provides a thin film manufacturing method which realizes stable, highly-efficient film formation using a nozzle-type evaporation source while avoiding unnecessary scattering and deposition of a film formation material before the start of the film formation. Used is a film forming apparatus including: an evaporation chamber 16; a film forming chamber 17 in which a substrate 21 is provided; an evaporation source 19 holding a film formation material 15 and including an opening surface 14; a moving mechanism 35 configured to cause the evaporation source 19 to move; and a conductance variable structure 34. The film forming chamber 17 and the evaporation chamber 16 are evacuated. In a state where the differential pressure between these chambers can be secured by the conductance variable structure 34, the nonreactive gas is introduced to the evaporation chamber 16 to adjust the pressure in the evaporation chamber 16 to predetermined pressure or more.

Abstract: The present invention has an object to provide a method for manufacturing a plurality of high quality cylindrical members. The method includes: vertically holding a mandrel so as to be coaxial with a central axis of an annular slit; and discharging a liquid coating through the slit to form a film of the coating on a surface of the mandrel while vertically moving up the mandrel. A circular cleaning blade is rotatably mounted around a lower holding shaft. The step includes the steps of: (1) forming a film of the coating up to a lower end of a coating region of the mandrel, and then stopping the discharge; and (2) moving up the lower holding shaft so that the cleaning blade passes through the annular slit to clean it, in this order. Then the cleaning blade is rotated to clean the cleaning blade.

Abstract: A method of coating ceramic material fibers in metal using a liquid technique and a device implementing the method. The method maintains a charge of molten metal in levitation in a substantially spherical shape inside a crucible and causes a tensioned ceramic material fiber to travel at a predetermined speed between a bottom pulley and a top pulley disposed on either side of the crucible such that a portion of fiber is immersed in the charge to be covered in a metal coating. During coating, the portion of fiber that is immersed in the charge is shifted as a function of the remaining volume of the charge such that the instantaneous height of fiber that is immersed in the charge remains substantially constant throughout the coating operation.

Abstract: High rate deposition methods comprise depositing a powder coating from a product flow. The product flow results from a chemical reaction within the flow. Some of the powder coatings consolidate under appropriate conditions into an optical coating. The substrate can have a first optical coating onto which the powder coating is placed. The resulting optical coating following consolidation can have a large index-of-refraction difference with the underlying first optical coating, high thickness and index-of-refraction uniformity across the substrate and high thickness and index-of-refraction uniformity between coatings formed on different substrates under equivalent conditions. In some embodiments, the deposition can result in a powder coating of at least about 100 nm in no more than about 30 minutes with a substrate having a surface area of at least about 25 square centimeters.

Abstract: The present invention provides a thin film manufacturing method which realizes stable, highly-efficient film formation using a nozzle-type evaporation source while avoiding unnecessary scattering and deposition of a film formation material after the termination of the film formation. Used is a film forming apparatus including: an evaporation chamber 16; a film forming chamber 17 in which a substrate 21 is provided; an evaporation source 19 holding a film formation material 15 and including an opening surface 14; a moving mechanism 35 configured to cause the evaporation source 19 to move; and a conductance variable structure 34.

Abstract: A method of depositing a conformal coating on a porous non-ceramic substrate requires reactive gases to flow through the substrate so as to leave a conformal coating behind. The process can be used to leave a hydrophilic surface on the interior pores of the substrate, even when the substrate is of a naturally hydrophobic, e.g., olefinic material. The method can be used in a roll-to-roll process, or in a batch process. In some convenient embodiments of the latter case, the batch reactor and the conformally coated substrate or substrates can together go on to be come part of the end product, e.g., a filter body and the filter elements respectively.

Abstract: A microwave plasma reactor for manufacturing synthetic diamond material via chemical vapor deposition, the microwave plasma reactor comprising: a microwave generator configured to generate microwaves at a frequency f; a plasma chamber comprising a base, a top plate, and a side wall extending from said base to said top plate defining a resonance cavity for supporting a microwave resonance mode between the base and the top plate; a microwave coupling configuration for feeding microwaves from the microwave generator into the plasma chamber; a gas flow system for feeding process gases into the plasma chamber and removing them therefrom; a substrate holder disposed in the plasma chamber and comprising a supporting surface for supporting a substrate; and a substrate disposed on the supporting surface, the substrate having a growth surface on which the synthetic diamond material is to be deposited in use, wherein the substrate dimensions and location within the resonance cavity are selected to generate a localized a

Abstract: Glass surfaces, for example, windshield surfaces, have a durable hydrophobic coating applied thereto. The glass surface is first treated by any suitable method to enhance the ability of a chitosan polymer coating to durably or substantially permanently adhere thereto. Once the chitosan coating has been applied to the glass surface, the normally hydrophilic chitosan coating is rendered hydrophobic by suitable treatment, for example, by a combination of enzymatic and chemical treatments. Alternatively, the chitosan may be rendered hydrophobic prior to coating it on the glass surface, but that is a less preferred technique. The method of the invention provides a glass article having a hydrophobic surface.

Abstract: A hydrogenated thin film is formed in a controlled vacuum on a substrate by evaporating one or more solid materials and passing the resulting vapor and a hydrogen-containing gas into a space between two electrodes. One of the electrodes includes openings for allowing the vapor to enter the space. Plasma is generated within the space to cause dissociation of the hydrogen-containing gas and promote a reaction between the material(s) and hydrogen-containing gas.

Abstract: A cleaning method of removing a vapor-deposition material adhering to equipments without exposure to the atmosphere is provided. A vapor-deposition material adhering to equipments (components of a film-forming apparatus) such as a substrate holder, a vapor-deposition mask, a mask holder, or an adhesion preventing shield provided in a film-forming chamber are subjected to heat treatment. Because of this, the adhering vapor-deposition material is re-sublimated, and removed by exhaust through a vacuum pump. By including such a cleaning method in the steps of manufacturing an electro-optical device, the manufacturing steps are shortened, and an electro-optical device with high reliability can be realized.

Abstract: Processes for growing carbon nanotubes on carbon fiber substrates are described herein. The processes can include depositing a catalyst precursor on a carbon fiber substrate, optionally depositing a non-catalytic material on the carbon fiber substrate, and after depositing the catalyst precursor and the optional non-catalytic material, exposing the carbon fiber substrate to carbon nanotube growth conditions so as to grow carbon nanotubes thereon. The carbon nanotube growth conditions can convert the catalyst precursor into a catalyst that is operable for growing carbon nanotubes. The carbon fiber substrate can remain stationary or be transported while the carbon nanotubes are being grown. Optionally, the carbon fiber substrates can include a barrier coating and/or be free of a sizing agent. Carbon fiber substrates having carbon nanotubes grown thereon are also described.

Abstract: The invention provides a hot dip galvanized steel sheet which has: a hot dip galvanizing layer having a flat part on a surface thereof; and a film formed on the flat part. The film is composed of a compound containing Zn, Fe, and O, having an average film thickness A in a range from 10 to 100 nm determined by an element analysis of the film, and has {[Fe]/([Zn]+[Fe])} in the film in a range from 0.002 to 0.25, where [Zn] and [Fe] designate the content (% by atom) of Zn and Fe in the film, respectively. Since the hot dip galvanized steel sheet of the invention has excellent press-formability, bondability, and phosphatability, it is suitable for automobiles and electrical appliances.

Abstract: Methods and compositions for depositing a tellurium-containing film on a substrate are disclosed. A reactor and at least one substrate disposed in the reactor are provided. A tellurium-containing precursor is provided and introduced into the reactor, which is maintained at a temperature ranging from approximately 20° C. to approximately 100° C. Tellurium is deposited on to the substrate through a deposition process to form a thin film on the substrate.

Abstract: Certain example embodiments relate to coatings comprising nano-particle loaded metal oxide matrices deposited via combustion deposition. The matrix and the nano-particles comprising the coating may be of or include the same metal or a different metal. For example, the coating may include a silicon oxide matrix (e.g., SiO2, or other suitable stoichiometry) having silicon oxide (e.g., silica), titanium oxide (e.g., TiO2, titania, or other suitable stoichiometry), and/or other nano-particles embedded therein. In certain example embodiments, the coating may serve as an anti-reflective (AR) coating and, in certain example embodiments, a percent visible transmission gain of at least about 2.0%, and more preferably between about 3.0-3.5%, may be realized through the growth of a film on a first surface of the substrate. In certain example embodiments, the microstructure of the final deposited coating may resemble the microstructure of coatings produced by wet chemical (e.g., sol gel) techniques.

Abstract: Methods for growing carbon nanotubes on glass substrates, particularly glass fiber substrates, are described herein. The methods can include depositing a catalytic material or a catalyst precursor on a glass substrate; depositing a non-catalytic material on the glass substrate prior to, after, or concurrently with the catalytic material or catalyst precursor; and exposing the glass substrate to carbon nanotube growth conditions so as to grow carbon nanotubes thereon. The glass substrate, particularly a glass fiber substrate, can be transported while the carbon nanotubes are being grown thereon. Catalyst precursors can be converted into a catalyst when exposed to carbon nanotube growth conditions. The catalytic material or catalyst precursor and the non-catalytic material can be deposited from a solution containing water as a solvent. Illustrative deposition techniques include, for example, spray coating and dip coating.

Abstract: A conductive polymer film having an antistatic function and an electromagnetic wave shielding function, and also having excellent optical properties such as transparency even if the film is arranged in the interior of LCD. The conductive polymer film comprises a polymer film and a conductive polymer adhered to the surface thereof, wherein the conductive polymer comprises polythiophene or polythiophene derivatives, the polymer film comprises an acetyl cellulose material or a norbornene material, a layer of the conductive polymer has a thickness of 3 ?m or less, and the conductive polymer film has a visible light transmission of 78% or more and a surface resistivity of 103-1012 ?/square.

Abstract: An apparatus and methods for forming a diamond film, are provided. An example of an apparatus for forming a diamond film includes an electrodeless microwave plasma reactor having a microwave plasma chamber configured to contain a substrate and to contain a reactant gas excited by microwaves to generate a microwave plasma discharge. Gas injection ports extend through an outer wall of the plasma chamber at a location upstream of the plasma discharge and above the substrate. Gas jet injection nozzles interface with the gas injection ports and are configured to form a directed gas stream of reactant gas having sufficient kinetic energy to disturb a boundary layer above an operational surface of the substrate to establish a convective transfer of the film material to the operational surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A deposition apparatus configured to form a thin film on a substrate includes: a reactor wall; a substrate support positioned under the reactor wall; and a showerhead plate positioned above the substrate support. The showerhead plate defines a reaction space together with the substrate support. The apparatus also includes one or more gas conduits configured to open to a periphery of the reaction space at least while an inert gas is supplied therethrough. The one or more gas conduits are configured to supply the inert gas inwardly toward the periphery of the substrate support around the reaction space. This configuration prevents reactant gases from flowing between a substrate and the substrate support during a deposition process, thereby preventing deposition of an undesired thin film and impurity particles on the back side of the substrate.

Abstract: A dip-coating process includes immersing a member to be coated in a coating solution in a coating vessel and lifting the member to be coated while covering a side surface of the member to be coated with a telescopic sliding hood to form a coating film on a surface of the member to be coated. The telescopic sliding hood includes a plurality of tubular members connected so that their diameters successively decrease upward in a dip-coating direction, and can cover the side surface of the member to be coated by extending in association with the movement of the member to be coated during the lift of the member to be coated. While the member to be coated is being lifted, a downward airflow in the dip-coating direction is generated in a gap between an inner surface of the telescopic sliding hood and the member to be coated to discharge solvent vapor to outside the telescopic sliding hood.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for coating substrates. A die can be employed for extrusion coating an elongated substrate, where the die defines a coating cavity therein. The die can comprise a die block having a coating supply channel for supplying a coating material to the coating cavity. The die can further comprise a guide plug and a die plate removably coupled to the die block. The guide plug can comprise a substrate inlet having a non-circular lateral cross-section, and the die plate can comprise a substrate outlet also having a non-circular lateral cross-section. A coating system comprising such a die can operate to coat a substrate where the substrate can be pushed at least partially through the die and contacts the coating material therein.