Abstract: A coated article for use in spandrel applications and/or the like is provided. In certain example embodiments, a coating is provided to have a coating design which permits the coating to realize more predictable and/or consistent optical characteristics such as glass side reflectance, color and/or the like. Certain example embodiments of this invention relate to a method of making a coated article for spandrel applications or the like. In certain embodiments, a powder inclusive lacquer coating is used as an overcoat.

Abstract: A sputtering method and apparatus having at least one set of dual rotatable cylindrical sputtering targets mounted in a vacuum chamber. Magnet assemblies in hollow target cylinders provide erosion zones running long the parallel sides of a racetrack that act as target flux sources towards a substrate. These parallel erosion zones have a highly concentrated plasma density for rapid sputtering of the target and any reactive material. Features include the angular distance between normals to adjacent parallel erosion zones, the angle greater than 45° subtended at the center of the cylindrical target, placement of the substrate with respect to the targets, and pointing angles (orientation or tilt) of the racetracks toward the substrate and/or each other. These parameters form a relatively wide and efficient constant flux deposition region at the substrate, and allows for high deposition rates at constant reactive gas partial pressures with substantially uniform film stoichiometry and thickness.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, two or more sets of knead forging are performed where one set is cold forging processes in directions parallel to and perpendicular to a thickness direction of a columnar titanium material. The titanium material is heated to a temperature of 700° C. or more to induce recrystallization, and thereafter, two or more sets of knead forging are performed where one set is the cold forging processes in the directions parallel to and perpendicular to the thickness direction. Further, the titanium material is cold rolled, and is heat-treated to a temperature of 300° C. or more.

Abstract: Sputter deposition systems and methods for depositing film coatings on one or more substrates are disclosed. The systems and methods are used to prevent or reduce an amount of defects within a deposited film. The methods involve removing defect-related particles that are formed during a deposition process from certain regions of the sputter deposition system and preventing the defect-related particles from detrimentally affecting the quality of the deposited film. In particular embodiments, methods involve creating a flow of gas from a deposition region to a particle collection region the sputter deposition system such that the defect-related particles are entrained within the flow of gas and away from the deposition region. In particular embodiments, the sputter deposition system is a meta-mode sputter deposition system.

Abstract: The invention relates to a magnetron sputtering process that allows material to be sputtered from a target surface in such a way that a high percentage of the sputtered material is provided in the form of ions. According to the invention, said aim is achieved using a simple generator, the power of which is fed to multiple magnetron sputtering sources spread out over several time intervals, i.e. the maximum power is supplied to one sputtering source during one time interval, and the maximum power is supplied to the following sputtering source in the subsequent time interval, such that discharge current densities of more than 0.2 A/cm2 are obtained. The sputtering target can cool down during the off time, thus preventing the temperature limit from being exceeded.

Abstract: The present invention provides a highly efficient magnetron sputtering apparatus in which a ground shield made of a magnetic material is disposed on the outer circumference of a target, the sputtering apparatus being capable of reducing unintended discharge between a cathode and the ground shield. The sputtering apparatus according to an embodiment includes: a backing plate connected to a power supply and having a target mounting surface; a magnet disposed on the back surface of the backing plate; a grounded shield containing a magnetic material and surrounding the target mounting surface; and a fixation part located between the shield and the backing plate at an outer circumference of the target mounting surface and serving as a magnetic member. This structure reduces magnetic field lines which pass through a space between the shield and the fixation part.

Abstract: Multi-component sputtering target structures suitable for deposition of metallic alloy films are provided. The multi-component target may be formed by winding wires of different materials around a target support structure to form a dense winding. The sputtering target structures and methods of the invention can be used to produce a variety of refractory metal alloy films.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a graphene layer includes performing a sputtering process to form a graphite layer on a substrate, and performing a lithography process on the graphite layer for thinning the graphite layer and thereafter making the graphite layer thinned to become a graphene layer.

Abstract: The sample 3 is tilted/oscillated with respect to the optical axis (Z-axis) of the ion beam 2 to repeat tilt and tilt/restoration of a processing target surface 3a of the sample 3 between a surface state in which the processing target surface 3a of the sample 3 faces a tilt axis direction (Y-axis direction) and a tilted surface state in which a portion of the processing target surface 3a on the sample stage side protrudes in the tilt axis direction (Y-axis direction) than does a portion of the processing target surface 3 on the mask side, so that the processing target surface 3a is irradiated with the ion beam 2 at a low angle, and projections/recesses 63 derived from a void 61 or a dissimilar material 62 are suppressed. Accordingly, it is possible to suppress generation of projections/recesses derived from a void or dissimilar material in fabrication of a cross section sample, and thus fabricate a sample cross section suitable for observation/analysis.

Abstract: The invention relates to a target for coating a substrate with an alloy by means of cathode sputtering, said alloy having at least one first material and one second material as alloy components. The surface of the target has at least one first section made of the first material and one second section made of the second material. The two sections adjoin each other and form a common boundary line. The invention further relates to a device and a method for coating a substrate with an alloy by means of cathode sputtering using the target according to the invention.

Abstract: A sputtering target that includes at least two consolidated blocks, each block including an alloy including molybdenum in an amount greater than about 30 percent by weight and at least one additional alloying ingredient; and a joint between the at least two consolidated blocks, the joint being free of any microstructure due to an added bonding agent (e.g., powder, foil or otherwise), and being essentially free of any visible joint line the target that is greater than about 200 ?m width (e.g., less than about 50 ?m width). A process for making the target includes hot isostatically pressing, below a temperature of 1080° C., consolidated perform blocks that may be surface prepared (e.g., roughened to a predetermined roughness value) prior to pressing.

Abstract: A rotary deposition target bonded to a backing tube such that the bonding material is applied only at the ends of the rotary target to form a gap between the rotary target and the backing tube to enable a target cooling fluid used during the deposition process to contact the target directly and to provide a hermetic seal to contain the cooling fluid within the gap and prevent the fluid from being exposed to the environment within the deposition chamber.

Abstract: A recording medium production device includes a substrate positioning pin vertically movable that performs positioning to a center-hole of a substrate; a substrate holding portion that performs positioning of substrate using the substrate positioning pin to hold the substrate; a cleaner having a gas ejection portion that ejects gas toward the surface of the substrate held by the substrate holding portion, and a gas suction portion that suctions gas; and a substrate positioning pin fixing portion that can press the substrate positioning pin downward. The fixing portion is configured so as not to contact an inner circumferential side surface of the center-hole of substrate. The substrate positioning pin fixing portion descends inside the center-hole of substrate held by the substrate, and presses and fixes the substrate positioning pin. Then the cleaner performs ejection and suction of gas.

Abstract: In some embodiments, apparatus are provided that provide for flexible processing in both high productivity combinatorial (HPC) and full wafer modes. The apparatus allow for interchangeable functionality that includes deposition with different sizes of targets, plasma treatment, ion beam treatment, and in-situ metrology. The functional modules are designed so that the modules may be interchanged with minimal effort and reduced system downtime.

Abstract: A disk handling apparatus for supporting a disk during material deposition at a deposition station, comprising a disk vacuum paddle having a centrally disposed groove, and a vacuum source disposed within the groove, wherein the paddle contacts the disk only at disk corners on opposing major surfaces of the disk, and wherein the disk remains spaced from the groove at its outer diameter during material deposition.

Abstract: A method of processing a substrate in an apparatus including a substrate holder which holds the substrate, an ion source which emits an ion beam, a neutralizer which emits electrons, and a shutter which is arranged between a space in which the ion source and the neutralizer are arranged and a space in which the substrate holder is arranged, and configured to shield the ion beam traveling toward the substrate, includes adjusting an amount of electrons which are emitted by the neutralizer and reach the substrate holder during movement of the shutter.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a sputtering system for large-scale fabrication of solar cells. The sputtering system includes a reaction chamber, a rotary target situated inside the reaction chamber which is capable of rotating about a longitudinal axis, and an RF power source coupled to at least one end of the rotary target to enable RF sputtering. The length of the rotary target is between 0.5 and 5 meters.

Abstract: In some embodiments, the present disclosure relates to a plasma processing system configured to form a symmetric plasma distribution around a workpiece. In some embodiments, the plasma processing system comprises a plurality of coils symmetrically positioned around a processing chamber. When a current is provided to the coils, separate magnetic fields, which operate to ionize the target atoms, emanate from the separate coils. The separate magnetic fields operate upon ions within the coils to form a plasma on the interior of the coils. Furthermore, the separate magnetic fields are superimposed upon one another between coils to form a plasma on the exterior of the coils. Therefore, the disclosed plasma processing system can form a plasma that continuously extends along a perimeter of the workpiece with a high degree of uniformity (i.e., without dead spaces).

Abstract: A dual magnetron particularly useful for RF plasma sputtering includes a radially stationary open-loop magnetron comprising opposed magnetic poles and rotating about a central axis to scan an outer region of a sputter target and a radially movable open-loop magnetron comprising opposed magnetic poles and rotating together with the stationary magnetron. During processing, the movable magnetron is radially positioned in the outer region with an open end abutting an open end of the stationary magnetron to form a single open-loop magnetron. During cleaning, part of the movable magnetron is moved radially inwardly to scan and clean an inner region of the target not scanned by the stationary magnetron. The movable magnetron can be mounted on an arm pivoting about an axis at periphery of a rotating disk-shaped plate mounting the stationary magnetron so the arm centrifugally moves between radial positions dependent upon the rotation rate or direction.

Abstract: The invention provides an arc coating apparatus having a steering magnetic field source comprising steering conductors (62, 64, 66, 68) disposed along the short sides (32c, 32d) of a rectangular target (32) behind the target, and a magnetic focusing system disposed along the long sides (32a, 32b) of the target (32) in front of the target which confines the flow of plasma between magnetic fields generated on opposite long sides (32a, 32b) of the target (32). The plasma focusing system can be used to deflect the plasma flow off of the working axis of the cathode. Each steering conductor (62, 64, 66, 68) can be controlled independently. In a further embodiment, electrically independent steering conductors (62, 64, 66, 68) are disposed along opposite long sides (32a, 32b) of the cathode plate (32), and by selectively varying a current through one conductor, the path of the arc spot shifts to widen the erosion corridor.