Abstract: A monolithic sputtering target assembly having a one piece assembly made from the same material is disclosed. Also disclosed are other sputtering target assemblies which have a backing plate and a sputtering target blank wherein the backing plate is made from or contains a metal, such as a valve metal, cobalt, titanium, or alloys thereof. Methods of recycling target assemblies are further disclosed as well as unique methods of providing target assemblies to fabricators.

Abstract: High purity tantalum metals and alloys containing the same are described. The tantalum metal preferably has a purity of at least 99.995% and more preferably at least 99.999%. In addition, tantalum metal and alloys thereof are described, which either have a grain size of about 50 microns or less, or a texture in which a (100) intensity within any 5% increment of thickness is less than about 15 random, or an incremental log ratio of (111):(100) intensity of greater than about −4.0, or any combination of these properties. Also described are articles and components made from the tantalum metal which include, but are not limited to, sputtering targets, capacitor cans, resistive film layers, wire, and the like. Also disclosed is a process for making the high purity metal which includes the step of reacting a salt-containing tantalum with at least one compound capable of reducing this salt to tantalum powder and a second salt in a reaction container.

Abstract: An alloy comprising tantalum and silicon is described. The tantalum is the predominant metal present. The alloy also has a uniformity of tensile strength when formed into a wire, such that the maximum population standard deviation of tensile strength for the wire is about 3 KSI for an unannealed wire at finish diameter and about 2 KSI for an annealed wire at finish diameter. Also described is a process of making a Ta-Si alloy which includes reducing a silicon-containing solid and a tantalum-containing solid into a liquid state and mixing the liquids to form a liquid blend and forming a solid alloy from the liquid blend. Another process of making a Ta-Si alloy is described which involves blending powders containing tantalum or an oxide thereof with powders containing silicon or a silicon-containing compound to form a blend and then reducing the blend to a liquid state and forming a solid alloy from the liquid state.

Abstract: An alloy comprising tantalum and silicon is described. The tantalum is the predominant metal present. The alloy also has a uniformity of tensile strength when formed into a wire, such that the maximum population standard deviation of tensile strength for the wire is about 3 KSI for an unannealed wire at finish diameter and about 2 KSI for an annealed wire at finish diameter. Also described is a process of making a Ta—Si alloy which includes reducing a silicon-containing solid and a tantalum-containing solid into a liquid state and mixing the liquids to form a liquid blend and forming a solid alloy from the liquid blend. Another process of making a Ta—Si alloy is described which involves blending powders containing tantalum or an oxide thereof with powders containing silicon or a silicon-containing compound to form a blend and then reducing the blend to a liquid state and forming a solid alloy from the liquid state.

Abstract: High purity tantalum metals and alloys containing the same are described. The tantalum metal preferably has a purity of at least 99.995% and more preferably at least 99.999%. In addition, tantalum metal and alloys thereof are described, which either have a grain size of about 50 microns or less, or a texture in which a (100) intensity within any 5% increment of thickness is less than about 15 random, or an incremental log ratio of (111):(100) intensity of greater than about −4.0, or any combination of these properties. Also described are articles and components made from the tantalum metal which include, but are not limited to, sputtering targets, capacitor cans, resistive film layers, wire, and the like. Also disclosed is a process for making the high purity metal which includes the step of reacting a salt-containing tantalum with at least one compound capable of reducing this salt to tantalum powder and a second salt in a reaction container.

Abstract: Sputtering targets and methods of making sputtering targets are described. The method includes the steps of: providing a sputtering metal workpiece made of a valve metal; transverse cold-rolling the sputtering metal workpiece to obtain a rolled workpiece; and cold-working the rolled workpiece to obtain a shaped workpiece. The sputtering targets exhibits a substantially consistent grain structure and/or texture on at least the sidewalls.

Abstract: Extruded tantalum billets and niobium billets are described having a substantially uniform grain size and preferably an average grain size of about 150 microns or less and more preferably an average grain size of about 100 microns or less. The extruded billet can then be forged or processed by other conventional techniques to form end use products such as sputtering targets. A process for making the extruded tantalum billets or niobium billets is also described and involves extruding a starting billet at a sufficient temperature and for a sufficient time to at least partially recrystallize the billet and form the extruded billet of the present invention.

Abstract: A method for quantifying the texture homogeneity of a polycrystalline material is described. The method involves selecting a reference pole orientation; scanning in increments a cross-section of the polycrystalline material having a thickness with scanning orientation imaging microscopy or other measuring technique to obtain actual pole orientations of a multiplicity of grains throughout the cross-section of the polycrystalline material. The orientation differences between the reference pole orientation and actual pole orientations of a multiplicity of grains is then determined. A value of misorientation from the reference pole orientation at each grain measured throughout the thickness is then assigned. The average misorientation of each measured increment throughout the thickness is then determined.

Abstract: High purity niobium metals and alloys containing the same are described. The niobium metal preferably has a purity of at least 99.99% and more preferably at least 99.999%. In addition, niobium metal and alloys thereof are described, which either have a grain size of about 150 microns or less, or a texture in which a (100) intensity within any 5% increment of thickness is less than about 30 random, or an incremental log ratio of (111):(100) intensity of greater than about −4.0, or any combination of these properties. Also described are articles and components made from the niobium metal which include, but are not limited to, sputtering targets, capacitor cans, resistive film layers, wire, and the like. Also disclosed is a process for making the high purity niobium metal which includes the step of reacting a salt-containing niobium and a metal salt along with at least one compound capable of reducing the salt-containing niobium to niobium and in a reaction container.

Abstract: High purity tantalum metals and alloys containing the same are described. The tantalum metal preferably has a purity of at least 99.995 % and more preferably at least 99.999%. In addition, tantalum metal and alloys thereof are described, which either have a grain size of about 50 microns or less, or a texture in which a (100) intensity within any 5% increment of thickness is less than about 15 random, or an incremental log ratio of (111):(100) intensity of greater than about −4.0, or any combination of these properties. Also described are articles and components made from the tantalum metal which include, but are not limited to, sputtering targets, capacitor cans, resistive film layers, wire, and the like. Also disclosed is a process for making the high purity metal which includes the step of reacting a salt-containing tantalum with at least one compound capable of reducing this salt to tantalum powder and a second salt in a reaction container.

Abstract: High purity tantalum metals and alloys containing the same are described. The tantalum metal preferably has a purity of at least 99.995% and more preferably at least 99.999%. In addition, tantalum metal and alloys thereof are described, which either have a grain size of about 50 microns or less, or a texture in which a (100) intensity within any 5% increment of thickness is less than about 15 random, or an incremental log ratio of (111):(100) intensity of greater than about −4.0, or any combination of these properties. Also described are articles and components made from the tantalum metal which include, but are not limited to, sputtering targets, capacitor cans, resistive film layers, wire, and the like. Also disclosed is a process for making the high purity metal which includes the step of reacting a salt-containing tantalum with at least one compound capable of reducing this salt to tantalum powder and a second salt in a reaction container.

Abstract: An alloy comprising tantalum and silicon is described. The tantalum is the predominant metal present. The alloy also has a uniformity of tensile strength when formed into a wire, such that the maximum population standard deviation of tensile strength for the wire is about 3 KSI for an unannealed wire at finish diameter and about 2 KSI for an annealed wire at finish diameter. Also described is a process of making a Ta—Si alloy which includes reducing a silicon-containing solid and a tantalum-containing solid into a liquid state and mixing the liquids to form a liquid blend and forming a solid alloy from the liquid blend. Another process of making a Ta—Si alloy is described which involves blending powders containing tantalum or an oxide thereof with powders containing silicon or a silicon-containing compound to form a blend and then reducing the blend to a liquid state and forming a solid alloy from the liquid state.

Abstract: A thermally enhanced warhead utilizes a heated tungsten liner to generate explosively formed high velocity coherent molten slug to defeat armor targets.