Abstract: The invention relates to a method of manufacturing a sputter target. The method comprises the steps of: —providing a target holder having a coefficient of thermal expansion; —providing a target material having a coefficient of thermal expansion. The target material comprises at least a first and a second compound. The first compound has a first coefficient of thermal expansion whereas the second compound has a second coefficient of thermal expansion. The second coefficient of thermal expansion is higher than the first coefficient of thermal expansion and the second coefficient of thermal expansion is higher than the coefficient of thermal expansion of the target holder; —bonding the target material to the target holder. The invention further relates to the resulting sputter target.

Abstract: A method for distinguishing between a semi-soft magnetic material, having a magnetic saturation field H sub s ranging from 100A/m to 3000 A/m, and a soft magnetic material, having a magnetic saturation field H sub s ranging from 3 A/m to 100 A/m, includes (a) emitting an electromagnetic drive signal of one or more particular frequencies to an article so that any present semi-soft magnetic material or soft magnetic material in the article go into saturation for both positive and negative magnetic fields; (b) detecting an electromagnetic detection signal (20) emanating from the article; (c) measuring time or relative phase delays (A, B) between one or more reference points of the drive signal and points at which positive and negative peaks of the detection signal occur; (e) comparing the measured time or relative phase delays with values which are typical for semi-soft magnetic or soft magnetic features in order to make a decision whether the material is soft magnetic or semi-soft magnetic.