Abstract: An Al-base alloy sputtering target consisting Ni and one or more rare earth elements, wherein there are 5.0×104/mm2 or more compounds whose aspect ratio is 2.5 or higher and whose equivalent diameter is 0.2 ?m or larger, when a cross sectional surface perpendicular to the plane of the target is observed at a magnification of 2000 or higher.

Abstract: The sputtering target made of a Ag—Bi-base alloy contains Bi in solid solution with Ag. The sputtering target has an intensity of precipitated Bi of 0.01 at %?1 or less, as calculated by the following mathematical expression (1) based on analysis results of X-ray diffraction, and/or a sum of area ratios of predetermined intensities (third to sixth intensities in 8 intensities) of 89% or more, wherein the area ratios are obtained by calculating a planar distribution of characteristic X-ray intensities of Bi according to X-ray microanalysis: intensity of precipitated Bi=[IBi(102)/IAg(111)+IAg(200)+IAg(220)+IAg(311))]/[Bi]. Remarkable lowering of the yield of Bi content in resultant films can be suppressed by using the sputtering target.

Abstract: An Ag sputtering target 6 has three-dimensional fluctuation of grain sizes of not more than 18%. The fluctuation is determined by exposing plural sputtering surfaces by slicing the sputtering target 6 in planes to initial sputtering surface, selecting plural locations on each of the exposed sputtering surfaces, calculating values A1 and B1 using the formula below, and selecting larger one of the values A1 and B1 as the three-dimensional fluctuation of the grain sizes. A1=(Dmax?Dave)/Dave×100(%) B1=(Dave?Dmin)/Dave×100(%) Dmax: maximum value among the grain sizes D at all the selected locations Dmin: minimum value among the grain sizes D at all the selected locations Dave: average value of the grain sizes D at all the selected locations.

Abstract: There is provided a read-only optical information recording medium including a reflective film which has high reflectivity, and is superior in environment resistance at the time of being kept in a high-temperature, high humidity environment as well as light resistance at the time of being kept in a high-intensity light irradiation environment and repeating reproduction durability against a repeating reproduction test. In a read-only optical information recording medium in which at least one reflective film and at least one light transmissive layer are laminated in order on a substrate, the reflective film is made of a Ag-base alloy including 0.01 to 1.0 at % of Bi and 0.1 to 13.0 at % of Cu.

Abstract: An austenitic stainless steel excellent in intergranular corrosion resistance and stress corrosion cracking resistance, comprising: C: 0.005 wt % or less; Si: 0.5 wt % or less; Mn: 0.5 wt % or less; P: 0.005 wt % or less; S: 0.005 wt % or less; Ni: 15.0 to 40.0 wt %, Cr: 20.0 to 30.0 wt %, N: 0.01 wt % or less; O: 0.01 wt % or less; and the balance of Fe and inevitable impurities, wherein the content of B included in the inevitable impurities is 3 wt ppm or less.

Abstract: A silver alloy sputtering target is provided which is useful in forming a thin silver-alloy film of a uniform thickness by the sputtering method. When crystal orientation strengths are determined at four arbitrary positions by the X-ray diffraction method, the orientation which exhibits the highest crystal orientation strength (Xa) is the same at the four measurement positions, and variations in strength ratio (Xb/Xa) between the highest crystal orientation strength (Xa) and the second highest crystal orientation strength (Xb) is 20% ore less.

Abstract: The sputtering target made of a Ag—Bi-base alloy contains Bi in solid solution with Ag. The sputtering target has an intensity of precipitated Bi of 0.01 at %?1 or less, as calculated by the following mathematical expression (1) based on analysis results of X-ray diffraction, and/or a sum of area ratios of predetermined intensities (third to sixth intensities in 8 intensities) of 89 % or more, wherein the area ratios are obtained by calculating a planar distribution of characteristic X-ray intensities of Bi according to X-ray microanalysis: intensity of precipitated Bi=[IBi(102)/IAg(111)+IAg(200)+IAg(220)+IAg(311))]/[Bi]. Remarkable lowering of the yield of Bi content in resultant films can be suppressed by using the sputtering target.

Abstract: The present invention provides an Al—(Ni, Co)—(Cu, Ge)—(La, Gd, Nd) alloy sputtering target capable of decreasing a generation of splashing in an initial stage of using the sputtering target, preventing defects caused thereby in interconnection films or the like and improving a yield and operation performance of an FPD, as well as a manufacturing method thereof. The invention relates to an Al-based alloy sputtering target which is an Al—(Ni, Co)—(Cu, Ge)—(La, Gd, Nd) alloy sputtering target comprising at least one member selected from the group A (Ni, Co), at least one member selected from the group B (Cu, Ge), and at least one member selected from the group C (La, Gd, Nd) wherein a Vickers hardness (HV) thereof is 35 or more.

Abstract: The present invention provides a technique capable of decreasing a generation of splashing upon depositing by using an Al—Ni—La—Cu alloy sputtering target comprising Ni, La, and Cu. The invention relates to an Al—Ni—La—Cu alloy sputtering target comprising Ni, La and Cu, in which (1) a total area of an Al—Ni intermetallic compound mainly comprising Al and Ni and having an average grain size of 0.3 ?m or more and 3 ?m or less is 70% or more by area ratio based on an entire area of the Al—Ni intermetallic compound, and (2) a total area of an Al—La—Cu intermetallic compound mainly comprising Al, La and Cu and having an average grain size of 0.2 ?m or more and 2 ?m or less is 70% or more by area ratio based on an entire area of the Al—La—Cu intermetallic compound, in a case where a portion of the sputtering target is observed within a range of from 1/4 t (t: thickness) to 3/4 t along a cross section vertical to a plane of the sputtering target by using a scanning electron microscope at a magnification of 2000.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sputtering target in which an occurrence of target cracks can be inhibited. The sputtering target of the invention relates to a sputtering target produced by mixing and sintering a main powder containing In as a main component, which is obtained by pulverizing an ingot consisting of an intermetallic compound, and a sub-powder containing a different component composition from the above-mentioned main powder, wherein a total content of Si, Al and Fe which are unavoidable impurities is 300 ppm by mass or less. Further, the intermetallic compound contains In and at least one selected from Co and Ni.

Abstract: Disclosed is an Ag-based sputtering target composed of pure Ag or Ag alloy wherein when the average grain size dave of the sputtering face of the Ag-based sputtering target is measured in accordance with the procedures 1-3 described below, the average grain size dave satisfies 10 ?m or less. (Procedure 1) In the surface of the sputtering face, a plurality of locations are optionally selected, and a micrograph (magnification: 40-2,000 times) of each selected location is taken. (Procedure 2) Four or more straight lines are drawn in a grid pattern or radially on each micrograph, a number n of grain boundaries existing on the straight line is investigated, and a grain size d is calculated on the basis of the following equation on each straight line. d=L/n/m where, L represents the length of the straight line, n represents the number of the grain boundaries existing on the straight line, and m represents the magnification of the micrograph.

Abstract: The invention relates to an Ag-based alloy sputtering target including at least one element selected from the group consisting of Ti, V, W, Nb, Zr, Ta, Cr, Mo, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Al, and Si in a total amount of 1 to 15% by weight, in which the Ag-based alloy sputtering target has an arithmetic mean roughness (Ra) of 2 ?m or more and a maximum height (Rz) of 20 ?m or more at a sputtering surface thereof.

Abstract: A sputtering target made of an Ag base alloy containing 0.6 to 10.5 atomic % Ta and 2 to 13 atomic % Cu, is characterized in that: when the sputtering surface of the sputtering target is image-analyzed, (1) the ratio of the total area of Ta particles having a circle equivalent diameter of from 10 ?m or more to 50 ?m or less, to the total area of all Ta particles, is 60% or more, and the average distance between the centers of gravity of Ta particles is from 10 ?m or more to 50 ?m or less; and (2) the ratio of the total area of Cu particles having a circle equivalent diameter of from 10 ?m or more to 50 ?m or less, to the total area of all Cu particles, is 70% or more, and the average distance between the centers of gravity is from 60 ?m or more to 120 ?m or less.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an Al—Ni—La—Si system Al-based alloy sputtering target including Ni, La and Si, in which, when a section from (¼)t to (¾)t (t: thickness) in a cross section vertical to a plane of the sputtering target is observed with a scanning electron microscope at a magnification of 2000 times, (1) a total area of an Al—Ni system intermetallic compound having an average particle diameter of 0.3 ?m to 3 ?m with respect to a total area of the entire Al—Ni system intermetallic compound is 70% or more in terms of an area fraction, the Al—Ni system intermetallic compound being mainly composed of Al and Ni; and (2) a total area of an Al—Ni—La—Si system intermetallic compound having an average particle diameter of 0.2 ?m to 2 ?m with respect to a total area of the entire Al—Ni—La—Si system intermetallic compound is 70% or more in terms of an area fraction, the Al—Ni—La—Si system intermetallic compound being mainly composed of Al, Ni, La, and Si.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an Al-based alloy sputtering target, comprising Ni in an amount of 0.05 to 10 atomic percent, wherein the Al-based alloy sputtering target satisfies: (1) that a ratio of a P value to a total area of a sputtering surface is 70% or more, wherein the P value indicates a total of area fractions of <001>±15°, <011>±15°, <111>±15° and <311>±15°; (2) that a ratio of the area fraction of <011>±15° to the P value is 30% or more; and (3) that a ratio of the area fraction of <111>±15° to the P value is 10% or less, when crystallographic orientations <001>, <011>, <111> and <311> in a normal line direction to a sputtering surface of the Al-based alloy sputtering target are observed in accordance with the electron backscatter diffraction pattern method.

Abstract: The invention relates to an Al—Ni—La system Al-based alloy sputtering target comprising Ni and La, wherein, when a section from (¼)t to (¾)t (t: thickness) in a cross section vertical to a plane of the sputtering target is observed with a scanning electron microscope at a magnification of 2000 times, (1) a total area of an Al—Ni system intermetallic compound having an average particle diameter of 0.3 ?m to 3 ?m with respect to a total area of the entire Al—Ni system intermetallic compound is 70% or more in terms of an area fraction, the Al—Ni system intermetallic compound being mainly composed of Al and Ni; and (2) a total area of an Al—La system intermetallic compound having an average particle diameter of 0.2 ?m to 2 ?m with respect to a total area of the entire Al—La system intermetallic compound is 70% or more in terms of an area fraction, the Al—La system intermetallic compound being mainly composed of Al and La.

Abstract: A sputtering target prepared by the butt joining of metal sheets being made of the same material, wherein an intermetallic compound in a joined portion has an average particle diameter of 60% to 130% of the average particle diameter of the intermetallic compound in a non-joined portion is provided. In the sputtering target, the average particle diameter of an intermetallic compound in a joined portion is approximately the same as that of the intermetallic compound in a non-joined portion.

Abstract: A sputtering target prepared by the butt joining of metal sheets being made of the same material, wherein an intermetallic compound in a joined portion has an average particle diameter of 60% to 130% of the average particle diameter of the intermetallic compound in a non-joined portion is provided. In the sputtering target, the average particle diameter of an intermetallic compound in a joined portion is approximately the same as that of the intermetallic compound in a non-joined portion.

Abstract: An Al-base alloy sputtering target consisting Ni and one or more rare earth elements, wherein there are 5.0×104/mm2 or more compounds whose aspect ratio is 2.5 or higher and whose equivalent diameter is 0.2 ?m or larger, when a cross sectional surface perpendicular to the plane of the target is observed at a magnification of 2000 or higher.

Abstract: An Ag sputtering target 6 has three-dimensional fluctuation of grain sizes of not more than 18%. The fluctuation is determined by exposing plural sputtering surfaces by slicing the sputtering target 6 in planes to initial sputtering surface, selecting plural locations on each of the exposed sputtering surfaces, calculating values A1 and B1 using the formula below, and selecting larger one of the values A1 and B1 as the three-dimensional fluctuation of the grain sizes.