Abstract: The present invention relates to metal filaments for use as fuel additives for rocket propellants, explosives, and other pyrotechnic devices. Preferred filaments are those such as zirconium, niobium and titanium (and alloys thereof) which have very high heat of combustion.

Abstract: A Type II superconducting alloy which is superconducting at a predetermined high magnetic field is prepared by creating a composite having a periodic arrangement of at least two transition metals so as to provide numerous interfaces between the different transition metals including niobium, titanium, zirconium, vanadium, hafnium, and tantalum, and alloys thereof. The combination of transition metals is such that one of the metals will serve as a second phase when the layers are subjected to temperatures which would produce a two-phase equilibrium state from a solid solution alloy of the transition metals. The composite is mechanically reduced and heated to cause interdiffusion of the transition metals to form ductile superconducting alloy zones at the interfaces of the transition metals.

Abstract: Artifical pinning centers are provided in normal metal layers adjacent to a type II superconductor layer produced by reacting two normal metal layers. The transverse thicknesses of the final superconductor and normal metal layers are less than about 1000 A.degree.. Planar layers of metal which are to provide a multilayer wire whose layers are parallel. A plurality of the multilayer wires are combined to produce a multifilament superconductor, the layers in all the individual wires being parallel to each other.

Abstract: A Type II superconducting filament is formed by surrounding a Type II superconducting alloy ingot with layers of a fine grain Type II superconducting alloy sheet, a barrier layer and a copper extrusion can. The composite is then reduced to a filament by hot and cold working.

Abstract: A high field superconductor is formed of an A-15 superconductor in the form of a layer thinner than 1000.ANG.. This layer is carried by a support layer formed of a normal metal, the support layer having a thickness less than 1000.ANG..

Abstract: A superconductor which is superconducting of a predetermined high field and low temperature is formed by combining a plurality of metal bodies to form a composite structure. The metal bodies are selected from transition metals such as niobium, tantalum, zirconium, hafnium and vanadium, and alloys of such metals, alternate bodies being formed of ductile alloys of the metals which are not superconducting at the predetermined high field. The alternate bodies of transition metals are reacted to form a ductile superconducting ternary alloy zone at the interfaces of these bodies. The extent of the reaction is limited so as to maintain areas of transition metal and transition metal alloys which are not superconducting at the high field. The composite structure is reduced sufficiently that each non superconducting zone is less than 1000A.degree. thick and serves as an artificial pinning site for each adjacent superconducting zone.

Abstract: Improved missile warhead body has three sections forming a tubular body closed by a cap section at one end thereof and having a center section comprising high density material inclusions of a selected size and weight which separate from the warhead when detonated and form shrapnel on the order of the size and weight of the high density material inclusions.

Abstract: A method for producing a superconductor includes the steps of combining a plurality of metal bodies to form a composite structure, metal bodies being selected from transition metals such as niobium, tantalum, titanium, zirconium, hafnium and vanadium, alternate bodies being formed of different transition metals to form triplets. The transition metals are reacted to form a ductile superconducting ternary alloy at the interfaces of these triplets of metals. The extent of the reaction is limited so as to maintain areas of pure or nearly pure transition metal along with the superconducting ternary alloy in at least one of each triplet of transition metals.

Abstract: In a preferred form of the invention, a superconductor is produced by the steps of combining a plurality of layers of metal sheets to form a composite structure. The sheets are pure transition metals--niobium, titanium, zirconium, or vanadium, alternate sheets being formed of different transition metals. The resulting composite structure is mechanically reduced sufficiently so that each transition metal sheet is less than 1000 .ANG. thick. In the course of reduction, the composite is subjected to sufficient temperatures for sufficient times such that the transition metal layers are partially reacted to form a ductile superconducting material between the transition metal layers. Approximately one half by volume of the transition metal layers remain unreacted. These unreacted layers afford efficient flux pinning within the composite when the layers are reduced to the <1000.ANG. final size. In other embodiments, powders and filaments can be used instead of initial layers.

Abstract: In the present invention, a superconductor is produced by the steps of wrapping a plurality of layers of metal sheets around a support to form a composite structure. The sheets are pure transition metals-13 niobium, titanium, zirconium, or vanadium, for example--alternate sheets being formed of different transition metals. The support may be composed of any ductile metal. The resulting composite structure is mechanically reduced sufficiently so that each transition metal sheet is less than 1000 .ANG. thick. In the course of reduction, the composite is subjected to sufficient temperatures for sufficient times such that the transition metal layers are partially reacted to form a ductile superconducting material between the transition metal layers. Approximately one half by volume of the transition metal layers remain unreacted. These unreacted layers afford efficient flux pinning within the composite when the layers are reduced to the <1000 .ANG. final size.

Abstract: A Type II superconducting filament is formed by surrounding a Type II superconducting alloy ingot with layers of a fine grain Type II superconducting alloy sheet, a barrier layer and a copper extrusion can. The composite is then reduced to a filament by hot and cold working.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for forming an improved missile warhead comprising a cap section, a center section, and a mounting section, the three sections forming a tubular body closed by the cap section at one end thereof, with a plurality of cavities formed on the inner circumference of the center section. In formation of the cavity-bearing missile body, a missile body preform is isostatically formed from powder material along with low-density inclusions, the latter being removed during later processing to form an array of cavities, relying upon differential material densification for release of the inclusions from the pressed preform.

Abstract: A high density ionized plasma is generated in a source chamber using a single loop disposed in a plane that intercepts the central axis of the source chamber perpendicularly or at a lesser angle and spaced from the closed end of the chamber. With a longitudinal magnetic field and an inert or reactive gas injected into the source chamber, excitation of the antenna with RF energy in the 5 to 30 MHz establishes the M=0 excitation mode or components of both the M=0 and M=1 modes. Low frequency whistler waves are created which generate a uniform and high density plasma and high plasma current. The plasma source thus defined is used in combination with process chamber configurations in which static shaped or time modulated magnetic fields enhance the distribution and uniformity of the plasma at a substrate to be etched, deposited or sputtered.

Abstract: A Type II superconducting alloy is formed into a wire by extruding a billet of the alloy encased in a copper extrusion can. The extrusion can may include a nose and a tail section having a k factor equal to or greater than that of the body of the core. The nose section may also have a convex inner transverse surface, while the tail section has a concave inner transverse surface. The nose and tail section may be formed of a copper alloy which is of equal or greater stiffness than the alloy of the body of the core. Alternatively, a multifilament wire may be formed by extruding a billet composed of a plurality of separate superconducting wires encased in a copper extrusion can. The nose and tail section of the can may be modified as for the aforementioned monofilament billet.

Abstract: The high density RF plasma generator of this invention uses special antenna configurations (15) to launch RF waves at low frequency such as 13.56 MHz along a magnetic field supplied by an external magnetic field generator (16.17) in a discharge space (14) where the working gas is introduced and which is used alone or in conjunction with a process chamber (18) where specimen substrates (20) are located to either deposit or etch films from a substrate or to sputter deposit films to a substrate. The plasma etching, deposition and/or sputtering system comprises the high density RF plasma generator, the external magnetic field, the gas injection and control system, the antenna system (15) and associated power supplies (48), the process chamber (18), and the means to couple plasma from the generator to substrates or targets, including magnetic means (36) to enhance plasma uniformity at the substrates (20) or targets (92).

Abstract: A melt-away mandrel is disclosed for use in an isostatic pressing process and a flexible sleeve is disclosed for use with the melt-away mandrel. The mandrel is used during pressing of compactible material and then the mandrel is melted away leaving the compacted part. Preferably the sleeve covers the mandrel and this assembly is loaded along with a material charge in a cold isostatic pressing apparatus. The sleeve protects the powder charge from contamination from the material of the mandrel. The isostatic pressing process for forming an uncontaminated part includes assembling the melt-away mandrel in the flexible sleeve, placing the sleeve and mandrel assembly in a containment vessel with the material charge, and submitting the material charge and sleeve and mandrel assembly to pressure for compacting the material charge against the sleeve. After the mandrel is melted, the sleeve is peeled away from the pressed material.

Abstract: The invention includes an apparatus and method for hot isostatic compaction of compactible material in a heated and pressurized environment within a pressure vessel, having a compaction container which can be hermetically sealed over a load, and which can transmit pressure from the pressure vessel to the load sealed in the container, a compaction die which can be hermetically sealed within the container, the die having an interior wall area which defines within the die an internal cavity having a width measured along a first axis, the die interior wall area extending along a second axis transverse to the first axis to generally define the height of the die cavity, the die having a wall thickness measured along the first axis, and a punch arrangement for applying compacting force to the compactible material and having a width essentially equal to the die cavity width such that when the punch arrangement is loaded oriented along the first axis within the die cavity, respective ends of the punch arrangement cont

Abstract: A cold isostatic pressing method and apparatus using fluid pressure to compact a material charge held in a flexible mold, including a hard die placed inside the mold, the die defining a receiver which has a longitudinal axis, at least one tooling member and a material charge placed in the receiver, such that when the hard die, tooling member and charge are sealed in the mold, pressure applied to the sealed mold will force the tooling member and the charge together to cause uniaxial compaction of the charge in the receiver along the longitudinal axis of the receiver. Preferably the charge is compacted between at least two tooling members. The charge also may be simultaneously compacted transverse to the longitudinal axis by a lateral tooling member.

Abstract: Porous electrodes are formed of multiple, spaced filaments of tantalum derived from reduction of a softer metal billet containing elongated spaced, substantially parallel wires of the valve metal, removing the softer metal, and affixing a contact thereto.

Abstract: An actuator is described for a disc brake system of the type which includes a piston whose front end is pressed against a disc by pressured hydraulic fluid that is applied to the rear of the piston and that is prevented from leaking by an elastomeric seal extending around the middle of the piston, which minimizes heating of the seal and hydraulic fluid. The piston is hollow, and has internal walls near its forward end forming a sealed chamber containing sodium. The piston has fins on its outside around the sodium-containing container. A hollow space between the rear wall of the piston and the sodium-filled chamber contains a vacuum. Applicant finds that the temperature rise of the seal and hydraulic fluid is greatly reduced by these arrangements.