Abstract: A coated stainless steel article and a method of preparing the article are disclosed. The coating is a plasma chemical vapor deposited coating, formed from a plasma of nitrous oxide, a silane, and an energy transfer agent (such as He, Ar). The resulting coating is adherent, corrosion resistant, and has a thickness sufficient to mask and cover the features of the stainless steel substrate, and to provide a pitting potential (in 3.5% NaCl) of greater than 600 millivolts, a J.I.S. 8502 (1982) versus a saturated calomel electrode a salt spray test rating in 5% NaCl-0.02% hydrogen peroxide of at least B.

Abstract: X-ray dispersive and reflective structures and materials are provided which exhibit at least one third of the theoretical integral reflection coefficient for the structures in the range of interest without fluorescence or absorption edges. The materials can be thermally activated to control the desired properties, during or post deposition. The structures can be deposited by ion beam absorption techniques to form the structures in a precise manner. The index of the refraction of the structures can be continuously varying throughout the structures.