Abstract: A process for the deposition of transparent and conductive indium-tin oxide (ITO) films with a particularly low resistance of preferably less than 200 ??cm and a small surface roughness of preferably less than 1 nm on a substrate, wherein combined BF/DC sputtering of an indium-tin oxide (ITO) target is employed and wherein the process gas is supplemented by an argon/hydrogen mixture as reaction gas during the sputtering, as well as ITO-films with the above-named characteristics.

Abstract: A process for the deposition of transparent and conductive indium-tin oxide (ITO) films with a particularly low resistance of preferably less than 200 ??cm and a small surface roughness of preferably less than 1 nm on a substrate, wherein combined HF/DC sputtering of an indium-tin oxide (ITO) target is employed and wherein the process gas is supplemented by an argon/hydrogen mixture as reaction gas during the sputtering, as well as ITO-films with the above-named characteristics.

Abstract: Sparking is suppressed during high-frequency sputtering by a high-frequency generator (5) which has a controlled switching unit (13) that is connected upstream in relation to the output of the generator. A high-frequency supply signal that is generated at the output of the high-frequency generator is stopped for plasma discharge (PL) for a short time, by the switching unit.

Abstract: An apparatus with a magnetron sputtering-coating chamber, source, target and substrate holder, includes a magnet arrangement for generating on a surface of the target, at least two tunnel-shaped magnetron magnetic fields in the form of closed loops that are substantially concentrically to, and spaced from each other. The surface consisting of a material with at least two elements of different weight. The distance between the substrate and target surface, the substrate radius, loci of erosion patterns in the surface and the radius and placement of the loops are all related to each other.

Abstract: A virgin chitosan polymer is added to an acid and water solution in an amount sufficient to form an edible composition having a solids content greater than five percent (5%) and a liquid viscosity. The composition is applied to food products, such as fruits, vegetables and nuts, to provide an edible protective coating for the food products. Alternatively, chitosan may be hydrolyzed to a lower molecular weight so that a gel will not be formed when the partially hydrolyzed chitosan is admixed to the acid water solution. An edible wax emulsion and/or a preservative such as sodium benzoate, and/or an adhesion additive such as zinc acetate, and/or a wetting agent, and/or one or more additives from the group consisting of virgin and/or modified carbohydrates, proteins, hydrocolloides, lipids, oils, gums and waxes, natural and/or synthetic, made be added to the composition before it is applied to the food product.

Abstract: A target of an alloy of metals having different specific weights is used in a method for producing substrates that are coated with a layer comprising the same two metals by magnetron sputtering of the target. When sputtering such a target material, the metals of the alloy will sputter off with different sputtering characteristics with regard to a static angle &agr; at which the sputtered off material leaves the target. For this reason, at the substrate to be sputter-coated, there occurs a demixing effect of these metals which will be deposited with a varying local ratio of the metals, that differs form the ratio of the metals in the alloy of the target. To counter-act this demixing phenomenon, the location of an electron trap formed by the magnetron field of the sputter source at the target with respect to the location of the substrate, is selected.