Abstract: In the method, silver is protected against tarnishing using an Atomic Layer Deposition method. In the Atomic Layer Deposition method, a thin film coating is formed 5 on the surface of silver by depositing successive molecule layers of the coating material. For example aluminum oxide (Al 2O3) or zirconium oxide may be used as the coating material.

Abstract: The invention relates in general level to radiation transference techniques as applied for utilization of material handling. The invention relates to a radiation source arrangement comprising a path of radiation transference, or an improved path of radiation transference, which path comprises a scanner or an improved scanner. The invention also concerns a target material suitable for vaporization and/or ablation. The invention concerns an improved scanner. The invention concerns also to a vacuum vaporization/ablation arrangement that has a radiation source arrangement according to invention. The invention concerns also a target material unit, to be used in coating and/or manufacturing target material.

Abstract: A method for making a branched carbon nanotube structure includes steps, as follows: providing a substrate and forming a buffer layer on a surface of the substrate; depositing a catalyst layer on the surface of the buffer layer; putting the substrate into a reactive device; and forming the branched carbon nanotubes on the surface of the buffer layer and along the surface of the buffer layer by a chemical vapor deposition method. The material of the catalyst layer is non-wetting with the material of the buffer layer at a temperature that the branched carbon nanotube are formed. A yield of the branched carbon nanotubes in the structure can reach about 50%.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for coating and baking and deposition of surfaces on glass substrate or flexible substrate, such as films and thin glass sheets or other similar work pieces as it transitions thru and between small gaps of aero-static or hydro-static porous media bearings and differentially pumped vacuum grooves, in a non-contact manner, in order to process within a vacuum environment. The process is also intended to incorporate simultaneous and immediately sequential ordering of various processes.

Abstract: High-purity polysilicon granules are prepared by depositing reaction gas on silicon granules in a fluidized bed reactor having: a reactor space comprising at least two zones lying one above the other, the lower zone weakly fluidized by introduction of a silicon-free gas into silicon granules in the lower zone by a plurality of individual dilution gas nozzles, and a second, reaction zone directly abutting the lower zone, the reaction zone heated via its outwardly bounding wall, introducing silicon-containing reaction gas as a vertical high speed gas jet into the reaction zone by reaction gas nozzle(s), forming local reaction gas jets surrounded by bubble-forming fluidized bed, gas decomposing leading to particle growth, wherein the reaction gas has fully or almost fully reacted to chemical equilibrium conversion before reaching the wall or bed surface.

Abstract: A method is disclosed herein for treating a polymeric surface to resist non-specific binding of biomolecules and attachment of cells. The method includes the steps of: imparting a charge to the polymeric surface to produce a charged surface; exposing the charged surface to a nitrogen-rich polymer to form a polymerized surface; exposing the polymerized surface to an oxidized polysaccharide to form an aldehyde surface; and exposing the aldehyde surface to a reducing agent. Advantageously, a method is provided which produces surfaces that resist non-specific protein binding and cell attachment and that avoids the use of photochemical reactions or prior art specially designed compounds.

Abstract: A method for forming a thin film photovoltaic device. The method includes providing a transparent substrate comprising a surface region and forming a first electrode layer overlying the surface region of the transparent substrate. The first electrode layer has an electrode surface region. In a specific embodiment, the method includes masking one or more portions of the electrode surface region using a masking layer to form an exposed region and a blocked region. The method includes forming an absorber layer comprising a sulfur entity overlying the exposed region and removing the mask layer. In a specific embodiment, the method causing formation of a plurality of metal disulfide species overlying the blocked region. In a specific embodiment, the metal disulfide species has a semiconductor characteristic. The method includes subjecting the plurality of metal disulfide species to electromagnetic radiation from a laser beam to substantially remove the metal disulfide species.

Abstract: Methods of preparing a carbon-based sheet are provided, the methods include aligning carbon-containing materials on a substrate and forming the carbon-based sheet on the substrate by performing an annealing process on the substrate including the carbon-containing materials. The carbon-based sheet may be a graphene sheet.

Abstract: In a method of and a device for producing a membrane (1) for an electroacoustic transducer, the procedure is such that a membrane (1), which has been produced for example by deep-drawing, is at least partially coated on at least one surface with a liquid plastic (7), in particular a plastic adhesive, and this liquid plastic is cured.

Abstract: A one-step and room-temperature process for depositing nanoparticles or nanocomposite (nanoparticle-assembled) films of metal oxides such as crystalline titanium dioxide (TiO2) onto a substrate surface using ultrafast pulsed laser ablation of Titania or metal titanium target. The system includes a pulsed laser with a pulse duration ranging from a few femtoseconds to a few tens of picoseconds, an optical setup for processing the laser beam such that the beam is focused onto the target surface with an appropriate average energy density and an appropriate energy density distribution, and a vacuum chamber in which the target and the substrate are installed and background gases and their pressures are appropriately adjusted.

Abstract: A catalyst structure that allows a carbon nanotube having a desired shape and with larger length to be obtained in a stable manner and in high purity as well as a method of manufacturing a carbon nanotube using the same are provided. The present invention relates to a catalyst structure for use in manufacturing a carbon nanotube by means of vapor deposition of crystalline carbon, having a catalytic material that forms a ring or a whirl on its crystal growth surface, and further relates to a method of manufacturing a carbon nanotube using the same. Preferably, the catalyst structure is a columnar body with its upper surface serving as the crystal growth surface, where at least part of the side of the columnar body has a non-catalytic material that has substantially no catalytic activity with respect to the growth of the crystalline carbon.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for producing a hydrophobic surface on to a material. The invention involves directing at a surface to be structured a particle spray structuring the surface so as to structure the surface, and coating the structured surface with a hydrophobic material. According to the invention, particles larger than a determined size d2 are separated from the particle spray by at least one impaction nozzle, which particles are directed at the surface to be structured such that they collide with the surface to be structured, producing a structure thereon. Next, the structured surface is coated by a gas deposition method in which the structured surface is subjected to alternate surface reactions of starting materials.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method adhering a layer to a substrate that features defining first and second interfaces by having a composition present between the layer and the substrate that forms covalent bonds to the layer and adheres to the substrate employing one or more of covalent bonds, ionic bonds and Van der Waals forces. In this manner, the strength of the adhering force of the layer to the composition is assured to be stronger than the adhering force of the layer to the composition formed from a predetermined adhering mechanism, i.e., an adhering mechanism that does not include covalent bonding.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the coating of a surface of a ceramic basic body with a titanium compound, comprising the steps of (i) providing a preformed ceramic material; (ii) at least one step of surface activation of said ceramic material using a plasma for plasma-chemical surface preparation wherein the plasma comprises high-energy ions; (iii) at least one step of applying a titanium compound bonding layer to said ceramic material by plasma-supported coating wherein the plasma-supported coating is performed in pulsed and/or non-pulsed fashion; (iv) at least one step of applying a functional titanium compound layer by pulsed plasma-supported coating. The invention also relates to novel compositions as well as uses of the novel compositions.

Abstract: A method of creating adherent, fracture-toughened polycrystalline diamond coatings on carbide cutting tools or other workpiece substrates through the development of composite coatings comprising polycrystalline diamond and carbon nanotubes is described. The coating is deposited through a chemical vapor deposition process using a pre-determined hydrocarbon-hydrogen gas mixture suitable for nucleating diamond on the carbide particles and carbon nanotubes on the metallic binder. The deposited coating, which may be up to 30 micrometers in thickness, is typically characterized by a diamond or diamond-like carbon matrix in which carbon nanotubes are distributed as fiber-like filler materials.

Abstract: A method is disclosed herein for treating a polymeric surface to resist non-specific binding of biomolecules and attachment of cells. The method includes the steps of: imparting a charge to the polymeric surface to produce a charged surface; exposing the charged surface to a nitrogen-rich polymer to form a polymerized surface; exposing the polymerized surface to an oxidized polysaccharide to form an aldehyde surface; and exposing the aldehyde surface to a reducing agent. Advantageously, a method is provided which produces surfaces that resist non-specific protein binding and cell attachment and that avoids the use of photochemical reactions or prior art specially designed compounds.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel carbon-based material in which carbons different in property are combined in such a manner as to be applicable to a device. The carbon-based thin film provides a carbon-based thin film 10 including first phases 1 that contain amorphous carbon and extend in a film thickness direction, and a second phase 2 that contains a graphite structure and intervenes between the first phases 1. In the thin film, at least one selected from the group consisting of the following a) to e) is satisfied: a) the second phase contains more graphite structures per unit volume than the first phases; b) a density of the second phase is larger than that of the first phases; c) an electric resistivity of the second phase is lower than that of the first phases; d) an elastic modulus of the second phase is higher than that of the first phases; and e) in the second phase, a basal plane of the graphite structure is oriented along the film thickness direction.

Abstract: A film forming apparatus for forming a film according to an AD method in which separation of the film or generation of hillocks is suppressed when the film formed on a substrate is heat-treated. The apparatus includes: an aerosol generating unit (1-4) for dispersing raw material powder (20) with a gas, thereby aerosolizing the raw material powder (20); a processing unit (6) for processing the raw material powder (20) aerosolized by the aerosol generating unit (1-4) to reduce an amount of impurity, which generates a gas by being heated, adhering to or contained in the raw material powder (20); and an injection nozzle (9) for spraying the aerosolized raw material powder (20) processed by the processing unit (6) toward a substrate (30) to deposit the raw material powder (20) on the substrate (30).

Abstract: A false inlay decoration is characterized in that a linear notch is formed in a surface of a base by laser processing; a first decoration face and a second decoration face are sectioned and formed by the linear notch; and a coating layer is formed on the inner surface of the linear notch.

Abstract: A process and device for drying the coating of containers made of thermoplastic material. The process involves feeding said containers through a furnace divided into two areas: in the first, most of the solvent of the coating is removed by heating the paint with infrared lamps, while the temperature of the containers is controlled through an airflow; in the second, the remaining solvent is removed using said airflow coming from the first area of the furnace.