Abstract: A method of making metal articles as well as sputtering targets is described, which involves deforming an ingot to preferred dimensions. In addition, products made by the process of the present invention are further described.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for an electrochemical processing cell that is configured to minimize bevel and backside deposition. The apparatus includes a contact ring assembly for supporting a substrate, a thrust plate movably positioned to engage a substrate positioned on the contact pins, and a lip seal member positioned to contact the thrust plate and the contact ring to prevent fluid flow therebetween. The lip seal includes at least one bubble release channel formed therethrough. The method includes positioning an electric field barrier between a backside substrate engaging member and a frontside substrate supporting member to prevent electric field from traveling to the bevel and backside of the substrate. The electric field barrier including at least one bubble release channel formed therethrough.

Abstract: An improved process and device for the recovery of the minor actinides and the transuranic elements (TRU's) from a molten salt electrolyte. The process involves placing the device, an electrically non-conducting barrier between an anode salt and a cathode salt. The porous barrier allows uranium to diffuse between the anode and cathode, yet slows the diffusion of uranium ions so as to cause depletion of uranium ions in the catholyte. This allows for the eventual preferential deposition of transuranics present in spent nuclear fuel such as Np, Pu, Am, Cm. The device also comprises an uranium oxidation anode. The oxidation anode is solid uranium metal in the form of spent nuclear fuel. The spent fuel is placed in a ferric metal anode basket which serves as the electrical lead or contact between the molten electrolyte and the anodic uranium metal.

Abstract: The methods and systems described provide for radiation assisted material deposition, removal, and planarization at a surface, edge, and/or bevel of a workpiece such as a semiconductor wafer. Exemplary processes performed on a workpiece surface having topographical features include radiation assisted electrochemical material deposition, which produces an adsorbate layer outside of the features to suppress deposition outside of the features and to encourage, through charge conservation, deposition into the features to achieve, for example, a planar surface profile. A further exemplary process is radiation assisted electrochemical removal of material, which produces an adsorbate layer in the features to suppress removal of material from the features and to encourage, through charge conservation, removal of material outside of the features so that, for example, a planar surface profile is achieved.

Abstract: A rotor shaft assembly (101) of a type used in a turbocharger, manufactured by mounting a powder compact of a titanium aluminide rotor (203) to a powder compact of a steel shaft (207), with a metal powder admixed with a binder (211) interposed between the rotor and shaft, and debinding and sintering the mounted compact combination. Sintering produces a strong metallurgical bond between the shaft and rotor, providing a near-net rotor shaft assembly (101) and also an inexpensive and efficient method for the manufacture of an assembly capable of withstanding the high forces and temperatures within a turbocharger.

Abstract: The present invention provides a fountain-type electroplating apparatus with functions of voltage detection and flow rectification, comprising: an electroplating tank, a rectification device, and an overflow tank, wherein the electroplating tank is positioned inside the overflow tank, and the rectification device is arranged under the electroplating tank, in addition, the electroplating tank is composed of a shell, a cathode electrode, and an mesh shaped anode. The apparatus of the present invention further comprises: a power supplier, a switcher, a plurality of detection circuits, and a plurality of connecting line, which is used for monitoring the same.

Abstract: A method of making an active slender tube as implemented as a catheter, guide wire, or any other medical or non-medical micro-mechanical or -system or system's active micro-component is disclosed, comprising preparing an actuator made from a shape memory alloy (SMA) and forming at least a portion of a tubular body; disposing outside of SMA made actuator an elastically deformable outer skeleton coaxially therewith; and fastening together SMA made actuator and outer skeleton wire adjacent to non-insulated portions, step of fastening includes a step of passing an electric current through a lead wire while in an electroplating liquid to deposit a metal on lead wire and non-insulated portions from said liquid and thereby to electrically join SMA made actuator and outer skeleton together at corresponding areas.

Abstract: A method of electrochemically filling features on a wafer surface to form a substantially planar copper layer is provided. The features to be filled includes a first feature that is an unfilled feature with the smallest width and a second feature having the next larger width after the smallest feature. The first and the second features are less than 10 micrometers in width. The method comprises applying a first cathodic current to form a first copper layer on the wafer surface. The first copper layer has a planar portion over a first feature and a non-planar portion over a second feature. After a surface of the first copper layer is treated by applying a first pulsed current, a second cathodic current is applied to form a second copper layer on the first copper layer. The second copper layer has a planar portion over both the first and second features.

Abstract: A method of forming a fluorine-bearing diamond layer on non-diamond substrates, especially on tool substrates comprising a metal matrix and hard particles, such as tungsten carbide particles, in the metal matrix. The substrate and a fluorine-bearing plasma or other gas are then contacted under temperature and pressure conditions effective to nucleate fluorine-bearing diamond on the substrate. A tool insert substrate is treated prior to the diamond nucleation and growth operation by etching both the metal matrix and the hard particles using suitable etchants.

Abstract: An Al—Mg based alloy sheet product in which the crystallographic texture exhibits a ratio of the volume fraction of grains in the S orientation {123}<634> to the volume fraction of grains in the CUBE orientation {100}<001> (S/Cube) being 1 or more, and is comprised of grains with a volume fraction of about 10% or less in the GOSS orientation {110}<001>, wherein the grain size is in a range of about 20 to 100 &mgr;m demonstrates good formability.

Abstract: The invention concerns a process for producing optimized melt-textured volume samples based on the high temperature superconductor YBa2Cu3O7 (YBCO) for use in contact-free self-stabilizing magnetic bearings. The object of the invention is to provide a process by which structured high-temperature superconductive materials of the initially mentioned composition can be mass-produced economically in an automated process while maintaining a high degree of dimensional accuracy.

Abstract: A novel Ni3Al-based alloy exhibits strengths and hardness in excess of the standard base alloy IC-221M at temperatures of up to about 1000° C. The alloy is useful in tool and die applications requiring such temperatures, and for structural elements in engineering systems exposed to such temperatures.

Abstract: A method for making steel in an electric furnace, wherein a predetermined amount of liquid melt is fed into the electric furnace. The method comprises the steps of (a) continuously feeding a controlled flow of liquid melt into the furnace without interrupting the heating from the electric arc, (b) continuously injecting a refining gas into the furnace before the C and/or Si content of the metal bath reaches a predetermined value, until the end of the feeding process, and (c) pursuing the injection of refining gas after the predetermined amount of melt has been fed into the furnace, until the target value for the C and/or Si content of the metal bath has been reached.

Abstract: The present invention concerns additives for non-ferrous, liquid metals. The additives consist of compacted bodies of essentially pure iron particles.

Abstract: An apparatus for keeping an optimal penetration depth formed at the front end of an oxygen tuyere in the producing facilities of molten pig iron utilizing non-coking coal and a method for keeping the same. A sensor for measuring distance using a laser for continuously measuring the penetration depth, is provided. Comprised is a process computer for continuously receiving the measured penetration depth from the sensor and comparing the received penetration depth with a predetermined optimal penetration depth to obtain a difference between them, and for obtaining a changing amount of a pressure in a melter gasifier through a mutual relation between a predetermined changing amount of a pressure in the melter gasifier with that of the penetration depth using the difference between the actual penetration depth with the optimal penetration depth.

Abstract: The invention relates to a coating composition for superalloy structural parts, especially for gas turbine vanes and blades, which provides simultaneously excellent environmental resistance and highly improved thermomechanical behavior. The coating consists essentially of, by weight, 28-35% Co, 11-15% Cr, 10-13% Al, 0-1% Re, 1-2% Si, 0.2-1% Ta, 0.005-0.5% Y, 0-5% Ru, 0-1% Ca, 0-1% Mg, 0-0.5% La (or elements from the La series), 0-0.1% B, balance Ni and incidental impurities.

Abstract: A method is presented for making a polycrystalline thin film (B) by depositing particles emitted from a target (36) on a substrate base (A) to form the film (B) constituted by the target material while concurrently irradiating the depositing particles with an ion beam generated by an ion source (39) at an angle of incidence, in a range of 50 to 60 degrees to a normal (H) to a film surface, and maintaining a film temperature at less than 300 degrees Celsius. This method is effective in producing an excellent alignment of crystal axes of the grains in the film when the film thickness exceeds 200 nm. The target material includes yttrium-stabilized zirconia but other material can also be used. A layer (C) of a superconducting substance formed on top of the polycrystalline thin film (B) produces a superconducting film (22) exhibiting excellent superconducting properties.

Abstract: To be able to satisfactorily bright-anneal metals having a high affinity to oxygen in a hood-type furnace or the like under a protective gas, a rather pure inert gas such as argon, neon or helium, which is mixed with not more than 50 vol-% of a reducing gas, for instance hydrogen, is used as protective gas in cooperation with an oxygen binder, preferably titanium.

Abstract: The present invention provides a gold alloy thin wire for semiconductor devices, which inhibits corrosion after heating and which improves long term reliability, in portions bonded to the aluminum electrodes. The gold alloy thin wires of the present invention comprise the following group elements. (1) The gold alloy thin wire contains, as basic alloying components, 0.005 to 0.3% by weight of Mn and 0.005 to 1.0% by weight of Pd. (2) A gold alloy thin wire further contains at least one element selected from Pt, Ag and Cu in a total amount of 0.01 to 1.0% by weight in addition to the basic alloying components mentioned above. (3) A gold alloy thin wire further contains at least one element selected from Ca, Be, In and rare earth elements in a total amount of 0.0005 to 0.05% by weight in addition to the components in (1) or (2).

Abstract: A metal reduction and melting process which involves the heating of a burden comprising a metal containing component and a carbon containing component in a channel type induction furnace in order to reduce such metal containing component, in which at least part of the gaseous products of the process is utilized for preheating the burden; and apparatus for carrying out such preheating.