Abstract: A method for depositing a protective coating onto a substrate, wherein the protective coating comprises (i) a moisture-barrier layer which is in contact with the substrate and which comprises a first sub-layer, optionally one or more intermediate sub-layers, and a final sub-layer, (ii) a mechanical-protective layer which is inorganic, and (iii) a gradient layer interposing the moisture-barrier layer and the mechanical-protective layer.

Abstract: The present invention provides a vapour deposition method for preparing an amorphous lithium borosilicate compound or doped lithium borosilicate compound, the method comprising: providing a vapour source of each component element of the compound, wherein the vapour sources comprise at least a source of lithium, a source of oxygen, a source of boron and a source of silicon, and, optionally, a source of at least one dopant element; providing a substrate at a temperature of less than about 180° C.; delivering a flow of said lithium, said oxygen, said boron and said silicon, and, optionally, said dopant element, wherein the rate of flow of said oxygen is at least about 8×10?8 m3/s; and co-depositing the component elements from the vapour sources onto the substrate wherein the component elements react on the substrate to form the amorphous compound.

Abstract: A method for depositing a protective coating onto a substrate, wherein the protective coating comprises (i) a moisture-barrier layer which is in contact with the substrate and which comprises a first sub-layer, optionally one or more intermediate sub-layers, and a final sub-layer, (ii) a mechanical-protective layer which is inorganic, and (iii) a gradient layer interposing the moisture-barrier layer and the mechanical-protective layer.

Abstract: The present invention provides a vapour deposition method for preparing an amorphous lithium borosilicate or doped lithium borosilicate compound, the method comprising: providing a vapour source of each component element of the compound, wherein the vapour sources comprise at least a source of lithium, a source of oxygen, a source of boron, and a source of silicon, and, optionally, a source of at least one dopant element; delivering a flow of said lithium, said oxygen, said boron and said silicon, and, optionally, said dopant element; and co-depositing the component elements from the vapour sources onto a substrate wherein the component elements react on the substrate to form the amorphous compound; wherein the amorphous lithium borosilicate or doped lithium borosilicate ompound has a lithium content in the range 40-65 atomic %, based on the combined atomic percentages of lithium, boron and silicon.

Abstract: A method is provided for fabricating a component material for a battery cell.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus for processing a substrate using a plasma, comprising: a process chamber in which the processing takes place; a plasma source for providing a plasma to the process chamber; a substrate mount within the process chamber for holding the substrate, the substrate mount comprising a surface having a plurality of apertures.

Abstract: The present invention provides a vapour deposition method for preparing an amorphous lithium borosilicate compound or doped lithium borosilicate compound, the method comprising: providing a vapour source of each component element of the compound, wherein the vapour sources comprise at least a source of lithium, a source of oxygen, a source of boron and a source of silicon, and, optionally, a source of at least one dopant element; providing a substrate at a temperature of less than about 180° C.; delivering a flow of said lithium, said oxygen, said boron and said silicon, and, optionally, said dopant element, wherein the rate of flow of said oxygen is at least about 8×10?8 m3/s; and co-depositing the component elements from the vapour sources onto the substrate wherein the component elements react on the substrate to form the amorphous compound.

Abstract: A plasma processing apparatus for processing a substrate using a plasma, comprising: a process chamber in which the processing takes place; a plasma source for providing a plasma to the process chamber; a substrate mount within the process chamber for holding the substrate, the substrate mount comprising a surface having a plurality of apertures.

Abstract: A method for depositing a protective coating onto a substrate, wherein the protective coating comprises (i) a moisture-barrier layer which is in contact with the substrate and which comprises a first sub-layer, optionally one or more intermediate sub-layers, and a final sub-layer, (ii) a mechanical-protective layer which is inorganic, and (iii) a gradient layer interposing the moisture-barrier layer and the mechanical-protective layer.

Abstract: An electrical assembly which has a multi-layer conformal coating on at least one surface of the electrical assembly, wherein each layer of the multi-layer coating is obtainable by plasma deposition of a precursor mixture comprising (a) one or more organosilicon compounds, (b) optionally O2, N2O, NO2, H2, NH3, N2, SiF4 and/or hexafluoropropylene (HFP), and (c) optionally He, Ar and/or Kr. The chemistry of the resulting plasma-deposited material chemistry can be described by the general formula: SiOxHyCzFaNb. The properties of the conformal coating are tailored by tuning the values of x, y, z, a and b.

Abstract: An electrical assembly which has a multi-layer conformal coating comprising three or more layers on at least one surface of the electrical assembly, wherein the lowest layer of the multi-layer conformal coating, which is in contact with the at least one surface of the electrical assembly, is obtainable by plasma deposition of a precursor mixture comprising (a) one or more organo-silicon compounds, (b) optionally O2, N2O, NO2, H2, NH3 and/or N2, and (c) optionally He, Ar and/or Kr; the uppermost layer of the multi-layer conformal coating is obtainable by plasma deposition of a precursor mixture comprising (a) one or more organosilicon compounds, (b) optionally O2, N2O, NO2, H2, NH3 and/or N2, and (c) optionally He, Ar and/or Kr; and the multi-layer coating comprises one or more layers which is obtainable by plasma deposition of a precursor mixture comprising (a) one or more hydrocarbon compounds of formula (A), (b) optionally NH3, N2O, N2, NO2, CH4, C2H6, C3H6 and/or C3H8, and (c) optionally He, Ar and/or Kr,

Abstract: The present invention relates to an electroless plating method, in which electroless plating is performed by contacting a substrate which is patterned with an anti-electroless plating coating with an electroless plating solution, whereby metal is deposited by electroless plating onto portions of the substrate that are not patterned with the anti-electroless plating coating, the anti-electroless plating coating having multiple layers, each of which is obtainable by plasma deposition of a precursor mixture comprising (a) one or more organosilicon compounds, (b) optionally O2, N2O, NO2, H2, NH3, N2, SiF4 and/or hexafluoropropylene (HFP), and (c) optionally He, Ar and/or Kr.

Abstract: An electrical assembly which has a multi-layer conformal coating on at least one surface of the electrical assembly, wherein each layer of the multi-layer coating is obtainable by plasma deposition of a precursor mixture comprising (a) one or more organosilicon compounds, (b) optionally O2, N2O, NO2, H2, NH3, N2, SiF4 and/or hexafluoropropylene (HFP), and (c) optionally He, Ar and/or Kr. The chemistry of the resulting plasma-deposited material chemistry can be described by the general formula: SiOxHyCzFaNb. The properties of the conformal coating are tailored by tuning the values of x, y, z, a and b.