Abstract: Objects such as pharmaceutical vial stoppers are coated by treating with material such as a fluoropolymer. The objects to be coated are mixed with pieces of the treating material, and the resulting pile is tumbled in a reaction vessel containing a plasma. The treating material is transferred from the pieces onto the objects to be coated.

Abstract: The invention provides a thermal print head with a protective coating of silicon-doped diamond-like carbon (Si-DLC) which imparts superior wear resistance, and improved lifetime. The Si-DLC is comprised of the elements C, H, Si and possibly O, N and Ar. The highly wear and abrasion-resistant Si-DLC diamond-like carbon coating is deposited by ion-assisted plasma deposition including direct ion beam deposition and capacitive radio frequency plasma deposition, from carbon-containing and silicon-containing precursor gases consisting of hydrocarbon, silane, organosilane, organosilazane and organo-oxysilicon compounds, or mixtures thereof. The resulting Si-DLC coating has the properties of Nanoindentation hardness in the range of approximately 10 to 35 GPa, thickness in the range of approximately 0.5 to 20 micrometers, dynamic friction coefficient of less than approximately 0.2, and a silicon concentration in the range of approximately 5 atomic % to approximately 40 atomic %.

Abstract: A method of cleaning a hollow article comprises a step of introducing an oxidizing working gas into at least an interior portion of the hollow article, while a sub-atmospheric pressure is being maintained therein. Then, an electric field is applied, so as to convert the oxidizing working gas within at least the interior portion of the article into a low temperature plasma. This leads to oxidizing substances situated at least within the interior portion of the hollow article.