Abstract: A vacuum coating apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes a cathode target, a plurality of anodes, a transiting device, a pulsed arc discharge device, and a pulsed laser device. The plurality of anodes is placed on the transiting device and successively passes though a working position by the transiting device. The pulsed arc discharge device is electrically connected to the cathode target and the anode at the operable position to form plasma in a vacuum chamber for film coating. The pulsed laser device is located outside of the vacuum chamber and provides a pulsed laser beam onto the surface of the cathode surface to serve as a plasma trigger. A coating method for the vacuum coating apparatus is also disclosed.

Abstract: A composite cathode foil is provided. The composite cathode foil includes an aluminum substrate, a metal layer formed thereon, a metal carbide layer formed on the metal layer, and a carbon layer formed on the metal carbide layer, wherein the metal of the metal layer is selected from the group consisting of IVB, VB and VIB groups. The invention also provides a solid electrolytic capacitor including the composite cathode foil.

Abstract: A structural material of diamond like carbon (DLC) composite layers is provided. The structural material includes a composite material which is consisted of a metal layer, a first metal nitride layer, and a DLC thin film. The metal layer includes aluminum (Al), copper (Cu), zirconium (Zr), nickel (Ni), or vanadium (V). The first metal nitride layer includes aluminum nitride (Al—N), zirconium nitride (Zr—N), vanadium nitride (V—N), or nickel nitride (Ni—N). The DLC thin film of the structural material of DLC composite layers has high quality tetragonally bonded amorphous carbon (ta-C) with a sp3(C—C) bonding ratio of more than 30%. Therefore, it is suitable for the work pieces in the mechanical, chemical, electricity, photoelectric, and heat transfer fields.

Abstract: An electric arc ion plating apparatus to coat a metal material on an object includes: (a) an vacuum chamber; (b) an electric arc bombardment chamber in the vacuum chamber, comprising an anode, a cathode target, and an arc triggering electrode to generate metal particles when a voltage is applied on the anode and the cathode, and on the arc triggering electrode; and (c) a magnetic coil having a longitudinal axis. The magnetic coil emanates from the electric arc bombardment chamber and encloses at least a part of the electric bombardment chamber. The magnetic coil contains a constant-diameter section enclosing and immediately emanating from the electric arc bombardment chamber to guide the metal particles away from the cathode and toward the object, and a varying-diameter section away from the electric arc bombardment chamber to provide optimum distribution of the metal particles before they reach the object surface.

Abstract: Two-stage heat treatment is used to improve the initial permeability and core loss of a soft amorphous magnetic article. The first-stage heat treatment is performed at a temperature less than the curie temperature of the amorphous soft magnetic article by 0.degree.-50.degree. C. for 0-10 hours, while applying a static magnetic field which is larger than 1000 Oe in a first direction which is generally perpendicular to the direction the magnetic article is to be magnetized when used or measured. The second-stage heat treatment is performed at a temperature less than the crystallization temperature of the amorphous soft magnetic article by 0.degree.-100.degree. C. for 0-10 hours, while applying a static magnetic field which is between 50 Oe and 1000 Oe in the first direction. Prior to performing the second-stage heat treatment, the temperature is lowered to room temperature.

Abstract: A method and the instrument associated therewith for determining the Curie points of ferromagnetic materials which display no significant abrupt change in heat absorption around the Curie points thereof by means of a conventional thermal analyzer with externally added facilities to provided an external magnetic field. The abrupt change of heat absorption of the ferromagnetic materials is increased by adding the external magnetic field to increase the magnetic anisotropy energy thereof and to strengthen the spontaneous magnetization thereof.