Abstract: A solid-state battery cell, a solid-state battery, and methods of making the same are disclosed. The solid-state battery cell includes a cathode current collector, a cathode on the cathode current collector, a low-impedance interface film on the cathode, a solid-state electrolyte on or over the low-impedance interface film, a lithiophilic layer on or over the solid-state electrolyte, and an anode current collector on or over the lithiophilic layer. The low-impedance interface film may include an oxide, a nitride or an oxynitride of lithium and a metal selected from aluminum, silicon and titanium, carbon, a metal oxide, fluoride, oxyfluoride or phosphate, or an alkali metal borate, and may have a thickness of 5-100 ?, for example. The lithiophilic layer may be or include a metal oxide, silicate, aluminate or fluoride, or an elemental metal or metalloid, and may have a thickness of 5 ? to 1 ?m, for example.

Abstract: A solid-state battery and methods of making the same are disclosed. The battery includes a plurality of cells and first and second terminals on opposite sides/edges of the battery. Each cell includes a cathode current collector (CCC), a cathode thereon, a solid-state electrolyte, an anode current collector (ACC), a moat in the cathode and the electrolyte and around the ACC, a barrier/insulation film, a via/opening in the barrier/insulation film exposing the ACC, and a conductive redistribution layer in the via/opening, in the moat, on the barrier/insulation film, and on a first sidewall of each cell. The barrier/insulation film encapsulates the CCC, the cathode, the solid-state electrolyte and the ACC. One terminal is electrically connected to each ACC through the redistribution layer, and the other is electrically connected to each cathode or CCC.

Abstract: A recording medium having improved signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) capabilities and head-disk interface characteristics includes an etched smoothened underlayer, over which the recording layer is grown. One mechanism for increasing the SNR is by growing more columnar magnetic grain structures within the recording layer, which is facilitated by a smoother underlayer template.

Abstract: A method to produce barrier coatings (such as nitrides, oxides, carbides) for large area thin film devices such as solar panels or the like using a high frequency plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) process is presented. The proposed process provides a uniform deposition of barrier coating(s) such as silicon nitride, silicon oxide, silicon carbide (SiNx, SiO2, SiC) at a high deposition rate on thin film devices such as silicon based thin film devices at low temperature. The proposed process deposits uniform barrier coatings (nitrides, oxides, carbides) on large area substrates (about 1 m×0.5 m and larger) at a high frequency (27-81 MHz). Stable plasma maintained over a large area substrate at high frequencies allows high ionization density resulting in high reaction rates at lower temperature.

Abstract: Magnetic recording media having a protective carbon overcoat adapted to protect the magnetic recording layer from surface contact events and corrosion. The carbon overcoat includes at least two layers. A first layer is adapted to protect the magnetic recording layer from surface contact events and corrosion. The second layer is disposed on the first layer and is adapted to enhance the bonding of a lubricant to the carbon overcoat and to minimize head degradation. The magnetic recording media of the present invention advantageously enables the use of thin carbon overcoats, enhancing areal density, while maintaining good tribological properties.

Abstract: Magnetic recording media having a protective carbon overcoat adapted to protect the magnetic recording layer from surface contact events and corrosion. The carbon overcoat includes at least two layers. A first layer is adapted to protect the magnetic recording layer from surface contact events and corrosion. The second layer is disposed on the first layer and is adapted to enhance the bonding of a lubricant to the carbon overcoat and to minimize head degradation. The magnetic recording media of the present invention advantageously enables the use of thin carbon overcoats, enhancing areal density, while maintaining good tribological properties.

Abstract: A porous metallic layer is incorporated in one of the electrodes of a plasma treatment system. A plasma gas is injected into the electrode at substantially atmospheric pressure and allowed to diffuse through the porous layer, thereby forming a uniform glow-discharge plasma. The film material to be treated is exposed to the plasma created between this electrode and a second electrode covered by a dielectric layer. Because of the micron size of the pores of the porous metal, each pore also produces a hollow cathode effect that facilitates the ionization of the plasma gas. As a result, a steady-state glow-discharge plasma is produced at atmospheric pressure and at power frequencies as low as 60 Hz. According to another aspect of the invention, vapor deposition is carried out in combination with plasma treatment by vaporizing a substance of interest, mixing it with the plasma gas, and diffusing the mixture through the porous electrode.

Abstract: A plasma treater incorporates a porous metallic layer in one of the electrodes. The porous layer is selected with pores of average size within one order of magnitude of the mean free path of the plasma gas at atmospheric pressure. The plasma gas is injected into the electrode at substantially atmospheric pressure and allowed to diffuse through the porous layer, thereby forming a uniform glow-discharge plasma. The film material to be treated is exposed to the plasma created between this electrode and a second electrode covered by a dielectric layer. Because of the micron size of the pores of the porous metal, each pore also produces a hollow cathode effect that facilitates the ionization of the plasma gas. As a result, a steady-state glow-discharge plasma is produced at atmospheric pressure and at power frequencies as low as 60 Hz.

Abstract: A continuous process that produces nanoscale powders from different types of precursor material by evaporating the material and quenching the vaporized phase in a converging-diverging expansion nozzle. The precursor material suspended in a carrier gas is continuously vaporized in a thermal reaction chamber under conditions that favor nucleation of the resulting vapor. Immediately after the initial nucleation stages, the vapor stream is rapidly and uniformly quenched at rates of at least 1,000 K/sec, preferably above 1,000,000 K/sec, to block the continued growth of the nucleated particles and produce a nanosize powder suspension of narrow particle-size distribution. The nanopowder is then harvested by filtration from the quenched vapor stream and the carrier medium is purified, compressed and recycled for mixing with new precursor material in the feed stream.

Abstract: A thermal reactor system that produces nanoscale powders by ultra-rapid thermal quench processing of high-temperature vapors through a boundary-layer converging-diverging nozzle. A gas suspension of precursor material is continuously fed to a thermal reaction chamber and vaporized under conditions that minimize superheating and favor nucleation of the resulting vapor. According to one aspect of the invention, the high temperature vapor is quenched using the principle of Joule-Thompson adiabatic expansion. Immediately after the initial nucleation stages, the vapor stream is passed through the nozzle and rapidly quenched through expansion at rates of at least 1,000.degree. C. per second, preferably greater than 1,000,000.degree. C. per second, to block the continued growth of the nucleated particles and produce a nanosize powder suspension of narrow particle-size distribution.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for the synthesis of ultra-free (submicron) ceramic carbides in a thermal plasma torch reactor using primarily silica, boron oxide, titanium dioxide or other oxides as metal sources and methane as a reductant. A plasma torch operated with both argon and helium as plasma gases and having methane as a primary carrier gas is connected to the plasma reactor for providing the heat necessary to carry out the reaction. A collection chamber with both interior and exterior cooling is connected to the reactor for quenching of the reactants. Cooling is provided to the torch, the reactor and the collection using coils, baffles and jackets.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for the synthesis of ultra-free (submicron) ceramic carbides in a thermal plasma torch reactor using primarily silica, boron oxide, titanium dioxide or other oxides as metal sources and methane as a reductant. A plasma torch operated with both argon and helium as plasma gases and having methane as a primary carrier gas is connected to the plasma reactor for providing the heat necessary to carry out the reaction. A collection chamber with both interior and exterior cooling is connected to the reactor for quenching of the reactants. Cooling is provided to the torch, the reactor and the collection using coils, baffles and jackets.