Abstract: A diamond smoothing method of irradiating a laser light onto a raised and recessed surface of a diamond, so as to smooth the raised and recessed surface, by ablation that is caused to occur in the diamond by irradiation of the laser light onto the raised and recessed surface. The method includes: a threshold-energy-density detecting step of irradiating the laser light onto the raised and recessed surface, and changing an irradiation energy density of the laser light, so as to detect a threshold energy density as a lower threshold value of the irradiation energy density that causes the ablation to occur; and a smoothing processing step of executing a smoothing processing by irradiating the laser light onto the raised and recessed surface with a smoothing irradiation energy density that is set to be within a range from 1 to 15 times as large as the threshold energy density.

Abstract: A diamond smoothing method of irradiating a laser light onto a raised and recessed surface of a diamond, so as to smooth the raised and recessed surface, by ablation that is caused to occur in the diamond by irradiation of the laser light onto the raised and recessed surface. The method includes: a threshold-energy-density detecting step of irradiating the laser light onto the raised and recessed surface, and changing an irradiation energy density of the laser light, so as to detect a threshold energy density as a lower threshold value of the irradiation energy density that causes the ablation to occur; and a smoothing processing step of executing a smoothing processing by irradiating the laser light onto the raised and recessed surface with a smoothing irradiation energy density that is set to be within a range from 1 to 15 times as large as the threshold energy density.

Abstract: [Object] In a deposition system for generating airborne fine particles containing a thin film-forming component by a laser ablation process, a sputtering process, an arc discharge process, or another process to attach the airborne fine particles to a substrate, to prevent a thin film from being contaminated using a filter for trapping droplets. The filter is shaped so as to be readily manufactured at low cost, can readily trap fine particles, and securely prevent the release of the trapped fine particles. [Solving Means] A rotary porous filter plate includes a disk having a large number of perforations extending therethrough and is rotated on a rotary shaft connected to the center of the disk at high speed. The rotary porous filter plate is disposed between the substrate and a target such that fine particles flying through the perforations are deposited on the substrate but fine particles which fly low speed and which are transformed into droplets are trapped in the perforations.

Abstract: Diamond thin films deposited by known PLD processes are composed of diamond crystal grains with a size of about 1 ?m and have an irregular surface. A process for producing an ultraflat nanocrystalline diamond thin film by laser ablation includes creating atomic hydrogen and a supersaturated state of carbon in a space between a target and a substrate in a hydrogen atmosphere inside a reaction chamber at a substrate temperature of 450° C. to 650° C., a laser energy of 100 mJ or more, and a target-substrate distance of 15 to 25 mm to enable the growth of an ultraflat, single-phase nanocrystalline diamond thin film containing substantially no non-diamond component. The hydrogen atmosphere has a sufficient pressure to selectively completely etch off sp2 bond fractions (graphite fractions) deposited on the substrate with sp3 bond fractions remaining.

Abstract: Disclosed is an amorphous iron-silicide film fully exhibiting semiconductor characteristics close to those of ?-FeSi2, which has not been able to be achieved through a conventional cluster ion beam deposition process, molecular beam epitaxial growth process, ion implantation process or RF-magnetron sputtering process. FeSi2 is grown as a non-granular flat or continuous film on a substrate maintained at a temperature of less than 400° C. through a sputtering process under an Ar gas pressure of 5 mTorr or less using a FeSi2 alloy target having a Fe:Si atomic ratio of 1:2, to obtain an amorphous FeSi2 film exhibiting semiconductor characteristics. In particular, a facing-targets type is preferable as the sputtering process.