Abstract: A method for fabricating structures includes on a substrate includes providing the substrate having a substrate surface, and generating nanostructures or microstructures on the substrate surface at least in part by exposing the substrate surface to thermal particles from a thermal particle source while irradiating the substrate surface with an ion beam. The generated nanostructures or microstructures have a smaller surface area than the area of incidence of the ion beam or a beam generated by the thermal particle source. The method also includes obtaining a measurement of a characteristic of the substrate surface and adjusting at least one of the thermal particle source and the ion beam based on the measurement.

Abstract: Systems and methods for forming probes for a biosensor. In the systems and methods disclosed herein, a base substrate is provided; and a platinum layer is formed on the base substrate by sputtering platinum in the absence of oxygen. The platinum layer is formed using a sputtering pressure of at least 30 mtorr.

Abstract: An article comprises a body having a protective coating. The protective coating is a thin film that comprises a metal oxy-fluoride. The metal oxy-fluoride has an empirical formula of MxOyFz, where M is a metal, y has a value of 0.1 to 1.9 times a value of x and z has a value of 0.1 to 3.9 times the value of x. The protective coating has a thickness of 1 to 30 microns and a porosity of less than 0.1%.

Abstract: An ion beam deposition apparatus includes a substrate assembly to secure a substrate, a target assembly slanted with respect to the substrate assembly, the target assembly including a target with deposition materials, an ion gun to inject ion beams onto the target, such that ions of the deposition materials are discharged toward the substrate assembly to form a thin layer on the substrate, and a substrate heater to heat the substrate to a deposition temperature higher than a room temperature.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a thin film with a varying thickness includes the steps of providing a shadow mask with an opening, providing a carrier plate, arranging a substrate on the carrier plate, and coating the substrate through the opening whilst rotating the carrier plate relative to the shadow mask. A plurality of zones of the substrates is swept and exposed from arcuate portions of the opening per each turn by a plurality of predetermined exposure times, respectively. The varying thickness of the thin film corresponds to variation of the predetermined exposure times.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to the field of vapor deposition technologies, and discloses a vapor deposition method. The vapor deposition method includes: applying an exciting acoustic wave to the target, such that particles in a predetermined location of the target break away from the target and adhere to a predetermined region of the substrate when an energy of the particles is higher than an energy required for the particles to break away from the target. By using the vapor deposition method, losses of vapor deposition materials may be avoided, utilization of the vapor deposition materials may be increased, and thus costs may be reduced.

Abstract: An oxide semiconductor film contains In, Ga, and Sn at respective atomic ratios of 0.01?Ga/(In+Ga+Sn)?0.30 . . . (1), 0.01?Sn/(In+Ga+Sn)?0.40 . . . (2), and 0.55?In/(In+Ga+Sn)?0.98 . . . (3), and a rare-earth element X at an atomic ratio of 0.03?X/(In+Ga+Sn+X)?0.25 . . . (4).

Abstract: A system and a method for fabricating crystals, the method comprising heating an irradiation target to a temperature comprised in a range between a boiling point temperature of a material of the irradiation target and a critical point temperature of the material of the irradiation target, thereby generating a plasma plume of particles ablated from a surface of the irradiation target.

Abstract: An ion milling device of the present invention is provided with a tilt stage (8) which is disposed in a vacuum chamber (15) and has a tilt axis parallel to a first axis orthogonal to an ion beam, a drive mechanism (9, 51) which has a rotation axis and a tilt axis parallel to a second axis orthogonal to the first axis and rotates or tilts a sample (3), and a switching unit which enables switching between a state in which the ion beam is applied while the sample is rotated or swung while the tilt stage is tilted, and a state in which the ion beams is applied while the tilt stage is brought into an untilted state and the sample is swung. Consequently, the ion milling device capable of performing cross-section processing and flat processing of the sample in the same vacuum chamber is implemented.

Abstract: A recording device comprising an overcoat layer, wherein the overcoat layer comprises an amorphous carbon overcoat layer having a crystallinity (C)?0.8.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system that includes a light source for generating an illumination beam and an illumination lens system for directing the illumination beam towards a sample. The system further includes a collection lens system for directing towards a detector output light from the sample in response to the illumination beam and a detector for receiving the output light from the sample. The collection lens system includes a fixed-design compensator plate having individually selectable filters with different configurations for correcting system aberration of the system under different operating conditions. The system also includes a controller operable for: (i) generating and directing the illumination beam towards the sample, (ii) selecting operating conditions and a filter for correcting the system aberration under such selected operating conditions, (iii) generating an image based on the output light, and (iv) determining whether the sample passes inspection or characterizing such sample based on the image.

Abstract: Disclosed are embodiments of an ion beam sample preparation and coating apparatus and methods. A sample may be prepared in one or more ion beams and then a coating may be sputtered onto the prepared sample within the same apparatus. A vacuum transfer device may be used with the apparatus in order to transfer a sample into and out of the apparatus while in a controlled environment. Various methods to improve preparation and coating uniformity are disclosed including: rotating the sample retention stage; modulating the sample retention stage; variable tilt ion beam irradiating means, more than one ion beam irradiating means, coating thickness monitoring, selective shielding of the sample, and modulating the coating donor holder.

Abstract: A piston ring may include a drawn metal base of constant thickness having an outer peripheral surface. The piston ring may also include a hard coating disposed on the outer peripheral surface. The coating may have a thickness that is greater in a region of two butt ends of the base than a thickness of the coating in another region of the outer peripheral surface. The coating may be defined by a plurality of layers with a nanoscale structure.

Abstract: A method for producing a tool coated with a hard coating, the method including the following steps: applying a TiAIN coating layer onto a substrate with a first magnetron sputtering process and applying a TixSi1-xN coating layer onto the TiAIN layer with a second magnetron sputtering process, where x is smaller than or equal to 0.85 and preferably between and including 0.80 and 0.70 whereas the second magnetron sputtering process is performed with power densities greater than 100 W/cm2 and as such is a HIPIMS process.

Abstract: A method of making nanoscale channels including: providing a substrate, locating a photoresist mask layer on the substrate, the thickness of the photoresist mask layer equals H; forming a patterned mask layer by exposing and developing the photoresist mask layer, the patterned mask layer includes a plurality of parallel and spaced stripe masks, the spacing between adjacent stripe masks equals L; depositing a first thin film layer on the substrate in a first direction, the thickness of the first thin film layer equals D, a first angle between the first direction and a direction in the thickness of the stripe masks equals ?1, ?1<tan?1(L/H); depositing a second thin film layer on the substrate in a second direction, a second angle between the second direction and the direction in the thickness of the stripe masks equals ?2, ?2<tan?1[L/(H+D)], 0<Htan?1+(H+D)tan?2?L<10 nm.

Abstract: A method of making thin film transistor including: forming a gate electrode, forming a gate insulating layer on the gate electrode; locating a semiconductor layer on the gate insulating layer; placing stripe-shaped masks on the semiconductor layer, wherein the thickness of the stripe-shaped masks is H, the spacing distance between the stripe-shaped masks is L; depositing a first conductive film layer along a first direction, the thickness of the first conductive film layer is D, a first angle between the first direction and a direction along the thickness of the stripe-shaped masks is ?1, ?1<tan?1(L/H); depositing a second conductive film layer along a second direction, a second angle between the second direction and the direction along the thickness of the stripe-shaped masks is ?2, ?2<tan?1[L/(H+D)], 0<Htan?1+(H+D)tan?2?L<10 nm, the first conductive film layer forms a source electrode, the second conductive film layer forms a drain electrode.

Abstract: Provided is a method for preparing boron nitride nanotubes, the method including: injecting a boron-metal catalyst composite into a reaction chamber; injecting a nitrogen precursor into the reaction chamber; producing a decomposition product of the boron-metal catalyst composite in a gas state by irradiating the boron-metal catalyst composite with a carbon dioxide laser or a free electron laser; and forming boron nitride nanotubes by reacting the decomposition product of the boron-metal catalyst composite in the gas state with the nitrogen precursor.

Abstract: A method of making nanoscale belts including: providing a semiconductor thin film, placing stripe masks on the semiconductor thin film, the thickness of the stripe masks is H, the spacing distance between adjacent stripe masks is L; depositing a first thin film layer along a first direction, the thickness of the first thin film layer is D, a first angle between first direction and a direction along thickness of the stripe masks is ?1, ?1<tan?1(L/H); depositing a second thin film layer along a second direction, a second angle between second direction and the direction along thickness of the stripe masks is ?2, ?2<tan?1[L/(H+D)], 0<L?H tan ?1?(H+D)tan ?2<10 nm, the first thin film layer partly overlaps with the second thin film layer to form an overlapping structure; dry etching the first thin film layer and the second thin film layer to obtain a nanoscale microstructure; etching the semiconductor thin film.

Abstract: A charged particle beam device includes: a first charged particle source that generates first charged particles and irradiates a sample with the generated first charged particles; a phase plate that changes phases of the first charged particles in accordance with charged states of portions through which the first charged particles are transmitted; and a phase plate control system that controls the charging of the phase plate.

Abstract: Elements of an electrochemical cell using an end to end process. The method includes depositing a planarization layer, which manufactures embedded conductors of said cell, allowing a deposited termination of optimized electrical performance and energy density. The present invention covers the technique of embedding the conductors and active layers in a planarized matrix of PML or other material, cutting them into discrete batteries, etching the planarization material to expose the current collectors and terminating them in a post vacuum deposition step.

Abstract: There is provided a platy Mg-containing zinc oxide sintered compact containing 1 to 10 wt % Mg as a first dopant element and 0.005 wt % or more at least one second dopant element selected from the group consisting of Al, Ga and In, the balance consisting essentially of ZnO and optionally at least one third dopant element selected from the group consisting of Br, Cl, F, Sn, Y, Pr, Ge, B, Sc, Si, Ti, Zr, Hf, Mn, Ta, W, Cu, Ni, Cr, La, Gd, Bi, Ce, Sr and Ba, wherein the (002)-plane or (100)-plane orientation in the plate surface is 60% or more. The Mg-containing zinc oxide sintered compact of the present invention has excellent properties such as high orientation despite solid dissolution of Mg.

Abstract: A shear valve for use in a high performance liquid chromatography system. The shear valve includes a first valve member having a plurality of first fluid-conveying features, and a second valve member having one or more second fluid-conveying features. The second valve member is movable, relative to the first valve member, between a plurality of discrete positions such that, in each of the discrete positions, at least one of the one or more second fluid-conveying features overlaps with multiple ones of the first fluid conveying features to provide for fluid communication therebetween. At least one of the first and second valve members is at least partially coated with a protective coating that includes an adhesion interlayer and a diamond-like carbon (DLC) layer. The DLC layer is deposited on the adhesion interlayer via filtered cathodic vacuum arc (FCVA) deposition.

Abstract: A method of making nanostructures including: locating a photoresist mask layer on a substrate, the thickness of the photoresist mask layer is H; forming a patterned mask layer includes a plurality of stripe masks, a spacing distance between adjacent stripe masks equals L; depositing a first thin film layer along a first direction, the thickness of the first thin film layer is D, a first angle between the first direction and a direction along the thickness of stripe masks is ?1, ?1<tan?1(L/H); depositing a second thin film layer along a second direction, a second angle between the second direction and the direction along the thickness of stripe masks is ?2, ?2<tan?1[L/(H+D)], 0<L?H tan ?1?(H+D)tan?2<10 nm, the first thin film layer partly overlaps with the second thin film layer to form an overlapping structure; etching the first thin film layer and the second thin film layer to obtain a nanoscale microstructure.

Abstract: A sensor board includes: an insulating substrate having a principal surface; and a detecting electrode disposed on the principal surface of the insulating substrate, the detecting electrode being formed mainly of a first metallic material composed of a base-metal based material which is catalytically inactive with respect to a decomposition reaction of particulates, an exposed surface of the detecting electrode being covered by a passivation film of the first metallic material.

Abstract: A method for synthesizing thin film stainless steel coating can include using an e-beam PVD technique for depositing elements of stainless steel, i.e., Fe, Cr, Ni, Mo, and Mn, on a target surface, e.g., a surface of metallic origin. The method can include thermal evaporation of a source stainless steel material at a given percentage of electron beam power and a given vacuum pressure to provide a stainless steel coating layer on the target surface. The stainless steel coating layer can have a uniform thickness of about 150 nm, for example. The method can provide uniform stainless steel elemental distribution on the target surface. The stainless steel of the coating layer on the target surface can be of a grade that is different from the source stainless steel.

Abstract: The present invention provides a functionalized composition and resulting functionalized body or prosthesis for in vitro and in vivo use comprising at least one calcium phosphate containing phase that is functionalized with a linker group comprising at least one of an organic acid molecule, a phosphonic acid, an amine, N,N-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide, and 3-maleimidopropionic acid N-hydroxysuccinimide ester, and combinations thereof, and one or more of a chemical and/or a biologically active moieties, wherein the linker group provides for a reactive location for the attachment of the chemical or biologically active moiety, or both, to the calcium phosphate containing phase, and optionally including an unmodified and/or modified calcium aluminate containing phase. Methods of manufacturing a functionalized artificial prosthesis and methods of repairing a bone, vertebrae, or tissue structures are provided.

Abstract: Implementations described herein provide a lift pin actuator. The lift pin actuator has a housing. The housing has an interior volume. A track is disposed in the interior volume and coupled to the housing. A center shaft is at least partially disposed in the interior volume of the housing. A guide is movably coupled to the track. At least one internal bellows is disposed in the interior volume, the internal bellows form a seal between the center shaft and the housing. An elastic member is disposed in the interior volume and configured to apply a force that retracts the center shaft into the housing. An inlet port is configured to introduce fluid into the interior volume between the internal bellows and the housing. The fluid generates a force opposing the elastic member to extend the center shaft relative to the housing.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an electrical circuit from bulk materials includes the steps of machining a first bulk dielectric material, forming a conductive element, and placing the conductive element on a first side the first bulk dielectric material. The method further includes the step of machining a second bulk dielectric material and placing the second bulk dielectric material on the first side of the first bulk dielectric material and over the conductive element. The first bulk dielectric material and the second bulk dielectric material may be laminated together.

Abstract: A method for producing particulate clusters comprises passing a core through an array of matrix-supported coating particles. Particulate clusters produced by the method may find application as catalytic particles, components of novel electronic and photonic materials and sensors, and as binding sites for protein molecules in biochips.

Abstract: [Problem] To provide a substrate bonding technique having a wide range of application. [Solution] A silicon thin film is formed on a bonding surface, and the interface with the substrate is surface-treated using energetic particles/metal particles.

Abstract: An inter-substrate material layer is formed between a first substrate and a second substrate to generate a bonding strength. A plurality of metal elements are present in the inter-substrate material layer. An interface element existence ratio of the plurality of metal elements is 0.07 or above. A device can be obtained in which substrates difficult to bond (for example, SiO2 substrates) are bonded at room-temperature to have practical bonding strength.

Abstract: A method for coating workpieces includes the following steps: charging a coating chamber with the workpieces to be coated; closing and evacuating the coating chamber to a predetermined process pressure, starting a coating source, which comprises a target as a material source, whereby particles are accelerated from the surface of the target toward substrates, characterized in that until the target has been conditioned a shield is provided between the target surface and the substrate, wherein meanwhile the substrates to be coated are at least partially subjected to a pretreatment.

Abstract: A circular PVD chamber has a plurality of sputtering targets mounted on a top wall of the chamber. A pallet in the chamber is coupled to a motor for rotating the pallet about its center axis. The pallet has a diameter less than the diameter of the circular chamber. The pallet is also shiftable in an XY direction to move the center of the pallet beneath any of the targets so all areas of a workpiece supported by the pallet can be positioned directly below any one of the targets. A scanning magnet is in back of each target and is moved, via a programmed controller, to only be above portions of the workpiece so that no sputtered material is wasted. For depositing a material onto small workpieces, a cooling backside gas volume is created between the pallet and the underside of sticky tape supporting the workpieces.

Abstract: An ion milling device of the present invention is provided with a tilt stage (8) which is disposed in a vacuum chamber (15) and has a tilt axis parallel to a first axis orthogonal to an ion beam, a drive mechanism (9, 51) which has a rotation axis and a tilt axis parallel to a second axis orthogonal to the first axis and rotates or tilts a sample (3), and a switching unit which enables switching between a state in which the ion beam is applied while the sample is rotated or swung while the tilt stage is tilted, and a state in which the ion beams is applied while the tilt stage is brought into an untilted state and the sample is swung. Consequently, the ion milling device capable of performing cross-section processing and flat processing of the sample in the same vacuum chamber is implemented.

Abstract: A vacuum coating apparatus includes at least a chamber, an arc discharge plasma source, a feeding-reeling unit, and a roller set. The first and second openings are connecting with the feeding or reeling unit so as to allow the substrate to enter and leave the chamber therethrough, respectively. The arc discharge plasma source located inside the chamber generates the plasma, which discharges radially from the arc discharge plasma source as its center. The roller set includes a plurality of the first rollers, which are located in the chamber and enclosing the arc discharge plasma source. A first surface of the substrate is facing the plurality of the first rollers and contacts tightly on the periphery of the first rollers so that the first rollers can rotate by the moving of the substrate. The material evaporated and emitted by the plasma is attached onto the first surface of the substrate.

Abstract: Provided is a zinc oxide-based sputtering target capable of improving the film formation rate while suppressing arcing in the formation of a zinc oxide-based transparent conductive film by sputtering. This zinc oxide-based sputtering target includes a zinc oxide-based sintered body mainly including zinc oxide crystal grains, and has a degree of (002) orientation of 50% or greater at a sputtering surface and a density of 5.30 g/cm3 or greater.

Abstract: A pulse mode apparatus comprises a mismatched battery electrically connected to a pulse mode device having a pulse duty cycle with a power-on time period and a power-off time period. The mismatched battery comprises a first battery cell having a first internal resistance and first charge capacity, and a second battery cell having a second internal resistance and second charge capacity, and the battery comprises at least one of the following: (1) the second internal resistance is less than the first internal resistance, and (2) the second charge capacity is less than the first charge capacity. The battery also has a pair of electrical connectors electrically coupling the first and second battery cells in parallel, a pair of terminals connected to the first or second battery cells, and a casing around the first and second battery cells with the terminals extending out of the casing.

Abstract: A method for forming an alignment film for a liquid crystal on a substrate and an associated at least one structure. The substrate is moved in a first direction. A target is disposed on the first surface side of the substrate. The ion beam is propagated from an ion source toward the substrate and impinges on a sputtering surface of the target, which sputters a material of the target and results in sputtered particles of the material being emitted from the sputtering surface of the target and deposited on the first surface side of the substrate to form (i) a sputtering film on the first surface side of the substrate and (ii) an alignment film having an orientation and being disposed on the sputtering film and on the entire surface of the substrate. The alignment film aligns molecules of the liquid crystal in a predetermined direction.

Abstract: In an exemplary embodiment, an induction cooking pan can include: a pan; a handle coupled to the pan; wherein the pan can include: a ceramic inner coated portion; a first metallic outer portion; and a second metallic outer portion; wherein the second metallic outer portion is at least one of extruded or impact bonded to the first metallic outer portion; wherein the second metallic outer portion can include: a generally circular shape and can include a plurality of punched openings therethrough; and wherein the plurality of punched openings have been at least one of: impact bonded into a lower surface of the first metallic portion; or extruded into a lower surface of the first metallic portion; and wherein the first and second metallic outer portions have been machined substantially smooth.

Abstract: A conductive structure and a manufacturing method thereof, an array substrate and a display device. The conductive structure includes a plurality of first metal layers made of aluminum, and between every two first metal layers that are adjacent, there is also provided a second metal layer, which is made of a metal other than aluminum. With the conductive structure, the hillock phenomenon that happens to the conductive structure when it is heated can be decreased without reducing the overall thickness of the conductive structure.

Abstract: A low-E coating supported by a glass substrate, the coating from the glass substrate outwardly including at least the following layers: a dielectric layer of or including silicon nitride; a high index layer having a refractive index of at least 2.1; another dielectric layer of or including silicon nitride; a layer comprising zinc oxide; an infrared (IR) reflecting layer, wherein the coating includes only one IR reflecting layer; and an overcoat including (i) a layer comprising tin oxide and (ii) a layer comprising silicon nitride located over and contacting the layer comprising tin oxide. An IG unit including the coating may have a visible transmission of at least 70%.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device uses a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus including a turn table allowing placement of at least first and second semiconductor substrates and being capable of moving positions of the first and the second semiconductor substrates by turning, a first film forming chamber, and a second film forming chamber. The first and the second film forming chambers are provided with an opening capable of loading and unloading the first and the second semiconductor substrates by lifting and lowering the first and the second semiconductor substrates placed on the turn table. The method includes transferring the first and the second semiconductor substrates between the first and the second film forming chambers by turning the turn fable and lifting and lowering the first and the second semiconductor substrates placed on the turn table; and forming a stack of films above the first and the second semiconductor substrates.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for recovering the efficacy of solar cell modules and a device thereof. The method includes providing a solar cell module and scanning the solar cell module with a light-beam. The light-beam has a power density between 20 W/cm2 and 200 W/cm2, a width between 1 mm and 156 mm. The light-beam scans a solar cell module with a scanning speed between 50 mm/sec and 200 mm/sec. Furthermore, the present disclosure also provides a portable device for recovering the efficacy of solar cell modules. The portable device includes two types such as placed type and hand-held type. The aforementioned devices can perform a hydrogenating process on solar cell modules to improve the degree of light-induced degradation (LID) so as to improve the photovoltaic conversion efficiency of solar cell modules.

Abstract: A porous thin film battery is described herein. The battery includes a substrate, a porous thin film cathode formed on the substrate, an electrolyte layer formed on the porous thin film cathode and a porous thin film anode formed on the electrolyte layer. The porous thin film cathode includes a first set of pores initially filled with a quantity of a first polymer material and then the first polymer material is removed to form the first set of pores. The porous thin film anode includes a second set of pores initially filled with a third polymer material and then the third polymer material is removed to form the second set of pores. A method of forming the porous thin film battery is also described. A system for forming the porous thin film battery is also described.

Abstract: A device for electrofracturing a material sample and analyzing the material sample is disclosed. The device simulates an in situ electrofracturing environment so as to obtain electrofractured material characteristics representative of field applications while allowing permeability testing of the fractured sample under in situ conditions.

Abstract: A dielectric film forming apparatus and a method for forming a dielectric film so as to form a dielectric film with a (100)/(001) orientation. A dielectric film forming apparatus includes a deposition preventive plate heating portion that heats a deposition preventive plate disposed in a position where particles discharged from a target adhere. Sputtering gas is introduced from a sputtering gas introduction unit into a vacuum chamber. The deposition preventive plate is heated to a temperature higher than a film forming temperature so as to emit vapor from a thin film adhered to the deposition preventive plate. After a seed layer is formed on a substrate, the substrate is heated to the film forming temperature, and AC voltage is applied to the target from a power supply and then, the target is sputtered so as to form a dielectric film on the substrate.

Abstract: A processing apparatus may include a plasma chamber to house a plasma; and an extraction assembly disposed along a side of the plasma chamber. The extraction assembly may be configured to direct ions from the plasma to a substrate, wherein the ions generate etched species comprising material that is etched from the substrate; and wherein the extraction assembly comprises at least one component having a recess that faces the substrate and is configured to intercept and retain the etched species.

Abstract: An exterior panel for a kitchen appliance includes a metallic substrate having a predetermined surface pattern on at least one side of the metallic substrate, wherein the metallic substrate is formed to include a predetermined contour. A coating layer is an organic paint coating composition on the at least one side of the metallic substrate, the coating layer including a predetermined color and a fingerprint resistive surface, wherein the coating layer is at least partially translucent such that the predetermined surface pattern is visible with the naked eye through the coating layer, and wherein the predetermined surface pattern is modified by the coating layer to reflect the combination of the predetermined surface pattern and the predetermined color of the coating layer.

Abstract: A method of sputter coating a glass substrate includes providing a glass substrate and providing a sputtering assembly for sputtering a coating onto the glass substrate in a vacuum deposition chamber. The sputtering assembly includes a backing plate and a separating element disposed on the backing plate. At least one target element is provided and disposed at and in contact with a surface of the separating element. The target element is not bonded the separating element when disposed at and in contact with the surface of the separating element. An expansion gap is provided at or adjacent to the target element to allow for expansion of the target element during the sputtering process. Material from the target element is sputtered and the target element is heated to a substantially elevated temperature during the sputtering process. The sputtering process coats a surface of the glass substrate with the target element material.

Abstract: In a sputter deposition tool (100) of the type in which an ion source (101) generates a beam directed at a sputtering target, the sputtering target comprises an elongated exterior skirt (102) and a generally circular insert (103) positioned within the skirt, the surfaces of the skirt and insert being relatively coplanar and forming the surface of the target, with the elongated dimension of the skirt being axially oriented toward the ion source. The insert is rotated within the skirt to one of several positions during use of the target by the sputter deposition tool, to distribute wear of the target around the rotating insert and thus increase the utilization and useful life of the overall target assembly.