Abstract: A method and apparatus for sputter deposition of metal alloys with improved compositional uniformity is provided, wherein a first, narrow width target is provided with a sputtering surface comprised of a metal alloy including metal elements having different angular distributions of sputtered atoms, and a wider width substrate having a deposition surface is moved past the sputtering surface, whereby the deposition surface traverses all arrival angles of the sputtered atoms thereby compensating for the different angular distributions of the sputtered atoms. The inventive methodology finds particular utility in the manufacture of magnetic and magneto-optical (MO) recording media.

Abstract: The present invention is drawn to an apparatus for forming a thin film. The apparatus includes a vacuum chamber; a vacuum apparatus connected to the vacuum chamber; a holder placed in the vacuum chamber, which holder holds a substrate and is rotated by means of a rotating mechanism; a plasma CVD apparatus; and a sputtering apparatus, wherein the plasma CVD apparatus and the sputtering apparatus are placed in a single vacuum chamber and a thin film having an medium refractive index is formed on the substrate held by the holder, by means of the plasma CVD apparatus and the sputtering apparatus. The method making use of such an apparatus is also disclosed.

Abstract: In the process for coating the elastomeric rubber wiper a vaporous coating material is generated and activated by a plasma and/or laser; a protective coating is formed on a rubber wiper surface by exposing it to the vaporous coating material by CVD and/or PVD methods and process parameters for the coating process are controlled so that the protective coating includes at least three coating layers and has a total thickness of from 200 nm to 2 &mgr;m. The coating layers include at least one thicker softer elastic coating layer with elastomeric properties similar to those of the rubber wiper and other thinner harder coating layers having wear-resistant properties. The other thinner harder coating layers have respective hardness increasing from an inner most one to an outermost one of the other thinner harder coating layers.

Abstract: A magnetic recording medium comprises a non-magnetic substrate having a principal surface, an intermediate layer formed on the principal surface, and a magnetic layer formed on the intermediate layer. The intermediate layer comprises an intermediate material composed of chromium and molybdenum. The magnetic layer comprises a magnetic material composed of cobalt and platinum. The intermediate layer may comprise first and second layers. The first layer comprises a first material composed of chromium and is formed on the principal surface. The second layer comprises a second material composed of chromium and molybdenum and is formed on the first layer.

Abstract: A method for protecting a synthesis gas generator burner heat shield includes coating the burner heat shield with an overlay alloy coating composition of the formula MCrAlY wherein M is selected from the group consisting of iron, nickel, and cobalt. In a preferred embodiment, the coating includes from about 20-40 weight % Co, 5-35 weight % Cr, 5-10 weight % Ta, 0.8-10 weight % Al, 0.5-0.8 Y, 1-5 weight % Si and 5-15 weight % Al2O3.

Abstract: In a process for producing a brass-colored coating for fixtures, hardware, and articles in daily use, application of an intermediate layer to the substrate or to a base coating on the substrate is made by spraying, for which purpose a magnetron source with a zirconium target is situated in the process chamber in the proximity to the substrate and a mixture of argon and nitrogen serves as process gas, and the application of the top layer by spraying is done using a zirconium target in a mixture of argon and oxygen as process gas wherein the top layer is modified by bombardment with low-energy ions in a mixture of argon as carrier gas and a reactive gas, for example oxygen or hydrogen.

Abstract: A PVD process for manufacturing a coating (16, 18, 20, 22, 23) on articles (12), in particular on articles which have a relatively low temperature resistance such as articles made of brass, zinc and plastic, including such with an electroplated coating, wherein a plurality of layers (16, 18, 20, 22) are built up by arc discharge vaporization to manufacture a colored coating insensitive to fingerprints and are selected in order to achieve a color by this kind of coating alone which corresponds as far as possible to the desired end color; and wherein a hard material cover layer (23) is applied to the layer structure by means of cathode or magnetron sputtering or by the simultaneous use of arc discharge vaporization and cathode or magnetron sputtering, said cover layer generating the final color and being limited to the smallest possible layer thickness, preferably to under 500 nm.

Abstract: A process for production of hollow thermal-barrier coatings functioning as high-temperature heat-exchangers made of metal and/or non-metallic materials, applied onto the surface of metal and/or non-metallic substrata. The hollow/channeled coatings having a predetermined design, comprising an outer shell and an inner framework, which framework joins the outer shell with the surface of the substrate, together making a system of hollows and/or channels in the space between the outer shell and the substrate.

Abstract: A process is provided for forming a thin film having refractive index thereof varying continuously or stepwise in a thickness direction. The process comprises sputtering in a vacuum chamber by introducing, during film formation, at least two kinds of gases selected from a nitrogen-containing gas, an oxygen-containing gas, and a fluorine-containing gas with the flow rate ratio of the gases varied continuously or stepwise. This process enables variation of the refractive index in the thickness direction, simply without difficulty.

Abstract: A method of producing a silicon aluminum sputtering target is provided. The target is formed from a powder base of between about 80% to about 95% by weight silicon and about 5% to about 20% by weight aluminum which is placed in a containment unit, heated under vacuum and then sealed. The base is then subjected to a pressure greater than about 3000 psi and heated to a temperature between about 1076° F. and about 1652° F. such that some, but not more than 30%, of the resulting target is formed from liquid phase silicon-aluminum.

Abstract: A method for coating a component with a thermal barrier coating, includes placing the component in a coating chamber and maintaining the component at a component temperature. A vacuum is established in the coating chamber. The process parameters vacuum pressure and component temperature are controlled together, at least during the coating process with a deposition of material forming the thermal barrier coating. The control takes place in such a way that the parameters are in a respective set-point value range and the thermal barrier coating grows with a columnar structure on the component. A coating device is also provided.

Abstract: The present invention describes a coated cutting tool for metal machining. The coating is formed by one or more layers of a refractory compound of which at least one layer of fine-grained, crystalline &ggr;-phase alumina, Al2O3, with a grain size of less than 0.1 &mgr;m. The Al2O3 layer is deposited with a bipolar pulsed DMS technique (Dual Magnetron Sputtering) at substrate temperatures in the range 450° C. to 700° C., preferably 550° C. to 650° C., depending on the particular material of the tool body to be coated. Identification of the &ggr;-phase alumina is made by X-ray diffraction. Reflexes from the (400) and (440) planes occurring at the 2&thgr;-angles 45.8 and 66.8 degrees when using Cu&kgr;&agr; radiation identify the &ggr;-phase Al2O3. The alumina layer is also very strongly textured in the [(440)]-direction. The Al2O3 layer is virtually free of cracks and halogen impurities. Furthermore, the Al2O3 layer gives the cutting edge of the tool an extremely smooth surface finish.

Abstract: A press plate for producing decorative laminate from resin impregnated paper, with alumina particles on its pressing surface, is coated with diborides selected from the group consisting of hafnium diboride, molybdenum diboride, tantalum diboride, titanium diboride, tungsten diboride, vanadium diboride, or zirconium diboride or mixtures thereof for making the press plate resistant to scratching using a process wherein the press plate and the sputtering head are moved relative to one another to provide a scanning speed sufficient to give a thermal gradient in the press plate of 50° F. or less, to provide reduced built-in stress and more delocalized heat distribution throughout the press plate.

Abstract: A surface treatment and method for applying the surface treatment to electrical components are provided that include a coating of yttrium-iron-garnet (YIG), which is applied to the inner surface of the component by sputtering.

Abstract: A method of applying a coating to a metallic article (10) comprises placing the metallic article within a hollow cathode (38) in a vacuum chamber (30), evacuating the vacuum chamber (30), applying a negative voltage to the hollow cathode (38) to produce a plasma and such that the material of the hollow cathode (38) is sputtered onto the metallic article (10) to produce a coating (22). A positive voltage (V1) is applied to the metallic article (10) to attract electrons from the plasma to heat the coating (22) and so inter-diffuse the elements of the metallic article (10) and the protective coating (22) and a negative voltage (V2) is applied to the metallic article (10) to attract ions from the plasma to bombard the coating (22) to minimize defects in the coating (22).

Abstract: The present invention relates to post manufacturing operations for improving the working life of known bonding tools such as capillaries, wedges and single point TAB tools of the type used in the semiconductor industry to make fine wire or TAB finger interconnections. After the desired bonding tool is manufactured to predetermined specifications, dimensions and tolerances, it is placed in a sputtering chamber with hard target material with an ionizing gas. A controlled volume of sputtered hard material is generated at high temperature by plasma ion bombardment and deposited onto the working face of the bonding tool while the tool is held at a temperature that prevents distortion. A very thin amorphous hard layer is bonded onto the working face of the bonding tool which increases the working life of most tools by an order of magnitude and there is no requirement for additional processing.

Abstract: Described is a method for coating surfaces using a facility having sputtering electrodes, which has at least two electrodes that are spaced apart from one another and arranged inside a process chamber, and an inlet for a process gas. The two sputtering electrodes are acted upon by a bipolarly pulsed voltage in such a way that they are alternately operated as cathodes and as anodes. In addition, the frequency of the voltage is set between 1 kHz and 1 MHz. Furthermore, and that the operating parameters are selected in such a way that in operation, the electrodes are at least partially covered by a coating material.