Abstract: Methods of using thin metal layers to make Carbon Nanotube Films, Layers, Fabrics, Ribbons, Elements and Articles are disclosed. Carbon nanotube growth catalyst is applied on to a surface of a substrate, including one or more thin layers of metal. The substrate is subjected to a chemical vapor deposition of a carbon-containing gas to grow a non-woven fabric of carbon nanotubes. Portions of the non-woven fabric are selectively removed according to a defined pattern to create the article. A non-woven fabric of carbon nanotubes may be made by applying carbon nanotube growth catalyst on to a surface of a wafer substrate to create a dispersed monolayer of catalyst. The substrate is subjected to a chemical vapor deposition of a carbon-containing gas to grow a non-woven fabric of carbon nanotubes in contact and covering the surface of the wafer and in which the fabric is substantially uniform density.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a diamond film is provided. The material with a low thermal decomposition point is used as a substrate. A buffer layer is formed on the substrate by coating or deposition, and then a diamond film is coated thereon, fitting the shape of the required diamond film. With the buffer layer, the coating or deposition uniformity of the diamond film is improved, and the problems such as thermal stress cracking and assembly damage are solved as well. During a subsequent process of forming the diamond film, the substrate is thermally decomposed due to a high temperature, such that the problems such as stripping and die loss are overcome.

Abstract: The carbon-containing hard coating (1) according to the invention comprises nano-crystalline grains being separated from each other by grain boundaries, wherein said hard coating comprises aluminum (Al), at least one additional metal (Me1, Me2), carbon (C) and at least one further element (E1, E2) and has the chemical composition: (AlxMe1yMe2z)CuE1vE2w wherein Me1 is a metal, and Me2 is a metal, with x>0.4 and x+y+z=1 and y,z?0, and E1 and E2 are further chemical elements with 1>u>0 and u+v+w=1 and v,w?0. The grain boundaries have a higher concentration of carbon atoms than the nano-crystalline grains.

Abstract: The invention relates to a coating and apparatus and method for applying the same, said coating including Diamond Like Carbon (DLC) applied by chemical vapor deposition using a pulsed DC biased power supply, typically having an initial metal layer and followed by a transitional metal carbide layer and a DLC layer. The depths and transitions between the materials can be selected to suit requirements. The apparatus also includes the use of an arrangement with at least one electrode with an RF power supply and the selective control of the power supplies to the electrode and substrates is used to improve the efficiency of application.

Abstract: A process is described for depositing a metal film on a substrate surface having a diffusion barrier layer deposited thereupon. In one embodiment of the present invention, the process includes: providing a surface of the diffusion barrier layer that is substantially free of an elemental metal and forming the metal film on at least a portion of the surface via deposition by using a organometallic precursor. In certain embodiments, the diffusion barrier layer may be exposed to an adhesion promoting agent prior to or during at least a portion of the forming step. Suitable adhesion promoting agents include nitrogen, nitrogen-containing compounds, carbon-containing compounds, carbon and nitrogen containing compounds, silicon-containing compounds, silicon and carbon containing compounds, silicon, carbon, and nitrogen containing compounds, or mixtures thereof. The process of the present invention provides substrates having enhanced adhesion between the diffusion barrier layer and the metal film.

Abstract: A method and superalloy component for depositing a layer of material onto gas turbine engine components by atomic layer deposition. A superalloy component may have a ceramic thermal barrier coating on at least a portion of its surface, comprising a superalloy substrate and a bonding coat; and aluminum oxide (Al2O3) layer may be deposited on top of an yttria-stabilized zirconia layer and form a bonding coat by atomic layer deposition. The yttria-stabilized zirconia layer may have a plurality of micron sized gaps extending from the top surface of the ceramic coating towards the substrate and defining a plurality of columns of the yttria-stabilized zirconia layer. Also, atomic layer deposition may be used to lay an aluminum oxide (Al2O3) layer over a tantalum oxide (Ta2O5) layer on a silicon-based substrate.

Abstract: A method of forming a hydrogenated amorphous germanium carbon (?-GeCx:H) film on a surface of an infrared (IR) transmissive material such as a chalcogenide is provided. The method includes positioning an IR transmissive material in a reactor chamber of a parallel plate plasma reactor and thereafter depositing a hydrogenated amorphous germanium carbon (?-GeCx:H) film on a surface of the IR transmissive material. The depositing is performed at a substrate temperature of about 130° C. or less and in the presence of a plasma which is derived from a gas mixture including a source of germanium, an inert gas, and optionally hydrogen. Optical transmissive components, such as IR sensors and windows, that have improved abrasion-resistance are also provided.

Abstract: A process depositing a carbon- and transition metal-containing thin film on a substrate involves placing a substrate within a reaction space and sequentially pulsing into the reaction space a transition metal chemical and an organometallic chemical. Following each chemical pulse, the reaction space is purged, and the pulse and purge sequence is repeated until a desired film thickness is obtained. A preferred deposition process uses atomic layer deposition techniques and may result in an electrically conductive thin carbide film having uniform thickness over a large substrate area and excellent adhesion and step coverage properties.

Abstract: According to the present invention there is now provided a cemented carbide body provided with at least one wear resistant layer, which body contains a toughness increasing surface zone. Increase in toughness is obtained due to the presence of a surface zone having increased WC grain size and/or increased Co content. The invention is most suitable for WC—Co cemented carbides. A method for making such bodies is also disclosed.

Abstract: A thermal barrier coating, or TBC, and method for forming the TBC. The TBC is formed of a thermal-insulating material that contains yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) alloyed with at least a third oxide. The TBC is formed to also contain elemental carbon, and may potentially contain carbides and/or a carbon-containing gas that forms from the thermal decomposition of carbon. The TBC is characterized by lower density and thermal conductivity, high temperature stability and improved mechanical properties. To exhibit the desired effect, the third oxide is more particularly one that increases the lattice strain energy of the TBC microstructure as a result of having an ion size that is sufficiently different than a zirconium ion.

Abstract: A coated article is provided which includes a layer including titanium oxycarbide. In order to form the coated article, a layer of titanium oxide is deposited on a substrate by sputtering or the like. After sputtering of the layer including titanium oxide, an ion beam source(s) is used to implant at least carbon ions into the titanium oxide. When implanting, the carbon ions have sufficient ion energy so as to knock off oxygen (O) from TiOx molecules so as to enable a substantially continuous layer comprising titanium oxycarbide to form near a surface of the previously sputtered layer.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of forming a surface coating having a micro-Vickers hardness of about 1600 kgf/mm2 or more on a substrate made of metal, alloy or ceramic. The method comprises subjecting the substrate to a reactive plasma process which uses a target material consisting of tungsten or its alloy, a sputtering gas consisting of argon, and at least one reactive gas selected firm the group consisting of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide, to form a tungsten oxycarbide coating on the surface of the substrate, wherein the reactive plasma process is performed additionally using at least one noble gas selected from the group consisting of helium, neon, krypton and radon, as an auxiliary gas, while maintaining the substrate at a temperature in the range of about 550 to 680 K.

Abstract: Methods of coating cutting tool inserts including a hard substrate and a plurality of coatings are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises applying a first coating of at least 2 microns to at least a portion of the hard substrate and applying a second coating. The first coating can comprise at least one of a metal carbide, a metal nitride, and a metal carbonitride of at least one metal selected from zirconium and hafnium. The second coating can comprise at least one of a metal carbide, a metal boride, a metal nitride, and a metal oxide of a metal selected from groups IIIA, IVB, VB, and VIB of the periodic table. Optionally, third and fourth coatings are also applied to the cutting tool inserts.

Abstract: A method of making a coated article (e.g., window unit), and corresponding coated article are provided. A layer of or including diamond-like carbon (DLC) is formed on a glass substrate. Then, a protective layer is formed on the substrate over the DLC inclusive layer. During heat treatment (HT), the protective layer prevents the DLC inclusive layer from significantly burning off. Thereafter, the resulting coated glass substrate may be used as desired, it having been HT and including the protective DLC inclusive layer.

Abstract: There are disclosed a coated cutting tool which comprises a base material of a hard alloy comprising a hard phase of tungsten carbide and at least one material selected from a carbide, nitride and carbonitride of a metal selected from the Group 4, 5 and 6 of the Periodic Table and a mutual solid solution thereof and a binder phase of at least one element selected from Fe, Ni and Co, and a hard coating film formed on the surface of the base material by a CVD method, wherein the hard coating film has a columnar crystal layer comprising at least one material selected from a carbide, nitride and carbonitride of titanium, the columnar crystal layer contains large-sized particles and small-sized particles, and the ratio of the amounts of the large particles to the small particles is 3 to 50; and a method for producing the same which comprises forming the hard coating film by at least one coating film of a carbide, carbonitride and carbonitroxide of titanium using a hydrocarbon gas containing ethane as a carbon elem

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to a method of depositing transition metal carbide thin films. In particular, the invention concerns a method of depositing transition metal carbide thin films by atomic layer deposition (ALD), in which a transition metal source compound and a carbon source compound are alternately provided to the substrate. A variety of metal and carbon source gases are disclosed. The methods are applicable to forming metal carbide thin films in semiconductor fabrication, and particularly to forming thin, conductive diffusion barriers within integrated circuits.

Abstract: Method for producing cutting tools provides a first hard material coating on a first region of a tool base body containing at least one cutting edge, using a plasma vacuum coating process. A second hard material coating is provided on a second region which is adjacent the first, also via plasma vacuum coating process. Hard material for the coatings is a carbide, oxide, oxicarbide, nitride, nitrocarbide, oxinitride or nitrooxicarbide of at least two of Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, W, Al. The first coating has a content of at least two of the metal elements which is at most 2 at % different from the content of the two metal elements in the second coating if the tool is for higher adhesive strength than hardness. The first coating has a content of the two metal elements that is different from the content of the two metal elements of the second coating by more than 2 at % if the tool is for higher hardness than high adhesive strength.

Abstract: A separator of a fuel cell includes a base material and a surface treatment layer formed on the base material. The surface treatment layer includes a base material-side portion made from metal and a base material opposite-side portion made from carbon formed at an atom level or composite materials of carbon and metal or semi-metal. The surface treatment layer may further include carbon particle composite layer formed on the base material opposite-side portion formed at an atom level. In a manufacturing method of the above separator of a fuel cell, the base material opposite-side portion is formed by dry coating.

Abstract: A non-carbon, metal-based, high temperature resistant, electrically conductive and electrochemically active anode of a cell for the production of aluminum has a metal-based substrate to which an adherent coating is applied prior to its immersion into the electrolyte and start up of the electrolysis by connection to the positive current supply. The coating is obtainable from one or more layers applied from: a liquid solution, a dispersion in a liquid or a paste, a suspension in a liquid or a paste, and a pasty or non-pasty slurry, and combinations thereof with or without one or more further applied layers, with or without heat treatment between two consecutively applied layers when at least two layers are applied.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for making a coated plastic container, such as for packaged beverages, possessing a gas barrier and having enhanced resistance to loss in barrier due to handling abuses expansion of walls of the container. The system comprises a vacuum cell, a coating source in the vacuum cell for supplying a coating vapor to an external surface of a plastic container positioned within the vacuum cell, and gas feeds for supplying one or more process gases into an interior space of the vacuum cell. The coating source heats and evaporates an inorganic coating material, such as metal or silicon, to form a coating vapor, which is energized to form a plasma. The process gases include a carbon-containing gas, such as acetylene.

Abstract: A process for growing an electrically conductive metalloid thin film on a substrate with a chemical vapor deposition process. A metal source material and a reducing agent capable of reducing the metal source material to a reduced state are vaporized and fed into a reaction space, where the metal source material and the reducing agent are contacted with the substrate. The reducing agent is a boron compound having at least one boron-carbon bond, and the boron compound forms gaseous by-products when reacted with the metal source material. Generally, the boron compound is an alkylboron compound with 0-3 halogen groups attached to the boron. The metal source material and the reducing agent may be fed continuously or in pulses during the deposition process.

Abstract: A method of increasing the compressive stress or of reducing the tensile residual stress of a CVD layer, a PCVD layer or PVD layer and a cutting insert for machining.

Abstract: A passivation method for the metallic surface of a nickel and iron-based superalloy which is used as the constituent material of reactor or furnace walls is described, in which the superalloy is coated on at least one of its surfaces which comes into contact with a corrosive atmosphere containing either hydrocarbons at high temperature or containing oxidizing gases at high temperature, with at least two successive layers resulting from successive chemical vapour deposition of its one or more constituent elements, the external phase, resulting from chemical vapour deposition of at least one silicon compound and the layer(s) deposited between the superalloy surface, and the external layer resulting from chemical vapour deposition of at least one of a metal or metalloid.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to a method of depositing transition metal carbide thin films. In particular, the invention concerns a method of depositing transition metal carbide thin films by atomic layer deposition (ALD), in which a transition metal source compound and a carbon source compound are alternately provided to the substrate. A variety of metal and carbon source gases are disclosed. The methods are applicable to forming metal carbide thin films in semiconductor fabrication, and particularly to forming thin, conductive diffusion barriers within integrated circuits.

Abstract: The invention concerns (1) thermochemically treating by pack-cementation a carbon-containing material, which may have an open porosity, to generate a refractory carbide coating on its surface and, if the material is porous, within the material; and (2) the use of specific alloys as a pack for thermochemically treating carbon-containing materials, optionally with an open porosity, in a halogenated atmosphere. Pack-cementation is carried out under reduced pressure using an element E (to be transported and to be reacted with the carbon in the material to generate the expected carbide) alloyed to an element M, and using a halide (chloride or fluoride, preferably a fluoride) of the same element M, of low volatility, present in the solid form.

Abstract: Coated milling insert has a WC-Co cemented carbide with a low content of cubic carbides and a highly W-alloyed binder phase and a coating including an inner layer of TiCxNy with columnar grains followed by a layer of &kgr;-Al2O3 and a top layer of TiN. The coated milling insert is particularly useful for milling of grey cast iron with or without cast skin under wet conditions at low and moderate cutting speeds and milling of nodular cast iron and compacted graphite iron with or without cast skin under wet conditions at moderate cutting speeds.

Abstract: A multi-layer thermal barrier coating for a superalloy article includes a metallic matrix coating containing particles, a MCrAlY alloy bond coating on the metallic matrix coating, a thin oxide layer on the MCrAlY alloy bond coating and a columnar grain ceramic thermal barrier coating. The metallic matrix coating includes a 80 wt % nickel-20 wt % chromium alloy. The particles include metallic compounds such as carbides, oxides, borides and nitrides, which react with harmful transition metal elements such as titanium, tantalum and hafnium, in the superalloy substrate. One suitable compound is chromium carbide because the hafnium transition metal elements will take part in an exchange reaction with the chromium in the chromium carbide to form a stable carbide of the harmful transition metal element. This reduces the amount of harmful elements in the superalloy reaching the oxide layer and increases the service life of the thermal barrier coating.

Abstract: A composite in which a substrate body is coated with a single layer or multiple layers and at least one layer has two or three phases comprised of cubic ZrCN and monoclinic or tetragonal ZrO2. The composite can be in the form of a lathe or milling cutter cutting insert.

Abstract: A method of forming a film on a substrate using transition metal or lanthanide complexes. The complexes and methods are particularly suitable for the preparation of semiconductor structures using chemical vapor deposition techniques and systems.

Abstract: A method of coating an inner face of a metal tube with an electrically conducting coating material includes the steps of positioning a wire, made of the coating material, generally axially in an interior of the tube, along the inner face thereof; and passing an electric current pulse of sufficient intensity through the wire to cause an explosive vaporization thereof, whereby particles of the vaporized material impinge on the inner face of the metal tube and form a layer thereon.

Abstract: Coated milling insert has a WC—Co cemented carbide with a low content of cubic carbides and a highly W-alloyed binder phase and a coating including an inner layer of TiCxNy with columnar grains followed by a layer of ?-Al2O3 and a top layer of TiN. The coated milling insert is particularly useful for milling of grey cast iron with or without cast skin under wet conditions at low and moderate cutting speeds and milling of nodular cast iron and compacted graphite iron with or without cast skin under wet conditions at moderate cutting speeds.