Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of forming an intermediate film and a hard carbon film over the inner surface of a cylindrical member having a bore, such as a bushing or a cylinder, with the hard carbon film being formed on the intermediate film with a uniform thickness, greatly enhancing of abrasion resistance of the inner surface. The cylindrical member is placed in a vacuum vessel, an auxiliary electrode of an intermediate film forming material, such as a titanium-silicon alloy or the like, is inserted in the bore of the cylindrical member, a sputtering gas is supplied into the vacuum vessel, a voltage is applied to the auxiliary electrode to produce a plasma around the auxiliary electrode in order that the intermediate film forming material is sputtered from the auxiliary electrode and an intermediate film is formed over the inner surface of the cylindrical member.

Abstract: A material transport or heat exchanger system. The material transport or heat exchange system includes at least one component including a base material. The at least one component includes a top functional layer capable of adjusting wetting behavior of the base material. The top functional layer includes carbon and hydrogen, and at least one of a non-metallic element and a semi-metallic element selected from the group consisting of 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th main group of the periodic table of elements, and mixtures thereof. A process for treating a surface of at least one component including a base material of a material transport or heat exchanger system. The process includes forming a top functional layer on at least a portion of the at least one component which is capable of adjusting wetting behavior of the base material.

Abstract: In an apparatus for fabricating a carbon coating, an object such as a magnetic recording medium is disposed on a side of an electrode connected to a high-frequency power supply. Ultrasonic vibrations are supplied to the object. Discharge is generated between the electrode connected to the high-frequency power supply and a grounded electrode to fabricate a carbon coating on the surface of the object. Also, an electrode interval is set to 6 mm or less, pressure between the electrodes is set to 15 Torr to 100 Torr, whereby high-density plasma is generated to form an ion sheath on an anode side. Therefore, a coating is fabricated on the surface of the object by bombardment of ions.