The present disclosure relates generally to thin metal films having an ultra-flat surface and methods of their preparation. In particular, the ultra-flat thin metal films comprise FCC metals. Preferably, the thin metal films are attached to a substrate. Preferred substrates comprise chalcogenides and dichalcogenides. Beneficially, the thin metal films described herein can be prepared at ambient temperatures.

A gas ring for a PVD-source with a cathode having a target for material deposition. The gas ring includes an inner rim and an outer rim and at least one flange between the inner and the outer rim. The gas ring further includes: —a gas inlet; —gas openings arranged circumferentially in or near the inner rim; —at least one circumferential gas channel connected to the gas inlet and/or the gas openings; —a cooling duct.

Systems and methods that enable printing of conformal materials and other waterproof coating materials at high resolution. An initial printing of a material on edges of a component is performed at high resolution in a first printing step, and a subsequent printing of the material on remaining surfaces of the component is applied in a second printing step, with or without curing of the material printed on the edges between the two printing steps. The printing of the material may be performed by a laser-assisted deposition or using another dispensing system to achieve a high resolution printing of the material and a high printing speed.

The present disclosure generally relates to a storage device comprising soft bias structures having high coercivity and high anisotropy, and a method of forming thereof. The soft bias structures may be formed by moving a wafer in a first direction under a plume of NiFe to deposit a first NiFe layer at a first angle, moving the wafer in a second direction anti-parallel to the first direction to deposit a second NiFe layer at a second angle on the first NiFe layer, and repeating one or more times. The soft bias structures may be formed by rotating a wafer to a first position, depositing a first NiFe layer at a first angle, rotating the wafer to a second position, depositing a second NiFe layer at a second angle on the first NiFe layer, and repeating one or more times. The first and second NiFe layers have different grain structures.

The present disclosure generally relates to a storage device comprising soft bias structures having high coercivity and high anisotropy, and a method of forming thereof. The soft bias structures may be formed by moving a wafer in a first direction under a plume of NiFe to deposit a first NiFe layer at a first angle, moving the wafer in a second direction anti-parallel to the first direction to deposit a second NiFe layer at a second angle on the first NiFe layer, and repeating one or more times. The soft bias structures may be formed by rotating a wafer to a first position, depositing a first NiFe layer at a first angle, rotating the wafer to a second position, depositing a second NiFe layer at a second angle on the first NiFe layer, and repeating one or more times. The first and second NiFe layers have different grain structures.

A doped nickel oxide target includes a nickel oxide substrate and a dopant doped therein. The dopant includes at least one compound that contains one or more elements of Cu, Ca, Cr, Sn, Hg, Pb, Mg, Mn, Ag, Co, and Pr.

A film forming apparatus has a process chamber and a processing unit provided in the process chamber and forming adhesive film. The surface of the inner walls of the process chamber is formed of a material having a large getter effect on gas or water (H.sub.2O) remaining in the process chamber.

A film forming apparatus has a process chamber and a processing unit provided in the process chamber and forming adhesive film. The surface of the inner walls of the process chamber is formed of a material having a large getter effect on gas or water (H.sub.2O) remaining in the process chamber.

A sputtering target containing molybdenum and at least one metal from the group tantalum and niobium. The average content of tantalum and/or niobium is from 5 to 15 at % and the molybdenum content is greater than or equal to 80 at %. The sputtering target has at least a matrix with an average molybdenum content of greater than or equal to 92 at % and particles which are composed of a solid solution containing at least one metal from the group of tantalum and niobium, and molybdenum, with an average molybdenum content of greater than or equal to 15 at % and are embedded in the matrix. There is also described a method of producing a sputtering target.

A gold sputtering target is made of gold and inevitable impurities, and has a surface to be sputtered. In the gold sputtering target, an average value of Vickers hardness is 40 or more and 60 or less, and an average crystal grain size is 15 μm or more and 200 μm or less. A {110} plane of gold is preferentially oriented at the surface to be sputtered.