The present invention relates to a composite material including a porous titania thin film and a preparation method therefor. A composite material according to the present invention allows for a simple thin film formation process because of the use of cellulose crystals, makes it easy to control the structure of the titanium dioxide thin film provided therefor, has a large specific area, and is superior in terms of scratch resistance and photoactivity, thus finding useful applications in the various fields utilizing titanium dioxide as a photocatalyst.

The present invention relates to a composite material including a porous titania thin film and a preparation method therefor. A composite material according to the present invention allows for a simple thin film formation process because of the use of cellulose crystals, makes it easy to control the structure of the titanium dioxide thin film provided therefor, has a large specific area, and is superior in terms of scratch resistance and photoactivity, thus finding useful applications in the various fields utilizing titanium dioxide as a photocatalyst.

A sputtering target includes at least one single piece with a length of at least 600 mm. The sputtering target has a backing structure provided with target material for sputtering. At least 40% of the mass of the target material includes a so-called target volatile material which shows, at pressures between 700 hPa and 1300 hPa, either a sublimation temperature, or decomposition temperature below its melting point or a melting temperature and an absolute boiling temperature being close to each other. The sputtering target has a target material density of at least 95% of the theoretical density of the target material. The sputtering target includes a bonding layer with a thickness of 0 to 500 μm between the backing structure and the target material.

A method of manufacturing a sputtering target includes the steps of providing a backing structure, providing target material comprising ceramic target material for spraying, subsequently thermal spraying the target material over the backing structure thus providing a target product where at least 40% in mass, for example at least 50% in mass, of the target material including a ceramic target material, and subsequently performing hot isostatic pressing on the target product thus increasing the density of the target material.

A method of manufacturing a sputtering target includes the steps of providing a backing structure, providing target material comprising ceramic target material for spraying, subsequently thermal spraying the target material over the backing structure thus providing a target product where at least 40% in mass, for example at least 50% in mass, of the target material including a ceramic target material, and subsequently performing hot isostatic pressing on the target product thus increasing the density of the target material.

An object shaping method includes a step of forming a powder layer using first powder, a step of placing second powder having an average particle diameter smaller than an average particle diameter of the first powder at a part of a region of the powder layer, and a first heating step of heating the powder layer in which the second powder is placed. The average particle diameter is equal to or larger than 1 nm and equal to or smaller than 500 nm, and the first heating step performs heating the powder layer at a temperature at which particles contained in the second powder are sintered or melted.

An oxide semiconductor film contains In, Ga, and Sn at respective atomic ratios satisfying formulae (1) to (3): 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 Al at an atomic ratio satisfying a formula (4): 0.05≤Al/(In+Ga+Sn+Al)≤0.30 . . . (4).

Micron scale tin oxide-based semiconductor devices are provided. Reactive-ion etching is used to produce a micron-scale electronic device using semiconductor films with tin oxides, such as barium stannate (BaSnO.sub.3). The electronic devices produced with this approach have high mobility, drain current, and on-off ratio without adversely affecting qualities of the tin oxide semiconductor, such as resistivity, electron or hole mobility, and surface roughness. In this manner, electronic devices, such as field-effect transistors (e.g., thin-film transistors (TFTs)), are produced having micron scale channel lengths and exhibiting complete depletion at room temperature.

A die or piston of a spark plasma sintering apparatus, wherein the die or piston is made from graphite and the outer surfaces of the die or piston are coated with a silicon carbide layer with a thickness of 1 to 10 micrometres, the silicon carbide layer being further optionally coated with one or more other layer(s) made from a carbide other than silicon carbide chosen from hafnium carbide, tantalum carbide and titanium carbide, the other layer(s) each having a thickness of 1 to 10 micrometres. A spark plasma sintering (SPS) apparatus comprising the die and two of the pistons, defining a sintering, densification or assembly chamber capable of receiving a powder to be sintered, a part to be densified, or parts to be assembled. A method of sintering a powder, densifying a part, or assembling two parts by means of a method of spark plasma sintering (SPS) in an oxidising atmosphere, using the spark plasma sintering (SPS) apparatus.

A die or piston of a spark plasma sintering apparatus, wherein the die or piston is made from graphite and the outer surfaces of the die or piston are coated with a silicon carbide layer with a thickness of 1 to 10 micrometres, the silicon carbide layer being further optionally coated with one or more other layer(s) made from a carbide other than silicon carbide chosen from hafnium carbide, tantalum carbide and titanium carbide, the other layer(s) each having a thickness of 1 to 10 micrometres. A spark plasma sintering (SPS) apparatus comprising the die and two of the pistons, defining a sintering, densification or assembly chamber capable of receiving a powder to be sintered, a part to be densified, or parts to be assembled. A method of sintering a powder, densifying a part, or assembling two parts by means of a method of spark plasma sintering (SPS) in an oxidising atmosphere, using the spark plasma sintering (SPS) apparatus.