A dielectric ceramic composition contains dielectric particles containing a main component represented by a composition formula (Ba.sub.1-x-ySr.sub.xCa.sub.y).sub.m(Ti.sub.1-zZr.sub.z)O.sub.3 and grain boundaries present between the dielectric particles. The values of m, x, y, and z in the composition formula are all molar ratios. In the composition formula, 0.9≤m≤1.4, 0≤x<1.0, 0<y≤1.0, 0.9≤(x+y)≤1.0, and 0.9≤z≤1.0 are satisfied. The dielectric particles contain specific structural particles having a predetermined intragranular structure, and each of the specific structural particles intragranularly includes a first region and a second region having different Ca concentrations from each other. C2/C1 is less than 0.8 in which C1 is an average value of the Ca concentration in the first region and C2 is an average value of the Ca concentration in the second region.

A ceramic honeycomb structure comprising large numbers of cells partitioned by porous cell walls, the cell walls having (a) porosity of 50-80%, and when measured by mercury porosimetry, (b) a median pore diameter being 25-50 μm, (c) (i) a cumulative pore volume in a pore diameter range of 20 μm or less being 25% or less of the total pore volume, (ii) a cumulative pore volume in a pore diameter range of more than 20 μm and 50 μm or less being 50% or more of the total pore volume, and (iii) a cumulative pore volume in a pore diameter range of more than 50 μm being 12% or more of the total pore volume.

Polycrystalline cubic boron nitride compact include a body having sintered microcrystalline cubic boron nitride in a matrix of binder material. The microcrystalline cubic boron nitride particles have a size ranging from 2 microns to 50 microns. The particles of microcrystalline cubic boron nitride include a plurality of sub-grains, each sub-grain having a size ranging from 0.1 micron to 2 microns. The compacts are manufactured in a high pressure—high temperature (HPHT) sintering process. The compacts exhibit intergranular defect formation following introduction of wear. The sub-grains promote crack propagation based on micro-chipping rather than on a cleavage mechanism and, in sintered bodies, cracks propagate intergranularly rather than intragranularly, resulting in increased toughness and improved wear characteristics as compared to monocrystalline cubic boron nitride. The compacts are suitable for use as abrasive tools.

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel technique capable of suppressing the occurrence of cracks in the growth layer.

The present invention is a method for manufacturing a semiconductor substrate, which includes: an embrittlement processing step S10 of reducing strength of an underlying substrate 10; and a crystal growth step S20 of forming the growth layer 20 on the underlying substrate 10. In addition, the present invention is a method for suppressing the occurrence of cracks in the growth layer 20, and this method includes an embrittlement processing step S10 of reducing the strength of the underlying substrate 10 before forming the growth layer 20 on the underlying substrate 10.

A method of forming silicon carbide by spark plasma sintering comprises loading a powder comprising silicon carbide into a die and exposing the powder to a pulsed current to heat the powder at a rate of between about 50° C./min and about 200° C./min to a peak temperature while applying a pressure to the powder. The powder is exposed to the peak temperature for between about 30 seconds and about 5 minutes to form a sintered silicon carbide material and the sintered silicon carbide material is cooled. Related structures and methods are disclosed.

An alumina sintered body having a low dielectric loss tangent and a method for manufacturing the alumina sintered body are provided. An alumina sintered body contains Al.sub.2O.sub.3 99.50 mass % or more, and 99.95 mass % or less and sodium and silicon, wherein at a surface layer A in any given cross-section and a central portion B of the cross-section in a depth direction from the surface layer A, a concentration ratio of sodium to silicon in the surface layer A is smaller than the concentration ratio of sodium to silicon at the central portion B.

An aluminum nitride-based sintered compact includes: aluminum nitride crystal particles containing Mg; composite oxide containing a rare earth element and Al, the composite oxide having a garnet crystal structure; and composite oxynitride containing Mg and Al. Particles of the composite oxide and particles of the composite oxynitride are interspersed between the aluminum nitride crystal particles. The composite oxide may include Y. A content of Mg in the aluminum nitride crystal particles may fall in a range of 0.1 mol % or more and 1.0 mol % or less, based on a total of all metal elements contained in the aluminum nitride crystal particles taken as 100 mol %. A semiconductor holding device includes the aluminum nitride-based sintered compact; and an electrostatic adsorptive electrode.

The present invention relates to a method for producing a three-dimensional macroporous filament construct having interconnected microporous filaments showing a suitable surface roughness and microporosity. The method includes the steps of: a) preparing a suspension having particles of a predetermined material, a liquid solvent, one or more binders and optionally one or more dispersants, b) depositing the suspension in the form of filaments in a predetermined three-dimensional pattern, preferably in a non-solvent environment, thereby creating a three-dimensional filament-based porous structure, c) inducing phase inversion, whereby said filaments are transformed from a liquid to a solid state, by exposing the filaments during the deposition of the filaments with a non-solvent vapour and to a liquid non-solvent, d) thermally treating the structure of step d) by calcining and sintering the structure. The invention further provides a three-dimensional macroporous filament construct having interconnected microporous filaments showing a specific surface roughness and microporosity. The invention also relates to various uses of the construct, including its use for the manufacture of a biomedical product, such as a synthetic bone implant or bone graft.

A method for making ceramic fixed partial dentures comprising separating the as-sintered partial denture structure, rejoining the retainers and pontic with glass, which forms a strong joint between the retainers and pontic after sintering. This method may produce ceramic long-span fixed partial dentures with a better fit.

A method for producing MnZn-ferrite comprising Fe, Mn and Zn as main components, and at least Co, Si and Ca as sub-components, the main components in the MnZn-ferrite comprising 53-56% by mol (as Fe.sub.2O.sub.3) of Fe, and 3-9% by mol (as ZnO) of Zn, the balance being Mn as MnO, comprising the step of sintering a green body to obtain MnZn-ferrite; the sintering comprising a temperature-elevating step, a high-temperature-keeping step, and a cooling step; the high-temperature-keeping step being conducted at a keeping temperature of higher than 1050° C. and lower than 1150° C. in an atmosphere having an oxygen concentration of 0.4-2% by volume; the oxygen concentration being in a range of 0.001-0.2% by volume during cooling from 900° C. to 400° C. in the cooling step; and the cooling speed between (Tc+70)° C. and 100° C. being 50° C./hour or more, wherein Tc represents a Curie temperature (° C.) calculated from % by mass of Fe.sub.2O.sub.3 and ZnO.