There is provided conductive paste excellent in electro-conductivity and thermal conductivity. Conductive paste comprising conductive filler being composite particles including copper powder and nanosize precipitates which are disposed on the surface of the copper powder and composed of at least one kind of transition metal belonging to the group 8 to group 10 of the periodic table or a compound of the transition metal, and a binder resin.

A heat treatment system includes heating chambers configured to perform heat treatment on objects to be treated, and a conveyance device configured to load each of the objects to be treated into the heating chambers, unload the object to be treated from the heating chambers, and convey the object to be treated under an oxygen-free atmosphere, wherein the conveyance device includes a cooling device configured to perform cooling treatment on the object to be treated.

A heat treatment system includes heating chambers configured to perform heat treatment on objects to be treated, and a conveyance device configured to load each of the objects to be treated into the heating chambers, unload the object to be treated from the heating chambers, and convey the object to be treated under an oxygen-free atmosphere, wherein the conveyance device includes a cooling device configured to perform cooling treatment on the object to be treated.

Provided is a cage (5, 65, 95) for a constant velocity universal joint, which is formed into a ring shape with a substantially uniform thickness, including a plurality of pockets (20, 80, 110) formed in a circumferential direction of the cage (5, 65, 95), for receiving torque transmitting balls, respectively, the cage (5, 65, 95) being formed of carbon steel including 0.41 to 0.51 mass % of C, 0.10 to 0.35 mass % of Si, 0.60 to 0.90 mass % of Mn, 0.005 to 0.030 mass % of P, and 0.002 to 0.035 mass % of S, with the balance being Fe and an element inevitably remaining at the time of steelmaking and refining, the cage (5, 65, 95) being subjected to carburizing, quenching, and tempering as heat treatment, each of the plurality of pockets (20, 80, 110) having a side surface (23, 83, 113) finished after the heat treatment.

A process gas preparation device for an industrial furnace system is disclosed. The gas preparation device includes a preparation reactor having a catalyst. A gas feed line and a gas return line are connected between the industrial furnace and the preparation reactor to form a closed loop. A compressor is situated upstream from the preparation reactor in the feed line. The preparation reactor is also connected with supply lines for hydrocarbon gas and air to be supplied to the preparation reactor. The process gas preparation device also includes a control device with which process gas preparation and return can be regulated and controlled. The gas feed line also has a shut-off valve. The control device can check the functional state of the catalyst by measuring the pressure differential across the catalyst and can initiate a burn-out process therein to clear clogging of the catalyst.

A process gas preparation device for an industrial furnace system is disclosed. The gas preparation device includes a preparation reactor having a catalyst. A gas feed line and a gas return line are connected between the industrial furnace and the preparation reactor to form a closed loop. A compressor is situated upstream from the preparation reactor in the feed line. The preparation reactor is also connected with supply lines for hydrocarbon gas and air to be supplied to the preparation reactor. The process gas preparation device also includes a control device with which process gas preparation and return can be regulated and controlled. The gas feed line also has a shut-off valve. The control device can check the functional state of the catalyst by measuring the pressure differential across the catalyst and can initiate a burn-out process therein to clear clogging of the catalyst.

A mirror, in particular for a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus, has an optically effective surface (10a), a mirror substrate (11) and a reflection layer stack (12) configured to reflect electromagnetic radiation that is incident on the optically effective surface. A metallic diffusion barrier layer (13) is arranged on that side of the reflection layer stack which faces toward the optically effective surface, and a stabilization layer (14) is arranged on the side of the diffusion barrier layer that faces toward the optically effective surface (10a). The stabilization layer reduces deformation of the diffusion barrier layer compared to an analogous structure without such a stabilization layer upon irradiation of the optically effective surface with electromagnetic radiation. The stabilization layer has a porosity, a relative density of which is no more than 80%, where the relative density is defined as the ratio between geometric density and true density.

A mirror, in particular for a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus, has an optically effective surface (10a), a mirror substrate (11) and a reflection layer stack (12) configured to reflect electromagnetic radiation that is incident on the optically effective surface. A metallic diffusion barrier layer (13) is arranged on that side of the reflection layer stack which faces toward the optically effective surface, and a stabilization layer (14) is arranged on the side of the diffusion barrier layer that faces toward the optically effective surface (10a). The stabilization layer reduces deformation of the diffusion barrier layer compared to an analogous structure without such a stabilization layer upon irradiation of the optically effective surface with electromagnetic radiation. The stabilization layer has a porosity, a relative density of which is no more than 80%, where the relative density is defined as the ratio between geometric density and true density.

A system and method for controlling cold spray deposit adhesion for induced release of a deposit from a substrate includes tuning a material surface condition of a substrate used to support a build of a cold spray material to a level proportionate with deposition conditions of the cold spray material for adhesion to the substrate; selecting an impact velocity for deposition of the cold spray material to be substantially equal to or greater than a critical velocity for adhesion of the cold spray material to the substrate; depositing the cold spray material on the substrate to form a deposit; and releasing the deposit from the substrate without permanently damaging the substrate to allow for reuse of the substrate for a subsequent cold spray deposition process.

A method for depositing a decorative and/or functional layer on at least a portion of a surface of a finished or semi-finished article made of a non-conductive ceramic material, this deposition method includes the following operations: subjecting the at least a portion of the surface of the article to a carburising or nitriding treatment during which carbon, respectively nitrogen atoms, diffuse in the at least a portion of the surface of the article, then depositing, by galvanic growth of a metallic material, the decorative and/or functional layer on at least a portion of the surface of the article which has undergone the carburising or nitriding treatment.