EC film stacks and different layers within the EC film stacks arc disclosed. Methods of manufacturing these layers are also disclosed. In one embodiment, an EC layer comprises nanostructured EC layer. These layers may be manufactured by various methods, including, including, but not limited to glancing angle deposition, oblique angle deposition, electrophoresis, electrolyte deposition, and atomic layer deposition. The nanostructured EC layers have a high specific surface area, improved response times, and higher color efficiency.

A method is provided for producing a visual hydrogen sensor and to a sensor produced in this manner, the sensor allowing the presence of hydrogen gas in a medium to be detected by the naked eye as a result of a change of color in the sensor. The method involves the deposition of thin porous layers of oxides that do not absorb visible light in their completely oxidized state which become colored when they are partially reduced. This deposition is carried out using vapor phase deposition (PVD) in a glancing angle configuration (GLAD). The method also involves the preparation of a solution of an active metal precursor capable of dissociating the hydrogen molecule and a carrier vector and the deposition of this solution on the oxide layer in order to incorporate a minimum quantity of active metal within the pores of the oxide layer in the form of nanoparticles.

The present disclosure relates to a vapor deposition apparatus and a method for manufacturing films. The vapor deposition apparatus includes a platform, a heater and a controller. The controller is configured to control the heater to heat a film formation region of a substrate on the platform, thereby enabling a temperature of the film formation region to reach a film formation temperature of the vapor deposition.

Systems and methods for growing hexagonal crystal structure piezoelectric material with a c-axis that is tilted (e.g., 25 to 50 degrees) relative to normal of a face of a substrate are provided. A deposition system includes a linear sputtering apparatus, a translatable multi-aperture collimator, and a translatable substrate table arranged to hold multiple substrates, with the substrate table and/or the collimator being electrically biased to a nonzero potential. An enclosure includes first and second deposition stations each including a linear sputtering apparatus, a collimator, and a deposition aperture.

EC film stacks and different layers within the EC film stacks are disclosed. Methods of manufacturing these layers are also disclosed. In one embodiment, an EC layer comprises nanostructured EC layer. These layers may be manufactured by various methods, including, including, but not limited to glancing angle deposition, oblique angle deposition, electrophoresis, electrolyte deposition, and atomic layer deposition. The nanostructured EC layers have a high specific surface area, improved response times, and higher color efficiency.

A method for manufacturing a liquid crystal device that includes forming an inorganic alignment layer by emitting an alignment film material that is made of an inorganic material in an oblique direction onto a substrate, and forming an organic alignment layer that is a monomolecular film made of an organic material chemically bonded with the inorganic alignment layer on a surface of the inorganic alignment layer by treating the surface of the inorganic alignment layer with a silane coupling agent that has an alkyl group, wherein a pretilt angle of a liquid crystal molecule is set to a desired angle by selecting the silane coupling agent by the number of carbon atoms.

The present invention relates to a method for encapsulating a nanostructure, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a substrate;
forming a plug composed of plug material at said substrate;
forming a nanostructure (on or) at said plug;
forming a shell composed of at least one shell material on external surfaces of the nanostructure, with the at least one shell material covering said nanostructure and at least some of the plug material, whereby the shell and the plug encapsulate the nanostructure. The invention further relates to a coated nanostructure and to the use of a coated nanostructure.

A phase difference element has a transparent substrate and a birefringent film with tantalum oxide and titanium oxide obliquely deposited on one surface of the transparent substrate. The birefringent film has a first photorefractive film and a second photorefractive film laminated to each other and having different oblique deposition directions. The ratio of titanium atoms to the total of titanium atoms and tantalum atoms in the birefringent film is 4.0 atomic % or higher to 30 atomic % or lower.

Systems and methods for growing hexagonal crystal structure piezoelectric material with a c-axis that is tilted (e.g., 25 to 50 degrees) relative to normal of a face of a substrate are provided. A deposition system includes a linear sputtering apparatus, a translatable multi-aperture collimator, and a translatable substrate table arranged to hold multiple substrates, with the substrate table and/or the collimator being electrically biased to a nonzero potential. An enclosure includes first and second deposition stations each including a linear sputtering apparatus, a collimator, and a deposition aperture.

An article includes a substrate that is substantially opaque to visible light and a coating disposed on the substrate. The coating includes a coating material having an inherent index of refraction, wherein the coating has an effective index of refraction that is less than the inherent index of refraction, and wherein the effective index of refraction is less than 1.8.