The invention relates to a method and a system for the plasma treatment of successive substrates comprising one or more steel products in which the substrates are transported, one after another, through at least one plasma treatment zone, characterized in that the electric power for generating the plasma in the treatment zone is varied according to the area of the substrate is present in this treatment zone when the substrate is running through this zone.

A device for determining the partial pressure or the concentration of a steam in a volume, includes a sensor body that can be oscillated. The temperature of the sensor body can be controlled to a temperature below the condensation temperature of the steam, and the oscillation frequency of the sensor body is influenced by a mass accumulation of the condensed steam on a surface of the sensor body. Means are provided for generating a gas flow from the sensor surface in the direction of the volume through a steam transport channel that adjoins a window to the volume. In order to increase the maximum service life of the sensor body, the means for generating a gas flow has a slit nozzle designed as an annular channel.

A Zn—Mg alloy plated steel material having excellent adhesion to plating and corrosion resistance comprises base steel and a plating layer formed on the surface of the base steel, wherein the plating layer comprises a Zn single phase, a Mg single phase, an MgZn.sub.2 alloy phase, and an Mg.sub.2Zn.sub.11 alloy phase, the Zn single phase is contained in the plating layer at a proportion of 15 to 19 volume %, and the proportion of the Zn single phase in a lower t/2 area of the plating layer adjacent to the base steel may be greater than the proportion of the Zn single phase in an upper t/2 area of the plating layer on the surface layer side of the plating layer. (Here, t means the thickness (μm) of the plating layer).

Provided is an apparatus for controlling a coating layer in a physical vapor deposition (PVD) plating process that forms a coating layer on a steel sheet with metal vapor by PVD. The apparatus for controlling a coating layer comprises: a crucible into which a molten material is introduced; an electromagnetic induction coil disposed around the outer periphery of the crucible to heat the molten material introduced into the crucible and form a molten metal to generate metal vapor from the molten metal; a power supply unit for supplying an electric current to the electromagnetic induction coil; and a control unit for measuring the impedance of the electromagnetic induction coil and controlling the electric current supplied to the electromagnetic induction coil so that the impedance is kept constant according to the molten material which is introduced into the crucible at a constant feed rate.

Cathode structures are disclosed for use with pulsed cathodic arc deposition systems for forming diamond-like carbon (DLC) films on devices, such as on the sliders of hard disk drives. In illustrative examples, a base layer composed of an electrically- and thermally-conducting material is provided between the ceramic substrate of the cathode and a graphitic paint outer coating, where the base layer is a silver-filled coating that adheres to the ceramic rod and the graphitic paint. The base layer is provided, in some examples, to achieve and maintain a relatively low resistance (and hence a relatively high conductivity) within the cathode structure during pulsed arc deposition to avoid issues that can result from a loss of conductivity within the graphitic paint over time as deposition proceeds. Examples of suitable base material compounds are described herein where, e.g., the base layer can withstand temperatures of 1700° F. (927° C.).

Thin films of lithium-containing materials and methods for fabricating them are generally described. In some embodiments, the formation of a first vapor is induced from a first target and the formation of a second vapor is induced from a second target, resulting in the formation of a thin film. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the formation of the first vapor and the formation of the second vapor occurs under vacuum conditions. In some embodiments, the thin film has a relatively high ionic conductivity, mixed ionic/electronic conductivity, or other properties beneficial for applications such as active electrode materials or solid-state electrolytes.

A piston ring and a method of manufacturing a piston ring for a piston of a reciprocating internal combustion engine. The piston ring comprises a body having an outer circumferential surface. A tribological coating is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the body. The tribological coating has a dual layer or a triple layer structure and includes a relatively hard base layer and a relatively porous top layer overlying the base layer. The tribological coating may be provided with varying thickness such that its thickness increases gradually from 90° towards 0° in a first radial direction of the piston ring and from 270° towards 360° in a second radial direction of the piston ring reaching its maximum value in the region of 0° and 360°, i.e. the tips of the piston ring.

The present application provides a limitation device for evaporation, a limitation structure, an adjustment method thereof, and an evaporation system. The limitation device for evaporation includes a limitation structure. The limitation structure includes a first adjustment structure and a second adjustment structure disposed on a same plane. A side of the first adjustment structure faces a side of the second adjustment structure, and the first adjustment structure and the second adjustment structure are spaced apart from each other to form a spacing region. The first adjustment structure and the second adjustment structure are configured to be movable relative to each other to adjust a range of the spacing region.

An Al.sub.2O.sub.3 sputtering target having a purity of 99.99 wt % or higher, a relative density of 85% or higher and 95% or less, a volume resistivity of 10×10.sup.14 Ω.Math.cm or less, and a dielectric tangent of 15×10.sup.−4 or more. An object of the present invention is to provide an Al.sub.2O.sub.3 sputtering target having favorable sputtering characteristics, and in particular an Al.sub.2O.sub.3 sputtering target and a production method thereof capable of increasing the deposition rate without having to increase the sputtering power.

A film formation device according to an embodiment is provided with: a substrate holder for holding a substrate in an upright position relative to the horizontal plane, the substrate having a vapor deposition surface on which a vapor-deposited film is to be formed; and an evaporation source for spraying a vapor deposition material onto the vapor deposition surface while moving relative to the substrate holder upward and/or downward, the evaporation source being disposed in a region which the vapor deposition surface of the substrate held by the substrate holder is to face. The substrate holder is configured to hold the substrate in an inclined orientation relative to the vertical plane such that the upper end of the substrate is located away from the evaporation source. The film formation device according to an embodiment is further provided with an adjustment means for reducing a variation in the thickness of a vapor-deposited film on the vapor deposition surface, which results from the inclination of the substrate.