A method of producing gallium-doped zinc oxide films with enhanced conductivity. The method includes depositing a gallium-doped zinc oxide film on a substrate using a pulsed laser and subjecting the deposited gallium-dope zinc oxide film to a post-treatment effecting recrystallization in the deposited film, wherein the recrystallization enhances the conductivity of the film. Another method of producing gallium-doped zinc oxide films with enhanced conductivity. The method includes the steps of depositing a gallium-doped zinc oxide film on a substrate using a pulsed laser and subjecting the deposited gallium-dope zinc oxide film to an ultraviolet laser beam resulting in recrystallization in the film, wherein the recrystallization enhances the conductivity of the film. A film comprising gallium-doped zinc oxide wherein the film contains a recrystallized grain structure on its surface.

A golf club head having a laser-generated features to create contrast on the club face of the golf club head. The club face includes a central region, a toe region, and a heel region. The central region includes a first plurality of laser-generated features that provide a height-intersection coverage of the central region, a width-intersection coverage of the central region, and a surface-area coverage of the central region. The toe region includes a second plurality of laser-generated features that provide a height-intersection coverage of the toe region, a width-intersection coverage of the toe region, and a surface-area coverage of the toe region. The heel region includes a third plurality of laser-generated features that provide a height-intersection coverage of the heel region, a width-intersection coverage of the heel region, and a surface-area coverage of the heel region.

A golf club head having a laser-generated features to create contrast on the club face of the golf club head. The club face includes a central region, a toe region, and a heel region. The central region includes a first plurality of laser-generated features that provide a height-intersection coverage of the central region, a width-intersection coverage of the central region, and a surface-area coverage of the central region. The toe region includes a second plurality of laser-generated features that provide a height-intersection coverage of the toe region, a width-intersection coverage of the toe region, and a surface-area coverage of the toe region. The heel region includes a third plurality of laser-generated features that provide a height-intersection coverage of the heel region, a width-intersection coverage of the heel region, and a surface-area coverage of the heel region.

A golf club head having a laser-generated features to create contrast on the club face of the golf club head. The club face includes a central region, a toe region, and a heel region. The central region includes a first plurality of laser-generated features that provide a height-intersection coverage of the central region, a width-intersection coverage of the central region, and a surface-area coverage of the central region. The toe region includes a second plurality of laser-generated features that provide a height-intersection coverage of the toe region, a width-intersection coverage of the toe region, and a surface-area coverage of the toe region. The heel region includes a third plurality of laser-generated features that provide a height-intersection coverage of the heel region, a width-intersection coverage of the heel region, and a surface-area coverage of the heel region.

A method for producing a reduced friction sliding surface on a machine element includes applying a coating comprising amorphous carbon to a surface of the machine element and locally heating the coating with a laser. The coating is heated to a temperature below an evaporation temperature of the coating to achieve a local volumetric increase in the coating and a local increase in a layer thickness of the coating. A surface structure of the coating includes a multiplicity of elevations resulting from a local phase transformation of the coating from amorphous carbon into graphite due to the locally heating.

The invention relates to a method for producing a sliding surface on a machine element, in particular a cam follower, wherein the machine element is first provided with a coating on at least part of the surface of the machine element, into which coating a surface structure is then introduced by laser structuring. In order to be able to introduce a surface structure that does not penetrate the coating even in the case of low layer thicknesses (s1) of the coating, the introduction of the surface structure is performed by laser interference structuring.

The present invention relates to an information storage medium and a method for long-term storage of information comprising the steps of: providing a ceramic substrate; coating the ceramic substrate with a layer of a second material different from the material of the ceramic substrate, the layer having a thickness no greater than 10 μm; tempering the coated ceramic substrate to form a writable plate or disc; encoding information on the writable plate or disc by using a laser and/or a focused particle beam to manipulate localized areas of the writable plate or disc.

A layer of lanthanum boride of stoichiometry LaB.sub.x where x is between 9 and 12 is deposited on substrate, for example a stainless steel watch dial, and subsequently treated with a laser, such that the portion(s) of the layer treated with the laser change colour according to the laser power. This produces multicoloured surfaces having high resistance to corrosion and abrasion. The layer of LaB.sub.x is deposited by PVD and by cathode sputtering, using a LaB.sub.6 target of purple-violet colour, such that the colour of the deposited layer differs from the colour of the target. The laser treatment at specific powers changes the stoichiometry of the layer in the treatment portions, such that the colour of these portions changes according to the stoichiometry obtained. At higher powers, the laser will remove the layer of LaB.sub.x. Thus the colour of the treated portions is determined by the material of the substrate.

The present invention relates to an information storage medium and a method for long-term storage of information comprising the steps of: providing a ceramic substrate; coating the ceramic substrate with a layer of a second material different from the material of the ceramic substrate, the layer having a thickness no greater than 10 μm; tempering the coated ceramic substrate to form a writable plate or disc; encoding information on the writable plate or disc by using a laser and/or a focused particle beam to manipulate localized areas of the writable plate or disc.

Methods of making catalyst electrodes comprising sputtering at least Pt and Ir onto nanostructured whiskers to provide multiple alternating layers comprising, respectively in any order, at least Pt and Ir. In some exemplary embodiments, catalyst electrodes described, or made as described, herein are anode catalyst, and in other exemplary embodiments cathode catalyst. Catalysts electrodes are useful, for example, in generating H.sub.2 and O.sub.2 from water.