A method heteroepitaxially deposits a silicon germanium layer on a substrate. The silicon germanium layer has a composition Si.sub.1-xGe.sub.x, where 0.01≤x≤1. The substrate is a silicon single crystal wafer or a silicon-on-insulator wafer. The method includes: providing a mask layer atop the substrate; removing the mask layer in an edge region of the substrate to provide access to an annular-shaped free surface of the substrate in the edge region of the substrate surrounding a remainder of the mask layer; depositing an edge reservoir consisting of a relaxed or partially relaxed silicon germanium layer atop the annular-shaped free surface of the substrate; removing the remainder of the mask layer; and depositing the silicon germanium layer atop the substrate and atop the edge reservoir, the silicon germanium layer contacting an inner lateral surface of the edge reservoir.

An article or vessel is described including a vessel surface and a coating set comprising at least one tie coating, at least one barrier coating, and at least one pH protective coating. For example, the coating set can comprise a tie coating, a barrier coating, a pH protective coating and a second barrier coating; and in the presence of a fluid composition, the fluid contacting surface is the barrier coating or layer. The respective coatings can be applied by PECVD of a polysiloxane precursor. Such vessels can have a coated interior portion containing a fluid with a pH of 4 to 8. The barrier coating prevents oxygen from penetrating into the thermoplastic vessel, and the tie coating and pH protective coating together protect the barrier layer from the contents of the vessel. The second barrier coating is comparable to glass surface if needed.

A vessel has an interior surface facing a lumen. The interior surface includes a tie coating or layer, a barrier coating or layer, and a pH protective coating or layer. The tie coating or layer can comprise SiO.sub.xC.sub.y or SiN.sub.xC.sub.y, where x is from about 0.5 to about 2.4 and y is from about 0.6 to about 3. The barrier coating or layer can comprise SiO.sub.x, wherein x is from 1.5 to 2.9. The barrier coating or layer reduces the ingress of atmospheric gas into the lumen. The pH protective coating or layer can comprise SiO.sub.xC.sub.y or SiN.sub.xC.sub.y, as well. In an embodiment, in the presence of a fluid composition contained in the lumen and having a pH between 5 and 9, the calculated shelf life of the package can be more than six months at a storage temperature of 4° C.

An article or vessel is described including a vessel surface and a coating set comprising at least one tie coating, at least one barrier coating, and at least one pH protective coating. For example, the coating set can comprise a tie coating, a barrier coating, a pH protective coating and a second barrier coating; and in the presence of a fluid composition, the fluid contacting surface is the barrier coating or layer. The respective coatings can be applied by PECVD of a polysiloxane precursor. Such vessels can have a coated interior portion containing a fluid with a pH of 4 to 8. The barrier coating prevents oxygen from penetrating into the thermoplastic vessel, and the tie coating and pH protective coating together protect the barrier layer from the contents of the vessel. The second barrier coating is comparable to glass surface if needed.

An epitaxial nitride semiconductor is formed over a buffer layer and over a silicon single crystal substrate. A misfit dislocation layer in the silicon single crystal substrate mitigates distortion due to lattice mismatch generated during epitaxial growth of the nitride semiconductor and thermal distortion due to difference in the thermal expansion coefficient occurring during the cooling process after epitaxial growth of the nitride semiconductor. The resulting nitride semiconductor substrate has excellent crystallinity without the occurrence of cracks or large warpage.

Provided is a cutting tool including a base material and a coating layer provided on the base material, the coating layer including a titanium carbonitride layer provided on the base material, an intermediate layer provided on the titanium carbonitride layer in contact therewith, and an alumina layer provided on the intermediate layer in contact therewith, the intermediate layer being composed of a compound made of titanium, carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen, the intermediate layer having a thickness of more than 1 μm, when P.sub.N1 atomic % represents an atomic ratio of the nitrogen in an interface between the intermediate layer and the alumina layer, and P.sub.N2 atomic % represents an atomic ratio of the nitrogen at a point A away from the interface by 1 μm on a side of the intermediate layer, a ratio P.sub.N1/P.sub.N2 of the P.sub.N1 to the P.sub.N2 being more than or equal to 1.03.

An epitaxial silicon carbide single crystal wafer having a small depth of shallow pits and having a high quality silicon carbide single crystal thin film and a method for producing the same are provided. The epitaxial silicon carbide single crystal wafer according to the present invention is produced by forming a buffer layer made of a silicon carbide epitaxial film having a thickness of 1 μm or more and 10 μm or less by adjusting the ratio of the number of carbon to that of silicon (C/Si ratio) contained in a silicon-based and carbon-based material gas to 0.5 or more and 1.0 or less, and then by forming a drift layer made of a silicon carbide epitaxial film at a growth rate of 15 μm or more and 100 μm or less per hour. According to the present invention, the depth of the shallow pits observed on the surface of the drift layer can be set at 30 nm or less.

A coated tool has a substrate and a hard material coating deposited on the substrate. The hard material coating has a layer structure in the following order, starting from the substrate: a titanium nitride layer, a titanium boron nitride transition layer, and a titanium diboride layer. The titanium boron nitride transition layer has a boron content that increases from the titanium nitride layer in the direction of the titanium diboride layer. The boron content does not exceed 15 at %.

Disclosed is a part including a metal substrate, a non-hydrogenated amorphous ta-C or aC carbon coating that coats the substrate, and an undercoat which is based on chromium (Cr), carbon (C) and silicon (Si) and is disposed between the metal substrate and the amorphous carbon coating and to which the amorphous carbon coating is applied, characterized in that the undercoat included, at its interface with the amorphous carbon coating, a ratio of silicon in atomic percent to chromium in atomic percent (Si/Cr) of 0.35 to 0.60, and a ratio of carbon in atomic percent to silicon in atomic percent (C/Si) of 2.5 to 3.5.

A blood sample collection tube and other vessels are described including an article surface and a coating set comprising a tie coating or layer of SiOxCy or SiNxCy applied to the article surface, a barrier coating or layer of SiOx, and a pH protective layer of SiOxCy or SiNxCy. The vessels optionally contain a fluid with a pH of 4 to 8, alternatively 5 to 9. The barrier coating or layer prevents oxygen from penetrating into the thermoplastic vessel, and the tie coating or layer and pH protective coating or layer together protect the barrier layer from the contents of the vessel.