The disclosed methods and apparatus improve the fabrication of solid fibers and microstructures. In many embodiments, the fabrication is from gaseous, solid, semi-solid, liquid, critical, and supercritical mixtures using one or more low molar mass precursor(s), in combination with one or more high molar mass precursor(s). The methods and systems generally employ the thermal diffusion/Soret effect to concentrate the low molar mass precursor at a reaction zone, where the presence of the high molar mass precursor contributes to this concentration, and may also contribute to the reaction and insulate the reaction zone, thereby achieving higher fiber growth rates and/or reduced energy/heat expenditures together with reduced homogeneous nucleation. In some embodiments, the invention also relates to the permanent or semi-permanent recording and/or reading of information on or within fabricated fibers and microstructures. In some embodiments, the invention also relates to the fabrication of certain functionally-shaped fibers and microstructures. In some embodiments, the invention may also utilize laser beam profiling to enhance fiber and microstructure fabrication.

The disclosed methods and apparatus improve the fabrication of solid fibers and microstructures. In many embodiments, the fabrication is from gaseous, solid, semi-solid, liquid, critical, and supercritical mixtures using one or more low molar mass precursor(s), in combination with one or more high molar mass precursor(s). The methods and systems generally employ the thermal diffusion/Soret effect to concentrate the low molar mass precursor at a reaction zone, where the presence of the high molar mass precursor contributes to this concentration, and may also contribute to the reaction and insulate the reaction zone, thereby achieving higher fiber growth rates and/or reduced energy/heat expenditures together with reduced homogeneous nucleation. In some embodiments, the invention also relates to the permanent or semi-permanent recording and/or reading of information on or within fabricated fibers and microstructures. In some embodiments, the invention also relates to the fabrication of certain functionally-shaped fibers and microstructures. In some embodiments, the invention may also utilize laser beam profiling to enhance fiber and microstructure fabrication.

There is provided a thin film manufacturing method which allows both a reduction in the carbon impurity concentration and a high film forming speed, as well as allows separate formation of stable crystal structures. There is provided a method for manufacturing an oxide crystal thin film. The method includes carrying raw material fine particles to a film forming chamber by means of a carrier gas, the raw material fine particles being formed from a raw material solution including water and at least one of a gallium compound and an indium compound, and forming an oxide crystal thin film on a sample on which films are to be formed, the sample being placed in the film forming chamber. At least one of the gallium compound and the indium compound is bromide or iodide.

There is provided a thin film manufacturing method which allows both a reduction in the carbon impurity concentration and a high film forming speed, as well as allows separate formation of stable crystal structures. There is provided a method for manufacturing an oxide crystal thin film. The method includes carrying raw material fine particles to a film forming chamber by means of a carrier gas, the raw material fine particles being formed from a raw material solution including water and at least one of a gallium compound and an indium compound, and forming an oxide crystal thin film on a sample on which films are to be formed, the sample being placed in the film forming chamber. At least one of the gallium compound and the indium compound is bromide or iodide.

Provided is an aluminum precursor for thin-film deposition having a structure of formula (I) or (II), wherein R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3, R.sub.4, R.sub.5, R.sub.6, and R.sub.7 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, C.sub.1˜C.sub.6 alkyl, halo-C.sub.1˜C.sub.6 alkyl, C.sub.2˜C.sub.5 alkenyl, halo-C.sub.2˜C.sub.5 alkenyl, C.sub.3˜C.sub.10 cycloalkyl, halo-C.sub.3˜C.sub.10 cycloalkyl, C.sub.6˜C.sub.10 aryl, halo-C.sub.6˜C.sub.10 aryl or —Si(R.sub.0).sub.3, and wherein R.sub.0 is C.sub.1˜C.sub.6 alkyl or halo-C.sub.1˜C.sub.6 alkyl. According to the present invention, based on the interaction principle between molecules, aluminum precursors for thin-film deposition are provided, which have a good thermal stability, are not susceptible to decomposition and convenient for storage and transportation, have good volatility at a high temperature, and are excellent in film formation.

##STR00001##

Provided is an aluminum precursor for thin-film deposition having a structure of formula (I) or (II), wherein R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3, R.sub.4, R.sub.5, R.sub.6, and R.sub.7 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, C.sub.1˜C.sub.6 alkyl, halo-C.sub.1˜C.sub.6 alkyl, C.sub.2˜C.sub.5 alkenyl, halo-C.sub.2˜C.sub.5 alkenyl, C.sub.3˜C.sub.10 cycloalkyl, halo-C.sub.3˜C.sub.10 cycloalkyl, C.sub.6˜C.sub.10 aryl, halo-C.sub.6˜C.sub.10 aryl or —Si(R.sub.0).sub.3, and wherein R.sub.0 is C.sub.1˜C.sub.6 alkyl or halo-C.sub.1˜C.sub.6 alkyl. According to the present invention, based on the interaction principle between molecules, aluminum precursors for thin-film deposition are provided, which have a good thermal stability, are not susceptible to decomposition and convenient for storage and transportation, have good volatility at a high temperature, and are excellent in film formation.

##STR00001##

The present disclosure relates to a method of depositing a nanoscale-thin film onto a substrate. The method generally comprises depositing a layer of a solid or gaseous state functionalizing molecule onto or adjacent to the first surface of the substrate and exposing the first surface to a source of ionizing radiation, thereby functionalizing the first surface of the substrate. Once the layer of functionalizing molecule is removed, a nanoscale-thin film is then deposited onto the functionalized first surface of the substrate.

The present disclosure relates to a method of depositing a nanoscale-thin film onto a substrate. The method generally comprises depositing a layer of a solid or gaseous state functionalizing molecule onto or adjacent to the first surface of the substrate and exposing the first surface to a source of ionizing radiation, thereby functionalizing the first surface of the substrate. Once the layer of functionalizing molecule is removed, a nanoscale-thin film is then deposited onto the functionalized first surface of the substrate.

The invention relates to lithium alkyl aluminates according to the general formula Li[AlR.sub.4] and to a method for preparing same, starting from LiAlH.sub.4 and RLi in an aprotic solvent. The invention also relates to compounds according to the general formula Li[AlR.sub.4] which can be obtained using the claimed method, and to the use thereof. The invention also relates to the use of a lithium alkyl aluminate Li[AlR.sub.4] as a transfer reagent for transferring at least one radical R to an element halide or metal halide and to a method for transferring at least one radical R to a compound E(X).sub.q for preparing a compound according to the general formula E(X).sub.q-pR.sub.p, where E=aluminium, gallium, indium, thallium, germanium, tin, lead, antimony, bismuth, zinc, cadmium, mercury, or phosphorus, X=halogen, q=2, 3 or 4, and p=1, 2, 3 or 4. The invention also relates to compounds which can be obtained using such a method, to the use thereof, and to a substrate which has an aluminium layer or a layer containing aluminium on one surface.

According to one embodiment, a pattern forming material is disclosed. The pattern forming material contains a polymer. The polymer includes a specific first monomer unit. The monomer unit has a structure having ester of a carboxyl group at a terminal of a side chain. In the ester, a carbon atom bonded to an oxygen atom next to a carbonyl group is a primary carbon, a secondary carbon or a tertiary carbon. The pattern forming material is used for manufacturing a composite film as a mask pattern for processing a target film on a substrate. The composite film is formed by a process including, forming an organic film on the target film with the pattern forming material, patterning the organic film, and forming the composite film by infiltering a metal compound into the patterned organic film.