Provided is a light transmitting metal oxide sintered body manufacturing method for obtaining a light transmitting sintered body, the main component of which is metal oxide, by carrying out hot isostatic pressing at a HIP heat processing temperature (T) set in a temperature range of 1000-2000 C. The light transmitting metal oxide sintered body manufacturing method, by which light transmitting properties can be improved, is characterized by the following: in the temperature elevating step of the hot isostatic pressing, a temperature range (S) from room temperature to the HIP heat processing temperature (T) is divided into a plurality of stages; for each divided stage the temperature elevation rate is controlled; and the temperature elevation rate of a final stage (14) that includes at least the HIP heat processing temperature (T) is 10 C./h to 180 C./h.

The present invention relates to compounds of formula I,

M.sup.IM.sup.II.sub.3 M.sup.III.sub.3M.sup.IV.sub.3N.sub.2O.sub.12:EuI

wherein, M.sup.I, M.sup.II, M.sup.III, and M.sup.IV have one of the meanings as given in claim 1, to a process of their preparation, the use of these compounds as conversion phosphors or in an emission-converting material, the use of these phosphors in electronic and electro optical devices, such as light emitting diodes (LEDs) and solar cells, and especially, to illumination units comprising at least one of these phosphors.

Provided are a transparent fluorescent sialon ceramic having fluorescence and optical transparency; and a method of producing the same. Such a transparent fluorescent sialon ceramic includes a sialon phosphor which contains a matrix formed of a silicon nitride compound represented by the formula M.sub.x(Si,Ai).sub.y(N,O).sub.z (here, M represents at least one selected from the group consisting of Li, alkaline earth metals, and rare earth metals, 0x/z<3, and 0<y/z<1) and a luminescent center element.

A piezoelectric material composition may be represented by Equation 1. A piezoelectric device may include a piezoelectric device layer including the piezoelectric material composition represented by Equation 1, a first electrode disposed at a first surface of the piezoelectric device layer, and a second electrode disposed at a second surface different from the first surface of the piezoelectric device layer.

[00001]$\begin{array}{cc}{a\mathrm{PbZrO}}_3-{b\mathrm{PbTiO}}_3-\left(1-a-b\right)\mathrm{Pb}\left({\mathrm{Ni}}_c{\mathrm{Nb}}_{1-c}\right)O_3+x\mathrm{mol}\%A+y\mathrm{vol}\%{\mathrm{BaTiO}}_3& \left[\mathrm{Equation}1\right]\end{array}$ where A is Fe.sub.2O.sub.3, Co.sub.2O.sub.3, Mn.sub.2O.sub.3, ZnO, GeO.sub.2, CuO, or NiO, and 0.15a0.24, 0.29b0.38, 0.30c0.35, 0.00x3.00, and 0.00y7.00.

Articles and methods in which an electric field is used to actuate a material are generally described. Provided in one embodiment is a method including applying an electric field to a ceramic material. Applying the electric field to the ceramic material can transform the ceramic material from a first solid phase to a second distinct solid phase. The applied electric field is less than a breakdown electric field of the ceramic material, according to certain embodiments.

A phosphor composition is disclosed. A phosphor composition, comprises at least 10 atomic % bromine; silicon, germanium or combination thereof; oxygen; a metal M, wherein M comprises zinc (Zn), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), strontium (Sr), barium (Ba), or combinations thereof; and an activator comprising europium. The phosphor composition is formed from combining carbonate or oxides of metal M, silicon oxide, and europium oxide; and then firing the combination. A lighting apparatus including the phosphor composition is also provided. The phosphor composition may be combined with an additional phosphor to generate white light.

Solid lithium-ion ceramic electrolyte membranes have an average thickness of less than 200 micrometers. A constituent electrolyte material has an average grain size of less than 10 micrometers. The solid lithium-ion ceramic electrolyte is free-standing. Alternatively, solid lithium-ion electrolyte membranes have a composition represented by Li.sub.1+xyM.sub.xM.sub.2xyM.sub.y(PO.sub.4).sub.3, where M is a 3.sup.+ ion, M is a 4.sup.+ ion, M is a 5.sup.+ ion, 0x2 and 0y2.

Solid lithium-ion ceramic electrolyte membranes have an average thickness of less than 200 micrometers. A constituent electrolyte material has an average grain size of less than 10 micrometers. The solid lithium-ion ceramic electrolyte is free-standing. Alternatively, solid lithium-ion electrolyte membranes have a composition represented by Li.sub.1+xyM.sub.xM.sub.2xyM.sub.y(PO.sub.4).sub.3, where M is a 3.sup.+ ion, M is a 4.sup.+ ion, M is a 5.sup.+ ion, 0x2 and 0y2.

There is provided a raw material for a zirconia sintered body formed by pressureless sintering and having a high fracture toughness value measured by an SEPB method, a sintered body formed from the raw material, and a method for producing at least one of the raw material and the sintered body. Also provided is a sintered body that includes zirconia that contains a stabilizer and having a monoclinic fraction of 0.5% or more. Such a sintered body is produced by a method including using a powder that contains a stabilizer and zirconia with a monoclinic fraction of more than 70%, wherein monoclinic zirconia has a crystallite size of more than 23 nm and 80 nm or less.

A superconducting composition of matter including overlapping first and second regions. The regions comprise unit cells of a solid, the first region comprises an electrical insulator or semiconductor, and the second region comprises a metallic electrical conductor. The second region extends through the solid and a subset of said second region comprise surface metal unit cells that are adjacent to at least one unit cell from the first region. The ratio of the number of said surface metal unit cells to the total number of unit cells in the second region being at least 20 percent.