A method of making an atomic layer nanoribbon that includes forming a double atomic layer ribbon having a first monolayer and a second monolayer on a surface of the first monolayer, wherein the first monolayer and the second monolayer each contains a transition metal dichalcogenide material, oxidizing at least a portion of the first monolayer to provide an oxidized portion, and removing the oxidized portion to provide an atomic layer nanoribbon of the transition metal dichalcogenide material. Also provided are double atomic layer ribbons, double atomic layer nanoribbons, and single atomic layer nanoribbons prepared according to the method.

A method of producing a case hardened workpiece of a Group IV metal including: placing a workpiece of a Group IV metal in a vessel, creating a low pressure environment in the vessel in which the pressure, pvac, is less than or equal to 10-5 bar, providing oxygen to the vessel to create a reactive atmosphere in the vessel, the reactive atmosphere comprising oxygen at a partial pressure, pO2, in the range of 10 5 bar to 0.01 bar, heating the workpiece to a hardening temperature in the range of 650° C. to 800° C. in the reactive atmosphere or before the reactive atmosphere is created, maintaining the workpiece in the reactive atmosphere at the hardening temperature for a reactive period of at least 5 hours, cooling the workpiece from the hardening temperature to ambient temperature in the reactive atmosphere or in an inert atmosphere.

A method and apparatus for growing an oxide layer within a feature of a substrate is described herein. The method is suitable for use in semiconductor manufacturing. The oxide layer is formed by exposing a substrate to both a high pressure oxidant exposure and a lower pressure oxygen containing plasma exposure. The high pressure oxidant exposure is performed at a pressure of greater than 10 Torr, while the lower pressure oxygen containing plasma exposure is performed at a pressure of less than about 10 Torr. The features are high-aspect ratio trenches or holes within a stack of silicon oxide and silicon nitride layers.

A method and apparatus for growing an oxide layer within a feature of a substrate is described herein. The method is suitable for use in semiconductor manufacturing. The oxide layer is formed by exposing a substrate to both a high pressure oxidant exposure and a lower pressure oxygen containing plasma exposure. The high pressure oxidant exposure is performed at a pressure of greater than 10 Torr, while the lower pressure oxygen containing plasma exposure is performed at a pressure of less than about 10 Torr. The features are high-aspect ratio trenches or holes within a stack of silicon oxide and silicon nitride layers.

There is provided a titanium alloy member including a base metal portion, and an outer hardened layer formed on an outer layer of the base metal portion, the cross sectional hardness of the base metal portion is 330 HV or higher and lower than 400 HV, the cross sectional hardnesses at positions 5 μm and 15 μm from the surface of the outer hardened layer are 450 HV or higher and lower than 600 HV, the outer hardened layer includes an oxygen diffusion layer and a nitrogen diffusion layer, the oxygen diffusion layer is at a depth of 40 to 80 μm from the surface of the outer hardened layer, and the nitrogen diffusion layer is at a depth of 2 to 5 μm from surface of the outer hardened layer. This titanium alloy member includes an outer hardened layer, is high in cross sectional hardness of the base metal portion, and is excellent in fatigue strength and wear resistance.

A system and method are detailed for aluminizing surfaces of metallic substrates, parts, and components with a protective alumina layer in-situ. Aluminum (Al) foil sandwiched between the metallic components and a refractory material when heated in an oxidizing gas under a compression load at a selected temperature forms the protective alumina coating on the surface of the metallic components. The alumina coating minimizes evaporation of volatile metals from the metallic substrates, parts, and components in assembled devices that can degrade performance during operation at high temperature.

A system and method are detailed for aluminizing surfaces of metallic substrates, parts, and components with a protective alumina layer in-situ. Aluminum (Al) foil sandwiched between the metallic components and a refractory material when heated in an oxidizing gas under a compression load at a selected temperature forms the protective alumina coating on the surface of the metallic components. The alumina coating minimizes evaporation of volatile metals from the metallic substrates, parts, and components in assembled devices that can degrade performance during operation at high temperature.

A composition and medical implant made therefrom, the composition including a thick diffusion hardened zone, and preferably further including a ceramic layer. Also provided are orthopedic implants made from the composition, methods of making the composition, and methods of making orthopedic implants from the composition.

The present disclosure relates to a titanium or titanium alloy member and to a surface hardening method for the titanium or titanium alloy member. The titanium or titanium alloy member includes a base material of titanium or titanium alloy, and at a surface of the base material, a hardened layer formed by diffusion of oxygen into the surface.

Methods and apparatus for processing a substrate are provided herein. For example, a method of processing a substrate in an integrated tool comprising a physical vapor deposition chamber and a thermal atomic layer deposition chamber comprises depositing, in the physical vapor deposition chamber, a bottom layer of titanium nitride on the substrate to a thickness of about 10 nm to about 80 nm, transferring, without vacuum break, the substrate from the physical vapor deposition chamber to the thermal atomic layer deposition chamber for depositing a nanolaminate layer of high-k material atop the bottom layer of titanium nitride to a thickness of about 2 nm to about 10 nm, and transferring, without vacuum break, the substrate from the thermal atomic layer deposition chamber to the physical vapor deposition chamber for depositing a top layer of titanium nitride atop the nanolaminate layer of high-k material to a thickness of about 10 nm to about 80 nm.