A method of making an article comprising one or more layers of plasmonic nanoparticles located between opposing layers of dielectric materials and an article comprising one or more layers of plasmonic nanoparticles located between opposing layers of dielectric materials.

A method of making an article comprising one or more layers of plasmonic nanoparticles located between opposing layers of dielectric materials and an article comprising one or more layers of plasmonic nanoparticles located between opposing layers of dielectric materials.

The use of Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) and Molecular Layer Deposition (MLD) applied to powders and intermediates of the MLCC fabrication process can provide significant advantages. Coating metal particles within a defined range of ALD cycles is shown to provide enhanced oxidation resistance. Surprisingly, a very thin ALD layer was found to substantially increase sintering temperature.

A method for surface treatment of a metal material in a powder state is provided, the method including obtaining a powder formed from a plurality of particles of the metal material to be treated; and subjecting the powder to an ion implantation process by directing a beam of singly-charged or multi-charged ions towards an outer surface of the particles, the beam being produced by a source of singly-charged or multi-charged ions, whereby the particles have an overall spherical shape with a radius (R). There is also provided a material in a powder state formed from a plurality of particles having a ceramic outer layer and a metal core, the particles having an overall spherical shape.