The present disclosure relates generally to Hf-comprising materials for use in, for example, the insulator of a RRAM device, and to methods for making such materials. In one aspect, the disclosure provides a method for the manufacture of a layer of material over a substrate, said method including a) providing a substrate, and b) depositing a layer of material on said substrate via ALD at a temperature of from 250 to 500 C., said depositing step comprising: at least one HfX.sub.4 pulse, and at least one trimethyl-aluminum (TMA) pulse, wherein X is a halogen selected from Cl, Br, I and F and is preferably Cl.

A passive temperature-sensing apparatus, which includes a capacitive sensing element that includes a capacitive sensing composition that includes a ferroelectric ceramic material that exhibits a measurable electrical Curie temperature that is below 30 degrees C. The capacitive sensing composition exhibits a negative slope of capacitance versus temperature over the temperature range of from 30 degrees C. to 150 degrees C.

The invention relates to a method for preparing a sol-gel solution which can be used to prepare a barium titanate ceramic doped with hafnium and/or with at least one lanthanide element, comprising the following steps: a) a step to place a first mixture comprising a barium carboxylate and a diol solvent in contact with a second mixture comprising a titanium alkoxide and a hafnium alkoxide and/or an alkoxide of a lanthanide element in a monoalcohol solvent; b) a step to distil the mixture resulting from step a) to remove at least part of the monoalcohol solvent; c) a step to add acetic acid, under heat, to the distilled mixture of step b).

A passive temperature-sensing apparatus, which includes a capacitive sensing element that includes a capacitive sensing composition that includes a ferroelectric ceramic material that exhibits a measurable electrical Curie temperature that is below 30 degrees C. The capacitive sensing composition exhibits a negative slope of capacitance versus temperature over the temperature range of from 30 degrees C. to 150 degrees C.

Provided is a complex oxide that has a high hydrogen content, contains almost no impurity phase, and is suitable for proton conductivity. The complex oxide is represented by a chemical formula Li.sub.7-xH.sub.xLa.sub.3M.sub.2O.sub.12 (M represents Zr and/or Hf, and 3.2<x7) and is a single phase of a garnet type structure belonging to a cubic system. A method for producing the complex oxide includes an exchange step of bringing a raw material complex oxide represented by a chemical formula Li.sub.7-xH.sub.xLa.sub.3M.sub.2O.sub.12 (M represents Zr and/or Hf, and 0x3.2) and a compound having a hydroxy group or a carboxyl group into contact with each other to exchange at least some of lithium of the raw material complex oxide and hydrogen of the compound having a hydroxy group or a carboxyl group.

A solid-electrolyte material includes Li, Y, O, and X. X is at least two elements selected from the group consisting of F, Cl, Br, and I.

To provide a structural body having a new shape and including a garnet crystal structure.

A structural body comprising Li.sub.aM.sup.1.sub.bM.sup.2.sub.cO.sub.d (5a8; 2.5b3.5; 1.5c2.5; 10d14; M.sup.1 is at least one element selected from Al, Y, La, Pr, Nd, Sm, Lu, Mg, Ca, Sr, or Ba; and M.sup.2 is at least one element selected from Zr, Hf, Nb, or Ta) including a garnet crystal structure, wherein in a scanning electron microscopic image obtained through observation of a fracture surface in a depth direction of the structural body, a striped pattern extending along the depth direction is shown, and/or in a scanning electron microscopic image obtained through observation of a cut surface in the depth direction of the structural body, a continuous body extending along the depth direction is shown.

At least partial substitution of zirconium by hafnium in ion-conducting zirconium-based ceramics provides enhanced chemical stability in alkaline and acid environments.

An inorganic oxide has a composition represented by General formula: M.sub.2LnX.sub.2(AlO.sub.4).sub.3 (where M includes Ca, Ln includes Eu, and X includes at least either one of Zr and Hf). Then, a crystal structure of the inorganic oxide is a garnet-type structure. Eu.sup.3+ in the inorganic oxide emits a plurality of bright line-like fluorescent components, and a principal bright line of the fluorescent component is present within a wavelength range of 600 nm or more to less than 628 nm. Moreover, a maximum height of the bright line present within a wavelength range of 700 nm or more to less than 720 nm is less than 60% of a maximum height of the principal bright line. A phosphor composed of the inorganic oxide can emit narrowband red light with good color purity.

Provided, as a transparent magneto-optical material which does not absorb fiber laser light within a wavelength range of 0.9-1.1 m and is thus suitable for constituting a magneto-optical device such as an optical isolator wherein the formation of a thermal lens is suppressed, is a magneto-optical material which is composed of a transparent ceramic that contains a complex oxide represented by formula (1) as a main component, or which is composed of a single crystal of a complex oxide represented by formula (1).

Tb.sub.2xR.sub.2(2-x)O.sub.8-x(1)

(In the formula, 0.800<x<1.00, and R represents at least one element selected from the group consisting of silicon, germanium, titanium, tantalum tin, hafinum and zirconium (excluding the cases where R represents only silicon, germanium or tantalum).)