A method for producing a granulated metal oxide powder and corresponding granulated metal oxide powder includes obtaining an initial metal oxide powder, consisting of particles of a metal oxide, by hydrolysing a chloride of the metal and forming a suspension containing the initial metal oxide powder and an organic binder suspended in a suspension medium. The method also includes drying the suspension so as to obtain granulated metal oxide powder, consisting of grains formed by agglomerates of particles of the initial metal oxide powder.

A method for producing a granulated metal oxide powder and corresponding granulated metal oxide powder includes obtaining an initial metal oxide powder, consisting of particles of a metal oxide, by hydrolysing a chloride of the metal and forming a suspension containing the initial metal oxide powder and an organic binder suspended in a suspension medium. The method also includes drying the suspension so as to obtain granulated metal oxide powder, consisting of grains formed by agglomerates of particles of the initial metal oxide powder.

Metal silicates or phosphates are deposited on a heated substrate by the reaction of vapors of alkoxysilanols or alkylphosphates along with reactive metal amides, alkyls or alkoxides. For example, vapors of tris(tert-butoxy)silanol react with vapors of tetrakis(ethylmethylamido) hafnium to deposit hafnium silicate on surfaces heated to 300 C. The product film has a very uniform stoichiometry throughout the reactor. Similarly, vapors of diisopropylphosphate react with vapors of lithium bis(ethyldimethylsilyl)amide to deposit lithium phosphate films on substrates heated to 250 C. Supplying the vapors in alternating pulses produces these same compositions with a very uniform distribution of thickness and excellent step coverage.

Metal silicates or phosphates are deposited on a heated substrate by the reaction of vapors of alkoxysilanols or alkylphosphates along with reactive metal amides, alkyls or alkoxides. For example, vapors of tris(tert-butoxy)silanol react with vapors of tetrakis(ethylmethylamido) hafnium to deposit hafnium silicate on surfaces heated to 300 C. The product film has a very uniform stoichiometry throughout the reactor. Similarly, vapors of diisopropylphosphate react with vapors of lithium bis(ethyldimethylsilyl)amide to deposit lithium phosphate films on substrates heated to 250 C. Supplying the vapors in alternating pulses produces these same compositions with a very uniform distribution of thickness and excellent step coverage.

The present invention is in the field of nanoparticles, their preparation and their use as pinning centers in superconductors. In particular the present invention relates to nanoparticles comprising an oxide of Sr, Ba, Y, La, Ti, Zr, Hf, Nb, or Ta, wherein the nanoparticles have a weight average diameter of 1 to 30 nm and wherein an organic compound of general formula (I), (II) or (III) or an organic compound containing at least two carboxylic acid groups on the surface of the nanoparticles (I) (II) (III) wherein a is 0 to 5, b and c are independent of each other 1 to 14, n is 1 to 5, f is 0 to 5, p and q are independent of each other 1 to 14, and e and f are independent of each other 0 to 12.

##STR00001##

The present invention is in the field of nanoparticles, their preparation and their use as pinning centers in superconductors. In particular the present invention relates to nanoparticles comprising an oxide of Sr, Ba, Y, La, Ti, Zr, Hf, Nb, or Ta, wherein the nanoparticles have a weight average diameter of 1 to 30 nm and wherein an organic compound of general formula (I), (II) or (III) or an organic compound containing at least two carboxylic acid groups on the surface of the nanoparticles (I) (II) (III) wherein a is 0 to 5, b and c are independent of each other 1 to 14, n is 1 to 5, f is 0 to 5, p and q are independent of each other 1 to 14, and e and f are independent of each other 0 to 12.

##STR00001##

An objective of the present invention is to provide an organic-inorganic hybrid acrylic polymer having an increased refractive index, which has a higher transparency and a less impaired scratch resistance; a metal oxide dispersion and a polymerizable composition as materials for the polymer; and the organic-inorganic hybrid polymer capable of being produced in a crack-free manner. Another objective of the present invention is to provide a high-performance antireflection film using the organic-inorganic hybrid polymer. The metal oxide dispersion of the present invention comprises a phosphorus compound represented by Formula (1): ##STR00001##
(wherein, R.sup.1 is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an alkynyl group, an alkenyl group, an aryl group, an aliphatic heterocyclic group, or an aromatic heterocyclic group; R.sup.2 is an organic residue; and n is 1 or 2) and a metal oxide.

An objective of the present invention is to provide an organic-inorganic hybrid acrylic polymer having an increased refractive index, which has a higher transparency and a less impaired scratch resistance; a metal oxide dispersion and a polymerizable composition as materials for the polymer; and the organic-inorganic hybrid polymer capable of being produced in a crack-free manner. Another objective of the present invention is to provide a high-performance antireflection film using the organic-inorganic hybrid polymer. The metal oxide dispersion of the present invention comprises a phosphorus compound represented by Formula (1): ##STR00001##
(wherein, R.sup.1 is a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, an alkynyl group, an alkenyl group, an aryl group, an aliphatic heterocyclic group, or an aromatic heterocyclic group; R.sup.2 is an organic residue; and n is 1 or 2) and a metal oxide.

The present invention provides an ion conductive solid which contains an oxide that is represented by general formula Li.sub.6+a-c-2dY.sub.1-a-b-c-dM1.sub.aM2.sub.bM3.sub.cM4.sub.dB.sub.3O.sub.9, where, in the formula, M1 represents at least one metal element that is selected from the group consisting of Mg, Mn, Zn, Ni, Ca, Sr and Ba; M2 represents at least one metal element that is selected from the group consisting of La, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, In and Fe, M3 represents at least one metal element that is selected from the group consisting of Hf, Sn and Ti, M4 represents at least one metal element that is selected from the group consisting of Nb and Ta; and a, b, c and d represent real numbers that are respectively within specific ranges, while satisfying 0.010a+b+c+d<1.000.

Methods are provided herein for forming transition metal oxide thin films, preferably Group IVB metal oxide thin films, by atomic layer deposition. The metal oxide thin films can be deposited at high temperatures using metalorganic reactants. Metalorganic reactants comprising two ligands, at least one of which is a cycloheptatriene or cycloheptatrienyl (CHT) ligand are used in some embodiments. The metal oxide thin films can be used, for example, as dielectric oxides in transistors, flash devices, capacitors, integrated circuits, and other semiconductor applications.