Provided is a sputtering target which can lower a heat treatment temperature for ordering a Fe—Pt magnetic phase and can suppress generation of particles during sputtering. The sputtering target is a nonmagnetic material-dispersed sputtering target containing Fe, Pt and Ge. The sputtering target includes at least one magnetic phase satisfying a composition represented by (Fe.sub.1-αPt.sub.α).sub.1-βGe.sub.β, as expressed in an atomic ratio for Fe, Pt and Ge, in which α and β represent numbers meeting 0.35≤α≤0.55 and 0.05≤β≤0.2, respectively. The magnetic phase has a ratio (S.sub.Ge30mass %/S.sub.Ge) of 0.5 or less. The ratio (S.sub.Ge30mass %/S.sub.Ge) is an average area ratio of Ge-based alloy phases containing a Ge concentration of 30% by mass or more (S.sub.Ge30mass %) to an area ratio of Ge (S.sub.Ge) calculated from the entire composition of the sputtering target, in element mapping by EPMA of a polished surface obtained by polishing a cross section perpendicular to a sputtering surface of the sputtering target.

Provided is a sputtering target which can lower a heat treatment temperature for ordering a Fe—Pt magnetic phase and can suppress generation of particles during sputtering. The sputtering target is a nonmagnetic material-dispersed sputtering target containing Fe, Pt and Ge. The sputtering target includes at least one magnetic phase satisfying a composition represented by (Fe.sub.1-αPt.sub.α).sub.1-βGe.sub.β, as expressed in an atomic ratio for Fe, Pt and Ge, in which α and β represent numbers meeting 0.35≤α≤0.55 and 0.05≤β≤0.2, respectively. The magnetic phase has a ratio (S.sub.Ge30mass %/S.sub.Ge) of 0.5 or less. The ratio (S.sub.Ge30mass %/S.sub.Ge) is an average area ratio of Ge-based alloy phases containing a Ge concentration of 30% by mass or more (S.sub.Ge30mass %) to an area ratio of Ge (S.sub.Ge) calculated from the entire composition of the sputtering target, in element mapping by EPMA of a polished surface obtained by polishing a cross section perpendicular to a sputtering surface of the sputtering target.

An iridium alloy includes iridium, platinum, and tantalum. A content of the platinum in the iridium alloy falls within a range from 5 wt % to 30 wt %, and a content of the tantalum in the iridium alloy falls within a range from 0.3 wt % to 5 wt %.

An iridium alloy includes iridium, platinum, and tantalum. A content of the platinum in the iridium alloy falls within a range from 5 wt % to 30 wt %, and a content of the tantalum in the iridium alloy falls within a range from 0.3 wt % to 5 wt %.

A noble metal tip for a spark plug according to the present invention contains iridium (Jr) in an amount of 50 mass % or more and aluminum (Al) in an amount of 0.1 mass % or more and 5 mass % or less, and further contains rhodium (Rh), wherein a metallographic structure comprised of fiber-like elements R is observed, and the fiber-like elements R of the metallographic structure have an average aspect ratio of 150 or more and have an average length of 25 μm or less in a minor axis direction.

A noble metal tip for a spark plug according to the present invention contains iridium (Jr) in an amount of 50 mass % or more and aluminum (Al) in an amount of 0.1 mass % or more and 5 mass % or less, and further contains rhodium (Rh), wherein a metallographic structure comprised of fiber-like elements R is observed, and the fiber-like elements R of the metallographic structure have an average aspect ratio of 150 or more and have an average length of 25 μm or less in a minor axis direction.

A spark plug having a center electrode that includes a columnar noble metal tip at one end thereof, and a ground electrode that forms a spark gap between the ground electrode and a circular discharge surface of the tip. In the tip, a mass % of Pt is largest and a content percentage of Ni is more than or equal to 0 mass % and less than or equal to 40 mass %. In each of both a cross-section of the noble metal tip parallel to the discharge surface and a cross-section of the tip perpendicular to the discharge surface, particles each having an aspect ratio of more than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to 10 occupy more than or equal to 70% of observed particles in an area extending from an outline of the cross-section by a distance of 10% of a diameter of the discharge surface.

A spark plug having a center electrode that includes a columnar noble metal tip at one end thereof, and a ground electrode that forms a spark gap between the ground electrode and a circular discharge surface of the tip. In the tip, a mass % of Pt is largest and a content percentage of Ni is more than or equal to 0 mass % and less than or equal to 40 mass %. In each of both a cross-section of the noble metal tip parallel to the discharge surface and a cross-section of the tip perpendicular to the discharge surface, particles each having an aspect ratio of more than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to 10 occupy more than or equal to 70% of observed particles in an area extending from an outline of the cross-section by a distance of 10% of a diameter of the discharge surface.

A three-dimensional structure is formed when layers of a material are deposited onto a substrate and scanned with a high energy beam to at least partially melt each layer of the material. Upon scanning the layers at predetermined locations a tube device having a first tube and a second tube intersected with the first tube is formed.

A three-dimensional structure is formed when layers of a material are deposited onto a substrate and scanned with a high energy beam to at least partially melt each layer of the material. Upon scanning the layers at predetermined locations a tube device having a first tube and a second tube intersected with the first tube is formed.