The coated cutting tool comprises a substrate and a coating layer formed on a surface of the substrate, the coating layer comprises an alternating laminate structure in which two or more first layers and two or more second layers are alternately laminated, the first layer is a compound layer containing Ti(C.sub.aN.sub.1-a), the second layer is a compound layer containing (Ti.sub.xAl.sub.1-x)(C.sub.yN.sub.1-y), an average thickness per layer of each of the first layers and the second layers in the alternating laminate structure is 3 nm or more and 300 nm or less, and an average thickness of the alternating laminate structure is 1.0 μm or more and 8.0 μm or less.

Prior electrochromic devices frequently suffer from high levels of defectivity. The defects may be manifest as pin holes or spots where the electrochromic transition is impaired. This is unacceptable for many applications such as electrochromic architectural glass. Improved electrochromic devices with low defectivity can be fabricated by depositing certain layered components of the electrochromic device in a single integrated deposition system. While these layers are being deposited and/or treated on a substrate, for example a glass window, the substrate never leaves a controlled ambient environment, for example a low pressure controlled atmosphere having very low levels of particles. These layers may be deposited using physical vapor deposition. In certain embodiments, the device includes a counter electrode having an anodically coloring electrochromic material in combination with an additive.

The invention refers to negative electrode plate, preparation method thereof and electrochemical device. The negative electrode plate comprises: a negative current collector, a negative active material layer, and an inorganic dielectric layer which are provided in a stacked manner; the negative active material layer comprises opposite first surface and second surface, wherein the first surface is disposed away from the negative current collector; the inorganic dielectric layer is disposed on the first surface of the negative active material layer and consists of an inorganic dielectric material. The negative electrode plate provided by the application is useful in an electrochemical device, and can result in an electrochemical device having simultaneously excellent safety performance and cycle performance.

A versatile high throughput deposition apparatus includes a process chamber and a workpiece platform in the process chamber. The workpiece platform can hold a plurality of workpieces around a center region and to rotate the plurality of workpieces around the center region. Each of the plurality of workpieces includes a deposition surface facing the center region. A gas distribution system can distribute a vapor gas in the center region of the process chamber to deposit a material on the deposition surfaces on the plurality of workpieces. A magnetron apparatus can form a closed-loop magnetic field near the plurality of workpieces. The plurality of workpieces can be electrically biased to produce a plasma near the deposition surfaces on the plurality of workpieces.

Provided is a coated cutting tool having a base material side single layer portion and a laminated portion provided as a hard coating in order from a base material side. The base material side single layer portion is formed of a nitride-based hard coating in which a proportion of Al is highest among metal (including metalloid) elements, a sum of Al and Cr in a content ratio (atomic ratio) is 0.9 or more, and at least B is contained. In the laminated portion, a nitride-based a layer in which a proportion of Ti is highest among metal (including metalloid) elements and at least B is contained, and a nitride-based b layer in which a proportion of Al is highest among metal (including metalloid) elements and at least Cr and B are contained are alternately laminated.

A method is for manufacturing materials for electrochemical energy storage devices. A deposition method based on laser ablation is utilised in the manufacturing of at least one material layer including lithium. The process is controlled using measurement information that is obtained from the spectrum of the electromagnetic radiation generated by laser ablation. A roll-to-roll method can be used in the deposition, in which the substrate (15, 32, 44, 64, 75, 85) to be coated is directed from one roll (31a) to the second roll (31 b), and the deposition takes place in the area between the rolls (31a-b). In addition, turning and/or moving mirrors (21) can be used to direct laser beam (12, 41, 71a-d, 81a-d) as a beam line array (23) to the surface of the target (13, 42a-b, 72a-d, 82a-d, 82A-D).

Methods for forming anode structures are provided and include transferring a flexible substrate a first deposition chamber arranged downstream from a first spool chamber, the first deposition chamber containing a first coating drum capable of guiding the flexible substrate past a first plurality of deposition units, and guiding the flexible substrate past the first plurality of deposition units while depositing a lithium metal film on the flexible substrate via the first plurality of deposition units. The method also includes transferring the flexible substrate from the first deposition chamber to a second deposition chamber, the second deposition chamber containing a second coating drum capable of guiding the flexible substrate past a second deposition unit containing a crucible capable of depositing ceramic on the lithium metal film, and guiding the flexible substrate past the crucible while depositing a ceramic protective film on the lithium metal film via the evaporation crucible.

Provided is a method for arranging a protective coating for a thermally stressed structure, having at least one layer of alpha-aluminium oxide or of element-modified alpha-aluminium oxide, and wherein the protective coating is applied by reactive cathodic arc vaporization. A protective coating produced by the method and a component having a protective coating is also provided.

Separators, high performance electrochemical devices, such as, batteries and capacitors, including the aforementioned separators, systems and methods for fabricating the same. In one implementation, a separator is provided. The separator comprises a polymer substrate (131), capable of conducting ions, having a first surface and a second surface opposing the first surface. The separator further comprises a first ceramic-containing layer (136), capable of conducting ions, formed on the first surface. The first ceramic-containing layer (136) has a thickness in arrange from about 1,000 nanometers to about 5000 nanometers. The separator further comprises a second ceramic-containing layer (138), capable of conducting ions, formed on the second surface. The second ceramic-containing layer (138) is a binder-free ceramic-containing layer and has a thickness in arrange from about 1 nanometer to about 1,000 nanometers.

A method for making LNO film, including the steps of identifying a substrate, identifying a deposition target, placing the substrate and deposition target in a deposition environment, evolving target material into the deposition environment, and depositing evolved target material onto the substrate to yield an LNO film. The deposition environment defines a temperature of between 500 degrees Celsius and 750 degrees Celsius and a pressure of about 10.sup.−6 Torr. A seed or buffer layer may be first deposited onto the substrate, wherein the seed layer is about 30 mole percent gold and about 70 LiNbO.sub.3.