Provided is a hard coating film in which a hard coating layer having a water contact angle of 90° or less, a conductive layer, and a low refractive index layer are laminated on a substrate, the film having excellent hardness, anti-curling property, antireflection performance, antifouling performance, and antistatic performance.

An electrically and magnetically enhanced ionized physical vapor deposition (I-PVD) magnetron apparatus and method is provided for sputtering material from a cathode target on a substrate, and in particular, for sputtering ceramic and diamond-like coatings. The electrically and magnetically enhanced magnetron sputtering source has unbalanced magnetic fields that couple the cathode target and additional electrode together. The additional electrode is electrically isolated from ground and connected to a power supply that can generate positive, negative, or bipolar high frequency voltages, and is preferably a radio frequency (RF) power supply. RF discharge near the additional electrode increases plasma density and a degree of ionization of sputtered material atoms.

A bioactive coated substrate includes a base substrate, a first interlayer disposed over the base substrate, an outermost bioactive layer disposed on the first interlayer, and a topcoat layer disposed on the outermost bioactive layer. Characteristically, a plurality of microscopic openings extending through the topcoat layer and the outermost bioactive layer expose the first interlayer and the outermost bioactive layer. A method for forming the bioactive coated substrate is also provided.

A bioactive coated substrate includes a base substrate, a first interlayer disposed over the base substrate, an outermost bioactive layer disposed on the first interlayer, and a topcoat layer disposed on the outermost bioactive layer. Characteristically, a plurality of microscopic openings extending through the topcoat layer and the outermost bioactive layer expose the first interlayer and the outermost bioactive layer. A method for forming the bioactive coated substrate is also provided.

A method for applying a coating having at least one TiCN layer to a surface of a substrate to be coated by means of high power impulse magnetron sputtering (HIPIMS), wherein, to deposit the at least one TiCN layer, at least one Ti target is used as the Ti source for producing the TiCN layer, said target being sputtered in a reactive atmosphere by means of a HIPIMS process in a coating chamber, wherein the reactive atmosphere comprises at least one inert gas; preferably argon, and at least nitrogen gas as the reactive gas, wherein: the reactive atmosphere additionally contains, as a second reactive gas, a gas containing carbon, preferably CH4, used as the source of carbon to produce the TiCN layer wherein, while depositing the TiCN layer, a bipolar bias voltage is applied to the substrate to be coated, or at least one graphite target is used as the source of carbon for producing the TiCN layer, said target being used for sputtering in the coating chamber using a HIPIMS process with the reactive atmosphere having only nitrogen gas as the reactive gas, wherein the Ti targets are preferably operated by means of a first power supply device or a first power supply unit and the graphite targets are operated with pulsed power by means of a second power supply device or a second power supply unit.

A strain gauge includes a flexible substrate and a functional layer formed of a metal, an alloy, or a metal compound, the functional layer being directly on one surface of the substrate. The strain gauge includes a resistor formed of a film that includes Cr, CrN, and Cr.sub.2N and that is formed with α-Cr as a main component. The functional layer includes a function of promoting crystal growth of α-Cr and forming an α-Cr based film.

A semiconductor device including an inorganic light-emitting element is provided. The semiconductor device includes the inorganic light-emitting element, a transistor, and a capacitor. The inorganic light-emitting element includes a first film and a second film. The first film contains indium, oxygen, and nitrogen, and the second film contains gallium and nitrogen. The first film has a wurtzite structure or a cubic crystal structure, and the second film has a wurtzite structure and grows on the first film. The first film functions as a cathode electrode of the inorganic light-emitting element. One electrode of the capacitor is formed above the second film included in the inorganic light-emitting element, and the transistor including a metal oxide in a semiconductor layer is formed above the other electrode of the capacitor. The one electrode of the capacitor has a function of reflecting light emitted from the inorganic light-emitting element. The inorganic light-emitting element emits light through the first film.

A method for manufacturing an optical lens using an ion-assisted deposition apparatus that comprises an ion source includes: forming, on a lens substrate made of a material containing 40 mass % or more of fluoride, a first lower layer of an anti-reflection film of the optical lens, wherein the first lower layer is a fluoride layer; forming, on the first lower layer, a second lower layer of the anti-reflection film; forming on the second lower layer, one or more intermediate layers of the antireflection film; forming, on the one or more intermediate layers, an uppermost layer of the anti-reflection film; and irradiating, using the ion source, the lens substrate with ions.

A method comprising providing a carbonaceous material, the substrate having a first thermal conductivity. The method further comprises depositing a first masking layer having a second thermal conductivity on at least a portion of the substrate, a ratio of the second thermal conductivity to the first thermal conductivity being less than or equal to 1:30. The method further comprises depositing a second masking layer on the first masking layer to form an etch mask, and etching an exposed portion of the substrate.

A simplified switchable object and methods of making same are provided. The methods may include steps of applying a switchable material on a first surface of a first substrate, the switchable material having a thickness and a shape; applying a barrier material on the first substrate, circumferential to the switchable material; and applying a second substrate over top of, and in contact with, the switchable material and the barrier material, the first substrate, second substrate and barrier material defining a closed chamber encapsulating the switchable material. The methods may further include a step of applying a seal material.