A method may include providing a set of features in a mask layer, wherein a given feature comprises a first dimension along a first direction, second dimension along a second direction, orthogonal to the first direction, and directing an angled ion beam to a first side region of the set of features in a first exposure, wherein the first side region is etched a first amount along the first direction. The method may include directing an angled deposition beam to a second side region of the set of features in a second exposure, wherein a protective layer is formed on the second side region, the second side region being oriented perpendicularly with respect to the first side region. The method may include directing the angled ion beam to the first side region in a third exposure, wherein the first side region is etched a second amount along the first direction.

Nanoclusters are produced in a gas phase using a nanocluster manufacturing section including: a vacuum container; a sputtering source that has a target as a cathode, performs magnetron sputtering by pulse discharge, and generates plasma; a pulse power source that supplies pulsed power to the sputtering source; a first inert gas supply section that supplies a first inert gas to the sputtering source; a nanocluster growth cell that is contained in the vacuum container; and a second inert gas introduction section that introduces a second inert gas into the nanocluster growth cell. A multitude of supports are rolled in the gas phase and each of the supports is sprinkled with a multitude of nanoclusters to cause each support to support the multitude of nanoclusters.

An article comprises a body and at least one protective layer on at least one surface of the body. The at least one protective layer is a thin film having a thickness of less than approximately 20 microns that comprises a ceramic selected from a group consisting of Y.sub.3Al.sub.5O.sub.12, Y.sub.4Al.sub.2O.sub.9, Er.sub.2O.sub.3, Gd.sub.2O.sub.3, Er.sub.3Al.sub.5O.sub.12, Gd.sub.3Al.sub.5O.sub.12 and a ceramic compound comprising Y.sub.4Al.sub.2O.sub.9 and a solid-solution of Y.sub.2O.sub.3—ZrO.sub.2.

An article comprises a body and at least one protective layer on at least one surface of the body. The at least one protective layer is a thin film having a thickness of less than approximately 20 microns that comprises a ceramic selected from a group consisting of Y.sub.3Al.sub.5O.sub.12, Y.sub.4Al.sub.2O.sub.9, Er.sub.2O.sub.3, Gd.sub.2O.sub.3, Er.sub.3Al.sub.5O.sub.12, Gd.sub.3Al.sub.5O.sub.12 and a ceramic compound comprising Y.sub.4Al.sub.2O.sub.9 and a solid-solution of Y.sub.2O.sub.3—ZrO.sub.2.

A method for surface treatment of a metal material in a powder state is provided, the method including obtaining a powder formed from a plurality of particles of the metal material to be treated; and subjecting the powder to an ion implantation process by directing a beam of singly-charged or multi-charged ions towards an outer surface of the particles, the beam being produced by a source of singly-charged or multi-charged ions, whereby the particles have an overall spherical shape with a radius (R). There is also provided a material in a powder state formed from a plurality of particles having a ceramic outer layer and a metal core, the particles having an overall spherical shape.

According to one embodiment, an apparatus of manufacturing a radiation detection panel, includes an evaporation source configured to evaporate a scintillator material and emit the scintillator material vertically upward, a holding mechanism located vertically above the evaporation source, and holding a photoelectric conversion substrate, and a heat conductor arranged opposite to the holding mechanism with a gap.

An engine component, for example a piston ring, including a wear resistant coating applied by physical vapor deposition (PVD) is provided. The coating includes tetrahedral amorphous carbon (ta-C), the carbon of the coating includes sp.sup.3 hybrid orbitals, and the coating includes boron in an amount of 0.1 wt. % to 4.0 wt. %, based on the total weight of the coating. The doped boron makes the coating less sensitive to the ion energy during the physical vapor deposition (PVD) process, improves adhesion of the coating, and expected to reduce compressive stress in the coating. Thus, the boron-doped ta-C coating can be applied to a greater thickness compared to ta-C coatings without the doped boron. In addition, there is a strong indication that the addition of boron will maintain a high level of sp.sup.3 bonded carbon and a high microhardness.

The present disclosure relates generally to a fixture for use in applying a coating to a multiple vane nozzle for use in a turbomachine. The fixture includes first and second masks that are applied to opposite sides of the nozzle to mimic the geometry and spacing of the vanes of the nozzle.

The present disclosure relates generally to a fixture for use in applying a coating to a multiple vane nozzle for use in a turbomachine. The fixture includes first and second masks that are applied to opposite sides of the nozzle to mimic the geometry and spacing of the vanes of the nozzle.

Optical elements including YbF.sub.3 layers with high transmittance in the LWIR spectral range are described. The YbF.sub.3 layer is produced by an ion-assisted deposition process under high voltage conditions. Dense, uniform, and nearly defect-free YbF.sub.3 layers are formed. The improved material quality of the YbF.sub.3 layers leads to low absorption in the LWIR spectral range, especially at wavelengths above 10.0 microns. The extinction coefficient of the YbF.sub.3 layers is less than 0.0400 at a wavelength of 13.5 microns.