By using a coating method, which is a simple method of manufacturing a transparent conductive film at low cost, a transparent conductive film formed with heating at a low temperature, in particular, lower than 300 C. with both of excellent transparency and conductivity and also with excellent film strength and a method of manufacturing this transparent conductive film are provided.

Provided are methods and systems for forming piezoelectric coatings on power line cables using sol-gel materials. A cable may be fed through a container with a sol-gel material having a piezoelectric material to form an uncured layer on the surface of the cable. The layer is then cured using, for example, infrared, ultraviolet, and/or other types of radiation. The cable may be suspended in a coating system such that the uncured layer does not touch any components of the system until the layer is adequately cured. Piezoelectric characteristics of the cured layer may be tested in the system to provide a control feedback. The cured layer, which may be referred to as a piezoelectric coating, causes resistive heating at the outer surface of the cable during vibration of the cable due transmission of alternating currents and environmental factors.

A nanoscale calcinated silicate film fabricated on a gold substrate for highly effective, matrix-free laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry (LDI-MS) analysis of biomolecules. The calcinated film is prepared by a layer-by-layer (LbL) deposition/calcination process wherein the thickness of the silicate layer and its surface properties are precisely controlled. The film exhibits outstanding efficiency in LDI-MS with extremely low background noise in the low-mass region, allowing for effective analysis of low mass weight samples and detection of large biomolecules including amino acids, peptides and proteins. Additional advantages for the calcinated film include ease of preparation and modification, high reproducibility, low cost and excellent reusability. Experimental parameters that influence LDI on calcinated films have been systemically investigated. Presence of citric acid in the sample significantly enhances LDI performance by facilitating protonation of the analyte and reducing fragmentation. The wetting property and surface roughness appear to be important factors that manipulate LDI performance of the analytes. This new substrate presents a marked advance in the development of matrix-free mass spectrometric methods and is uniquely suited for analysis of biomolecules over a broad mass range with high sensitivity.

Vacuum-integrated photoresist-less methods and apparatuses for forming metal hardmasks can provide sub-30 nm patterning resolution. A metal-containing (e.g., metal salt or organometallic compound) film that is sensitive to a patterning agent is deposited on a semiconductor substrate. The metal-containing film is then patterned directly (i.e., without the use of a photoresist) by exposure to the patterning agent in a vacuum ambient to form the metal mask. For example, the metal-containing film is photosensitive and the patterning is conducted using sub-30 nm wavelength optical lithography, such as EUV lithography.

The invention provides a method for providing an Au-containing layer onto a surface of a work piece, which method comprises: providing 510 a deposition fluid comprising Au(CO)Cl; depositing 520 the fluid on at least part of the surface of the work piece; and directing 530 a charged particle beam toward the surface of the work piece onto which at least part of the fluid is deposited to decompose Au(CO)Cl thereby forming the Au-containing layer on the surface of the work piece. By using Au(CO)Cl as a precursor for charged particle induced deposition, a gold Au layer may be deposited with a very high purity compared to methods known in the art.

A method for manufacturing metal oxide-grown carbon fibers including immersing carbon fibers in a solution for forming a metal oxide seed layer and electrodepositing a metal oxide seed on the surfaces of carbon fibers, or irradiating microwave thereto to form a metal oxide seed layer, and irradiating microwave to the metal oxide seed layer-formed carbon fibers to grow metal oxide. The method for manufacturing metal oxide-grown carbon fibers can reduce process time, and improve process energy efficiency and production efficiency. The method for manufacturing metal oxide-grown carbon fibers can offer metal oxide-grown carbon fibers with improved interfacial shear stress.

A conductive nanowire film based on a high aspect-ratio metal is disclosed. The nanowire film is produced by inducing metal reduction in a concentrated surfactant solution containing metal precursor ions, a surfactant and a reducing agent. The metal nanostructures demonstrate utility in a great variety of applications.

Provided is a method for producing a high-quality boron nitride film grown by using a borazine oligomer as a precursor through a metal catalyst effect. The method solves the problems, such as control of a gaseous precursor and vapor pressure control, occurring in CVD (Chemical vapor deposition) according to the related art, and a high-quality hexagonal boron nitride film is obtained through a simple process at low cost. In addition, the hexagonal boron nitride film may be coated onto various structures and materials. Further, selective coating is allowed so as to carry out coating in a predetermined area and scale-up is also allowed. Therefore, the method may be useful for coating applications of composite materials and various materials.

A conductive composition that comprises a branched metal carboxylate and one or more solvents. The solvents may be an aromatic hydrocarbon solvent. In embodiments, the branched metal carboxylate is a silver carboxylate. The conductive composition may be used in forming conductive features on a substrate, including by inkjet printing, screen printing or offset printing.

The present invention provides a dense silicic film and a producing method thereof. This method comprises coating a composition for coating film, which comprises a polymer having a silazane bond on a substrate, on a substrate, irradiating with light having a maximal peak in the range of 160-179 nm wavelength, and then irradiating with light having 10-70 nm wavelength longer maximal peak wavelength than the light used in the previous irradiation.