Disclosed are a pseudo-ternary thermoelectric material, a method of manufacturing the pseudo-ternary thermoelectric material, a thermoelectric element, and a thermoelectric module. The pseudo-ternary thermoelectric material includes bismuth (Bi), antimony (Sb), tellurium (Te), and selenium (Se), and a composition ratio thereof is Bi.sub.xSb.sub.2-xTe.sub.3 in which 0.3x0.6 or (Bi.sub.2Te.sub.3).sub.1-x-y(Sb.sub.2Te.sub.3).sub.x(Sb.sub.2Se.sub.3).sub.y in which 0<x<1 and 0.001y0.05.

In one embodiment, a physical vapor deposition device includes a phase change material sputtering target includes a primary matrix and at least one additional phase. The primary matrix includes at least one element from Group VI of the periodic table excluding oxygen and one or more elements from Group IV or Group V of the periodic table. The additional phase is substantially homogenously dispersed in the primary matrix.

In one embodiment, a physical vapor deposition device includes a phase change material sputtering target includes a primary matrix and at least one additional phase. The primary matrix includes at least one element from Group VI of the periodic table excluding oxygen and one or more elements from Group IV or Group V of the periodic table. The additional phase is substantially homogenously dispersed in the primary matrix.

The present invention provides a gadolinium oxysulfide sintered body having a high light output. The problem is resolved by a gadolinium oxysulfide sintered body in which the ratio of the light transmittance T.sub.410 of 410 nm to the light transmittance T.sub.512 of 512 nm (T.sub.410/T.sub.512) is from 0.31 to 0.61, or a gadolinium oxysulfide sintered body in which the ratio of the diffraction peak intensity I.sub.y of a phase different from gadolinium oxysulfide appearing at 2=from 20 to 29 to the diffraction peak intensity (I.sub.x) of (102) or (011) of gadolinium oxysulfide appearing at 2=301 (I.sub.y/I.sub.x) is 0.1 or less in an XRD diffraction pattern and which contains one or more activators selected from the group consisting of praseodymium, terbium, and cerium.

A method of manufacturing a sulfide-based ceramic element, such as a transparent infrared optical element, comprises the steps of: synthesizing a sulfide powder; and sintering the powder to form the ceramic element; wherein the step of synthesizing the sulfide powder is performed by combustion in an aqueous solution, the solution comprising water as its only solvent, or containing water as its main solvent and at most 10%, and preferably at most 1% of the overall solvent mass, of one or more combustible solvents. The sulfide powder may be chosen, in particular, among ZnS, BaLa.sub.2S.sub.4, CaLa.sub.2S.sub.4.

A method of manufacturing a sulfide-based ceramic element, such as a transparent infrared optical element, comprises the steps of: synthesizing a sulfide powder; and sintering the powder to form the ceramic element; wherein the step of synthesizing the sulfide powder is performed by combustion in an aqueous solution, the solution comprising water as its only solvent, or containing water as its main solvent and at most 10%, and preferably at most 1% of the overall solvent mass, of one or more combustible solvents. The sulfide powder may be chosen, in particular, among ZnS, BaLa.sub.2S.sub.4, CaLa.sub.2S.sub.4.

The present invention aims to provide an inorganic substance-laminated sheet that can be used suitably for applications that require high gas barrier properties. The inorganic substance-laminated sheet includes a sheet having a dispersed structure with a structural period of 0.001 m to 100 m on at least one surface and an inorganic substance layer covering the surface having the dispersed structure.

The present invention aims to provide an inorganic substance-laminated sheet that can be used suitably for applications that require high gas barrier properties. The inorganic substance-laminated sheet includes a sheet having a dispersed structure with a structural period of 0.001 m to 100 m on at least one surface and an inorganic substance layer covering the surface having the dispersed structure.

An optical system includes a housing, an imaging device housed within the housing, and a window in the housing providing an optical path through the housing to the imaging device. The window includes a transparent substrate and a coating over the transparent substrate. The coating is made of an electrically conductive semiconductor. The imaging device is sensitive to and the coating is transparent to at least one of MWIR and/or LWIR wavelengths.

An optical system includes a housing, an imaging device housed within the housing, and a window in the housing providing an optical path through the housing to the imaging device. The window includes a transparent substrate and a coating over the transparent substrate. The coating is made of an electrically conductive semiconductor. The imaging device is sensitive to and the coating is transparent to at least one of MWIR and/or LWIR wavelengths.