Tin oxide films are used as mandrels in semiconductor device manufacturing. In one implementation the process starts by providing a substrate having a plurality of protruding tin oxide features (mandrels) residing on an exposed etch stop layer. Next, a conformal layer of spacer material is formed both on the horizontal surfaces and on the sidewalls of the mandrels. The spacer material is then removed from the horizontal surfaces exposing the tin oxide material of the mandrels, without fully removing the spacer material residing at the sidewalls of the mandrel (e.g., leaving at least 50%, such as at least 90% of initial height at the sidewall). Next, mandrels are selectively removed (e.g., using hydrogen-based etch chemistry), while leaving the spacer material that resided at the sidewalls of the mandrels. The resulting spacers can be used for patterning the etch stop layer and underlying layers.

A scribe line is formed on a first surface of a nitride ceramic base material by a laser. Next, the nitride ceramic base material is divided along the scribe line. The scribe line includes a plurality of recessed portions. The plurality of recessed portions are formed in a row on the first surface of the nitride ceramic base material. A depth of each of the plurality of recessed portions is equal to or greater than 0.70 times and equal to or smaller than 1.10 times an opening width of each of the plurality of recessed portions. The opening width of each of the plurality of recessed portions is equal to or greater than 1.00 times and equal to or smaller than 1.10 times an inter-center distance of the plurality of recessed portions.

A scribe line is formed on a first surface of a nitride ceramic base material by a laser. Next, the nitride ceramic base material is divided along the scribe line. The scribe line includes a plurality of recessed portions. The plurality of recessed portions are formed in a row on the first surface of the nitride ceramic base material. A depth of each of the plurality of recessed portions is equal to or greater than 0.70 times and equal to or smaller than 1.10 times an opening width of each of the plurality of recessed portions. The opening width of each of the plurality of recessed portions is equal to or greater than 1.00 times and equal to or smaller than 1.10 times an inter-center distance of the plurality of recessed portions.

A sputtering target includes at least one single piece with a length of at least 600 mm. The sputtering target has a backing structure provided with target material for sputtering. At least 40% of the mass of the target material includes a so-called target volatile material which shows, at pressures between 700 hPa and 1300 hPa, either a sublimation temperature, or decomposition temperature below its melting point or a melting temperature and an absolute boiling temperature being close to each other. The sputtering target has a target material density of at least 95% of the theoretical density of the target material. The sputtering target includes a bonding layer with a thickness of 0 to 500 μm between the backing structure and the target material.

A sputtering target includes at least one single piece with a length of at least 600 mm. The sputtering target has a backing structure provided with target material for sputtering. At least 40% of the mass of the target material includes a so-called target volatile material which shows, at pressures between 700 hPa and 1300 hPa, either a sublimation temperature, or decomposition temperature below its melting point or a melting temperature and an absolute boiling temperature being close to each other. The sputtering target has a target material density of at least 95% of the theoretical density of the target material. The sputtering target includes a bonding layer with a thickness of 0 to 500 μm between the backing structure and the target material.

A system for forming features within composite components includes a tubular electrode extending along a longitudinal direction from a proximal end to a distal end. The distal end is, in turn, configured to be positioned relative to a machining surface of the composite component such that a spark gap is defined between the distal end and the machining surface. Furthermore, the tubular electrode further extends in a radial direction between an inner surface and an outer surface, with the inner surface defining a central passage configured to supply a dielectric fluid to the machining surface. The outer surface of the tubular electrode includes at least one a channel defined therein or a non-circular cross-sectional shape.

A solid state electrolyte material including a decontaminated lithium conducting ceramic oxide material including a decontaminated surface thickness. The decontaminated surface thickness is less than or equal to 5 nm. The decontaminated surface thickness may be greater than or equal to 1 nm. The decontaminated lithium conducting ceramic oxide material may be selected from the group consisting of Li.sub.7La.sub.3Zr.sub.2O.sub.12 (LLZO), Li.sub.5La.sub.3Ta.sub.2O.sub.12 (LLTO), Li.sub.6La.sub.2CaTa.sub.2O.sub.12 (LLCTO), Li.sub.6La.sub.2ANb.sub.2O.sub.12 (A is Ca or Sr), Li.sub.1+xAl.sub.xGe.sub.2-x(PO.sub.4).sub.3 (LAGP), Li.sub.14Al.sub.0.4(Ge.sub.2-xTi.sub.x).sub.1.6(PO.sub.4).sub.3 (LAGTP), perovskite Li.sub.3xLa.sub.2/3-xTiO.sub.3 (LLTO), Li.sub.0.8La.sub.0.6Zr.sub.2(PO.sub.4).sub.3 (LLZP), Li.sub.1+xTi.sub.2-xAl.sub.x(PO.sub.4).sub.3 (LTAP), Li.sub.1+x+yTi.sub.2-xAl.sub.xSi.sub.y(PO.sub.4).sub.3-y (LTASP), LiTi.sub.xZr.sub.2-x(PO.sub.4).sub.3 (LTZP), Li.sub.2Nd.sub.3TeSbO.sub.12 and mixtures thereof.

A surface treatment method of a material, comprising: respectively immersing a material to be treated into a first inorganic acid solution and a fluoride acidic solution to perform surface etching, so that nano-sized holes are formed in the surface of the material to be treated. Further disclosed are a material product and a composite material.

A surface treatment method of a material, comprising: respectively immersing a material to be treated into a first inorganic acid solution and a fluoride acidic solution to perform surface etching, so that nano-sized holes are formed in the surface of the material to be treated. Further disclosed are a material product and a composite material.

A method of controlling a substrate etching process includes disposing a bottom surface or a top surface of a substrate adjacent to volume of etching fluid to produce an etchant-substrate interface and heating the etchant-substrate interface via spatially controlled electromagnetic radiation. The method also includes transmitting a monitoring beam through the substrate, the substrate and volume of etching fluid being at least partially transparent at the wavelength range of the monitoring beam and measuring a property of the substrate surface during the substrate etching process via the monitoring beam to produce a real-time measured property for the substrate. A corresponding etching system and computer-program product is also disclosed herein.