A method for producing a metal-ceramic substrate includes attaching a metal layer to a surface side of a ceramic layer, the metal layer being structured into a plurality of metallization regions respectively separated from one another by at least one trench-shaped intermediate space to form conductive paths and/or connective surfaces and/or contact surfaces. The method further includes filling the at least one trench-shaped intermediate space with an electrically insulating filler material, and covering first edges of the metallization regions facing and adjoining the surface side of the ceramic layer in the at least one trench-shaped intermediate space, as well as at least one second edge of the metallization regions facing away from the surface side of the ceramic layer in the at least one trench-shaped intermediate space, by the electrically insulating filler material.

A composite plate having a thickness of no more than 2 mm, and having laminated therein a zirconia sintered body, an adhesive layer, and a base material, the elasticity of the base material being no more than 100 GPa, and the apparent density of the composite plate being no more than 4.3 g/cm.sup.3.

A composite plate has a thickness of 2 mm or less, which is obtained by laminating and closely fixing a zirconia sintered body and a fiber-reinforced plastic with each other, and the thickness ratio of the zirconia sintered body to the fiber-reinforced plastic is 0.01 to 1, and the apparent density of the composite plate is 4.3 g/cm.sup.3 or less. A composite plate has a thickness of 2 mm or less, which is obtained by laminating and closely fixing a zirconia sintered body and a fiber-reinforced plastic with each other, and the maximum roughness depth of the surface of the zirconia sintered body is 50 m or less per 1 cm.sup.2.

The object of the present invention is an integrally bonded composite component, a method for the production thereof, and the use thereof. The invention particularly relates to integrally bonded transparent ceramic composite components, to a method for the production of such ceramic composite components, and to the use thereof.

A novel composite diamond film comprising of a relatively thick layer of UNCD (Ultrananocrystalline Diamond) with a Young's modulus of less than 900 GPa and a relatively thin MCD (microcrystalline diamond) outermost layer with a Young's modulus of greater than 900 GPa, has been shown to exhibit superior delamination resistance under extreme shear stress. It is hypothesized that this improvement is due to a combination of stress relief by the composite film with a slightly softer UNCD layer, a disruption of the fracture mechanism through the composite layer(s), and the near ideal chemical and thermal expansion coefficient match between the two diamond layers. The combination of a thick but softer underlying UNCD layer with a thin but harder overlying MCD layer provides an excellent compromise between the low deposition cost and smoothness of UNCD with the extreme hardness and unparalleled chemical, electrochemical and immunological inertness of even a thin layer of MCD. The MCD layer's roughness is minimized and its adhesion maximized by the use of a thin layer of MCD and its deposition on the smooth surface of the chemically nearly identical underlying UNCD layer. The composite film can be applied to any application currently utilizing a diamond or a similar hard film, including cutting tools, abrasive surfaces, electrochemistry, biomedical applications such as human implants or thermally conductive films and the like, requiring superior durability, chemical resistance and/or immunological inertness.

An electrochemical cell including a solid electrolyte layer containing ZrO.sub.2 containing a first rare earth element; a cathode disposed on one side of the solid electrolyte layer; and an anode disposed on the other side of the solid electrolyte layer. The anode contains CeO.sub.2 containing a second rare earth element and Ni or an Ni-containing alloy. The electrochemical cell further includes an intermediate layer disposed between the solid electrolyte layer and the anode. The intermediate layer contains a solid solution containing Zr, Ce, the first rare earth element, and the second rare earth element. Also disclosed is an electrochemical stack including a plurality of the electrochemical cells, where the electrochemical stack is a solid oxide fuel cell stack or a solid oxide electrolysis cell stack.

An electrode can include a functional layer having an Ln.sub.2MO.sub.4 phase, where Ln is at least one lanthanide optionally doped with a metal and M is at least one 3d transition metal, and a heavily-doped ceria phase. In an embodiment, the ceria phase can be present in the functional layer in an amount of at least 40 vol % based on a total volume of the functional layer absent any porosity. An electrochemical device or a sensor device can include the electrode.

An intermediate layer containing CeO.sub.2 with which a rare earth element (excluding Ce) forms a solid solution and a first electrode layer may be disposed in this order on a surface on one side of a solid electrolyte layer containing Zr, and a second electrode layer may be disposed on a surface on another side opposite the surface of the one side of the solid electrolyte layer. The intermediate layer includes a first layer located closer to the solid electrolyte layer and a second layer disposed on the first layer and located closer to the first electrode layer, and a concentration of the rare earth element of the first layer may be greater than a concentration of the rare earth element of the second layer.

A method of producing a copper/ceramic bonded body, the copper member having a composition having a Cu purity of 99.96 mass % or more, a balance of inevitable impurities, a P content of 2 mass ppm or less, and a total content of Pb, Se and Te of 10 mass ppm or less, the method includes bonding the laminated copper member and the ceramic member by pressing and heating, wherein an average crystal grain size of the copper member before bonding is 10 ?m or more, an aspect ratio is 2 or less, and a pressing load is 0.05 MPa or more and 1.5 MPa or less, a heating temperature is 800? C. or higher and 850? C. or lower, and a holding time at the heating temperature is 10 minutes or longer and 90 minutes or shorter.

A second main surface of the copper plate is opposite a first main surface of the copper plate, and is bonded to a silicon nitride ceramic substrate by the bonding layer. A first portion and a second portion of an end surface of the copper plate form an angle of 135 to 165 on an outside of the copper plate. An extended plane of the first portion and the second main surface form an angle of 110 to 145 a side where the second portion is located. A distance from the second main surface to an intersection of the first portion and the second portion in a direction of a thickness of the copper plate is 10 to 100 m. The second main surface extends beyond the extended plane of the first portion by a distance of 10 m or more.