A method for producing an alumina sintered body, comprising: molding an alumina powder to obtain an alumina article, the alumina powder comprising alumina particles having a particle diameter of not less than 0.1 μm and less than 1 μm, and alumina particles having a particle diameter of not less than 1 μm and less than 100 μm; forming a carbon powder-containing layer on a surface of the alumina article to obtain a laminate body; and irradiating a surface of the carbon powder-containing layer of the laminate body with a laser light to form a transparent alumina sintered portion.

Disclosed is a method of forming a conductive diamond layer on a surface of a carbon fibre substrate that is used as a component of an electrode for neural stimulation and/or electrochemical sensing. The method comprises functionalising at least a portion of the surface with a functionalising agent to facilitate coating the surface with the conductive diamond layer. The method also comprises providing a diamond precursor and depositing the diamond precursor over the functionalising agent to form the conductive diamond layer. The disclosure also relates to an electrode that is used as a component of an electrode for neural stimulation and/or electrochemical sensing.

A method of providing a particulate material from an at least substantially metallic and/or ceramic starting material, comprising the following steps:

(a) generating the particulate material from the starting material by vaporizing the starting material by introducing energy, preferably radiation energy, in particular by means of at least one laser, into the starting material and subsequently at least partially condensing the vaporized starting material,

b) collecting the particulate material in at least one receiving and/or transporting device, in particular at least one container,

c) receiving, in particular storing, and/or transporting the particulate material in the receiving and/or transporting device and/or in a further receiving and/or transporting device such that it can be used for a subsequent process, in particular in a state of at least non-permanent passivation, and

d) providing the particulate material for the subsequent process.

The present disclosure relates to an oxidation-induced shape memory fiber comprising a tension-bearing core material and/or a tension-bearing core material coated with an antioxidative coating, and an oxidizable pressure-bearing coating. The oxidizable pressure-bearing coating is coated outside the tension-bearing core material and/or the tension-bearing core material coated with an antioxidative coating; the oxidizable pressure-bearing coating is in compressive stress state and/or the tension-bearing core material coated with an antioxidative coating and the oxidizable pressure-bearing coating are in tension-compression balance state. The disclosure also relates to preparation and application thereof, the preparation is: reserving anchoring end, exerting tension force on tension-bearing core material and/or tension-bearing core material coated with an antioxidative coating, followed by coating oxidizable pressure-bearing coating thereon. The oxidation-induced shape memory fiber is applicable to high temperature oxidation environment.

Methods of flash sintering have been developed in which particle are initially coated with thin layers by atomic layer deposition (ALD). Examples are provided in which 8 mol % yttria-stabilized zirconia (8YSZ) particles are coated with small quantities of Al.sub.2O.sub.3 by particle atomic layer deposition (ALD). Sintered materials that result from the process have been characterized. Sintered materials having unique characteristics are also described.

Disclosed are methods of forming a chamber component for a process chamber. The methods may include filling a mold with nanoparticles or plasma spraying nanoparticles, where at least a portion of the nanoparticles include a core particle and a thin film coating over the core particle. The core particle and thin film are formed of, independently, a rare earth metal-containing oxide, a rare earth metal-containing fluoride, a rare earth metal-containing oxyfluoride, or combinations thereof. The nanoparticles may have a donut-shape having a spherical form with indentations on opposite sides. The methods also may include sintering the nanoparticles to form the chamber component and materials. Further described are chamber components and coatings formed from the described nanoparticles.

A method of providing a particulate material from an at least substantially metallic and/or ceramic starting material, comprising the following steps: (a) generating the particulate material from the starting material by vaporizing the starting material by introducing energy, preferably radiation energy, in particular by means of at least one laser, into the starting material and subsequently at least partially condensing the vaporized starting material, b) collecting the particulate material in at least one receiving and/or transporting device, in particular at least one container, c) receiving, in particular storing, and/or transporting the particulate material in the receiving and/or transporting device and/or in a further receiving and/or transporting device such that it can be used for a subsequent process, in particular in a state of at least non-permanent passivation, and d) providing the particulate material for the subsequent process.

Methods of forming nanoceramic materials and components. The methods may include performing atomic layer deposition to form a plurality of nanoparticles, including forming a thin film coating over core particles, or sintering the nanoparticles in a mold. The nanoparticles can include a first material selected from a rare earth metal-containing oxide, a rare earth metal-containing fluoride, a rare earth metal-containing oxyfluoride or combinations thereof.

A cubic boron nitride sintered material comprises cubic boron nitride particles, a binding phase, and an interfacial phase. The interfacial phase intervenes between the cubic boron nitride particles and the binding phase. The interfacial phase includes aluminum, nitrogen, boron, and oxygen. A total of an average value of the atomic concentrations of aluminum included in the interfacial phase and an average value of the atomic concentrations of nitrogen included in the interfacial phase is 50.0 at % or more. A ratio of an average value of the atomic concentrations of nitrogen included in the interfacial phase to an average value of the atomic concentrations of boron included in the interfacial phase is more than 1.00.

Nanopowders containing nanoparticles having a core particle with a thin film coating. The core particles and thin film coatings are, independently, formed from at least one of a rare earth metal-containing oxide, a rare earth metal-containing fluoride, a rare earth metal-containing oxyfluoride or combinations thereof. The thin film coating may be formed using a non-line of sight technique such as atomic layer deposition (ALD). Also disclosed herein are nanoceramic materials formed from the nanopowders and methods of making and using the nanopowders.