Provided is a method of producing a target material with reduced particle generation during sputtering, which is a method of producing a sputtering target material whose material is an alloy M, including a sintering step of sintering a mixed powder obtained by mixing a first powder and a second powder. A material of the first powder is an alloy M1 in which the proportion of a B content is from 40 at. % to 60 at. %. A material of the second powder is an alloy M2 in which the proportion of a B content is from 20 at. % to 35 at. %. The proportion of a B content in the mixed powder is from 33 at. % to 50 at. %. A metallographic structure including a (CoFe).sub.2B phase and a (CoFe)B phase is formed in the sintering step. A boundary length per unit area Y (1/μm), which is obtained by measuring a boundary length between the (CoFe).sub.2B phase and the (CoFe)B phase using a scanning electron microscope, and a proportion X (at. %) of a B content of the alloy M satisfy the expression

Y<−0.0015×(X−42.5).sup.2+0.15.

A production method for a gold sputtering target includes: producing a gold sputtering target which is made of gold and inevitable impurities and in which an average value of Vickers hardness is 40 or more and 60 or less, an average value of crystal grain size is 15 μm or more and 200 μm or less, and the {110} plane of gold is preferentially oriented to a surface to be sputtered of the gold sputtering target.

Methods of making catalyst electrodes comprising sputtering at least Pt and Ir onto nanostructured whiskers to provide multiple alternating layers comprising, respectively in any order, at least Pt and Ir. In some exemplary embodiments, catalyst electrodes described, or made as described, herein are anode catalyst, and in other exemplary embodiments cathode catalyst. Catalysts electrodes are useful, for example, in generating H.sub.2 and O.sub.2 from water.

Provided is an oxide-containing magnetic material sputtering target wherein the oxides have an average grain diameter of 400 nm or less. Also provided is a method of producing an oxide-containing magnetic material sputtering target. The method involves depositing a magnetic material on a substrate by the PVD or CVD method, then removing the substrate from the deposited magnetic material, pulverizing the material to obtain a raw material for the target, and further sintering the raw material. An object is to provide a magnetic material target, in particular, a nonmagnetic grain-dispersed ferromagnetic sputtering target capable of suppressing discharge abnormalities of oxides that are the cause of particle generation during sputtering.

A sputtering target and/or a coil disposed at a periphery of a plasma-generating region for confining plasma are provided. The target and/or coil has a surface to be eroded having a hydrogen content of 500 μL/cm.sup.2 or less. In dealing with reduction in hydrogen content of the surface of the target and/or coil, a process of producing the target and/or coil, in particular, conditions for heating the surface of the target and/or coil, which is believed to be a cause of hydrogen occlusion, are appropriately regulated. As a result, hydrogen occlusion at the surface of the target can be reduced, and the degree of vacuum during sputtering can be improved. Thus, a target and/or coil is provided that has a uniform and fine structure, makes plasma stable, and allows a film to be formed with excellent uniformity. A method of producing the target and/or the coil is also provided.

A novel metal oxide or a novel sputtering target is provided. A sputtering target includes a conductive material and an insulating material. The insulating material includes an oxide, a nitride, or an oxynitride including an element M1. The element M1 is one or more kinds of elements selected from Al, Ga, Si, Mg, Zr, Be, and B. The conductive material includes an oxide, a nitride, or an oxynitride including indium and zinc. A metal oxide film is deposited using the sputtering target in which the conductive material and the insulating material are separated from each other.

A high-temperature component made of a refractory metal or a refractory metal alloy, includes a coating for increasing thermal emissivity. The coating is formed substantially of tungsten and rhenium, i.e. of at least 55 wt. % rhenium and at least 10 wt. % tungsten, and has a Re3W phase of at least 35 wt. %. A process for producing a high-temperature component having a coating for increasing thermal emissivity, is also provided.

A doped nickel oxide target includes a nickel oxide substrate and a dopant doped therein. The dopant includes at least one compound that contains one or more elements of Cu, Ca, Cr, Sn, Hg, Pb, Mg, Mn, Ag, Co, and Pr.

A sputtering target containing molybdenum and at least one metal from the group tantalum and niobium. The average content of tantalum and/or niobium is from 5 to 15 at % and the molybdenum content is greater than or equal to 80 at %. The sputtering target has at least a matrix with an average molybdenum content of greater than or equal to 92 at % and particles which are composed of a solid solution containing at least one metal from the group of tantalum and niobium, and molybdenum, with an average molybdenum content of greater than or equal to 15 at % and are embedded in the matrix. There is also described a method of producing a sputtering target.

A gold sputtering target is made of gold and inevitable impurities, and has a surface to be sputtered. In the gold sputtering target, an average value of Vickers hardness is 40 or more and 60 or less, and an average crystal grain size is 15 μm or more and 200 μm or less. A {110} plane of gold is preferentially oriented at the surface to be sputtered.