A method of forming a monocrystalline nitinol film on a single crystal silicon wafer can comprise depositing a first seed layer of a first metal on the single crystal silicon wafer, the first seed layer growing epitaxially on the single crystal silicon wafer in response to the depositing the first seed layer of the first metal; and depositing the monocrystalline nitinol film on a final seed layer, the monocrystalline nitinol film growing epitaxially on the final seed layer in response to the depositing the monocrystalline nitinol film. The method can form a multilayer stack for a micro-electromechanical system MEMS device.

A method of forming a monocrystalline nitinol film on a single crystal silicon wafer can comprise depositing a first seed layer of a first metal on the single crystal silicon wafer, the first seed layer growing epitaxially on the single crystal silicon wafer in response to the depositing the first seed layer of the first metal; and depositing the monocrystalline nitinol film on a final seed layer, the monocrystalline nitinol film growing epitaxially on the final seed layer in response to the depositing the monocrystalline nitinol film. The method can form a multilayer stack for a micro-electromechanical system MEMS device.

Metastable alloys have recently emerged as high-performance catalysts, extending the toolbox of binary alloy materials that can be utilized to mediate electrocatalytic reactions. In particular, nanostructured metastable ordered intermetallic compounds are particularly challenging to synthesize. Here the present invention is directed to a method for synthesizing sub-15 nm metastable ordered intermetallic Pd31Bi12 nanoparticles at room temperature, in a single step, by pulsed electrochemical deposition onto high surface area carbon supports. The resulting Pd31Bi12 nanoparticles displays a 7× enhancement of the mass activity relative to Pt/C and a 4× enhancement relative to Pd/C for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). The high performance of Pd31Bi12 nanoparticles is demonstrated to arise from reduced oxygen binding caused by alloying of Pd with Bi. The isolation of Pd-sites from each other facilitate methanol tolerant ORR behavior.

Metastable alloys have recently emerged as high-performance catalysts, extending the toolbox of binary alloy materials that can be utilized to mediate electrocatalytic reactions. In particular, nanostructured metastable ordered intermetallic compounds are particularly challenging to synthesize. Here the present invention is directed to a method for synthesizing sub-15 nm metastable ordered intermetallic Pd31Bi12 nanoparticles at room temperature, in a single step, by pulsed electrochemical deposition onto high surface area carbon supports. The resulting Pd31Bi12 nanoparticles displays a 7× enhancement of the mass activity relative to Pt/C and a 4× enhancement relative to Pd/C for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). The high performance of Pd31Bi12 nanoparticles is demonstrated to arise from reduced oxygen binding caused by alloying of Pd with Bi. The isolation of Pd-sites from each other facilitate methanol tolerant ORR behavior.

A method for manufacturing a blade with a first portion and a second portion, the method includes forming the first portion that includes forming a model of the first portion from removable material, forming a first shell mould from the model of the first portion, and forming the single-crystal or columnar first portion m a first metal alloy in the first shell mould from a single-crystal seed, and forming the second portion in which the second portion is formed on the first portion, and in which the first portion and the second portion are made from different materials, the second portion being polycrystalline and formed from a second metal alloy. The blade includes a single-crystal or columnar first portion made from a first metal alloy and a polycrystalline second portion made from the second metal alloy different from the first metal alloy.

A method for manufacturing a blade with a first portion and a second portion, the method includes forming the first portion that includes forming a model of the first portion from removable material, forming a first shell mould from the model of the first portion, and forming the single-crystal or columnar first portion m a first metal alloy in the first shell mould from a single-crystal seed, and forming the second portion in which the second portion is formed on the first portion, and in which the first portion and the second portion are made from different materials, the second portion being polycrystalline and formed from a second metal alloy. The blade includes a single-crystal or columnar first portion made from a first metal alloy and a polycrystalline second portion made from the second metal alloy different from the first metal alloy.

A method and a wafer processing furnace for forming an epitaxial stack on a plurality of substrates is provided. In a preferred embodiment, the method comprises providing the plurality of substrates to a process chamber. A plurality of deposition cycles is executed, thereby forming the epitaxial stack on the plurality of substrates. The epitaxial stack comprises a plurality of epitaxial pairs, wherein the epitaxial pairs each comprises a first epitaxial layer and a second epitaxial layer, the second epitaxial layer being different from the first epitaxial layer. Each deposition cycle comprises a first deposition pulse and a second deposition pulse. The first deposition pulse comprises a provision of a first reaction gas mixture to the process chamber, thereby forming the first epitaxial layer. The second deposition pulse comprises a provision of a second reaction gas mixture to the process chamber, thereby forming the second epitaxial layer. The first deposition pulse or the second deposition pulse further comprises a provision of a dopant precursor gas to the process chamber.

A method and a wafer processing furnace for forming an epitaxial stack on a plurality of substrates is provided. In a preferred embodiment, the method comprises providing the plurality of substrates to a process chamber. A plurality of deposition cycles is executed, thereby forming the epitaxial stack on the plurality of substrates. The epitaxial stack comprises a plurality of epitaxial pairs, wherein the epitaxial pairs each comprises a first epitaxial layer and a second epitaxial layer, the second epitaxial layer being different from the first epitaxial layer. Each deposition cycle comprises a first deposition pulse and a second deposition pulse. The first deposition pulse comprises a provision of a first reaction gas mixture to the process chamber, thereby forming the first epitaxial layer. The second deposition pulse comprises a provision of a second reaction gas mixture to the process chamber, thereby forming the second epitaxial layer. The first deposition pulse or the second deposition pulse further comprises a provision of a dopant precursor gas to the process chamber.

A method and a wafer processing furnace for forming an epitaxial stack on a plurality of substrates is provided. In a preferred embodiment, the method comprises providing plurality of substrates to a process chamber. A plurality of deposition cycles are executed, thereby forming the epitaxial stack on the plurality of substrates. The epitaxial comprises a plurality of epitaxial pairs, each pair comprising a first epitaxial layer and a second epitaxial layer. The deposition cycle comprises a first deposition pulse and a second deposition pulse. The first deposition pulse comprises a provision of a first reaction gas mixture to the process chamber, thereby forming the first epitaxial layer and the second deposition pulse comprises a provision of a second reaction gas mixture to the process chamber, thereby forming the second epitaxial layer

A method and a wafer processing furnace for forming an epitaxial stack on a plurality of substrates is provided. In a preferred embodiment, the method comprises providing plurality of substrates to a process chamber. A plurality of deposition cycles are executed, thereby forming the epitaxial stack on the plurality of substrates. The epitaxial comprises a plurality of epitaxial pairs, each pair comprising a first epitaxial layer and a second epitaxial layer. The deposition cycle comprises a first deposition pulse and a second deposition pulse. The first deposition pulse comprises a provision of a first reaction gas mixture to the process chamber, thereby forming the first epitaxial layer and the second deposition pulse comprises a provision of a second reaction gas mixture to the process chamber, thereby forming the second epitaxial layer