Kobe Steel, Ltd.

Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho

Seiichiro Ohmoto

Kenji Yamamoto

Yoshihiko Sakashita

Mikako Takeda

Katsuhiro Uehara

Hiroshi Okada

Takao Kawanaka

Takao Fujikawa

Kazuya Suzuki

A hard film formed of a material containing a (MSi)(CN) compound, wherein M is at least one of A1 and the elements in groups 3A, 4A, 5A and 6A, 0.45&#x2266;x&#x2266;0.98 and 0&#x2266;d&#x2266;1, wherein x, 1&#x2212;x, d and 1&#x2212;d are atomic ratios of Si, M, N and C, respectively.

Hard film

A hard film formed of a material containing a (MSi)(CN) compound, wherein M is at least one of Al and the elements in groups 3A, 4A, 5A and 6A, 0.45&#x2266;x&#x2266;0.98 and 0&#x2266;d&#x2266;1, where x, 1-x, d and 1-d are atomic ratios of Si, M, N and C, respectively.

Apparatus for preparing compound single crystals

Method of forming a single crystal of ZnSe. A charge of material is loaded in a container. The charge of material is melted to create a melt of material. A single crystal is grown from the melt of material. Then, the grown crystal is brought out of contact with the wall surface of the container. The temperature of the crystal is varied across its phase transition temperature range while establishing a temperature gradient from one end of the grown crystal to the other end. This method is carried out, using a crystal grower comprising the container and an elevation member. The container is disposed inside a high-pressure vessel. The container tapers off downward and is provided with a hole extending from its lower end. The elevation member is inserted into the hole from below to push the grown crystal in a crucible upward. The container is composed of plural separable parts. After the growth of the crystal, the assembled parts are moved substantially horizontally outwardly so that the parts are separated from each other.

Method for growing single crystal

Growing community of inventors

Kobe, Japan

Seiichiro Ohmoto