Patent 7601296 was granted and assigned to Cabot Corporation on October, 2009 by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
A method of forming a sputtering target and other metal articles having controlled oxygen and nitrogen content levels and the articles so formed are described. The method includes surface-nitriding a deoxidized metal powder and further includes consolidating the powder by a powder metallurgy technique. Preferred metal powders include, but are not limited to, valve metals, including tantalum, niobium, and alloys thereof.