Patent ID: 8765053

Claim:
A method for producing a Sn based alloy, the method comprising the steps of: a) selecting a metal matrix material comprising Sn; b) selecting a compound material of solid compound particles for inclusion into the metal matrix material as a dopant, thereby forming compound inclusions, the compound material being composed of one or more elements, one of these elements being selected from the group consisting of Ti, V, Hf and Zr; c) liquefying the metal matrix material; d) spraying the liquefied metal matrix material in a directed jet of matrix material droplets onto a target; and e) spraying, during step d), a directed jet of the solid compound particles onto the target, thereby effecting a mixing of matrix particles derived from the droplets of liquid metal matrix material with the solid compound particles, wherein fractions of all elements in the compound material and relative mass flows of the jet of matrix material droplets and the jet of solid compound particles are chosen such that a resulting Sn based alloy has a total content of 0.5 to 10 atomic % of the element selected from the group consisting of Ti, V, Hf and Zr.