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Recent Advances in Semiconducting Thin Films
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Recent Advances in Semiconducting Thin Films

A special issue of Coatings (ISSN 2079-6412). This special issue belongs to the section "Thin Films".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2023) | Viewed by 11074

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Ihor S. Virt

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Drohobych Ivan Franko State Pedagogical University, Ivan Franko 24, 82100 Drohobych, Ukraine
Interests: condensed phase physics; optoelectronic; thin-film technologies; thin-film materials; epitaxial thin films; pulsed laser deposition; photocurrent spectroscopy; low-frequency noise spectroscopy; photovoltaic and thermoelectric structures
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The section is interested in the use of thin films in various fields of science and technology. In particular, interest in thin-film materials - as key elements of technological progress in the production of electronic, photonic and optoelectronic devices and their integration into various types of devices. Use of high-efficiency thin-film materials for photovoltaic and thermoelectric converters, and in industrial devices. Areas of application of thin film materials, for example: photodetectors, infrared and quantum infrared photodetectors, semiconductor and quantum cascade lasers, photovoltaic cells, field-effect transistors, integrated circuits. These include semiconductor devices, wireless devices, telecommunications, integrated circuits, and computer chips.  

The thin film materials for this section include semiconductors, thin films of metal, conductive thin films of metal oxides, organic and amorphous semiconductors, carbon thin films, nanostructured materials and the like.

This includes:

  • Scientific aspects of methods of deposition and processing of thin films. Growth and crystallization of thin films, atomic layer crystallization, nucleation and processes during growth and heat treatment of thin films. Formation of crystal structure during growth of metal films, epitaxial thin films, expectations and real structure of monocrystalline films. In situ growth and classification of cluster morphologists: study of carbon-based materials and growth of composite metal thin films.
  • Thin film and coating technologies, including physical vapor deposition (PVD), pulsed laser deposition methods (PLD), plasma and ion beam methods, chemical vapor deposition (CVD).
  • Diagnosis of the characteristics of thin films - using electrical, thermal, spectroscopic, optical, mechanical, X-ray and electron microscopic methods. Photocurrent spectroscopy, low-frequency noise spectroscopy of thin films and film devices, low-energy electron diffraction spectroscopy and photoelectron spectroscopy of ultrathin films.

In particular, the topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

  • technologies for growing thin films;
  • mechanisms of growth of thin films;
  • wide-bandgap and narrow-bandgap semiconductors thin films;
  • carbon: nanotubes and graphene;
  • topological insulators thin films;
  • thin film structures for photovoltaic and thermoelectric devices;
  • thin film coatings for biomedicine and bioelectronics devices.

Prof. Dr. Ihor S. Virt
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Coatings is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • thin-film technologies
  • mechanisms of growth of thin films
  • thin-film structures
  • electronic
  • optoelectronic
  • photovoltaic
  • thermoelectric structures and devices
  • thin film coatings

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research

6 pages, 198 KiB  
Editorial
Special Issue: Recent Advances in Semiconducting Thin Films
by Ihor Virt
Coatings 2023, 13(1), 79; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings13010079 - 1 Jan 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1939
Abstract
The application of thin-films as development direction of integrated electronics is based on the sequential build-up of films of various materials on a common base (substrate) with the simultaneous formation of micro-parts (resistors, capacitors, contact pads, etc [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Semiconducting Thin Films)

Research

Jump to: Editorial

8 pages, 2420 KiB  
Article
In Situ Synthesis of High Thermoelectric Performance Bi2Te3 Flexible Thin Films through Thermal Diffusion Engineering
by Ning Chen, Dongwei Ao, Junji Guo, Wenke Bao, Yuexing Chen and Zhuanghao Zheng
Coatings 2023, 13(12), 2018; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings13122018 - 29 Nov 2023
Viewed by 765
Abstract
Bi2Te3-based materials are promising candidates for near-room-temperature applications due to their high thermoelectric performance and low cost. Here, an innovative thermal diffusion strategy combined with magnetron sputtering and thermal evaporation methods was employed to fabricate Bi2Te3 [...] Read more.
Bi2Te3-based materials are promising candidates for near-room-temperature applications due to their high thermoelectric performance and low cost. Here, an innovative thermal diffusion strategy combined with magnetron sputtering and thermal evaporation methods was employed to fabricate Bi2Te3 flexible thin films (f-TFs) on a flexible polyimide substrate. An in situ synthesis of Bi2Te3 f-TFs with good crystallinity was obtained using a straightforward thermal diffusion method through diffusion of Te into a Bi precursor under low vacuum conditions (1 × 105 Pa). This method offers easy preparation, low cost, and a large-area film preparation for industrialization. The electrical conductivity increases with increasing thermal diffusion temperatures. A high room temperature carrier mobility of ~28.7 cm−2 V−1 S−1 and an electrical conductivity of ~995.6 S cm−1 can be achieved. Then, a moderate room temperature Seebeck coefficient >100 μV K−1 was obtained due to the chemical stoichiometry being close to the standard by optimizing the thermal diffusion temperature. Consequently, a maximum room temperature PF of ~11.6 μW cm−1 K−1 was observed in Bi2Te3 f-TFs prepared using a thermal diffusion temperature of 653 K. The thermal diffusion strategy applied in the thin film preparation represents an effective approach for the preparation of high thermoelectric performance Bi2Te3 f-TFs, offering a promising route for future thermoelectric applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Semiconducting Thin Films)
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9 pages, 3445 KiB  
Communication
Enhanced Thermoelectric Properties of Sb2Te3 Thin Films by In Doping
by Meng Wei, Yiming Zhong, Gaiqing Zhao, Ping Fan, Dongwei Ao, Zhuanghao Zheng and Yuexing Chen
Coatings 2023, 13(10), 1784; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings13101784 - 17 Oct 2023
Viewed by 898
Abstract
Flexible Sb2Te3-based thermoelectric (TE) materials are promising candidates for fabricating energy devices that power wearable electronics and sensors. Enhancing the TE properties of Sb2Te3 thin films represents a significant scientific investigation. In this work, a thermal [...] Read more.
Flexible Sb2Te3-based thermoelectric (TE) materials are promising candidates for fabricating energy devices that power wearable electronics and sensors. Enhancing the TE properties of Sb2Te3 thin films represents a significant scientific investigation. In this work, a thermal diffusion method is applied to prepare the In-doped Sb2Te3 thin film. In doping can lead to a high Seebeck coefficient of ~137.04 μV K−1 as well as moderate electrical conductivity. As a result, the high power factor of ~18.22 μW cm−1 K−2 at 303 K is achieved. Moreover, In doping could reduce the thermal conductivity owing to the increase in phonon scattering. Finally, the high ZT values of ~0.47 at room temperature (303 K) and ~0.6 at 453 K are obtained. This indicates that In doping is a highly promising and effective approach to improving the TE performance of Sb2Te3 thin films. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Semiconducting Thin Films)
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14 pages, 4589 KiB  
Article
Influence of the Cadmium Sulfide Chemical Bath Deposition Temperature on Cadmium Sulfide/Zinc Oxide Thin Films
by Egle Usoviene, Neringa Petrasauskiene, Gediminas Jakubauskas and Edita Paluckiene
Coatings 2023, 13(7), 1197; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings13071197 - 3 Jul 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1297
Abstract
The spin-coating method has been employed for nanostructured crystalline zinc oxide (ZnO) thin film preparation on FTO glass substrates. Cadmium sulfide (CdS) layers were then deposited on the surface via the chemical bath deposition method. To investigate the effect of the formation of [...] Read more.
The spin-coating method has been employed for nanostructured crystalline zinc oxide (ZnO) thin film preparation on FTO glass substrates. Cadmium sulfide (CdS) layers were then deposited on the surface via the chemical bath deposition method. To investigate the effect of the formation of the CdS layer on ZnO/FTO, the deposition of these layers was performed at three different temperatures (40, 60, and 80 °C). The synthesized CdS/ZnO composite was found to have homogenously distributed crystalline grains of both ZnO and CdS. The uniform distribution of the grains and the equal molar ratio of the two components resulted in excellent optical and photocatalytic performance. Analysis of CdS/ZnO thin films was performed using XRD analysis, UV-vis spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and linear sweep voltammetry. The best optical, morphological, and electrical properties and the highest photocurrent value of the CdS/ZnO thin films were obtained when the CdS layers were formed at 60 °C. X-ray diffraction characterization revealed that CdS/ZnO thin films crystallized into hexagonal wurtzite ZnO and cubic CdS. The crystallite size of ZnO and CdS/ZnO was ~38 nm and ~19 nm, respectively. The band gap calculated for CdS/ZnO, formed at different temperatures, varies from 2.05 to 2.15 eV. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Semiconducting Thin Films)
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13 pages, 3245 KiB  
Article
Growth of Zn1−xNixO Thin Films and Their Structural, Optical and Magneto-Optical Properties
by Ihor Stolyarchuk, Oleh Kuzyk, Olesya Dan’kiv, Andrzej Dziedzic, Gennadiy Kleto, Andriy Stolyarchuk, Andriy Popovych and Ivan Hadzaman
Coatings 2023, 13(3), 601; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings13030601 - 11 Mar 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1412
Abstract
The radio frequency (RF) reactive sputtering technique has been used to prepare Zn1−xNixO thin films with 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.08. Composite targets were obtained by mixing and pressing NiO and ZnO powders. Sapphire, quartz and glass were used [...] Read more.
The radio frequency (RF) reactive sputtering technique has been used to prepare Zn1−xNixO thin films with 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.08. Composite targets were obtained by mixing and pressing NiO and ZnO powders. Sapphire, quartz and glass were used as substrates. X-ray diffraction analysis of Ni-doped ZnO films indicates that all samples are crystalised in a hexagonal wurtzite structure with a preferred orientation along the (002) plane. Any secondary phase, corresponding to metallic nickel clusters or nickel oxides was not observed. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) image observed for Zn1−xNixO thin film shows a strong preferred orientation (texture) of crystalline columns in the direction perpendicular to the substrate surface. Different surface morphology was revealed in AFM images depending on the film composition and growth condition. Optical absorption spectra suggest the substitution of Zn2+ ions in the ZnO lattice by Ni2+ ions. The energy bandgap value was also found a complex dependence with an increase in Ni dopant concentration. In photoluminescence spectra, two main peaks were revealed, which are ascribed to near band gap emission and vacancy or defect states. Faraday rotation demonstrates its enhancement and growth of ferromagnetism with the increase in Ni content of Zn1−xNixO thin films at room temperature. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Semiconducting Thin Films)
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13 pages, 4765 KiB  
Article
In Situ Plasma Impedance Monitoring of the Oxide Layer PECVD Process
by Hyun Keun Park, Wan Soo Song and Sang Jeen Hong
Coatings 2023, 13(3), 559; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings13030559 - 5 Mar 2023
Viewed by 2065
Abstract
The use of plasma in semiconductor fabrication processes has been continuously increasing because of the miniaturization of semiconductor device structure, and plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) has become a major process in thin film deposition. As a consequence, plasma diagnosis has become [...] Read more.
The use of plasma in semiconductor fabrication processes has been continuously increasing because of the miniaturization of semiconductor device structure, and plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) has become a major process in thin film deposition. As a consequence, plasma diagnosis has become crucial during the deposition process, but the lack of in situ plasma monitoring sensors requires further development of existing in situ sensors, such as the Langmuir probe and optical emission spectroscopy (OES), for in situ plasma process monitoring. In this study, electrically equivalent circuit models of the PECVD chamber functioned as a plasma impedance model with respect to the deposited thin film thickness while plasma impedance was measured using a radio frequency voltage–current (VI) probe. We observed a significant correlation between the deposited film thickness of the chamber wall and the measured impedance of the PECVD chamber cleaning application in the semiconductor industry. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Semiconducting Thin Films)
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13 pages, 1009 KiB  
Article
The Modeling of Self-Consistent Electron–Deformation–Diffusion Effects in Thin Films with Lattice Parameter Mismatch
by Oleh Kuzyk, Olesya Dan’kiv, Ihor Stolyarchuk, Roman Peleshchak and Yuriy Pavlovskyy
Coatings 2023, 13(3), 509; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings13030509 - 25 Feb 2023
Viewed by 1661
Abstract
In our work, the model of self-consistent electron–deformation–diffusion effects in thin films grown on substrate with the mismatch of lattice parameters of the contacting materials is constructed. The proposed theory self-consistently takes into account the interaction of the elastic field (created by the [...] Read more.
In our work, the model of self-consistent electron–deformation–diffusion effects in thin films grown on substrate with the mismatch of lattice parameters of the contacting materials is constructed. The proposed theory self-consistently takes into account the interaction of the elastic field (created by the mismatch of lattice parameters of the film and the substrate, and point defects) with the diffusion processes of point defects and the electron subsystem of semiconductor film. Within the framework of the developed model, the spatial distribution of deformation, concentration of defects, conduction electrons and electric field intensity is investigated, depending on the value of the mismatch, the type of defects, the average concentrations of point defects and conduction electrons. It is established that the coordinate dependence of deformation and the concentration profile of defects of the type of stretching (compression) centers, along the axis of growth of the strained film, have a non-monotonic character with minima (maxima), the positions of which are determined by the average concentration of point defects. It is shown that due to the electron–deformation interaction in film with a lattice parameter mismatch, the spatial redistribution of conduction electrons is observed and n-n+ transitions can occur. Information about the self-consistent spatial redistribution of point defects, electrons and deformation of the crystal lattice in semiconductor materials is necessary for understanding the problems of their stability and degradation of nano-optoelectronic devices operating under conditions of intense irradiation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Semiconducting Thin Films)
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