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15 pages, 3956 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Physicochemical and Mechanical Performance of Freestanding Boron-Doped Diamond Nanosheets Coated with C:H:N:O Plasma Polymer

by Michał Rycewicz, Łukasz Macewicz, Jiri Kratochvil, Alicja Stanisławska, Mateusz Ficek, Mirosław Sawczak, Vitezslav Stranak, Marek Szkodo and Robert Bogdanowicz

Materials 2020, 13(8), 1861; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma13081861 - 15 Apr 2020

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2580

Abstract

The physicochemical and mechanical properties of thin and freestanding heavy boron-doped diamond (BDD) nanosheets coated with a thin C:H:N:O plasma polymer were studied. First, diamond nanosheets were grown and doped with boron on a Ta substrate using the microwave plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition [...] Read more.

The physicochemical and mechanical properties of thin and freestanding heavy boron-doped diamond (BDD) nanosheets coated with a thin C:H:N:O plasma polymer were studied. First, diamond nanosheets were grown and doped with boron on a Ta substrate using the microwave plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition technique (MPECVD). Next, the BDD/Ta samples were covered with nylon 6.6 to improve their stability in harsh environments and flexibility during elastic deformations. Plasma polymer films with a thickness of the 500–1000 nm were obtained by magnetron sputtering of a bulk target of nylon 6.6. Hydrophilic nitrogen-rich C:H:N:O was prepared by the sputtering of nylon 6.6. C:H:N:O as a film with high surface energy improves adhesion in ambient conditions. The nylon–diamond interface was perfectly formed, and hence, the adhesion behavior could be attributed to the dissipation of viscoelastic energy originating from irreversible energy loss in soft polymer structure. Diamond surface heterogeneities have been shown to pin the contact edge, indicating that the retraction process causes instantaneous fluctuations on the surface in specified microscale regions. The observed Raman bands at 390, 275, and 220 cm⁻¹ were weak; therefore, the obtained films exhibited a low level of nylon 6 polymerization and short-distance arrangement, indicating crystal symmetry and interchain interactions. The mechanical properties of the nylon-on-diamond were determined by a nanoindentation test in multiload mode. Increasing the maximum load during the nanoindentation test resulted in a decreased hardness of the fabricated structure. The integration of freestanding diamond nanosheets will make it possible to design flexible chemical multielectrode sensors. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sputtering Technologies for Growth of Advanced Thin Film)

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13 pages, 2649 KiB

Open AccessArticle

On the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of CrN_x/Ag Multilayer Films Prepared by Magnetron Sputtering

by Chunfu Hong, Ping He, Jun Tian, Fa Chang, Jianbo Wu, Pingshan Zhang and Pinqiang Dai

Materials 2020, 13(6), 1316; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma13061316 - 13 Mar 2020

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2200

Abstract

CrN_x/Ag multilayer coatings and a comparative CrN_x single layer were deposited via reactive magnetron sputtering. In multilayer coatings, the thickness of each CrN_x layer was constant at 60 nm, while that of the Ag layer was adjusted from 3 [...] Read more.

CrN_x/Ag multilayer coatings and a comparative CrN_x single layer were deposited via reactive magnetron sputtering. In multilayer coatings, the thickness of each CrN_x layer was constant at 60 nm, while that of the Ag layer was adjusted from 3 to 10 nm. Microstructure of the films was characterized by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron spectroscopy. The results suggest that the film containing 3 nm of Ag layer presents a nanocomposite structure comprising fine nano-grains and quasi-amorphous clusters. With Ag layer thickness reaching 4.5 nm and above, Ag grains coalesce to produce continuous an Ag layer and exhibit (111) preferential crystallization. Hardness of the films was detected by nanoindentation and it reveals that with increasing the Ag layer thickness, the hardness continuously decreases from 30.2 to 11.6 GPa. Wear performance of the films was examined by the ball-on-disk test at 500 °C. The result suggests that the out-diffusion of Ag towards film surface contributes to the friction reduction, while the wear performance of films depends on the thickness of the Ag layer. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sputtering Technologies for Growth of Advanced Thin Film)

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21 pages, 4514 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Application-Specific Oxide-Based and Metal–Dielectric Thin-Film Materials Prepared by Radio Frequency Magnetron Sputtering

by Mohammad Nur-E-Alam, Wade Lonsdale, Mikhail Vasiliev and Kamal Alameh

Materials 2019, 12(20), 3448; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma12203448 - 21 Oct 2019

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3537

Abstract

We report on the development of several different thin-film functional material systems prepared by radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering at Edith Cowan University nanofabrication labs. While focusing on the RF sputtering process optimizations for new or the previously underexplored material compositions and multilayer [...] Read more.

We report on the development of several different thin-film functional material systems prepared by radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering at Edith Cowan University nanofabrication labs. While focusing on the RF sputtering process optimizations for new or the previously underexplored material compositions and multilayer structures, we disclose several unforeseen material properties and behaviours. Among these are an unconventional magnetic hysteresis loop with an intermediate saturation state observed in garnet trilayers, and an ultrasensitive magnetic switching behaviour in garnet-oxide composites (GOC). We also report on the unusually high thermal exposure stability observed in some nanoengineered metal–dielectric multilayers. We communicate research results related to the design, prototyping, and practical fabrication of high-performance magneto-optic (MO) materials, oxide-based sensor components, and heat regulation coatings for advanced construction and solar windows. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sputtering Technologies for Growth of Advanced Thin Film)

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9 pages, 2872 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evolution of the Internal Structure of Short-Period Cr/V Multilayers with Different Vanadium Layers Thicknesses

by Runze Qi, Qiushi Huang, Jiani Fei, Igor V. Kozhevnikov, Yang Liu, Pin Li, Zhong Zhang and Zhanshan Wang

Materials 2019, 12(18), 2936; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma12182936 - 11 Sep 2019

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 1978

Abstract

Cr/V multilayer mirrors are suitable for applications in the “water window” spectral ranges. To study factors influencing the internal microstructure of Cr/V multilayers, multilayers with different vanadium layers thicknesses varying from 0.6 nm to 4.0 nm, and a fixed thickness (1.3 nm) of [...] Read more.

Cr/V multilayer mirrors are suitable for applications in the “water window” spectral ranges. To study factors influencing the internal microstructure of Cr/V multilayers, multilayers with different vanadium layers thicknesses varying from 0.6 nm to 4.0 nm, and a fixed thickness (1.3 nm) of chromium layers, were fabricated and characterized with a set of experimental techniques. The average interface width characterizing a cumulative effect of different structure irregularities was demonstrated to exhibit non-monotonous dependence on the V layer thickness and achieve a minimal value of 0.31 nm when the thickness of the V layers was 1.2 nm. The discontinuous growth of very thin V films increased in roughness as the thickness of V layers decreased. The columnar growth of the polycrystalline grains in both materials became more pronounced with increasing thickness, resulting in a continuous increase in the interface width to a maximum of 0.9 nm for a 4 nm thickness of the V layer. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sputtering Technologies for Growth of Advanced Thin Film)

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11 pages, 2347 KiB

Open AccessArticle

High-quality GeSn Layer with Sn Composition up to 7% Grown by Low-Temperature Magnetron Sputtering for Optoelectronic Application

by Jiayin Yang, Huiyong Hu, Yuanhao Miao, Linpeng Dong, Bin Wang, Wei Wang, Han Su, Rongxi Xuan and Heming Zhang

Materials 2019, 12(17), 2662; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma12172662 - 21 Aug 2019

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2929

Abstract

In this paper, a high-quality sputtered-GeSn layer on Ge (100) with a Sn composition up to 7% was demonstrated. The crystallinity of the GeSn layer was investigated via high-resolution X-ray diffraction (HR-XRD) and the strain relaxation degree of the GeSn layer was evaluated [...] Read more.

In this paper, a high-quality sputtered-GeSn layer on Ge (100) with a Sn composition up to 7% was demonstrated. The crystallinity of the GeSn layer was investigated via high-resolution X-ray diffraction (HR-XRD) and the strain relaxation degree of the GeSn layer was evaluated to be approximately 50%. A novel method was also proposed to evaluate the averaged threading dislocation densities (TDDs) in the GeSn layer, which was obtained from the rocking curve of GeSn layer along the (004) plane. The photoluminescence (PL) measurement result shows the significant optical emission (1870 nm) from the deposited high-quality GeSn layer. To verify whether our deposited GeSn can be used for optoelectronic devices, we fabricated the simple vertical p-i-n diode, and the room temperature current–voltage (I–V) characteristic was obtained. Our work paves the way for future sputtered-GeSn optimization, which is critical for optoelectronic applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sputtering Technologies for Growth of Advanced Thin Film)

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12 pages, 3551 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Bias Voltage on Mechanical Properties of HiPIMS/RFMS Cosputtered Zr–Si–N Films

by Yung-I Chen, Yu-Zhe Zheng, Li-Chun Chang and Yu-Heng Liu

Materials 2019, 12(17), 2658; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma12172658 - 21 Aug 2019

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2006

Abstract

Zr–Si–N films with atomic ratios of N/(Zr + Si) of 0.54–0.82 were fabricated through high-power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS)–radio-frequency magnetron sputtering (RFMS) cosputtering by applying an average HiPIMS power of 300 W on the Zr target, various RF power levels on the Si [...] Read more.

Zr–Si–N films with atomic ratios of N/(Zr + Si) of 0.54–0.82 were fabricated through high-power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS)–radio-frequency magnetron sputtering (RFMS) cosputtering by applying an average HiPIMS power of 300 W on the Zr target, various RF power levels on the Si target, and negative bias voltage levels of 0–150 V connected to the substrate holder. Applying a negative bias voltage on substrates enhanced the ion bombardment effect, which affected the chemical compositions, mechanical properties, and residual stress of the Zr–Si–N films. The results indicated that Zr–Si–N films with Si content ranging from 1.4 to 6.3 atom % exhibited a high hardness level of 33.2–34.6 GPa accompanied with a compressive stress of 4.3–6.4 GPa, an H/E* level of 0.080–0.107, an H³/E*² level of 0.21–0.39 GPa, and an elastic recovery of 62–72%. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sputtering Technologies for Growth of Advanced Thin Film)

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16 pages, 4071 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Magnetron Sputtering of Polymeric Targets: From Thin Films to Heterogeneous Metal/Plasma Polymer Nanoparticles

by Ondřej Kylián, Artem Shelemin, Pavel Solař, Pavel Pleskunov, Daniil Nikitin, Anna Kuzminova, Radka Štefaníková, Peter Kúš, Miroslav Cieslar, Jan Hanuš, Andrei Choukourov and Hynek Biederman

Materials 2019, 12(15), 2366; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma12152366 - 25 Jul 2019

Cited by 28 | Viewed by 4445

Abstract

Magnetron sputtering is a well-known technique that is commonly used for the deposition of thin compact films. However, as was shown in the 1990s, when sputtering is performed at pressures high enough to trigger volume nucleation/condensation of the supersaturated vapor generated by the [...] Read more.

Magnetron sputtering is a well-known technique that is commonly used for the deposition of thin compact films. However, as was shown in the 1990s, when sputtering is performed at pressures high enough to trigger volume nucleation/condensation of the supersaturated vapor generated by the magnetron, various kinds of nanoparticles may also be produced. This finding gave rise to the rapid development of magnetron-based gas aggregation sources. Such systems were successfully used for the production of single material nanoparticles from metals, metal oxides, and plasma polymers. In addition, the growing interest in multi-component heterogeneous nanoparticles has led to the design of novel systems for the gas-phase synthesis of such nanomaterials, including metal/plasma polymer nanoparticles. In this featured article, we briefly summarized the principles of the basis of gas-phase nanoparticles production and highlighted recent progress made in the field of the fabrication of multi-component nanoparticles. We then introduced a gas aggregation source of plasma polymer nanoparticles that utilized radio frequency magnetron sputtering of a polymeric target with an emphasis on the key features of this kind of source. Finally, we presented and discussed three strategies suitable for the generation of metal/plasma polymer multi-core@shell or core-satellite nanoparticles: the use of composite targets, a multi-magnetron approach, and in-flight coating of plasma polymer nanoparticles by metal. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sputtering Technologies for Growth of Advanced Thin Film)

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Review

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18 pages, 5075 KiB

Open AccessReview

Pathways to Tailor Photocatalytic Performance of TiO₂ Thin Films Deposited by Reactive Magnetron Sputtering

by Alexander Vahl, Salih Veziroglu, Bodo Henkel, Thomas Strunskus, Oleksandr Polonskyi, Oral Cenk Aktas and Franz Faupel

Materials 2019, 12(17), 2840; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma12172840 - 03 Sep 2019

Cited by 58 | Viewed by 5811

Abstract

TiO₂ thin films are used extensively for a broad range of applications including environmental remediation, self-cleaning technologies (windows, building exteriors, and textiles), water splitting, antibacterial, and biomedical surfaces. While a broad range of methods such as wet-chemical synthesis techniques, chemical vapor deposition [...] Read more.

TiO₂ thin films are used extensively for a broad range of applications including environmental remediation, self-cleaning technologies (windows, building exteriors, and textiles), water splitting, antibacterial, and biomedical surfaces. While a broad range of methods such as wet-chemical synthesis techniques, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), and physical vapor deposition (PVD) have been developed for preparation of TiO₂ thin films, PVD techniques allow a good control of the homogeneity and thickness as well as provide a good film adhesion. On the other hand, the choice of the PVD technique enormously influences the photocatalytic performance of the TiO₂ layer to be deposited. Three important parameters play an important role on the photocatalytic performance of TiO₂ thin films: first, the different pathways in crystallization (nucleation and growth); second, anatase/rutile formation; and third, surface area at the interface to the reactants. This study aims to provide a review regarding some strategies developed by our research group in recent years to improve the photocatalytic performance of TiO₂ thin films. An innovative approach, which uses thermally induced nanocrack networks as an effective tool to enhance the photocatalytic performance of sputter deposited TiO₂ thin films, is presented. Plasmonic and non-plasmonic enhancement of photocatalytic performance by decorating TiO₂ thin films with metallic nanostructures are also briefly discussed by case studies. In addition to remediation applications, a new approach, which utilizes highly active photocatalytic TiO₂ thin film for micro- and nanostructuring, is also presented. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sputtering Technologies for Growth of Advanced Thin Film)

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26 pages, 4125 KiB

Open AccessReview

Sputtered LiCoO₂ Cathode Materials for All-Solid-State Thin-Film Lithium Microbatteries

by Christian M. Julien, Alain Mauger and Obili M. Hussain

Materials 2019, 12(17), 2687; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma12172687 - 22 Aug 2019

Cited by 41 | Viewed by 6294

Abstract

This review article presents the literature survey on radio frequency (RF)-magnetron sputtered LiCoO₂ thin films used as cathode materials in all-solid-state rechargeable lithium microbatteries. As the process parameters lead to a variety of texture and preferential orientation, the influence of the sputtering [...] Read more.

This review article presents the literature survey on radio frequency (RF)-magnetron sputtered LiCoO₂ thin films used as cathode materials in all-solid-state rechargeable lithium microbatteries. As the process parameters lead to a variety of texture and preferential orientation, the influence of the sputtering conditions on the deposition of LiCoO₂ thin films are considered. The electrochemical performance is examined as a function of composition of the sputter Ar/O₂ gas mixture, gas flow rate, pressure, nature of substrate, substrate temperature, deposition rate, and annealing temperature. The state-of-the-art of lithium microbatteries fabricated by the rf-sputtering method is also reported. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sputtering Technologies for Growth of Advanced Thin Film)

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