A multi-modal study on the metal-to-insulator transition and optoelectronic properties of laser-textured W-VO2 thin films

In the present work, the Mn doped benzimidazole (BMZ) thin films were prepared by simple chemical bath deposition technique. The material was directly deposited as thin film on glass substrates and the metal concentration in the solution was varied in weight percentage in order to investigate the dopant effect on the properties of thin films. Similarly, the Mn doped BMZ films were deposited in different solution temperature to study the effect of deposition temperature on the properties of thin films. The PXRD and FT-IR spectroscopy are used to study the structural and the presence of functional groups in the BMZ medium. Depending upon the solution temperature, thickness of the films varying from 0.6 to 1.2 {\mu}m and the optical transparency of the samples increases with the increasing temperature up to 50 {\deg}C. Second Harmonic Generation (SHG) efficiency of the films is measured for all the films. Third order nonlinear optical properties of the films were analyzed using Z-scan technique. The experimental results show that Mn doped BMZ films exhibits saturation absorption and negative nonlinearity.

Na-doped ZnO thin films were deposited on quartz substrates at various temperatures by using pulsed laser deposition technique. An X-ray diffractometer and an atomic force microscope were used to investigate the structural and morphological properties of the thin films. A Hall effect measurement system was used to investigate the electrical properties of the thin films. A spectrophotometer was used to measure the transmittances of the thin films. The band gap energies of the thin films were calculated by linear fitting the sharp absorption edge for high-quality thin film. The band gap energies of the Na-doped ZnO thin films are nearly the same as the pure ZnO. A spectrometer was used to investigate the luminescent properties of the thin films. The thin film deposited at 200 degrees C had no near band edge emission and no deep-level emission. The NBE emission appeared and increased with increasing the growth temperature.

AVS, the Science and Technology Society (formerly the American Vacuum Society), will hold its 48th International Symposium in conjunction with the International Union for Vacuum Science, Technique, and Application (IUVSTA) 15th International Vacuum Congress and the 11th International Conference on Solid Surfaces. More than 3000 participants are expected to attend the joint meetings, which will be held from 28 October through 2 November in San Francisco at the Moscone Convention Center and the San Francisco Marriott Hotel.The topics for the divisional program sessions will include applied surface analysis, biomaterials, dielectrics, electrochemistry and fluid-solid interfaces, electronics, magnetic interfaces and nanostructures, microelectromechanical systems, manufacturing science and technology, nanometer structures, organic films, processing at the nanoscale, organic films, plasma science, semiconductors, tribology, and vacuum technology. A plenary session on biomaterials and another session celebrating NIST’s centennial year will be held during the afternoon on Sunday, 28 October. Four topical conferences are also scheduled during the week: advancing toward sustainability, magnetic recording, science and applications of nanotubes, and photonic materials. The equipment exhibition, featuring more than 200 companies, will take place on Tuesday from 11 AM to 7 PM, on Wednesday from 9 AM to 5 PM, and on Thursday from 9 AM to 3 PM.The awards ceremony, which includes awards given by AVS and IUVSTA, will be held on Wednesday, 31 October, at 6:15 PM in Salon 8 of the Marriott Hotel, and will be followed by a reception in Salon 9.The Medard W. Welch Award will go to E. Ward Plummer “for the development of novel instrumentation, its use to illuminate new concepts in the surface physics of metals, and the mentoring of promising young scientists.” Plummer is a distinguished professor of physics at the University of Tennessee and a distinguished scientist in the solid-state division at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.The IUVSTA Science Prize, given for outstanding, internationally acclaimed research, will go to Kunio Takayanagi for his “accomplishments in the structural determination and characterization of surfaces and nanowires at the atomic level through the development of unique ultrahigh vacuum transmission electron microscopy and diffraction techniques.” Takayanagi is a professor of physics at the Tokyo Institute of Technology. The IUVSTA Technology Prize, given for outstanding, internationally acclaimed achievements in technology and instrumentation, goes to Wolf-Dieter Münz, a professor of surface engineering at Sheffield Hallam University in Sheffield, UK. Münz is being recognized for “pioneering advances in vacuum-based technology of material coatings which impact a wide range of products used worldwide today.” Cedric Powell, a NIST Fellow, will receive the Albert Nerken Award “for the development of improved data, particularly electron inelastic mean free paths, for applications in quantitative Auger electron spectroscopy and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.” Samuel D. Bader will garner the John A. Thornton Memorial Award, “for his seminal contributions to the atomic-level understanding of surface and thin-film magnetism.” Bader is a senior physicist and group leader of the magnetic films group in the materials science division at Argonne National Laboratory.This year’s Peter Mark Memorial Award goes to Eli Rotenberg, a staff scientist at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. He is being honored for “furthering our knowledge of nanophase and reduced dimensionality systems by creative use of angle-resolved photoemission.” Paul Lulai (photo unavailable) will receive the John L. Vossen Memorial Award for “developing a classroom demonstration experiment to determine work function using an electron tube.” Lulai is a physics and physical science teacher at Saint Anthony Village High School in Minnesota.The George T. Hanyo Award will go to John Bultman for his “sustained superior technical support in the areas of thin-film deposition, characterization, and performance evaluation.” Bultman is a senior laser technician at the University of Dayton Research Institute in Dayton, Ohio.The Nellie Yeoh Whetten Award, given to recognize and encourage excellence by women in graduate studies, will go to Tanhong Cai of Iowa State University.This year’s finalists for the Russell and Sigurd Varian Fellowship are Jianwei Dong of the University of Minnesota, Jason Drotar of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and Michael Schwartz of the University of Wisconsin.Sessions with invited speakersSunday, 28 octoberAfternoon Biomaterials plenary session. de Gennes, Wagner, Schwartz NBS/NIST centennial. Kendall, Madey Monday, 29 octoberMorningMolecular recognition. Sasaki Science and technology of microplasmas and MEMS processing. Bogart Diagnostics I. Sadeghi Magnetic devices. Tehrani, Tondra Surface processes in electrocatalysis. Koper Aerosol and related chemistry. Lu Metal clusters. Heiz Thin-film sensors. Hitchman Band-engineered electronic materials. Tu Sealed and insulating vacuum systems. Della Porta Ferroelectric. Ishiwara Metrology and inspection for manufacturing. Barry, Venkatesan Nanocomposites, multilayers, and nanostructured materials. Voevodin Atomic/nanoscale manipulation. Vettiger, Berndt Quantitative analysis and data interpretation I: SIMS. Gilmore AfternoonRole of water in biological systems. Tobias, Jarvis Plasma-surface interactions I. Kessels Nanomagnetics. Ralph, Kent Electrochemical control of surface structure: Growth and dissolution. Magnussen Innovations in surface science. Marsi Molecular interactions with oxide surfaces. Noguera Nanophase and multilayered thin films. Spiller, Kish GaN surfaces, interfaces, and devices. Myers, Vogl Dry, cryo, and other forms of pumping. Chew, Missimer High-k dielectrics. Yu Manufacturing technologies for the information industry. Shahidi, Bohr, Re, O’Brien, Allara Surface engineering I: Graded, multicomponent, and complex coatings. Lévy Nanostructures from 0 to 3 dimensions. Alivisatos, Fan Tuesday, 30 octoberMorning Bio-MEMS and microdevices. Abbott, Desai Diagnostics II. Nakano Emerging applications of plasmas. Cheung, Bouchoule, Squire Spintronics I: Magnetization dynamics and new materials. Koch, Bailey, Chien Climate change, sustainable energy, and industry. Hutchinson, Slanina, Baltensperger Poirier memorial session: Self-assembled monolayers I. Tarlov, Scoles, White Water at surfaces. Borjesson Optical thin films. Minami Semiconductor interfaces and thin films. Pelz Turbomolecular, molecular drag, and similar pumps. Mathes, Hablanian High-k dielectrics II. Zollner Process integration and factory productivity. Podlesnik, Spanos, Butler, Ibbotson Surface engineering II: Cleaning, modification, and finishing. Münz Nanotubes: Growth and characterization. Iijima High spatial resolution and imaging. Kiskinova, Wandelt AfternoonNon-fouling surfaces and theoretical concepts. Liedberg, Netz Dielectric etch I. Tachi PECVD/IPVD. Granier, Shimogaki Spintronics II: Spin injection and transport. Tanaka, Fert Sustainable climate-friendly semiconductor manufacturing. Beppu Poirier memorial session: Self-assembled monolayers II. Nuzzo, Zhu Metal oxides: Structure and photocatalysis. Ollis Growth and properties of thin films. Was Semiconductor heterojunctions. Shiraki, Sakai, Ploog In-line and in situ process control. Hopkins Hard and superhard coatings. Schneider Novel surface nanoprobes. Takayanagi, Blügel Depth profiling I. Wee, Simons Wednesday, 31 octoberMorningBiological interface and surface science. Knoll Modeling. McKoy Magnetic recording: Tribology and integration. Granick, Dallas, Tyndall, Hiller Spintronics III: Ferromagnetic semiconductors. Dietl Surface diffusion. Frenken Surface reactions on metals. Wintterlin Si surface dynamics and reactions. Altman Gas sorption phenomena I. Fremerey Atomic layer deposition for silicon devices. Leskela Fundamentals of tribology and adhesion. Harrison Nanotubes: Nanoelectronics. de Heer Biomaterials and polymers. Mathieu, Pireaux Afternoon Surface characterization. Somorjai Nanobiology. Spatz Plasma-surface interactions II. Shiratani, Maroudas Magnetic recording: Heads and media. Kryder, Fullerton, Sun Chemistry of semiconductor etching and cleaning. Hines New opportunities in surface microscopy. Ho Adsorption on metal surfaces. King Electronic structure I. Plummer, Petek Nucleation and growth. Barna, Liu Semiconductor growth. von Känel Gas sorption phenomena II. Dobrozemsky Low-k dielectrics. Ho Nanotribology. Maboudian Molecular electronics and patterning. Pantelides, Williams Depth profiling II. Harris Thursday, 1 novemberMorningProtein-surface interaction. Hartley, Hoffman Conductor etch and damage. Cunge Magnetic imaging and spectroscopy. Soulen, Wyder, Schuetz, Bode Interaction of hydrogen and organics with silicon. Zimmermann, Sugawara Photonic materials: Studies on the nanoscale. Hwang, Hessman, Wessels Quasicrystals. Rotenberg, Thiel Electronic structure II. Hasegawa Bioactive and organic/inorganic thin films. Chilkoti, Gorman Quantum electronics. Clark, Linke Pressure and flow measurement instruments and their calibration. Chung Characterization of MEMS materials. Sharpe Tribological surface engineering for lubrication and wear resistance. Seitzman Nanotubes: Growth, functionalization, and sensors. Zettl Oxides and oxidation. Ichimura, Watts AfternoonCell-surface interaction. Fromherz Feature profile evolution. Vahedi Magnetic thin films and surfaces I. Bader, Zabel Semiconductor surface structure. Abukawa Photonic materials: Applications and processing. Mino, Peyghambarian, Kimerling Catalysis on model systems. Iwasawa Nucleation and growth. Ernst Emerging thin-film techniques. Helmersson In situ semiconductor characterization. Richter Total and partial pressure gauges and their calibration. Taylor Fabrication and integration processes for MEMS. Soh Electronic properties of organic thin films. Kahn Quantum dots and single electronics. Springholz, Tarucha, Tiwari Adhesion and corrosion. Nardin, Isaacs Friday, 2 novemberMorning Biosensors. Saavedra Diagnostics III. Kono Magnetic thin films and surfaces II. Ijiri, Kirschner Growth and epitaxy of semiconductors. Ichimiya Dynamics of metal surfaces. McCarty Gas-solid dynamics: Theory and experiment. Tully ULSI metallization and interconnects. Harper Semiconductor and functional coating systems and processes. Harra, Hughes, Gu New frontiers in MEMS: NEMS and bio-MEMS. Blick, Roy Laser processing of surfaces. Stuke Accelerators technology, fusion machines, and gravitational wave detectors. Ozaki Nanotubes: Field emission. Bernholc Catalysis and surface reactivity. Haber Plummer PPT|High resolution Takayanagi PPT|High resolution Münz PPT|High resolution Powell PPT|High resolution Bader PPT|High resolution Rotenberg PPT|High resolution Bultman PPT|High resolutionSessions with invited speakersSunday, 28 octoberAfternoon Biomaterials plenary session. de Gennes, Wagner, Schwartz NBS/NIST centennial. Kendall, Madey Monday, 29 octoberMorningMolecular recognition. Sasaki Science and technology of microplasmas and MEMS processing. Bogart Diagnostics I. Sadeghi Magnetic devices. Tehrani, Tondra Surface processes in electrocatalysis. Koper Aerosol and related chemistry. Lu Metal clusters. Heiz Thin-film sensors. Hitchman Band-engineered electronic materials. Tu Sealed and insulating vacuum systems. Della Porta Ferroelectric. Ishiwara Metrology and inspection for manufacturing. Barry, Venkatesan Nanocomposites, multilayers, and nanostructured materials. Voevodin Atomic/nanoscale manipulation. Vettiger, Berndt Quantitative analysis and data interpretation I: SIMS. Gilmore AfternoonRole of water in biological systems. Tobias, Jarvis Plasma-surface interactions I. Kessels Nanomagnetics. Ralph, Kent Electrochemical control of surface structure: Growth and dissolution. Magnussen Innovations in surface science. Marsi Molecular interactions with oxide surfaces. Noguera Nanophase and multilayered thin films. Spiller, Kish GaN surfaces, interfaces, and devices. Myers, Vogl Dry, cryo, and other forms of pumping. Chew, Missimer High-k dielectrics. Yu Manufacturing technologies for the information industry. Shahidi, Bohr, Re, O’Brien, Allara Surface engineering I: Graded, multicomponent, and complex coatings. Lévy Nanostructures from 0 to 3 dimensions. Alivisatos, Fan Tuesday, 30 octoberMorning Bio-MEMS and microdevices. Abbott, Desai Diagnostics II. Nakano Emerging applications of plasmas. Cheung, Bouchoule, Squire Spintronics I: Magnetization dynamics and new materials. Koch, Bailey, Chien Climate change, sustainable energy, and industry. Hutchinson, Slanina, Baltensperger Poirier memorial session: Self-assembled monolayers I. Tarlov, Scoles, White Water at surfaces. Borjesson Optical thin films. Minami Semiconductor interfaces and thin films. Pelz Turbomolecular, molecular drag, and similar pumps. Mathes, Hablanian High-k dielectrics II. Zollner Process integration and factory productivity. Podlesnik, Spanos, Butler, Ibbotson Surface engineering II: Cleaning, modification, and finishing. Münz Nanotubes: Growth and characterization. Iijima High spatial resolution and imaging. Kiskinova, Wandelt AfternoonNon-fouling surfaces and theoretical concepts. Liedberg, Netz Dielectric etch I. Tachi PECVD/IPVD. Granier, Shimogaki Spintronics II: Spin injection and transport. Tanaka, Fert Sustainable climate-friendly semiconductor manufacturing. Beppu Poirier memorial session: Self-assembled monolayers II. Nuzzo, Zhu Metal oxides: Structure and photocatalysis. Ollis Growth and properties of thin films. Was Semiconductor heterojunctions. Shiraki, Sakai, Ploog In-line and in situ process control. Hopkins Hard and superhard coatings. Schneider Novel surface nanoprobes. Takayanagi, Blügel Depth profiling I. Wee, Simons Wednesday, 31 octoberMorningBiological interface and surface science. Knoll Modeling. McKoy Magnetic recording: Tribology and integration. Granick, Dallas, Tyndall, Hiller Spintronics III: Ferromagnetic semiconductors. Dietl Surface diffusion. Frenken Surface reactions on metals. Wintterlin Si surface dynamics and reactions. Altman Gas sorption phenomena I. Fremerey Atomic layer deposition for silicon devices. Leskela Fundamentals of tribology and adhesion. Harrison Nanotubes: Nanoelectronics. de Heer Biomaterials and polymers. Mathieu, Pireaux Afternoon Surface characterization. Somorjai Nanobiology. Spatz Plasma-surface interactions II. Shiratani, Maroudas Magnetic recording: Heads and media. Kryder, Fullerton, Sun Chemistry of semiconductor etching and cleaning. Hines New opportunities in surface microscopy. Ho Adsorption on metal surfaces. King Electronic structure I. Plummer, Petek Nucleation and growth. Barna, Liu Semiconductor growth. von Känel Gas sorption phenomena II. Dobrozemsky Low-k dielectrics. Ho Nanotribology. Maboudian Molecular electronics and patterning. Pantelides, Williams Depth profiling II. Harris Thursday, 1 novemberMorningProtein-surface interaction. Hartley, Hoffman Conductor etch and damage. Cunge Magnetic imaging and spectroscopy. Soulen, Wyder, Schuetz, Bode Interaction of hydrogen and organics with silicon. Zimmermann, Sugawara Photonic materials: Studies on the nanoscale. Hwang, Hessman, Wessels Quasicrystals. Rotenberg, Thiel Electronic structure II. Hasegawa Bioactive and organic/inorganic thin films. Chilkoti, Gorman Quantum electronics. Clark, Linke Pressure and flow measurement instruments and their calibration. Chung Characterization of MEMS materials. Sharpe Tribological surface engineering for lubrication and wear resistance. Seitzman Nanotubes: Growth, functionalization, and sensors. Zettl Oxides and oxidation. Ichimura, Watts AfternoonCell-surface interaction. Fromherz Feature profile evolution. Vahedi Magnetic thin films and surfaces I. Bader, Zabel Semiconductor surface structure. Abukawa Photonic materials: Applications and processing. Mino, Peyghambarian, Kimerling Catalysis on model systems. Iwasawa Nucleation and growth. Ernst Emerging thin-film techniques. Helmersson In situ semiconductor characterization. Richter Total and partial pressure gauges and their calibration. Taylor Fabrication and integration processes for MEMS. Soh Electronic properties of organic thin films. Kahn Quantum dots and single electronics. Springholz, Tarucha, Tiwari Adhesion and corrosion. Nardin, Isaacs Friday, 2 novemberMorning Biosensors. Saavedra Diagnostics III. Kono Magnetic thin films and surfaces II. Ijiri, Kirschner Growth and epitaxy of semiconductors. Ichimiya Dynamics of metal surfaces. McCarty Gas-solid dynamics: Theory and experiment. Tully ULSI metallization and interconnects. Harper Semiconductor and functional coating systems and processes. Harra, Hughes, Gu New frontiers in MEMS: NEMS and bio-MEMS. Blick, Roy Laser processing of surfaces. Stuke Accelerators technology, fusion machines, and gravitational wave detectors. Ozaki Nanotubes: Field emission. Bernholc Catalysis and surface reactivity. Haber Plummer PPT|High resolution Takayanagi PPT|High resolution Münz PPT|High resolution Powell PPT|High resolution Bader PPT|High resolution Rotenberg PPT|High resolution Bultman PPT|High resolution© 2001 American Institute of Physics.

We have studied the structure and electrical properties of La2Mo2O9 thin films of different thicknesses prepared by the laser deposition technique at different substrate temperatures. The structural properties of the thin films have been investigated using XRD, XPS, AFM, TEM, SEM, and Raman spectroscopy. The electrical transport properties of the thin films have been investigated in wide temperature and frequency ranges. The cubic nature of the thin films has been confirmed from structural analysis. An enhancement of the oxygen ion conductivity of the films up to five orders of magnitude is obtained compared to that of the bulk La2Mo2O9, suggesting usefulness of the thin films as electrolytes in micro-solid oxide fuel cells. The enhanced dc ionic conductivity of the thin films has been interpreted using the rule of the mixture model, while a power law model has been used to investigate the frequency and temperature dependences of the conductivity. The analysis of the results predicts the three-dimensional oxygen ion conduction in the thin films.

SnS and CdS thin films was synthesized by electrochemical method and then the effect of applying the cold plasma on its properties was investigated. The morphology and structural properties of thin films were studied before and after plasma treatment using Xray diffraction spectrum, field-effect scanning electron microscope, energy dispersive Xray spectrum, Time-resolved photoluminescence and atomic force microscope. Given the high potential of cold plasma in surface modification of materials, the amount of wettability and antibacterial properties of thin films in the presence of standard grampositive and gram-negative bacteria was compared before and after plasma treatment. Results show that the applying the plasma causes the significant changes in morphology, self-cleaning and antibacterial properties of SnS and CdS thin films

The AZO transparent conductive films are prepared by the atomic layer deposition (ALD) at a low temperature of 150 °C. The different Al-Zn doping ratios were designed during the deposition. The phase structure of the films was characterized by XRD, the electrical properties of thin films were analyzed by the Holzer test, and the optical properties of thin films were analyzed by the UV-3600 (UV-VIS-NIR) spectrophotometer. The results showed that all the films preferred the orientation of the C axis during the growth process, the AZO films have a very low resistivity of 6.955×10-4 Ω·cm with the Al doping ratio by 2%, the deposition temperature is 150 °C and the thickness of the film is 200 nm. The transmission of AZO films with the different doping ratios in the visible region is 85%. The proper doping ratio can be selected to get the excellent photoelectric properties of AZO thin films. Such low resistivity AZO transparent conductive film is expected to replace the ITO as the transparent electrode for the organic light-emitting devices and the other new generation of the optoelectronic devices.

Vanadium dioxide (VO2) thin film is a material that has multiple functionalities and smart response that give good news for device engineers and material scientist. One of the applications of VO2 thin film is for smart windows that could help to reduce the impact of global warming from buildings and to reduce expenditure on equipment or other methods to cool buildings. Annealing temperature is one of the importance parameters in VO2 thin films fabrication. The optimum annealing temperature is required in order to produce good properties of thin films. In this research, the properties of VO2 thin films were examined. All samples were prepared by the sol-gel spin coating method. The thin films were annealed at different annealing temperatures of 475ËšC, 500ËšC, 525ËšC, 550ËšC and 575ËšC. The properties of thin film in term of structural, optical and electrical properties were investigated by using field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis-NIR) spectrometer and Current-Voltage measurement respectively. FESEM was used to produce the images of the samples’ structure, the diameter of each nanoparticle and the thickness of samples. An I-V two-probe instrument was used to characterize the electrical properties of VO2 thin films with calculated resistivity and conductivity due to the differentiation of annealing temperature. An ultraviolet-visible spectrometer was used to characterize the optical properties of VO2 thin film; to show the absorbance and transmittance plots as well as calculated energy band gap. The results show that the thickness and the grain size of the thin films increase with annealing temperature. However, the increase in the absorbance and transmittance is inversely proportional to the annealing temperature. Â

The modification in various properties of thin films using high energetic ion beam is an exciting area of basic and applied research in semiconductors. In the present investigations, cadmium selenide (CdSe) thin films were deposited on ITO substrate using electrodeposition technique. To study the swift heavy ion (SHI) induced effects, the deposited thin films were irradiated with 120 MeV heavy Ag9+ ions using pelletron accelerator facility at IUAC, New Delhi, India. Structural phase transformation in CdSe thin film from metastable cubic phase to stable hexagonal phase was observed after irradiation leading to decrease in the band gap from 2.47 eV to 2.12 eV. The phase transformation was analyzed through X-ray diffraction patterns. During SHI irradiation, Generation of high temperature and pressure by thermal spike along the trajectory of incident ions in the thin films might be responsible for modification in the properties of thin films. Open image in new window

Manganese selenite (MnSeO4) crystalline thin film has been produced with chemical bath deposition on substrates (commercial glass). Properties of the thin film, such as transmittance, absorption, and optical band gap and refraction index have been investigated via UV/VIS Spectrum. The structural properties of orthorhombic form have been observed in XRD. The structural and optical properties of MnSeO4 thin films, deposited at different pH levels were analyzed. Some properties of the films have been changed with the change of pH level, which has been deeply investigated. The grain size of MnSeO4 thin film has reached its highest value at pH 9. The refraction index and extinction coefficient of MnSeO4 thin films were measured to be 1.53, 2.86, 2.07, 1.53 (refraction index) and 0.005, 0.029, 0.014, 0.005 (extinction coefficient) for grain sizes 21, 13, 26, and 5 nm respectively. The band gaps (Eg) of the films were measured to be 2.06, 2.57, 2.04, and 2.76 eV for the grain sizes mentioned above. The value of dielectric constant at pH 10 was calculated as 1.575.

International audience

Cupric oxide is a semiconductor with applications in sensors, solar cells, and solar thermal absorbers. To improve its properties, the oxide was doped with a metallic element. No studies were previously performed on Cr-doping using the ion implantation technique. The research goal of these studies is to investigate how Cr ion implantation impacts the properties of the oxide thin films. CuO thin films were deposited using magnetron sputtering, and then chromium ions with different energies and doses were implanted. Structural, optical, and vibrational properties of the samples were studied using X-ray diffraction, X-ray reflectivity, infra-red spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and spectrophotometry. The surface morphology and topography were studied with ellipsometry, atomic force microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. A simulation of the range of ions in the materials was performed. Ion implantation had an impact on the properties of thin films that could be used to tailor the optical properties of the cupric oxide and possibly also its electrical properties. A study considering the influence of ion implantation on electrical properties is proposed as further research on ion-implanted CuO thin films.

The paper presents the results of a systematic study of the effect of exposure to low-energy O2+ ions on the structural, optical, mechanical properties, as well as resistance to degradation and aging of thin TiO2 films. The studied samples were obtained using the magnetron sputtering method; the film thickness was 600 nm. Atomic force and scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive analysis, X-ray diffraction, and UV–Vis spectroscopy were used as the main research methods. In the course of the results, dose dependences of changes in the properties of thin films were established, and it was also shown that irradiation leads to an increase in hardness and resistance to cracking due to radiation hardening. A decrease in the band gap from 3.61 to 3.43 eV not only changes the optical properties, but also has a significant effect on the change in the conductivity. The novelty and relevance of this study lies not only in obtaining new data on the effect of ionizing radiation on the properties of thin films, but also in expanding the prospects for the use of ion irradiation for the purpose of radiation hardening and modification of new materials.

: The objective of this project is to investigate the synthesis and properties of thin film and low-dimensional dielectric thin-film structures, focusing on the K(Nb,Ta)O3 system. K(Ta,Nb)O3 is attractive for non-linear optical waveguides and tunable microwave technologies. In this reporting period, the growth and dielectric properties of several oxide materials were examined. This work included asymmetric superlattice structures that were investigated in order to determine the effects of reduced dimensionality on the ferroelectric phase transition and dielectric properties. In order to understand the growth of these structures, the controlled formation of unit cell steps on the KTaO3 substrate surface was investigated. The dielectric properties of doped and undoped K(Ta,Nb)O3 films were also studied. For undoped K(Ta,Nb)O3 films, losses as low as tan delta = 0.03 were realized. In addition, the effect of hole doping via Ti substitution was also investigated. We also investigated properties of related oxides, including CaHfO3 and TiO2 thin films.

The electrical, optical, and plasma properties of CuI thin films, prepared by DC magnetron sputtering, and its potential application as a Solar blind photodetector have been investigated. The films were deposited for 30, 60, and 90 s on glass substrates. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies display that the CuI thin films are polycrystalline. The scanning electron microscopic (SEM) micrographs of the thin films reveal that the film surfaces are smooth with some small grains on the surfaces. The energy dispersive spectroscopic (EDS) studies display that iodine content decreases from 68.95 wt% to 54.04 wt% with deposition time whereas copper content increases from 31.05 wt% to 45.96 wt%. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopic studies show that the Cu-I and C-O-C bonds are present in the films. The bandgap of films has been obtained in the span of 2.93–3.11 eV, which agrees well with the previous results. A p-CuI/n-HfO 2 solar blind UV-photodetector has been designed with parameters of CuI and the Responsivity (R) of 110 mA/W and Detectivity (D*) of 4.3 × 10 30 Jones is obtained for a wavelength of 260 nm. The properties of the CuI thin films and its PD performance parameters indicate the potentiality of the CuI films in solar blind photodetectors field. The properties of the films also indicate that the potential application in photonic devices as a carrier transport layer in the future. • CuI thin films have been synthesized by DC magnetron sputtering method. • The electrical, optical, and plasma properties of CuI thin films have been probed. • CuI thin films are polycrystalline in nature as revealed by XRD. • Optical bandgap of CuI thin films ranges in the 2.93–3.11 eV. • CuI shows its potential in the p-CuI/n-HfO 2 solar blind UV-photodetector.

Elastic and plastic properties of thin films on substrates: nanoindentation techniques