Feature Article: Advanced electronic and optoelectronic materials by Atomic Layer Deposition: An overview with special emphasis on recent progress in processing of high-k dielectrics and other oxide materials

Abstract

The Feature Article [1] describes the current state of the Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) technique for producing high-quality thin layers with the focus on oxide materials such as ZrO2 and other rare earth oxides, SnO2 and ZnO for high-k dielectrics, gas sensors and various optoelectronic applications. The cover picture is a photograph of a thin-film-on-silicon sample. The inset schematically illustrates the ALD growth of an oxide film on a surface where L refers to the precursor ligand. The first author, Lauri Niinistö, is Professor of Inorganic Chemistry at Helsinki University of Technology. His current research is focused on the preparation and characterization of thin films for optoelectronic and electronic devices.