Particle growth and particle–surface interactions during low-temperature deposition of ceramic thin films

Abstract

The forces between substrates and ceramic particles in aqueous solution were measured using an atomic force microscope (AFM). The dependence of the measured forces on the pH and ionic strength of the solution are presented. The trends are consistent with expectations based on the Derjaguin–Landau–Verwey–Overbeek (DLVO) theory. The kinetics of the nucleation and growth of tin oxide particles in aqueous solutions of tin(IV) chloride and hydrochloric acid were studied using dynamic laser scattering. The rate of formation of particles as a function of solution temperature, concentration, and pH agrees with thermodynamic calculations and with previous observations. Antimony-doped tin oxide films on SAM-coated glass have been found to be several orders of magnitude more conductive than identical coatings on bare glass. Apatite thin films have been deposited from simulated body fluid (SBF) on titanium metal. The porous topography of the metal, produced by prior etching in hydrochloric acid, was preserved in the deposited apatite films. The adhesion of these films to the substrate appears to have been greatly increased by the etching step, compared to films deposited on unetched titanium.