Combined Magnetron Sputtering Research Articles

Combined magnetron sputtering and laser annealing process for the fabrication of proton conducting thin films

Acceptor doped barium zirconates are known for their exceptional protonic conductivity and the challenges in their fabrication. Within this work, BaZr0.8Y0.2O3-δ (BZY20) films were successfully deposited on a BaZr0.7Ce0.2Y0.1O3-δ/Ni (BZCY72/Ni) substrate using a combination of closed-field unbalanced magnetron sputtering and various annealing techniques such as conventional furnace annealing and laser annealing. Thin films could be tempered at only 800 °C with an additional laser annealing step and exhibit a heigh density as well as a sufficient protonic conductance. The highest measured ionic conductivity was 1.11*10−3 S/cm. The provided synthesis could pave the way for employing metallic supports in protonic ceramic fuel cells by using lower sintering temperatures than normally required.

Controlled solid‐state Phase Transition of Formamidinium Dominated Perovskite Layers Fabricated Through Magnetron Sputtering for Photovoltaics

AbstractPerovskite solar cells (PSCs) based on formamidinium lead iodide (FAPbI3) have demonstrated the highest power conversion efficiencies. Typically fabricated through solution‐processing, FAPbI3 films necessitate intricate crystallization control to avoid the formation of a more stable non‐perovskite phase. Magnetron sputtering, an effective solvent‐free technique, has gained attention for producing large‐area perovskite films. Here, a novel approach to create high‐quality FAPbI3‐based perovskite thin films by employing magnetron sputtering is presented. Specifically, a mechanosynthesized blend of (FA1‐xMAx)Pb(I1‐xBrx)3 (MA = methylammonium) is used as a single‐source target for sputtering, and a post‐annealing transforms various phases in the initial deposited film into coherent FAPbI3‐based films with an ultra‐long and controlled crystallization process. Despite minimal residual MABr after post‐annealing, its presence is crucial in the formation of perovskite film, as evidenced by a distinct solid‐state phase transformation process is presented. A comprehensive investigation of the films' structural, compositional, and optical properties, with respect to varying MABr doping ratios, reveals details of perovskite phase development and the pivotal influence of MABr. PSCs fabricated with the optimized films display a substantial increase in the power conversion efficiency, reaching 20.1%. These results underscore the potential of combining magnetron sputtering and post‐annealing in the scalable production of high‐efficiency PSCs.

Synthesis and Investigation of ReSe2 Thin Films Obtained from Magnetron Sputtered Re and ReOx

The promise of two-dimensional (2D) rhenium diselenide (ReSe2) in electronics and optoelectronics has sparked considerable interest in this material. However, achieving the growth of high-quality ReSe2 thin films on a wafer scale remains a significant challenge. In this study, we adopted a two-step method to produce ReSe2 thin films by combining magnetron sputtering of Re and ReOx onto flat substrates with subsequent selenization via atmospheric pressure chemical vapor transport (CVT). After analyzing the produced films using X-ray diffraction to identify the crystalline phase in formed thin film and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to examine surface morphology, it was determined that the suitable temperature range for the 15 min selenization process with CVT is 650 °C–750 °C. Further investigation of these optimally produced ReSe2 thin films included atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. The bulk electrical analysis of these films and AFM and SEM surface morphology revealed a strong reliance on the type of precursor material used for their synthesis, whereas optical measurements indicated a potential for the films in non-linear optics applications, irrespective of the precursor or temperature used. This study not only provides a new pathway for the growth of ReSe2 films but also sheds light on the synthesis approaches of other 2D transition metal dichalcogenide materials.

The growth mechanism of PtS2 single crystal.

PtS2, a member of the group 10 transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), has received extensive attention because of its excellent electrical properties and air stability. However, there are few reports on the preparation of single-crystal PtS2 in the literature, and the growth mechanism of single crystal PtS2 is not well elucidated. In this work, we proposed a method of preparation that combines magnetron sputtering and chemical vapor transport to obtain monocrystalline PtS2 on a SiO2/Si substrate. By controlling the growth temperature and time, we have synthesized a single crystalline PtS2 of hexagonal shape and size of 1-2 μm on a silicon substrate. Combining the molecular dynamics simulation, the growth mechanism of single crystal PtS2 was investigated both experimentally and theoretically. The synthesis method has a short production cycle and low cost, which opens the door for the fabrication of other TMDs single crystals.

Wafer-scale synthesis of 2D PtTe2 thin films with high spin–orbit torque efficiency

Spintronic devices have become a crucial technology for overcoming the power consumption bottleneck in integrated circuits, due to their low power consumption, high-speed processing capability. Two-dimensional materials offer potential for performance enhancement and device miniaturization in spintronics because of their unique electronic and spin properties. Specifically, two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides (2D TMDs) are favored in the field of spintronics for their strong spin–orbit coupling effects, enabling effective control over the electron spin state. However, the preparation techniques for 2D TMDs are still in the exploratory stage. In this work, we explore novel preparation method combining magnetron sputtering and molecular beam epitaxy, leading to wafer-scale high-quality monocrystalline PtTe2 thin films. Further, Spin-Orbit Torque (SOT) efficiency is investigated in PtTe2-based heterostructures, which reveals a significant spin Hall angle of over 0.094. Our work provides a new way to fabricate the wafer-scale PtTe2 thin films and confirms a large SOT efficiency, which indicates the great promise for spintronic applications.

Effect of post-treated methods on corrosion resistance of MF-DC magnetron sputtering Al coating on TC4

PurposeThis study aims to investigate the effect of post-treatment on anti-corrosion performance of Al coating on the surface of Ti-6Al-4V (TC4) fastener.Design/methodology/approachThe Al coatings with different layer structures were prepared on TC4 by middle-frequency and direct-current combined magnetron sputtering. The cross-sectional morphology and surface roughness of coatings were characterized by scanning electron microscope and atomic force microscope. The corrosion resistance was evaluated by electrochemical method. The monolayer coating was post-treated by Alodine chemical conversion, Ar+ bombardment and a combination of two methods above.FindingsThe results show that the interfaces in bilayer and trilayer coatings reduce the defects. Ar+ bombardment reduces the corrosion current density, and Alodine chemical conversion leads to a higher pitting corrosion potential. The combined post-treatment has the highest polarization resistance.Originality/valueThe corrosion resistance of the Al coating is enhanced as the layer quantity increases. The combination of two post-treatments, Ar+ bombardment and Alodine chemical conversion, could achieve an overall improvement in corrosion resistance of Al coating.

Highly response gas sensor based the Au-ZnO films processed by combining magnetron sputtering and Ar plasma treatment

The excellent and promising gas sensors not only have high response, but also can be easily integrated with other semiconductor devices to form an intelligent chip. In order to realize this goal, an effective strategy is proposed to combine the magnetron sputtering and Ar plasma treatment. As a result, a high-performance sensor based on Au-ZnO films is achieved at the optimal technology parameter, with high response (Ra/Rg) of 190 to 100 ppm isopropanol (IPA), rapid response/recovery speed of 1 s/18 s, and low detection limit of 100 ppb at 300 °C. Moreover, the mechanisms of the improvement on the sensing properties of the as-fabricated sensor are discussed. The present work provides new ideas for the future development of integrating gas sensors with functional circuits to form a smart chip that can perform data acquisition, processing and storage.

Preparation and properties of Al/Si coating with excellent formability and corrosion resistance on steel plate

In order to simultaneously improve formability of the coated steel and corrosion resistance of steel, Al/Si coating with tailored Si content, controllable composition and structure were prepared on Q235 by combining magnetron sputtering and then treated by heat treatment. The effect of Si content on the thickness, composition, structure of Al/Si coating on the surface of Q235 steel, and corrosion resistance and formability of Al/Si coated Q235 steel were systematically investigated. With 160 W of Al target power and different Si target power (0, 60, 80 and 100 W), the thickness of the coating on Q235 steel for 1.5 h is about 5 µm. Al/Si coating thickness with 80 W of Si target power is 5.33 ± 0.32 µm. The coating on Al/Si80-Q235 is uniform and dense, and mainly consists of FeAl2Si, Fe3Al, Fe2Al5, and Al2O3. Al/Si80-Q235 demonstrated excellent formability and Al/Si80 coating improved corrosion resistance of Q235 steel. When immersed in NaCl solution, the self corrosion current density of Al/Si coated Q235 was significantly lower than Al coated Q235. Especially, the self corrosion current density of Al/Si80-Q235 was only 1/51 that of Al coated Q235. The corrosion resistance of Al/Si coated steel was remarkably improved compared with Al coated steel due to the addition of Si.

Microstructure-related enhancement of electrical properties in (La3BxMnO3) (LaB6)-based composite films

A series of (La1-xBxMnO3) (LaB6)-based composite films were prepared by a combined magnetron sputtering and ion implantation method, and their structure-function relationship have been investigated. After B3+ ion implantation, the as-sputtered LaMnO3 films still have perovskite structure and good surface flatness. However, the substitution and doping of B ions play the role of resistance regulation, and the formation of the second phase LaB6 reduces the resistivity of the film after ion implantation to a certain extent. The carrier concentration of the ion injected film will decrease from 1.33 × 1016 cm−3 to 1.80 × 1015 cm−3, while the resistivity value will a significant increase from 46 Ω cm to 381 Ω cm with slight variations in principle in thermal constant from 2229 to 2783 K. The secondary phase doping of (La1-xBxMnO3) (LaB6)-based perovskite materials bring an innovative perspective to the design and application of electronic materials.

Synthesis of TiN–Cu Nanocomposite Coatings Using Combined Vacuum-Arc Evaporation, Magnetron Sputtering, and Ion Beam Sputtering

Synthesis of TiN–Cu Nanocomposite Coatings Using Combined Vacuum-Arc Evaporation, Magnetron Sputtering, and Ion Beam Sputtering

Electromechanical Behavior of Al/Al2O3Multilayers on Flexible Substrates: Insights from In Situ Film Stress and Resistance Measurements

A series of Al and Al/Al2O3thin‐film multilayer structures on flexible polymer substrates are fabricated with a unique deposition chamber combining magnetron sputtering (Al) and atomic layer deposition (ALD, Al2O3, nominal thickness 2.4–9.4 nm) without breaking vacuum and thoroughly characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The electromechanical behavior of the multilayers and Al reference films is investigated in tension with in situ X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and four‐point probe resistance measurements. All films exhibit excellent interfacial adhesion, with no delamination in the investigated strain range (12%). For the first time, an adhesion‐promoting naturally forming amorphous interlayer is confirmed for thin films sputter deposited onto polymers under laboratory conditions. The evolution of Al film stresses and electrical resistance reveal changes in the deformation behavior as a function of oxide thickness. Strengthening of Al is observed with increasing oxide thickness. Significant embrittlement can be avoided for oxide layer thicknesses ≤2.4 nm.

Single-beam ion source enhanced growth of transparent conductive thin films

A single-beam ion source was developed and used in combination with magnetron sputtering to modulate the film microstructure. The ion source emits a single beam of ions that interact with the deposited film and simultaneously enhances the magnetron discharge. The magnetron voltage can be adjusted over a wide range, from approximately 240 to 130 V, as the voltage of the ion source varies from 0 to 150 V, while the magnetron current increases accordingly. The low-voltage high-current magnetron discharge enables a ‘soft sputtering mode’, which is beneficial for thin-film growth. Indium tin oxide (ITO) thin films were deposited at room temperature using a combined single-beam ion source and magnetron sputtering. The ion beam resulted in the formation of polycrystalline ITO thin films with significantly reduced resistivity and surface roughness. Single-beam ion-source-enhanced magnetron sputtering has many potential applications in which low-temperature growth of thin films is required, such as coatings for organic solar cells.

A Study of Tensile and Fatigue Loading Effects on the Performance of Metal-Packaged FBG Strain Sensor Developed for Cryogenic Applications

Strain measurements are the fundamental task for structural health monitoring of critical equipment for cryogenic applications. However, the failure of strain sensors has been inevitable due to cyclic loading and/or over-loading. Therefore, a durable metal-packaged FBG sensor for strain measurements at cryogenic temperatures is successfully developed by combining magnetron sputtering and electroplating processes. Tensile and fatigue loading effects on the performance of the sensors are evaluated for the first time by uniaxial tensile testing at constant cryogenic temperatures down to 80 K and tension-tension fatigue testing at 133 K to verify their durability and reliability. The sensors which have high-quality multilayer metallic layers and good interfacial bonding exhibit markedly higher sensitivity than that of the bare FBG, with good linearity, stability, and repeatability and without obvious hysteresis. Fatigue failure of the sensors may occur due to fatigue fracture of the optical fibers with the gratings at a certain high strain level and due to zero shift caused by interface debonding or cracking at a relatively lower strain level. As the strain level is lowered, the sensor fatigue life is increased. There is at least one substantially lower strain level at which the sensors with good linearity, repeatability, and stability do not fail at the maximum number of test cycles. These results indicate that the metal-packaged FBG sensors are promising candidates for long-term measurement of strains, and thus monitoring structural health of critical equipment at cryogenic temperatures.

Preparation of Au@ZnO Nanofilms by Combining Magnetron Sputtering and Post-Annealing for Selective Detection of Isopropanol

We demonstrate the highly sensitive and fast response/recovery gas sensors for detecting isopropanol (IPA), in which the Au-nanoparticles-modified ZnO (Au@ZnO) nanofilms act as the active layers. The data confirm that both the response and the response/recovery speed for the detection of IPA are significantly improved by adding Au nanoparticles on the surface of ZnO nanofilms. The gas sensor with an Optimum Au@ZnO nanofilm exhibits the highest responses of 160 and 7 to the 100 and 1 ppm IPA at 300 °C, which indicates high sensitivity and a very low detecting limit. The sensor also exhibits a very short response/recovery time of 4/15 s on the optimized Au@ZnO nanofilm, which is much shorter than that of the sensor with a pure ZnO nanofilm. The mechanisms of the performance improvement in the sensors are discussed in detail. Both the electronic sensitization and the chemical sensitization of the ZnO nanofilms are improved by the modified Au nanoparticles, which not only regulate the thickness of the depletion layer but also increase the amount of adsorbed oxygen species on the surfaces. This work proposes a strategy to develop a highly sensitive gas sensor for real-time monitoring of IPA.

Balancing the corrosion resistance and conductivity of Cr-Al-C coatings via annealing treatment for metal bipolar plates

Metal bipolar plates (BPs) with excellent corrosion resistance and good conductivity have been becoming one of key issues to explore proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). Here, we fabricated the high-performance protective Cr-Al-C coatings on stainless steel 316L using a combined cathodic arc and magnetron sputtering deposition with subsequent annealing. The electrochemical measurements in 0.5 M H2SO4 + 5 ppm HF solution and interfacial contact resistance (ICR) tests indicated that all the coatings exhibited enhanced corrosion resistance and excellent conductivity. As the annealing time increased, enhanced conductivity and corrosion current density were observed. Particularly, the sample annealed at 550 °C for 2 h exhibited the best comprehensive performance in balancing the corrosion current density of 3.02 × 10-7A cm−2 and ICR of 4.5 mΩ cm2 under 140 N cm−2, respectively. The present work provides the alternative strategy to apply the promising Cr-Al-C coatings for high-performance metal BPs used in PEMFCs.

Influence of Carbon: Metal Ratio on Tribological Behavior of Mo-W-C Coating

Mo-W-C coatings with three different C/(Mo+W) ratios (5:1, 2.8:1 and 2.2:1) were deposited by using combined unbalanced magnetron sputtering (UBMS) and high-power impulse magnetron sputtering (HIPIMS) technology. The influence of the C/(Mo+W) ratio on coating microstructure and related tribological properties at ambient temperature and at 200 °C were studied in lubricated condition (up to 7500 m and 1800 m of sliding distances, respectively). Results showed that a decrease in the C/(Mo+W) ratio could be correlated with an increase in coating thickness, adhesion strength, hardness and elastic modulus values, and a decrease in the degree of graphitization. At ambient temperature, outstanding tribological properties (very low friction and negligible wear) were observed irrespective of the C/(Mo+W) ratio. At 200 °C, low C/(Mo+W) ratios (2.8:1 and 2.2:1) were found particularly beneficial to achieve excellent tribological properties. The keys to significant friction reduction at 200 °C were (i) in situ formation of MoS2 and WS2 due to tribo-chemical reactions and (ii) presence of amorphous carbon debris particles in the protective tribolayer. With an increase in sliding distance, the tribolayer gradually lowered the friction coefficient by protecting both the coating and counterpart from severe wear. On the other hand, a high C/(Mo+W) ratio (5:1) led to low friction but noticeable abrasive wear at 200 °C.

The influence of β-Ga2O3 film thickness on the optoelectronic properties of β-Ga2O3@ZnO nanocomposite heterogeneous materials

Nanocomposite heterogeneous nanomaterials excellent optoelectronic properties have been widely used in the field of solar cells. In this research, β-Ga2O3@ZnO composite heterogeneous-material was successfully prepared by combining magnetron sputtering with hydrothermal method. The thickness of the surface β-Ga2O3 was adjusted by controlling the magnetron sputtering time, and the influence of β-Ga2O3 film thickness on the optoelectronic properties of β-Ga2O3@ZnO nanocomposite heterogeneous was systematically investigated. The morphology and microstructure of the samples were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffractometer (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy. It is found that the proper thickness of β-Ga2O3 can improve the surface morphology leading to the excellent light absorption performance. Furthermore, the band gap of β-Ga2O3@ZnO nanocomposite heterogeneous is smaller than that of pure ZnO and β-Ga2O3 according to the visible light absorption test. This demonstrates that the β-Ga2O3 coating cam expand the range of light absorption. Thus, the composite material showed excellent photoelectrochemical performance through the photocurrent test in the electrochemical workstation. The results indicate that β-Ga2O3@ZnO nanocomposite heterostructures have broad application potential in the field of optoelectronics.

Synthesis and Characterization of Cu2ZnSnS4 Thin Films Obtained by Combined Magnetron Sputtering and Pulsed Laser Deposition.

Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) is a complex quaternary material, and obtaining a single-phase CZTS with no secondary phases is known to be challenging and dependent on the production technique. This work involves the synthesis and characterization of CZTS absorber layers for solar cells. Thin films were deposited on Si and glass substrates by a combined magnetron sputtering (MS) and pulsed laser deposition (PLD) hybrid system, followed by annealing without and with sulfur powder at 500 °C under argon (Ar) flow. Three different Cu2S, SnS2, and ZnS targets were used each time, employing a different target for PLD and the two others for MS. The effect of the different target arrangements and the role of annealing and/or sulfurization treatment were investigated. The characterization of the absorber films was performed by grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD), X-ray reflectometry (XRR), Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and regular transmission spectroscopy. The film with ZnS deposited by PLD and SnS2 and Cu2S by MS was found to be the best for obtaining a single CZTS phase, with uniform surface morphology, a nearly stoichiometric composition, and an optimal band gap of 1.40 eV. These results show that a new method that combines the advantages of both MS and PLD techniques was successfully used to obtain single-phase Cu2ZnSnS4 films for solar cell applications.

Dependence of photoelectrochemical water splitting for oriented-SnO2 on Carrier behaviors: Concentration, depletion and transportation

An attempt was distinctively made to explore a relationship between photoelectrochemical water splitting (PEC-WS) and fundamental carrier behaviors including carrier concentration, depletion and transportation. The oriented-SnO2 films with miscellaneous electrical characteristics were obtained by magnetron sputtering in combination with joint regulation of oxygen and fluorine. The micro-structure, morphology, electrical characteristics and PEC-WS performance were analyzed by X-Ray Diffractometer, Raman Spectrometer, Photoluminescence Spectrometer, Atomic Force Microscopy, Transmission Electron Microscopy, and Hall Effect Apparatus and Electrochemical Testing System, respectively. The results showed that oxygen vacancy not only served as a source for increasing carrier concentration but also a site for separating photogenerated electrons and holes to promote their smooth transportation, compared with fluorine atom negatively acting as a scattering center. Heavy electron depletion together with high electron concentration from oxygen vacancies is beneficial to photocatalysis process, and PEC-WS performance of SnO2 film reaches a maximum as carrier concentration is about 1019 /cm3. Likewise, this kind of carrier behaviors makes (101)-oriented film present higher water splitting efficiency than (110)-oriented films.

Corrosion engineering derived Ga doped CoSe2 nanosheets intrinsically active for oxygen evolution reaction

The development of active and robust oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrocatalysts in alkaline media is of great value for high-efficiency hydrogen production through electrochemical water electrolysis. Heteroatom-doping and defect-introduction are critical strategies in activating OER electrocatalysts. Herein, a combined magnetron sputtering, Co–Ga alloying, dealloying and selenization strategy was adopted to realize Ga-doped CoSe2 nanosheets with enriched oxygen vacancies supported on stainless steel mesh (SSM) for OER. The as-obtained L-CoSe2/SSM exhibits remarkable OER performances with an ultralow overpotential of 227 mV at 10 mA cm−2, and small Tafel slope of 49.15 mV dec−1 in 1 M KOH. In addition, the catalyst displays negligible activity decay after more than 25 h of continuous operation. The enhanced OER performances of the L-CoSe2/SSM can be rationalized by plentiful oxygen vacancies, Ga doping, unique roughened nanosheets structure and substrate (SSM). The findings provide promising and controllable synthetic strategy for low-cost CoSe2 based electrocatalyst toward practical applications of water electrolysis.