Influence Of Deposition Conditions Research Articles

The influence of deposition conditions on the surface morphology and luminescent properties of (Y0.06Ga0.94)2O3:Cr thin films

Thin films of (Y0.06Ga0.94)2O3:Cr were obtained by radio-frequency (RF) ion-plasma sputtering in an argon atmosphere on polycrystalline polycor and amorphous υ-SiO2 substrates. The surface morphology of the films was studied by atomic force microscopy. It was found that during argon annealing of (Y0.06Ga0.94)2O3:Cr thin films on υ-SiO2 substrates, grain growth occurs perpendicular to the substrate surface. The results of studies of the photoluminescence and cathodoluminescence luminescence of the investigated films are presented. It is shown that thin films of (Y0.06Ga0.94)2O3:Cr on υ-SiO2 substrates under photoexcitation emit in the blue region of the spectrum and this luminescence is due to the luminescence of the (Y0.06Ga0.94)2O3 matrix. Under cathodic excitation, the activator luminescence of the Cr3+ ion dominates with a maximum in the region around 700 nm, due to the electronic transitions 4T2 → 4A2.

Influence of deposition conditions on performance of Ni3S2 as the bifunctional electrocatalyst in alkaline solutions by galvanostatic deposition

The electrodeposition method is a popular synthesis method due to its low cost, simplicity, and short synthesis time.

Influences of deposition conditions on atomic layer deposition films for enhanced performance in perovskite solar cells

Atomic layer deposition (ALD) is a key technology for fabricating functional layers in perovskite solar cells, as it can deposit pinhole-free films with atomic-level thickness and tunable composition on high-aspect-ratio surfaces. Various deposition conditions have significant effects on the growth, physical, and chemical properties of ALD films, which, in turn, critically influences the performance of associated devices. Here, we review the reaction mechanisms underlying ALD and summarize how variables, such as precursors, deposition temperatures, and substrates, impinge upon the quality of ALD films and the related devices. We emphasize the role of substrate in determining the nucleation and growth behavior of ALD films, which has been overlooked in previous reviews. Finally, we highlight the potential application of ALD in efficient perovskite solar cells in terms of carrier transport, encapsulated, and buffer layers, especially for tandem cells.

Influence of Deposition Conditions on the Morphology of Cerium Oxide Particles

Influence of Deposition Conditions on the Morphology of Cerium Oxide Particles

Toward Thin Dielectric Films of Polyetherimide Electrodeposited from Aqueous Emulsions of the Polymer

Miniaturized, high power electronic devices are needed for a variety of applications. Although, the miniaturization of these devices is challenging. For instance, high power capacitors need to sustain high electric fields, with typically several hundred volts across micrometric dielectric layers. Among the most promising materials for this application, polyetherimide (PEI) has a number of desired characteristics such as adequate electrical properties, good chemical and mechanical resistance with thermal stability up to 170°C.Spin-coating is the conventional technique used in the microelectronics industry for polymer thin film deposition. However, this technique is not appropriate to form conformal deposits on 3D-structured substrates. To overcome this limitation, we investigate an electrochemical deposition process of PEI in which the electrolyte is an aqueous emulsion formed from organic droplets containing the polymer [1]. In this work, a pulsed voltage below 2 V/ECS, was applied for the deposition of PEI on Cu metal surfaces. The influence of deposition conditions on the thickness and surface smoothness of the deposit was thoroughly investigated, identifying the processing window.PEI aqueous emulsions were synthesized as follows, after the raw material dissolved in a mixture of N-methylpyrrolidone and acetophenone, N-methylpiperazine was added to be grafted on the imide groups of the polymeric chains. The PEI emulsions were subsequently produced by ultrasonic mixing [2] of the reaction crude with an aqueous solution of lactic acid. During mixing, nanoscale droplets were formed and electrostatically charged by protonation of ternary amine groups of N-methylpiperazine.Critical for the application are the droplet size and stability of the emulsion. These properties were modulated upon stoichiometry of both N-methylpiperazine for the degree of modified imide cycles and lactic acid for the degree of protonation of the amine [1,2]. FTIR and NMR were used to screen the quantity of modified imide groups, displaying that the PEI imide function attack by N-methylpiperazine is quantitative. The protonation was indirectly characterized by measuring the zeta potential of the emulsion [3]. As a result, in an optimized sequence, droplets with hydrodynamic diameters below 200 nm were repeatedly formed with zeta potentials greater than 50 mV. For emulsions containing 3.5 wt% PEI with 64 % modified imide groups and 50 % quaternisation, representing 32 % of the imide cycle initial population. The emulsions were stable for at least twenty-one days at 4°C. This is a significant improvement as compared to the stability reported in the literature [1].Deposition tests were conducted in a 3-electrode electrochemical cell, using a 10-time diluted emulsion, at relatively low voltage, below 2 V/ECS with pulsed DC waveform under mild conditions (room temperature, pH between 3 and 5). The pulses allowed the movement of droplets in the emulsion towards the cathode while minimizing H2 evolution. Under these conditions, a PEI coating was obtained with a thickness of a few micrometers within 600 s. The impact of deposition parameters on coverage and uniformity was also studied in detail.The last process step by removing the N-methylpiperazine and the residual solvents consists in recovering the initial unmodified structure of PEI grafted on the substrate. Curing conditions were chosen according to the previous literature [1] under vacuum. The FTIR spectra of the coated substrate were recorded after curing. From the FTIR spectra, the disappearance of the amide (I and II) peaks after curing and a good peak-for-peak correspondence between the spectrum of the cured polymer and the pristine polymer are observed.This work demonstrates that polymer films can be deposited by an electrochemical process under mild conditions, assuming that a stable emulsion of charged polymer droplets can be formed. The process is well suited to coat 3D structured substrates, in contrast with more conventional techniques for polymer deposition. This original electrodeposition process should allow the realization of integrated capacitors on silicon wafers for the next generation of power electronics devices.

Optimization of deposition conditions to tune optoelectronic properties of MoO3-x films prepared by RF-sputtering technique

Tunable optoelectronic properties of Molybdenum oxide (MoO3-x) make it a suitable applicant for its use as a catalyst and a hole transport layer. Oxygen vacancies play a vital role in deciding the properties of MoO3-x. In this article, the influence of deposition conditions like substrate temperature and gaseous environment on optoelectronic properties of MoO3-x films are investigated. Increase in substrate temperature have formed oxygen deficient MoO3-x films having lesser transmission (∼30%) and higher conductivity (15-200 Ω−1cm−1). Films prepared at the substrate temperature of 400 °C and rf-power 80 W are mostly crystalline and have led to the formation of MoO2 along with MoO3-x which results in highly conducting less transparent film suitable for catalysis application. Further, introduction of oxygen gas during deposition led to the formation of highly transparent (∼80%) and resistive (10−6 Ω−1cm−1) thin films suitable for hole transport layer application. An increase in oxygen concentration and decrease in oxygen vacancy is confirmed by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurement respectively for films deposited in presence of oxygen gas. These studies imply that stoichiometry of molybdenum oxide can be controlled by varying the film preparation conditions and thus optoelectronic properties can be tuned accordingly.

Investigations of CrN+Cr2O3/TiO2 coatings obtained in a PVD/ALD hybrid method on austenitic 316L steel substrate

The study investigated hybrid coatings CrN + Cr2O3/TiO2 type obtained using the hybrid PVD/ALD technology on a substrate made of Cr-Ni-Mo (316L) stainless steel. Coating of CrN + Cr2O3 was obtained by the Arc-PVD method. TiO2 using atomic layers deposition was investigated. It were deposited at a variable number of cycles from 200 to 1000 cycles at a constant temperature of 200 °C. Structural studies using scanning and transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy were performed. The chemical composition analysis in the micro-regions was performed using EDS. The study of electrochemical properties was performed using potentiodynamic method and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) in a 3.5% NaCl solution. As a result of the study, it was found that the best electrochemical properties were shown by hybrid coatings for which the TiO2 layer was obtained in 500 ALD cycles. Based on microscopic studies with diffraction and spectroscopic analysis, the structure of the tested coatings was related to electrochemical properties, and the influence of deposition conditions on corrosion resistance was explained. In addition, the tests were supplemented with tests of tribological properties and adhesion of coatings to the substrate.

Antimony Selenide Thin Films by Electrodeposition: Influence of Deposition Conditions and Post‐Deposition Thermal Treatment on Physical and Photoelectrochemical Properties

Herein, Sb2Se3 thin films are obtained by the electrodeposition technique from a single bath on fluorine‐doped tin oxide (FTO) substrates. The electrodeposition conditions such as precursor concentration and applied potential, as well as the annealing temperature, and its influence on the structural, morphological, optical, and photoelectrochemical properties are analyzed. From the cyclic voltammetry measurements, the range of deposition potential is established and from the sweep rate variation, an irreversible and diffusion‐controlled process is assumed. With the chronoamperometric curves, an instantaneous nucleation is concluded. The Se/Sb ratio variation of the precursor solutions demonstrate that the 0.7 ratio is optimal to obtain Sb2Se3 stoichiometric thin films. The conductivity decreases with the increase of the deposition potential, while the highest photosensitivity is obtained with the film deposited at −0.75 V versus the saturated calomel electrode. Regarding the annealing temperature, a compact homogeneous film is obtained in the range from 325 to 425 °C. Therefore, the suitable properties of Sb2Se3 films obtained by electrodeposition and the establishment of optimized deposition conditions for its use in photoelectrochemical cells (PECs) are demonstrated.

Influence of Deposition Conditions on Properties of Ta2O5 Films Deposited by Ion Beam Sputtering Coating Technique

Investigation of deposition conditions on structural, optical, and surface properties of Tantalum pentaoxide (Ta2O5) thin films deposited without assisted ion beam (Single Ion Beam Sputtering technique, SIBS) and with assisted ion beam (Dual Ion Beam Sputtering technique, DIBS) is carried out. For both SIBS and DIBS identical coating process conditions are applied for deposition of Ta2O5 films onto highly polished and clean, fused silica substrates. Estimation of deposition rates of Ta2O5 with identical beam energies and coating chamber conditions is done. Benefits of O2 assist beam on the behavior of structural, optical, and surface properties of thin films deposited are studied. The films are characterized with an ellipsometer, optical profilometer, XRD, FE-SEM, and XPS techniques to bring the merits films coated of Ion Beam Sputtering deposition with and without assist Ion Beam. Configuration of ion sources and targets in the coating chamber for DIBS of oxide targets is carried out in the present work are useful for multi-layer coatings for high reflectivity mirrors for electro-optical instruments like ring laser-based rotation sensors.

Influence of Deposition Conditions on the Magnetic Properties of Fecon Thin Films

Influence of Deposition Conditions on the Magnetic Properties of Fecon Thin Films

Electrical Properties Engineering of Sputtered Indium Gallium Zinc Oxide Semiconductor Thin Films

The influence of deposition conditions and laser annealing on the electrical properties of indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO) semiconducting thin films was investigated. 50 nm thick IGZO films were deposited by radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering at room temperature and subsequently laser annealed in ambient conditions to enhance the IGZO electrical properties. Excimer laser annealing (ELA) was conducted by Krypton fluoride (KrF) excimer laser (λ= 248 nm) with single pulse over a range of fluences up to 175 mJ/cm2. The electrical properties of IGZO films were studied by four point probe (4PP) and Hall Effect measurements. Results demonstrated that the applied deposition conditions control the IGZO films metallic composition, which is found to be directly linked to IGZO films electrical properties. The as-deposited IGZO films were highly resistive with sheet resistance > 5 MΩ/sq and therefore 4PP and Hall Effect measurements could not be performed on the as-deposited films. Upon ELA, however, the sheet resistance is noticeably reduced to about 500 ± 10 % Ω/sq. Also, IGZO films demonstrated Hall mobility of 14 cm2/Vs and electron density of 3×1019/cm3 subsequent to ELA at 100 mJ/cm2. The reported findings present ELA as an efficient technique to engineer the electrical properties of sputter-deposited IGZO films. Therefore, a combination of room temperature deposition, via RF magnetron sputtering, and laser annealing could be used as a fabrication route of IGZO films for active layers of transparent thin film transistors (TTFTs) and applicable to flexible electronics which require low substrate temperature.

Versatile Strategy for Electrophoretic Deposition of Polyvinylidene Fluoride-Metal Oxide Nanocomposites.

Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) is an advanced functional polymer which exhibits excellent chemical and thermal stability, and good mechanical, piezoelectric and ferroelectic properties. This work opens a new strategy for the fabrication of nanocomposites, combining the functional properties of PVDF and advanced inorganic nanomaterials. Electrophoretic deposition (EPD) has been developed for the fabrication of films containing PVDF and nanoparticles of TiO2, MnO2 and NiFe2O4. An important finding was the feasibility of EPD of electrically neutral PVDF and inorganic nanoparticles using caffeic acid (CA) and catechol violet (CV) as co-dispersants. The experiments revealed strong adsorption of CA and CV on PVDF and inorganic nanoparticles, which involved different mechanisms and facilitated particle dispersion, charging and deposition. The analysis of the deposition yield data, chemical structure of the dispersants and the microstructure and composition of the films provided an insight into the adsorption and dispersion mechanisms and the influence of deposition conditions on the deposition rate, film microstructure and composition. PVDF films provided the corrosion protection of stainless steel. Overcoming the limitations of other techniques, this investigation demonstrates a conceptually new approach for the fabrication of PVDF-NiFe2O4 films, which showed superparamagnetic properties. The approach developed in this investigation offers versatile strategies for the EPD of advanced organic-inorganic nanocomposites.

Nitrogen rich PECVD silicon nitride for passivation of Si and AlGaN/GaN HEMT devices

In this work, we have investigated the material properties of PECVD (Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition) amorphous Silicon nitride (SiN) films and the influence of deposition conditions on gate-leakage increase of AlGaN/GaN HEMT’s (High Electron Mobility Transistor) after passivation. We have studied the effect of gas flow ratio (SiH4/NH3) on the structural and compositional properties of SiNx deposited on crystalline Silicon (Si). Based on the inference, electrical properties of the SiNx films were examined by depositing on AlGaN/GaN HEMT as a passivation layer. The optimized SiNx which is N-rich with a refractive index of 1.83, tensile stress of 681 MPa and NH3/SiH4 ratio of 18 shows only a 1.2x variation in gate leakage, 1.4x increase in gm, minimum left shift of 0.03 V in Vth and 1.26x increase Ion/Ioff ratio after passivation. We believe that the 3x reduction in Si-H bonds resulting in reduced interface traps at SiN/AlGaN interface is the reason for the minimal increase in gate leakage after passivation.

Influence of Deposition Conditions and Ion-Plasma Treatment of Thin Cobalt Films on Their Electrical Resistivity

The electrical resistivity ρ of cobalt films with a thickness of 10 to 55 nm deposited in different modes of magnetron sputtering on SiO2/Si wafers with their subsequent ion-plasma treatment is investigated. Co films 42 nm thick with minimum ρ of 9.8 µΩ cm, comparable to ρ of a bulk metal, are obtained at a temperature of 600 K. Treating the Co film surface in dense argon plasma with an energy of ions of about 20 eV at room temperature leads to an increase in resistivity, while, at Т ~ 500 K, both a decrease and an increase in ρ are observed. Such a change in resistivity is due to the combined action of ion bombardment and temperature. The mechanism of action of the ion-plasma treatment on the electrical conductivity of the Co film is discussed.

On the Influence of Hydrocarbon Precursors and Elemental Composition on the Dielectric Properties and Conduction Mechanism of Hydrogenated Silicon Carbonitride Thin Films

Ternary compound thin films have drawn interest since intermediate forms can be developed for materials with tunable properties. Among them, thin films of silicon carbonitride (SiCN) are widely used for protective hard coatings due to their superior mechanical and chemical properties such as high wear resistance, chemical and thermal stability at high temperatures, and hardness. Another area of application of SiCN thin films is as low dielectric constant materials, which are desired for replacing silicon oxide (SiO2) or silicon nitride (Si3N4) in integrated circuits (IC) and charge trapping capacitors. In general, SiCN is an intermediate compound between Si3N4 which is a highly transparent, wide band gap (5 eV) dielectric, and silicon carbide (SiC) with high mechanical durability [1].One of the most common techniques for the fabrication of SiCN thin films is plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD) with alkylsilazane precursors for high composition control [2]. Recently, we reported the compositional and mechanical properties of SiCN:H thin films, which were deposited using electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) PECVD with two different hydrocarbon precursors, acetylene (C2H2) and methane (CH4) [3, 4]. In the present work, we explore how film composition affects the electrical behaviour of the thin films. More specifically, we investigate the dielectric properties of SiCN:H thin films and the charge transportation and trapping mechanisms for different stoichiometries and film densities, as a function of the hydrocarbon precursor.Metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) capacitor type structures were formed on p-type (100) silicon substrates. Following the deposition, aluminum (Al) gate electrodes were sputtered for current-voltage (I-V) and capacitance-voltage (C-V) measurements operated at 1 MHz. The results were correlated with composition and density of SiCN:H thin films obtained from Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS), elastic recoil detection (ERD), and variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry (VASE) measurements. Finally, finite element modeling was performed by COMSOL to compare the capacitance characteristics in MIS structures of the thin films.[1] L.C Chen, C.K. Chen, S.L Wei, D.M Bhusari, K.H. Chen, Y.F. Chen, Y.C. Jong and Y.S. Huang. Crystalline silicon carbon nitride: A wide band gap semiconductor. Applied Physics Letters, 72(19), pp.2463-2465 (1998).[2] S. Bulou, L. Le Brizoual, P. Miska, L. de Poucques, R. Hugon, M. Belmahi, J. Bougdira. The influence of CH4 addition on composition, structure and optical characteristics of SiCN thin films deposited in a CH4/N2/Ar/hexamethyldisilazane microwave plasma. Thin Solid Films, 520(1), 245-250 (2011).[3] A. Abdelal, Z. Khatami and P. Mascher. Influence of Different Carbon Precursors on Optical and Electrical Properties of Silicon Carbonitride Thin Films. ECS Transactions, 97(2), 59 (2020).[4] Z. Khatami, G. B. F. Bosco, J. Wojcik, T. R. Tessler, P. Mascher. Influence of Deposition Conditions on the Characteristics of Luminescent Silicon Carbonitride Thin Films. ECS Journal of Solid-State Science and Technology, 7(2), N7 (2018).

Influence of deposition conditions on structural, electrical, and optical properties of cadmium oxide thin films deposited using the spray pyrolysis technique

In this study, thin films of cadmium oxide (CdO) were deposited on soda-lime glass substrates using the simple spray pyrolysis technique using a cadmium acetate precursor. The results regarding the structural, electrical, and optical properties of the layers as a function of the substrate temperature ranging from 280 to 340 °C, spray rate ranging from 5 to 20 ml/min, and volume of solution ranging from 50 to 125 ml were systematically studied. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed that all the thin films had a polycrystalline nature with the fcc structure of single-phase CdO. The analysis also showed peaks related to (111), (200), (220), and (311) planes. The field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) images showed that the morphology surface of the thin films was spherical. The atomic force microscopy (AFM) analysis demonstrated that the roughness of thin films ranged from 21.16 to 60.9 nm. The Hall effect and thermoelectric studies revealed that the films exhibited an n-type conductivity. The Hall effect measurement study also showed that the carrier concentration (n) and carrier mobility were of the order of 1019 cm− 3 and 10− 2 cm− 2/v s, respectively. The obtained values for the optical bandgap ranged from 2.29 to 2.56 eV, where the amount of the optical bandgap for the thin films decreased as the substrate temperature increased.

Plasma Electrolytic Oxidation (PEO) Layers from Silicate/Phosphate Baths on Ti-6Al-4V for Biomedical Components: Influence of Deposition Conditions and Surface Finishing on Dry Sliding Behaviour

Plasma Electrolytic Oxidation (PEO) layers were produced on Ti-6Al-4V in different conditions, so as to assess the influence of layer structure, current mode, duty cycle and surface finishing on microstructural features and tribological behaviour. In DC regime, the double-layer structure (silicate bath followed by phosphate bath) beneficially affected wear resistance. In unipolar pulsed DC (phosphate bath), the wear resistance of single layers improved with increasing duty cycle, due to improved microstructure and adhesion: high duty cycle single layers can be considered an alternative to double-layer deposition. Surface finishing by abrasive blasting with spheroidal glass beads leads to surface roughness decrease and hence to decreased friction and improved wear resistance. The best-performing PEO layers showed promising results in the comparison with reference materials such as CoCrMo (both uncoated and (Ti,Nb)N PVD-coated) and PVD-coated Ti-6Al-4V up to 30 N normal load.

Solution-Processed Bismuth Halide Perovskite Thin Films: Influence of Deposition Conditions and A-Site Alloying on Morphology and Optical Properties.

Bismuth-based halide perovskites have been proposed as a potential nontoxic alternative to lead halide perovskites; however, they have not realized suitable performance. Their poor performance has been attributed to substandard film morphologies and too wide of a band gap for many applications. Herein we used a two-step deposition procedure to convert BiI3 thin films into A3Bi2I9 (A = FA+, MA+, Cs+, or Rb+), which resulted in a substantial improvement in film morphology, a larger band gap, and greater compositional tunability compared toresults when using aconventional single-step depositiontechnique. Additionally, we attempted to reduce the undesirably wide band gap inRb3Bi2I9thin filmsby inducing chemical pressures through cation-size mismatch,with an underlying hypothesis that cation-size mismatchcould inducecompressive strain within the 2D Rb3Bi2I9 lattice. However, we found that all A xRb3- xBi2I9 compositions with x > 0 adopted the 0D structure, and no changes to the band gap were observed with alloy. These results imply that the band gap ofA xRb3- xBi2I9is insensitive to A-site alloying.

Optimization of Al/AlOx/Al-layer systems for Josephson junctions from a microstructure point of view

Al/AlOx/Al-layer systems are frequently used for Josephson junction-based superconducting devices. Although much work has been devoted to the optimization of the superconducting properties of these devices, systematic studies on the influence of deposition conditions, combined with structural analyses on the nanoscale, are rare up to now. We have focused on the optimization of the structural properties of Al/AlOx/Al-layer systems deposited on Si(111) substrates with a particular focus on the thickness homogeneity of the AlOx-tunnel barrier. A standard high-vacuum electron-beam deposition system was used, and the effect of substrate pretreatment, different Al-deposition temperatures, and Al-deposition rates was studied. Transmission electron microscopy was applied to analyze the structural properties of the Al/AlOx/Al-layer systems to determine the thickness homogeneity of the AlOx layer, grain-size distribution in the Al layers, Al-grain boundary types, and the morphology of the Al/AlOx interface. We show that the structural properties of the lower Al layer are decisive for the structural quality of the whole Al/AlOx/Al-layer system. Optimum conditions yield an epitaxial Al(111) layer on a Si(111) substrate with an Al-layer thickness variation of only ±1.6 nm over more than 10 μm and large lateral grain sizes up to 1 μm. Thickness fluctuations of the AlOx-tunnel barrier are minimized on such an Al layer, which is essential for the homogeneity of the tunnel current. Systematic variation of the Al-deposition rate and deposition temperature allows one to develop an understanding of the growth mechanisms.

The Tribological and Chemical Properties of Ni-W Alloy Electrodeposition

The Electrodeposition process has been used to substrate Ni-W alloy on low carbon steel by using ammonical citrate bath. The influence of deposition condition by variation of current density (0.04-0.2 A/cm2) and solution temperature (60-70 °C), on the mechanical and chemical properties such as (microhardness, wear resistance, residual stress and chemical resistance) was studied. Results show that the current efficiency has the major influence on the tungsten content in the alloys which reflected to the properties of the deposits.