Thickness Of Al2O3 Layer Research Articles

Controlling the All-Solid Surface Reaction Between an Li1.3Al0.3Ti1.7(PO4)3 Electrolyte and Anode Through the Insertion of Ag and Al2O3 Nano-Interfacial Layers

Solid-state lithium batteries are considered ideal due to the safety of solid-state electrolytes. The Na superionic conductor-type Li1.3Al0.3Ti1.7(PO4)3 (LATP) is a solid electrolyte with high ionic conductivity, low cost, and stability. However, LATP is reduced upon contact with metallic lithium, leading to lithium dendrite growth on the anode during charging. In this study, LATP was synthesized, and the relationship between crystallinity and ionic conductivity was investigated at different heat treatment temperatures. Optimal sintering conditions and ionic conductivity were analyzed for sintering temperatures from 800 to 1000 °C. To suppress reactions with Li metal, 50 nm thick Ag and 10 nm thick Al2O3 layers were deposited on LATP via DC sputtering and plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition. The electrochemical stability was tested under three conditions: uncoated LATP, Al2O3-coated LATP, and Ag+Al2O3-coated LATP. The stability improved in the following order: uncoated < Al2O3-coated < Ag+Al2O3-coated. The Al2O3 coating suppressed secondary phase formation by preventing direct contact between LATP and Li, while Ag coating mitigated charge concentration, inhibiting dendrite growth. These findings demonstrate that Ag and Al2O3 nano-layers enhance electrolyte stability, advancing solid-state battery reliability and commercialization.

On the coupled effect of a MIS-based anode and AlGaN-polarized super-junction to reduce the local electric field for AlGaN/GaN Schottky barrier diodes

This work employs advanced physical models with the help of technology computer-aided design tools to systematically design and investigate AlGaN/GaN Schottky barrier diodes (SBDs), focusing on enhancing forward conduction and reverse blocking characteristics. A recessed metal/insulator/III-nitride (MIS) anode is demonstrated to manage electric field distribution. The incorporation of a 1 nm thick Al2O3 layer enables a reduced leakage current and a significant increase in breakdown voltage (BV). Subsequently, tailored field plates (FPs) further improve the BV of the MIS SBD to ∼1650 V but strong electric field magnitude will be found at the edge of the FP. Hence, a MIS SBD with a graded AlGaN barrier layer (MIS-GA SBD) is designed, featuring a gradient decrease in Al content along the [0001] direction. The generation of negative polarization charges within the barrier functions as a super-junction, significantly homogenizing the electric field. As a result, the MIS-GA SBD achieves a remarkable BV exceeding 3500 V, highlighting its strong potential for high-voltage power electronic applications.

High-temperature protection performance of Mg-doped Al2O3 protective layers on the thin film thermocouples

Mg-doped Al2O3 protective layers were deposited on Pt–PtRh10 (S-type) thin film thermocouples (TFTCs) by reactive magnetron sputtering. The changes in the composition, microstructure, and element distribution of the Mg-doped Al2O3 films before and after annealing at 1200 °C for 3 h were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The results indicate that incorporating MgO into Al2O3 as an enhancement phase not only inhibits the crystallization and phase transformation of Al2O3 but also promotes the formation of MgAl2O4, sequentially further enhancing the material's high-temperature protective properties. The thermoelectric properties of S-type TFTCs with 1.6 μm thick Al2O3 and Mg-doped Al2O3 protective layers were explored, respectively. The results of static calibration at high temperatures demonstrate that the TFTCs with the Mg-doped Al2O3 protective layer can operate at 1148 °C for over 96 h and at 1480 °C for a brief period. Following 4 calibration cycles, compared to the TFTCs with the Al2O3 protective layer, the average Seebeck coefficients of the TFTCs with the Mg-doped Al2O3 protective layer exhibit a slower decline rate, and its drift rate during the 4th cycle is merely 3.28 °C/h. The TFTCs featuring Mg-doped Al2O3 protective layers demonstrate extended lifetimes, superior high-temperature stability, and enhanced reliability when contrasted with those utilizing undoped Al2O3 protective layers. These attributes offer valuable insights into the progression of TFTC technology.

Lead-free perovskite Cs2AgBiBr6 photodetector detecting NIR light driven by titanium nitride plasmonic hot holes

Lead-free perovskite Cs2AgBiBr6 manifests great potential in developing high-performance, environmentally friendly, solution-processable photodetectors (PDs). However, due to the relatively large energy bandgap, the spectrum responses of Cs2AgBiBr6 PDs are limited to the ultraviolet and visible region with wavelengths shorter than 560 nm. In this work, a broadband Cs2AgBiBr6 PD covering the ultraviolet, visible, and near infrared (NIR) range is demonstrated by incorporating titanium nitride (TiN) nanoparticles that are prepared with the assistance of self-assembled polystyrene sphere array. In addition, an atomically thick Al2O3 layer is introduced at the interface between the Cs2AgBiBr6 film and TiN nanoparticles to alleviate the dark current deterioration caused by nanoparticle incorporation. As a result, beyond the spectrum range where Cs2AgBiBr6 absorbs light, the external quantum efficiency (EQE) of the TiN nanoparticle incorporated Cs2AgBiBr6 PD is enhanced significantly compared with that of the control, displaying enhancement factors as high as 2000 over a broadband NIR wavelength range. The demonstrated enhancement in EQE arises from the photocurrent contribution of plasmonic hot holes injected from TiN nanoparticles into Cs2AgBiBr6. This work promotes the development of broadband solution-processable perovskite PDs, providing a promising strategy for realizing photodetection in the NIR region.

Influence of Al2O3/SiNx Rear-Side Stacked Passivation on the Performance of Polycrystalline PERC Solar Cells

In recent years, polycrystalline passivated emitter and rear cell (PERC) solar cells have developed rapidly, but less research has been conducted on the preparation process of their rear side passivation layers on standard solar cell production lines. In this work, a Al2O3/SiNx rear side stacked passivation layer for polycrystalline PERC solar cells was prepared using the plasma- enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) method. The effects of different Al2O3 layer thicknesses (6.8~25.6 nm), SiNx layer thicknesses (65~150 nm) and SiNx refractive indices (2.0~2.2) on the passivation effect and electrical performance were systematically investigated, which were adjusted by TMA flow rate, conveyor belt speed and the flow ratio of SiH4 and NH3, respectively. In addition, external quantum efficiency (EQE) and elevated temperature-induced degradation experiments were also carried out to check the cell performance. The results showed that the best passivation effect was achieved at 10.8 nm Al2O3 layer, 120 nm SiNx layer and 2.2 SiNx layer refractive index. Under the optimal conditions mentioned above, the highest efficiency was 19.20%, corresponding Voc was 647 mV, Isc was 9.21 A and FF was 79.18%. Meanwhile, when the refraction index was 2.2, the EQE of the cell in the long-wavelength band (800–1000 nm) was improved. Moreover, the decrease in conversion efficiency after 45 h LeTID was around 0.55% under the different refraction indices. The above results can provide a reference for the industrial production of polycrystalline PERC solar cells.

Ga2O3@Al2O3 Core–Shell Nanowires for High-Performance Solar-Blind Photodetectors

High-performance solar-blind photodetectors (SBPDs) have been indispensable in both military and civilian applications. Herein, Ga2O3@Al2O3 core–shell nanowires (NWs) are synthesized by plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) Al2O3 layer on the surface of Ga2O3 nanowires. The Ga2O3@Al2O3 NW has a length of tens of micrometers, and the thickness of Ga2O3 and Al2O3 layers in the NW is approximately 30 and 5 nm, respectively. The PEALD method passivates surface defects to improve the crystal quality of Ga2O3. The metal–semiconductor–metal (MSM) Ga2O3@Al2O3 NW-based SBPDs exhibit a superhigh sensitivity of 1.07 × 103 A/W and a high response speed of less than 83 ms at 5 V bias voltage under 254 nm irradiation. Additionally, the Ga2O3@Al2O3 NW PDs exhibit a superhigh specific detectivity of 3.38 × 1011 Jones, an external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 5.22 × 105%, and a high deep ultraviolet (DUV)/visible responsivity rejection ratio (R254/405) of 4.81 × 102. These results suggest that this method is an effective way to design and prepare high-performance photonic devices.

Facile method for fabricating the MXenes-Si based Schottky-junction solar cells

Owing to their tunable properties, 2D materials including MXenes are widely used in different optoelectronic devices due to their inherent conductivity and transparency. MXenes are a class of 2D materials that can be synthesized in the form of a colloidal solution, and these are hydrophilic in nature. Due to their hydrophilicity, MXenes can be easily coated on different substrates, making them suitable in applications like solar cells. Like other materials, MXenes-based solar cell fabrication doesn't require a growth process or a transfer process, hence, solar cells fabrication using MXenes is comparatively a simplified process. In this study, a facile technique was adopted to fabricate the metal-semiconductor (MXenes-Si) junction simply by spin-coating Ti3C2Tx-MXenes on an n-type Si substrate. The electrical properties of the coated MXenes films were investigated at different MXenes to DI water ratios to obtain the optimized concentration for the highest solar cell efficiency. To stabilize the interface between MXenes and Si, Al2O3 was deposited, and the thickness-dependent tunneling effect was also optimized at a 2 nm thick Al2O3 layer. To improve the solar cell efficiency, AuCl3 doping, and texturing of silicon substrate were performed. With these two additional treatments, the efficiency of the solar cell was increased from 2.87% to 3.36%, exhibiting an increase of ∼17% as compared to that without treatment.

High-temperature oxidation and TGO growth behaviors of laser-modified YAG/YSZ double-ceramic-layer TBC

Yttrium—aluminum garnet/yttria-stabilized zirconia (YAG/YSZ) double-ceramic-layer thermal barrier coating (TBC) with NiCoCrAlY bond coating was deposited by atmospheric plasma spraying (APS) on Inconel 738 alloy substrate, and laser modification was carried out on the surface of YAG ceramic coating to improve the high- temperature oxidation resistance of TBC. Then, isothermal oxidation tests were designed to study the high-temperature oxidation and thermally grown oxide (TGO) growth behaviors of the as-sprayed (AS) and the laser modified (LM) YAG/YSZ TBC. Results show that TGO thickness and structure of both AS-TBC and LM-TBC exhibit the similar evolution trend, TGO thickness increases with the increasing of isothermal oxidation time, and TGO structure develops from single Al2O3 layer to the double-layer structure of upper mixed oxides and lower Al2O3. Because of the crucial inhibition effect of the laser modification on oxygen permeation, the appearance time of mixed oxides in LM-TBC is postponed, and the total TGO thickness of LM-TBC is reduced at the middle and final oxidation stages. The Al2O3 layer thickness proportion of total TGO in LM-TBC is always greater than or equal to that in AS-TBC at the same isothermal oxidation time. Compared with the AS-TBC, the parabolic oxidation rate of LM-TBC is decreased by 18.42%. Therefore, YAG/YSZ LM-TBC presents better oxidation resistance and lower TGO growth rate than AS-TBC.

Effects of Al2O3 Thickness in Silicon Heterojunction Solar Cells

In this paper, we investigate the effects of aluminum oxide (Al2O3) antireflection coating (ARC) on silicon heterojunction (SHJ) solar cells. Comprehensive ARCs simulation with Al2O3/ITO/c-Si structure is carried out and the feasibility to improve the short circuit current density (JSC) is demonstrated. Based on the simulation results, we apply Al2O3 ARC on SHJ solar cells, and the increasement in JSC to 1.5 mA/cm2 is observed with an Al2O3 layer thickness of 20 nm. It is because the total reflectance of SHJ solar cells is decreased by the shifting of the wavelength range on constructive and destructive light interference. As a result, we believe that the proposed Al2O3 ARC can support an effective engineering technic to increase JSC and efficiency of SHJ solar cells.

Upconversion luminescence enhancement of NaGdF4:Er3+/Yb3+/Al3+ nanorods through tuning Al2O3 layer in a hybrid photonic-plasmonic-dielectric structure

Surface plasmon resonance and photonic crystals (PCs) effect are effective methods for improving upconversion luminescence (UCL) for upconversion nanoparticles. In this work, PCs/Ag/Al2O3/UC hybrid structure is presented to enhance UCL of NaGdF4:Er3+/Yb3+/Al3+ nanorods through tuning the thickness of the Al2O3 layer. The optical and luminescence properties were studied and compared with those of UC and PCs/Ag/UC hybrid, it is shown that the thickness of Al2O3 layer has a significant effect on fluorescence intensity, outstanding upconversion luminescence enhancement and the green-to-red intensity ratios have been achieved at 980 nm excitation. The maximum enhancement factors of the red and green emission were obtained for the sample with 10 nm Al2O3 layer, respectively. The mechanism of UCL enhancement for PCs/Ag/Al2O3/UC hybrid structure was discussed.

Tuning the charge carrier polarity of roll-to-roll gravure printed carbon nanotube-based thin film transistors by an atomic layer deposited alumina nanolayer.

Charge carrier polarity tuning in printed thin film transistors (TFTs) is a crucial step in order to obtain complementary printed devices. In this work, we studied the effect of an Al2O3 passivation layer on printed single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) based TFTs to tune the charge carrier polarity. By varying the atomic layer deposition (ALD) temperature and Al2O3 layer thickness, we can tune the doping degree of Al2O3 to tailor the polarity of printed SWCNT-based TFTs (SWCNT-TFTs). The precise control of threshold voltage (Vth) and polarity from p-type to well-balanced ambipolar, and n-type SWCNT-TFTs is successfully demonstrated with high repeatability by optimizing the ALD temperature and Al2O3 layer thickness based on 20 printed samples per test. As a proof-of-concept, inverter logic circuits using the SWCNT-TFT with different polarity types are demonstrated. The ambipolar device-based inverter exhibits a voltage gain of 3.9 and the CMOS-based inverter exhibits a gain of approximately 4.3, which is comparable to the current roll-to-roll (R2R) printed inverter circuits. Different thicknesses of Al2O3 layer, coated by the ALD at different temperatures and thicknesses, provide a deep understanding of the device fabrication and control process to implement the tailored doping method to efficiently realize R2R printed SWCNT-TFT-based complementary electronic devices.

Linear and nonlinear optical properties of Al2O3/Y2O3 nanolaminates fabricated by atomic layer deposition

The structure and composition of nanocomposites constitute design parameters that can be manipulated to get control over their linear and nonlinear optical response. In this work, we report the linear and nonlinear optical properties of samples consisting of multiple Al2O3/Y2O3 bilayers with a total thickness of ∼ 500 nm, fabricated through the atomic layer deposition technique onto Si and SiO2 substrates. Fabrication of the multiple layer configurations was made for four Y2O3 layer thicknesses, while maintaining a constant Al2O3 layer thickness for all the samples fabricated. Physical and chemical characterization of the samples produced was conducted by optical ellipsometry, transmission electron microscopy and XRD. Moreover, their third-order nonlinear optical properties were studied through the z-scan technique with 100 fs pulses at 800 nm from a Ti:Sapphire laser, allowing the resolution of the refractive and absorptive contributions to the response. The nonlinear parameters extracted from the experiments are discussed in terms of the fabrication thickness of the selected materials. Additionally, figures of merit relevant for the possible application of these materials in optical processing system are calculated and discussed.

Influence of Anodizing Parameters on Tribological Properties and Wettability of Al2O3 Layers Produced on the EN AW-5251 Aluminum Alloy.

The article presents the effect of anodizing parameters of the EN AW-5251 aluminum alloy on the thickness and roughness of Al2O3 layers as well as their wettability and tribological properties in a sliding combination with the T7W material. The input variables were the current density of 1, 2, 3 A/dm2 and the electrolyte temperature of 283, 293, 303 K. The tribological tests were performed on the T-17 tester in reciprocating motion, in conditions of technically dry friction. The tests were carried out on a 15 km road with a constant average slip speed of 0.2 m/s and a constant unit pressure of 1 MPa. The measurement of the wettability of the layers was performed using the sitting drop method, determining the contact angles on the basis of which the surface free energy was calculated. The profilographometric measurements were made. The analysis of the test results showed that the anodizing parameters significantly affect the thickness of the Al2O3 layers. The performed correlation analysis also showed a significant relationship between the roughness parameters and the wettability of the surface of the layers, which affects the ability to create and maintain a sliding film, which in turn translates into sliding resistance and wear of the T7W material. The analysis of friction and wear tests showed that the layer with hydrophobic properties produced at a current density of 1 A/dm2 in an electrolyte at a temperature of 283 K is the most favorable for sliding associations with T7W material.

Sputtering Al2O3 as an effective interface layer to improve open-circuit voltage and device performance of Sb2Se3 thin-film solar cells

Sb2Se3 as a promising photovoltaic absorber material is attracting increasing attention. However, high open-circuit voltage (VOC) loss, especially for superstrate structured Sb2Se3 solar cells, is one of the main bottlenecks for improving device efficiency. Here, sputtering aluminum oxide (Al2O3) as an interface layer between CdS and Sb2Se3 was applied in superstrate structured Sb2Se3 solar cells. We proved that the sputtered Al2O3 layer is not fully continuous on the rough CdS film even its thickness has reached 8.8 nm. Then we systematically investigated the influence of the Al2O3 layer on Sb2Se3 material properties and device performances. It is found that the Al2O3 layer can not only effectively inhibit [hk0]-oriented crystal growth and promote [hk1] growth orientation of Sb2Se3 films but also obviously weaken the disordered growth of prominent petal-like shape Sb2Se3 grains and reduce the surface roughness. Further, the Al2O3 layer can also availably passivate interfacial defects at the CdS/Sb2Se3 interface. Consequently, the average power conversion efficiency (PCE) of Sb2Se3 solar cells with an optimal Al2O3 layer thickness is 17.86% higher than that without the Al2O3 layer. Noteworthily, the VOC of Sb2Se3 solar cells is boosted to 0.462 V, which is the highest value in superstrate structured Sb2Se3 solar cells with absorber prepared by conventional physical methods. Finally, a champion efficiency of 6.25% has been achieved in a low-cost Sb2Se3 thin-film solar cell with FTO/CdS/Al2O3/Sb2Se3/Carbon device configuration.

Surface plasmon resonance enhanced self-powered graphene/Al2O3/InGaAs near-infrared photodetector

In recent years, there has been extensive research on improving the performance of photodetectors. In this paper, the performance of a graphene/Al2O3/InGaAs photodetector is studied. In order to reduce the dark current of this device and improve the photocurrent, the structure of the device is optimized to improve the responsivity of the device. A 2 nm thick Al2O3 layer is inserted as the passivation layer. The InP layer between the SiNx layer and the InGaAs layer is retained. It is speculated that the InP layer could reduce the defects and interface states between layers. A layer of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) was spin coated on the surface of the single-layer graphene, and the surface plasmon resonance of Ag NPs could enhance the local electric field of InGaAs interface and increase the light absorption of graphene, which can promote carrier generation and transmission in graphene and, thus, effectively enhance the photocurrent of device. The improved device achieves a high responsivity of 265.41 mA/W at 1064 nm and a detection rate of 4.06 × 1011 cm Hz1/2 W−1. At −1.25 V, the responsivity of the device is improved to 1618.8 mA/W.

The importance of nucleation layer for the GaN N-face purity on the annealed Al2O3 layers deposited by atomic layer deposition

This study presents the results of N-face GaN layers MOCVD grown on the 20 nm thick Al2O3 layer (ALD-AlO), as a composite of a waveguiding structure. The shortening of GaN nucleation time from 195 to 60 s revealed the appearance of Ga-face inclusions in the N-face GaN, which has improved the layers’ crystal quality. It also changed surfaces’ morphology and roughness which decreased from 17 ÷ 22 nm to 5 nm. To determine the GaN face, the samples were rinsed in a KOH solution. Time-dependent etching experiment and scanning electron microscopy inspection revealed that the etching stops at the ALD-AlO layer. After 60 min of etching, we have not detected any V-pits on the surface (on the underneath Ga-face GaN), indicating etching suppression by the ALD-AlO layer. We have performed in-plane (112¯0) X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements, atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging, electron-beam-induced-current (EBIC) investigations.

Effects of pellet surface roughness and pre-oxidation temperature on CMAS corrosion behavior of Ti2AlC

Calcium-magnesium-alumina-silicate (CMAS) corrosion is a serious threat to thermal barrier coatings (TBCs). Ti2AlC has been proven to be a potential protection layer material for TBCs to resist CMAS corrosion. In this study, the effects of the pellet surface roughness and temperature on the microstructure of the pre-oxidation layer and CMAS corrosion behavior of Ti2AlC were investigated. The results revealed that pre-oxidation produced inner Al2O3 layer and outer TiO2 clusters on the pellet surfaces. The content of TiO2 decreased with decreasing pellet surface roughness and increased along with the pre-oxidation temperature. The thickness of Al2O3 layer is also positively related to the pre-oxidation temperature. The Ti2AlC pellets pre-oxidized at 1050 °C could effectively resist CMAS corrosion by promoting the crystallization of anorthite (CaAl2Si2O8) from the CMAS melt rapidly, and the resistance effectiveness increased with the pellet surface roughness. Additionally, the CMAS layer mainly spalled off at the interface of CaAl2Si2O8/Al2O3 layer after thermal cycling tests coupled with CMAS corrosion. The Al2O3 layer grown on the rough interface could combine with the pellets tightly during thermal cycling tests, which was attributed to obstruction of the rough interface to crack propagation.

Improvement of the Charge Retention of a Non-Volatile Memory by a Bandgap-Engineered Charge Trap Layer

In recent years, research based on HfO2 as a charge trap memory has become increasingly popular. This material, with its advantages of moderate dielectric constant, good interface thermal stability and high charge trap density, is currently gaining in prominence in the next generation of nonvolatile memory devices. In this study, memory devices based on a-IGZO thin-film transistor (TFT) with HfO2/Al2O3/HfO2 charge trap layer (CTL) were fabricated using atomic layer deposition. The effect of the Al2O3 layer thickness (1, 2, and 3 nm) in the CTL on memory performance was studied. The results show that the device with a 2-nm Al2O3 layer in the CTL has a 2.47 V memory window for 12 V programming voltage. The use of the HfO2/Al2O3/HfO2 structure as a CTL lowered the concentration of electrons near the tunnel layer and the loss of trapped electrons. At room temperature, the memory window is expected to decrease by 0.61 V after 10 years. The large storage window (2.47 V) and good charge retention (75.6% in 10 years) of the device under low-voltage conditions are highly advantageous. The charge retention of the HfO2/Al2O3/HfO2 trap layer affords a feasible method for fabricating memory devices based on a-IGZO TFT.

Tuning back side passivation for enhancing the performance of PERC solar cells

In the mono-crystalline silicon passivated emitter and rear cell (PERC), the back side passivation film made up of Al2O3 + SiNx:H stacks is the mainstream design. In this paper, the effect of the thickness of Al2O3 passivation layer on the performance of the solar cell was studied, and the correlation between the refractive index (RI) of SiNx:H layer and the efficiency gain of the solar cell after regeneration was analyzed. The results indicate that the thickness of Al2O3 layer needs to be balanced between the surface passivation and bulk passivation of SiNx:H, and the lower RI of SiNx:H layer shows a better hydrogen passivation capability. During the restoration of the solar cell efficiency, a thinner Al2O3 layer facilitates a faster stabilization of the boron-oxygen complexes. Finally, a new five-layer SiNx:H film was designed for the back side passivation film, and a conversion efficiency of 22.56 % was achieved, which is 0.05 % higher than that of the solar cell with a single-layer SiNx:H film.

Monolayer Support Control and Precise Colloidal Nanocrystals Demonstrate Metal-Support Interactions in Heterogeneous Catalysts.

Electronic and geometric interactions between active and support phases are critical in determining the activity of heterogeneous catalysts, but metal-support interactions are challenging to study. Here, it is demonstrated how the combination of the monolayer-controlled formation using atomic layer deposition (ALD) and colloidal nanocrystal synthesis methods leads to catalysts with sub-nanometer precision of active and support phases, thus allowing for the study of the metal-support interactions in detail. The use of this approach in developing a fundamental understanding of support effects in Pd-catalyzed methane combustion is demonstrated. Uniform Pd nanocrystals are deposited onto Al2 O3 /SiO2 spherical supports prepared with control over morphology and Al2 O3 layer thicknesses ranging from sub-monolayer to a ≈4nm thick uniform coating. Dramatic changes in catalytic activity depending on the coverage and structure of Al2 O3 situated at the Pd/Al2 O3 interface are observed, with even a single monolayer of alumina contributing an order of magnitude increase in reaction rate. By building the Pd/Al2 O3 interface up layer-by-layer and using uniform Pd nanocrystals, this work demonstrates the importance of controlled and tunable materials in determining metal-support interactions and catalyst activity.