WorldWideScience

Sample records for deposited electrochromic films

  1. Electrochromic nanocomposite films

    Science.gov (United States)

    Milliron, Delia; Llordes, Anna; Buonsanti, Raffaella; Garcia, Guillermo

    2018-04-10

    The present invention provides an electrochromic nanocomposite film. In an exemplary embodiment, the electrochromic nanocomposite film, includes (1) a solid matrix of oxide based material and (2) transparent conducting oxide (TCO) nanostructures embedded in the matrix. In a further embodiment, the electrochromic nanocomposite film farther includes a substrate upon which the matrix is deposited. The present invention also provides a method of preparing an electrochromic nanocomposite film.

  2. Characterization of MAPLE deposited WO3 thin films for electrochromic applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Boyadjiev, S. I.; Stefan, N.; Szilágyi, I. M.; Mihailescu, N.; Visan, A.; Mihailescu, I. N.; Stan, G. E.; Besleaga, C.; Iliev, M. T.; Gesheva, K. A.

    2017-01-01

    Tungsten trioxide (WO3) is a widely studied material for electrochromic applications. The structure, morphology and optical properties of WO3 thin films, grown by matrix assisted pulsed laser evaporation (MAPLE) from monoclinic WO3 nano-sized particles, were investigated for their possible application as electrochromic layers. A KrF* excimer (λ=248 nm, ζFWHM=25 ns) laser source was used in all experiments. The MAPLE deposited WO3 thin films were studied by atomic force microscopy (AFM), grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Cyclic voltammetry measurements were also performed, and the coloring and bleaching were observed. The morpho-structural investigations disclosed the synthesis of single-phase monoclinic WO3 films consisting of crystalline nano-grains embedded in an amorphous matrix. All thin films showed good electrochromic properties, thus validating application of the MAPLE deposition technique for the further development of electrochromic devices.

  3. Characterization of MAPLE deposited WO3 thin films for electrochromic applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Boyadjiev, S I; Iliev, M T; Stefan, N; Mihailescu, N; Visan, A; Mihailescu, I N; Szilágyi, I M; Stan, G E; Besleaga, C; Gesheva, K A

    2017-01-01

    Tungsten trioxide (WO 3 ) is a widely studied material for electrochromic applications. The structure, morphology and optical properties of WO 3 thin films, grown by matrix assisted pulsed laser evaporation (MAPLE) from monoclinic WO 3 nano-sized particles, were investigated for their possible application as electrochromic layers. A KrF* excimer (λ=248 nm, ζ FWHM =25 ns) laser source was used in all experiments. The MAPLE deposited WO 3 thin films were studied by atomic force microscopy (AFM), grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Cyclic voltammetry measurements were also performed, and the coloring and bleaching were observed. The morpho-structural investigations disclosed the synthesis of single-phase monoclinic WO 3 films consisting of crystalline nano-grains embedded in an amorphous matrix. All thin films showed good electrochromic properties, thus validating application of the MAPLE deposition technique for the further development of electrochromic devices. (paper)

  4. Electrochromic properties of bipolar pulsed magnetron sputter deposited tungsten–molybdenum oxide films

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lin, Tai-Nan [Chemical Engineering Division, Institute of Nuclear Energy Research, Taoyuan 325, Taiwan, ROC (China); Lin, Yi Han; Lee, Chin Tan [Department of Electronic Engineering, National Quemoy University, Kinmen 892, Taiwan, ROC (China); Han, Sheng [Center of General Education, National Taichung Institute of Technology, Taichung 404, Taiwan, ROC (China); Weng, Ko-Wei, E-mail: kowei@nqu.edu.tw [Department of Electronic Engineering, National Quemoy University, Kinmen 892, Taiwan, ROC (China)

    2015-06-01

    There are great interests in electrochromic technology for smart windows and displays over past decades. In this study, the WMoO{sub x} thin films were deposited onto indium tin oxide glass and silicon substrates by pulsed magnetron sputter system with W and Mo targets. The films were deposited with fixed W target power while the variant parameter of Mo target power in the range 50, 100, 150 and 200 W was investigated. The working pressure was fixed at 1.33 Pa with a gas mixture of Ar (30 sccm) and O{sub 2} (15 sccm). The film thickness increased with the Mo target power. Higher plasma power resulted in a crystalline structure which would reduce the electrochromic property of the film. The influence of plasma powers applied to Mo target on the structural, optical and electrochromic properties of the WMoO{sub x} thin films has been investigated. WMoO{sub x} films grown at Mo target powers less than 100 W were found to be amorphous. The films deposited at 150 W, which is the optimal fabrication condition, exhibit better electrochromic properties with high optical modulation, high coloration efficiency and less color memory effect at wavelength 400, 550 and 800 nm. The improvement resulted from the effect of doping Mo has been tested. The maximum ΔT (%) values are 36.6% at 400 nm, 65.6% at 550 nm, and 66.6% at 800 nm for pure WO{sub 3} film. The addition of Mo content in the WMoO{sub x} films provides better resistance to the short wavelength light source and can be used in the concerned application. - Highlights: • WMoO{sub x} films are deposited by pulsed magnetron sputter with pure W and Mo targets. • Mo addition in WMoO{sub x} provides better resistance to short wavelength light source. • WMoO{sub x} films exhibit electrochemical stability in the cycling test.

  5. Electrochromism of the electroless deposited cuprous oxide films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Neskovska, R.; Ristova, M.; Velevska, J.; Ristov, M.

    2007-01-01

    Thin cuprous oxide films were prepared by a low cost, chemical deposition (electroless) method onto glass substrates pre-coated with fluorine doped tin oxide. The X-ray diffraction pattern confirmed the Cu 2 O composition of the films. Visible transmittance spectra of the cuprous oxide films were studied for the as-prepared, colored and bleached films. The cyclic voltammetry study showed that those films exhibited cathode coloring electrochromism, i.e. the films showed change of color from yellowish to black upon application of an electric field. The transmittance across the films for laser light of 670 nm was found to change due to the voltage change for about 50%. The coloration memory of those films was also studied during 6 h, ex-situ. The coloration efficiency at 670 nm was calculated to be 37 cm 2 /C

  6. Optical and electrochromic properties of sol-gel deposited Ti- doped vanadium oxide films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oezer, N.; Sabuncu, S.

    1997-01-01

    Because of the yellowish color, vanadium oxide films in the as deposited state is not as favorable as transparent coatings for most elector chromic devices. an interesting possibility to alter the yellowish colours is the doping with other non-absorbing metal oxides. Ti doped vanadium oxide films with various amounts of titanium were synthesized and investigated as transparent counter electrodes for electrochromic transmissive device application. Electrochromic titanium doped vanadium pentoxide (V sub 2 O 5) coatings were prepared by the sol-gel dip coating technique. The coating solutions were synthesized from vanadium tri(isopropoxide) precursors. X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies showed that the sol-gel deposited doped films heat treated at temperatures below 350 degree centigrade, were amorphous, whereas hose heat treated at higher temperatures were slight y crystalline. The optical and electrochemical properties of the Ti doped vanadium oxide films has been investigated in 0.1 m LiClO sub 4 propylene carbonate solution color changes by dropping were noted for all investigated films exhibits good electrochemical cycling (CV) measurements also showed that Ti doped V sub 2 O sub 5 films exhibits good electrochemical cycling reversibility, 'in situ' optical measurement revealed that those films exhibits good electrochemical cycling the spectra range 300 < lambda < 800 nm and change color between yellow and light green. The change in visible transmittance was 25 % for 5% Ti doped film. (author)

  7. Effect of micro-patterned fluorine-doped tin oxide films on electrochromic properties of Prussian blue films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Kyuha; Kim, A-Young; Park, Ji Hun; Jung, Hun-Gi; Choi, Wonchang; Lee, Hwa Young; Lee, Joong Kee

    2014-01-01

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • PB-based ECD employed micro-patterned FTO electrode was fabricated. • Effect of interface morphology on electrochromic characteristics was examined. • Electrochromic properties were enhanced by employing a patterned interface. - Abstract: The effect of interface morphology on electrochromic characteristics was examined for an electrochromic device (ECD). Micro-patterned fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) films were fabricated using a photolithography process. Prussian blue (PB) films were then deposited on the patterned FTO films. The surface areas of both PB films and FTO films were increased by patterning. ECDs were assembled using patterned PB/FTO films as the electrochromic electrode, bare FTO films as the counter electrode, and an electrolyte containing LiClO 4 salt. The increased effective surface area of the patterned PB/FTO electrode boosted the mobility of ions at the interphase between the electrolyte and PB electrode, and the electron transfer between PB films and FTO films. As a result, electrochromic properties such as transmittance and response time were significantly improved by employing the patterned FTO films as the transparent conductive oxide layer of the electrochromic electrode

  8. Characterisation and application of WO3 films for electrochromic devices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stapinski, Thomas; Marszalek, Konstanty; Swatowska, Barbara; Stanco, Agnieszka

    2013-07-01

    Electrochromic system is the one of the most popular devices using color memory effect under the influence of an applied voltage. The electrochromic system was produced based on the thin WO3 electrochromic films. Films were prepared by RF magnetron sputtering from tungsten targets in a reactive Ar+O2 gas atmosphere of various Ar/O2 ratios. The technological gas mixture pressure was 3 Pa and process temperature 30°C. Structural and optical properties of WO3 films were investigated for as-deposited and heat treated samples at temperature range from 350°C to 450°C in air. The material revealed the dependence of properties on preparation conditions and on post-deposition heat treatment. Main parameters of thin WO3 films: thickness d, refractive index n, extinction coefficient k and energy gap Eg were determined and optimized for application in electrochromic system. The main components of the system were glass plate with transparent conducting oxides, electrolyte, and glass plate with transparent conducting oxides and WO3 layer. The optical properties of the system were investigated when a voltage was applied across it. The electrochromic cell revealed the controllable transmittance depended on the operation voltage.

  9. Effect of micro-patterned fluorine-doped tin oxide films on electrochromic properties of Prussian blue films

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Kyuha [Center for Energy Convergence Research, Green City Technology Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Hwarangno 14-gil 5, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 136-791 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, A-Young [Center for Energy Convergence Research, Green City Technology Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Hwarangno 14-gil 5, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 136-791 (Korea, Republic of); Department of Material Science and Engineering, Korea University, Seoul 136-701 (Korea, Republic of); Park, Ji Hun; Jung, Hun-Gi; Choi, Wonchang; Lee, Hwa Young [Center for Energy Convergence Research, Green City Technology Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Hwarangno 14-gil 5, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 136-791 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Joong Kee, E-mail: leejk@kist.re.kr [Center for Energy Convergence Research, Green City Technology Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Hwarangno 14-gil 5, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul 136-791 (Korea, Republic of)

    2014-09-15

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • PB-based ECD employed micro-patterned FTO electrode was fabricated. • Effect of interface morphology on electrochromic characteristics was examined. • Electrochromic properties were enhanced by employing a patterned interface. - Abstract: The effect of interface morphology on electrochromic characteristics was examined for an electrochromic device (ECD). Micro-patterned fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) films were fabricated using a photolithography process. Prussian blue (PB) films were then deposited on the patterned FTO films. The surface areas of both PB films and FTO films were increased by patterning. ECDs were assembled using patterned PB/FTO films as the electrochromic electrode, bare FTO films as the counter electrode, and an electrolyte containing LiClO{sub 4} salt. The increased effective surface area of the patterned PB/FTO electrode boosted the mobility of ions at the interphase between the electrolyte and PB electrode, and the electron transfer between PB films and FTO films. As a result, electrochromic properties such as transmittance and response time were significantly improved by employing the patterned FTO films as the transparent conductive oxide layer of the electrochromic electrode.

  10. Effect of post annealing treatment on electrochromic properties of spray deposited niobium oxide thin films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mujawar, S.H.; Inamdar, A.I.; Betty, C.A.; Ganesan, V.; Patil, P.S.

    2007-01-01

    Niobium oxide thin films were deposited on the glass and fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) coated glass substrates using simple and inexpensive spray pyrolysis technique. During deposition of the films various process parameters like nozzle to substrate distance, spray rate, concentration of sprayed solution were optimized to obtain well adherent and transparent films. The films prepared were further annealed and effect of post annealing on the structural, morphological, optical and electrochromic properties was studied. Structural and morphological characterizations of the films were carried out using scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and X-ray diffraction techniques. Electrochemical properties of the niobium oxide thin films were studied by using cyclic-voltammetry, chronoamperometry and chronocoulometry

  11. Low-cost fabrication of WO{sub 3} films using a room temperature and low-vacuum air-spray based deposition system for inorganic electrochromic device applications

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Park, Sung-Ik [Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Sooyeun, E-mail: sooyeunk@u.washington.edu [Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA (United States); Choi, Jung-Oh; Song, Ji-Hyeon [Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Taya, Minoru [Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA (United States); Ahn, Sung-Hoon, E-mail: ahnsh@snu.ac.kr [Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Institute of Advanced Machines and Design, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    2015-08-31

    We report the deposition of tungsten oxide (WO{sub 3}) thin films on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) and indium-doped tin oxide (ITO) glass substrates by using a room-temperature deposition system based on low-vacuum air-spray for the fabrication of inorganic electrochromic windows. The structure of the WO{sub 3} films was characterized using X-ray diffraction, and the surface morphology and film thickness were investigated using scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. The color of the prepared WO{sub 3} films changed from slight yellow to dark blue under applied voltages, demonstrating electrochromism. The WO{sub 3} film coated FTO glass exhibited a large electrochromic contrast of up to 50% at a wavelength of 800 nm. The electrochemical properties of the films were examined using cyclic voltammetry and chronocoulometry. - Highlights: • WO{sub 3} thin films were fabricated using an air-spray based deposition system at room temperature under low-vacuum conditions. • Dry WO{sub 3} particles were directly deposited on FTO and ITO glasses by using a low-cost deposition system. • The FTO glass based WO{sub 3} film showed the optical contrast of 50% at a wavelength of 800 nm.

  12. The optical and electrochemical properties of electrochromic films: WO3+xV2O5

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Zhuying; Liu, Hui; Liu, Ye; Yang, Shaohong; Liu, Yan; Wang, Chong

    2010-05-01

    Since Deb's experiment in 1973 on the electrochromic effect, transmissive electrochromic films exhibit outstanding potential as energy efficient window controls which allow dynamic control of the solar energy transmission. These films with non-volatile memory, once in the coloured state, remain in the same state even after removal of the field. The optical and electrochemical properties of electrochromic films using magnetron sputter deposition tungsten oxide thin films and vanadium oxide doped tungsten-vanadium oxide thin films on ITO coated glass were investigated. From the UV region of the transmittance spectra, the optical band gap energy from the fundamental absorption edge can be determined. And the Cyclic voltammograms of these thin films in 1 mol LiClO4 propylene carbonate electrolyte (LIPC) were measured and analysed. The anode electrochromic V2O5 doped cathode electrochromic WO3 could make films colour changing while the transmittance of films keeped invariance. These performance characteristics make tungstenvanadium oxide colour changeably thin films are suitable for electrochromic windows applications.

  13. Electrochromic Ni–Fe oxide thin films synthesized by an atmospheric pressure plasma jet for flexible electrochromic application

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lin, Yun-Sen, E-mail: yslin@fcu.edu.tw; Chuang, Pei-Ying; Shie, Ping-Shiun

    2014-11-03

    Flexible-electrochromic organo-nickel-iron oxide (NiFe{sub x}O{sub y}C{sub z}) films deposited onto flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET)/indium tin oxide (ITO) substrates using atmospheric-pressure plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition with an atmospheric pressure plasma jet under various flow rates of oxygen gases are investigated. Precursors [nickelocence, Ni(C{sub 5}H{sub 5}){sub 2}] and [ferrocence, Fe(C{sub 5}H{sub 5}){sub 2}] vapors are carried by argon gas, mixed by oxygen gas and injected into air plasma torch for a rapid synthesis of NiFe{sub x}O{sub y}C{sub z} films by a short duration of the substrate, 32 s, in the plasmas. Uniform light modulation on PET/ITO/NiFe{sub x}O{sub y}C{sub z} is produced while the moving PET/ITO substrate is exposed to plasma torch at room temperature (∼ 23 °C) and atmospheric pressure. Light modulation with up to a 43.2% transmittance variation at a wavelength of 708 nm even after 200 cycles of Li{sup +} intercalation and de-intercalation in a 1 M LiClO{sub 4}-propylene carbonate electrolyte is accomplished. - Highlights: • Rapid deposition of electrochromic organo-nickel–iron oxide (NiFe{sub x}O{sub y}C{sub z}) films • Enhanced electrochromic performance of NiFe{sub x}O{sub y}C{sub z} films by oxygen gas addition • Uniform light modulation on NiFe{sub x}O{sub y}C{sub z} films produced by air plasma jet • Porous surfaces allow reversible Li{sup +} intercalation and deintercalation.

  14. The correlations of electrochromism and thermochromism of tungsten oxide films studied by slow positron beam

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ma Chuangxin; Zhou Chunlan; Zhang Zhiming; Wang Baoyi; Wei Long

    2004-01-01

    Electrochromic (EC) and thermochromic (TC) tungsten oxide (WO 3 ) films, deposited by magnetron sputtering and vacuum thermal evaporation, were studied systematically by means of slow positron measurements. The S parameters of colored amorphous WO 3 film and crystalline WO 3 film behaved quite similarly in the processes of thermochromism and electrochromism, little influenced by the different deposition methods. It indicates that the coloration processes under various external conditions are correlated with each other. It also shows that the slow positron beam technique may play a particular role in the study of chromogenic materials. (orig.)

  15. Electrochromism and photocatalysis in dendrite structured Ti:WO3 thin films grown by sputtering

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Karuppasamy, A., E-mail: karuppasamy@psnacet.edu.in

    2015-12-30

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Dendrite structured Ti doped WO{sub 3} (WTO) thin films are grown by co-sputtering. • Sputtering condition influences structure and surface morphology of WTO films. • Titanium doping and annealing lead to dendritic surface structures in WTO films. • Structural, optical, electrochromic and photocatalytic properties of WTO films. • Enhanced electrochromism and photocatalysis in dendrite structured WTO thin films. - Abstract: Titanium doped tungsten oxide (Ti:WO{sub 3}) thin films with dendrite surface structures were grown by co-sputtering titanium and tungsten in Ar + O{sub 2} atmosphere. Ti:WO{sub 3} thin films were deposited at oxygen flow rates corresponding to pressures in the range 1.0 × 10{sup −3}–5.0 × 10{sup −3} mbar. Argon flow rate and sputtering power densities for titanium (2 W/cm{sup 2}) and tungsten (3 W/cm{sup 2}) were kept constant. Ti:WO{sub 3} films deposited at an oxygen pressure of 5 × 10{sup −3} mbar are found to be better electrochromic and photocatalytic. They have high optical modulation (80% at λ = 550 nm), coloration efficiency (60 cm{sup 2}/C at λ = 550 nm), electron/ion storage and removal capacity (Qc: −22.01 mC/cm{sup 2}, Qa: 17.72 mC/cm{sup 2}), reversibility (80%) and methylene blue decomposition rate (−1.38 μmol/l d). The combined effects of titanium doping, dendrite surface structures and porosity leads to significant enhancement in the electrochromic and photocatalytic properties of Ti:WO{sub 3} films.

  16. Electrochromism and photocatalysis in dendrite structured Ti:WO3 thin films grown by sputtering

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Karuppasamy, A.

    2015-01-01

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Dendrite structured Ti doped WO 3 (WTO) thin films are grown by co-sputtering. • Sputtering condition influences structure and surface morphology of WTO films. • Titanium doping and annealing lead to dendritic surface structures in WTO films. • Structural, optical, electrochromic and photocatalytic properties of WTO films. • Enhanced electrochromism and photocatalysis in dendrite structured WTO thin films. - Abstract: Titanium doped tungsten oxide (Ti:WO 3 ) thin films with dendrite surface structures were grown by co-sputtering titanium and tungsten in Ar + O 2 atmosphere. Ti:WO 3 thin films were deposited at oxygen flow rates corresponding to pressures in the range 1.0 × 10 −3 –5.0 × 10 −3 mbar. Argon flow rate and sputtering power densities for titanium (2 W/cm 2 ) and tungsten (3 W/cm 2 ) were kept constant. Ti:WO 3 films deposited at an oxygen pressure of 5 × 10 −3 mbar are found to be better electrochromic and photocatalytic. They have high optical modulation (80% at λ = 550 nm), coloration efficiency (60 cm 2 /C at λ = 550 nm), electron/ion storage and removal capacity (Qc: −22.01 mC/cm 2 , Qa: 17.72 mC/cm 2 ), reversibility (80%) and methylene blue decomposition rate (−1.38 μmol/l d). The combined effects of titanium doping, dendrite surface structures and porosity leads to significant enhancement in the electrochromic and photocatalytic properties of Ti:WO 3 films.

  17. Citric acid induced W18O49 electrochromic films with enhanced optical modulation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xie, Junliang; Song, Bin; Zhao, Gaoling; Han, Gaorong

    2018-06-01

    Electrochromic materials exhibit promising applications in energy-saving fields for their ability to control heat from outdoors. Nanostructured W18O49 has drawn attention for its one-dimensional structure to transfer charge efficiently as a remarkable electrochromic material. W18O49 bi-layer films were fabricated through a facile one-step solvothermal process with citric acid as a chelating agent. The addition of citric acid improved the deposition on the substance, and a nanostructured film with a denser layer at the bottom and a tussock-like upper layer was obtained. The bi-layer film exhibited an enhanced optical modulation of 68.7%, a coloration efficiency of 82.1 cm2/C with stability over 400 cycles, and fast response times (1.4 s and 2.3 s for bleaching and coloring), with expectation to be applied in the electrochromic field.

  18. Electrochromic properties of self-assembled nanoparticle multilayer films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xue Bo; Li Hong; Zhang Lanlan; Peng Jun

    2010-01-01

    Hexagonal tungsten bronze (HTB) nanocrystal and TiO 2 nanoparticles were assembled into thin films by layer-by-layer self-assembly method. HTB nanocrystals were synthesized by hydrothermal route at 155 o C. UV-Vis spectra showed that the HTB/TiO 2 films exhibit a linear increase in film thickness with assembly exposure steps. The electrochromic property of the film was carefully investigated. Cyclic voltammetry indicated that the redox peak was around -0.5 V. The electrochromic contrast, coloration efficiency, switching speed, stability and optical memory were carefully investigated. The films vary from white to blue and finally dark brown. The electrochromic contrast is 63.9% at 633 nm. The coloration efficiency of the films is relatively high. The response time is less than 3 s.

  19. Electrochromism of solid films of blue form of lutetium phthalocyanine complexe

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gavrilov, V I; Konstantinov, A P; Luk' yanets, E A; Shelepin, I V

    1986-12-01

    Results of spectral-electrochemical study on electrochromic films of blue form of tret-butyl-substituted lutetium diphthalocyanine deposited on the surface of an electrode contacting with electrolyte aqueous solution are presented. In the 0.2-1.15 V potential range sweep of the electrode potential is followed by reversible change of the film colour in the following succession: blue reversible green reversible red. Electrochromic properties of the film confirm the corresponding spectral transitions from the initial state to monoelectron-oxidized and further on to the product of two-electron oxidation. Under potential sweeping towards the anode in the 1.4 V range and irreversible wave arises; potential achievement of this wave brings about complete change in the form of j, E-curves. The consequent electrode processes are followed by change in the film colour green - red that is associated witn mechanical fracture of the film.

  20. Amorphous ITO thin films prepared by DC sputtering for electrochromic applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Teixeira, V.; Cui, H.N.; Meng, L.J.; Fortunato, E.; Martins, R.

    2002-01-01

    Indium-Tin-Oxide (ITO) thin films were deposited on glass substrates using DC magnetron reactive sputtering at different bias voltages and substrate temperatures. Some improvements were obtained on film properties, microstructure and other physical characteristics for different conditions. Amorphous and polycrystalline films can be obtained for various deposition conditions. The transmission, absorption, spectral and diffuse reflection of ITO films were measured in some ranges of UV-Vis-NIR. The refractive index (n), Energy band gap E g and the surface roughness of the film were derived from the measured spectra data. The carrier density (n c ) and the carrier mobility (μ) of the film micro conductive properties were discussed. The films exhibited suitable optical transmittance and conductivity for electrochromic applications

  1. An economic analysis of the deposition of electrochromic WO3 via sputtering or plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Garg, D.; Henderson, P.B.; Hollingsworth, R.E.; Jensen, D.G.

    2005-01-01

    The costs of manufacturing electrochromic WO 3 thin films deposited by either radio frequency plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) or DC reactive magnetron sputtering of metal targets were modeled. Both inline systems for large area glass substrates and roll-to-roll systems for flexible webs were compared. Costs of capital, depreciation, raw materials, labor, power, and other miscellaneous items were accounted for in the model. The results predict that on similar sized systems, PECVD can produce electrochromic WO 3 for as little as one-third the cost, and have more than 10 times the annual production capacity of sputtering. While PECVD cost is dominated by raw materials, primarily WF 6 , sputtering cost is dominated by labor and depreciation

  2. Nanostructured transparent conducting oxide electrochromic device

    Science.gov (United States)

    Milliron, Delia; Tangirala, Ravisubhash; Llordes, Anna; Buonsanti, Raffaella; Garcia, Guillermo

    2016-05-17

    The embodiments described herein provide an electrochromic device. In an exemplary embodiment, the electrochromic device includes (1) a substrate and (2) a film supported by the substrate, where the film includes transparent conducting oxide (TCO) nanostructures. In a further embodiment, the electrochromic device further includes (a) an electrolyte, where the nanostructures are embedded in the electrolyte, resulting in an electrolyte, nanostructure mixture positioned above the substrate and (b) a counter electrode positioned above the mixture. In a further embodiment, the electrochromic device further includes a conductive coating deposited on the substrate between the substrate and the mixture. In a further embodiment, the electrochromic device further includes a second substrate positioned above the mixture.

  3. Surfactant-assisted ultrasonic spray pyrolysis of nickel oxide and lithium-doped nickel oxide thin films, toward electrochromic applications

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Denayer, Jessica [Group of Research in Energy and Environment for MATerials (GREENMAT), University of Liège, allée de la chimie 3, 4000 Liège (Belgium); Bister, Geoffroy [Environmental and Material Research Association (CRIBC-INISMa), avenue gouverneur cornez 4, 7000 Mons (Belgium); Simonis, Priscilla [Laboratory LPS, University of Namur, rue de bruxelles 61, 5000 Namur (Belgium); Colson, Pierre; Maho, Anthony [Group of Research in Energy and Environment for MATerials (GREENMAT), University of Liège, allée de la chimie 3, 4000 Liège (Belgium); Aubry, Philippe [Environmental and Material Research Association (CRIBC-INISMa), avenue gouverneur cornez 4, 7000 Mons (Belgium); Vertruyen, Bénédicte [Group of Research in Energy and Environment for MATerials (GREENMAT), University of Liège, allée de la chimie 3, 4000 Liège (Belgium); Henrist, Catherine, E-mail: catherine.henrist@ulg.ac.be [Group of Research in Energy and Environment for MATerials (GREENMAT), University of Liège, allée de la chimie 3, 4000 Liège (Belgium); Lardot, Véronique; Cambier, Francis [Environmental and Material Research Association (CRIBC-INISMa), avenue gouverneur cornez 4, 7000 Mons (Belgium); Cloots, Rudi [Group of Research in Energy and Environment for MATerials (GREENMAT), University of Liège, allée de la chimie 3, 4000 Liège (Belgium)

    2014-12-01

    Highlights: • Surfactant-assisted USP: a novel and low cost process to obtain high quality nickel oxide films, with or without lithium dopant. • Increased uniformity and reduced light scattering thanks to the addition of a surfactant. • Improved electrochromic performance (coloration efficiency and contrast) for lithium-doped films by comparison with the undoped NiO film. - Abstract: Lithium-doped nickel oxide and undoped nickel oxide thin films have been deposited on FTO/glass substrates by a surfactant-assisted ultrasonic spray pyrolysis. The addition of polyethylene glycol in the sprayed solution has led to improved uniformity and reduced light scattering compared to films made without surfactant. Furthermore, the presence of lithium ions in NiO films has resulted in improved electrochromic performances (coloration contrast and efficiency), but with a slight decrease of the electrochromic switching kinetics.

  4. Next-Generation Multifunctional Electrochromic Devices.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cai, Guofa; Wang, Jiangxin; Lee, Pooi See

    2016-08-16

    The rational design and exploration of electrochromic devices will find a wide range of applications in smart windows for energy-efficient buildings, low-power displays, self-dimming rear mirrors for automobiles, electrochromic e-skins, and so on. Electrochromic devices generally consist of multilayer structures with transparent conductors, electrochromic films, ion conductors, and ion storage films. Synthetic strategies and new materials for electrochromic films and transparent conductors, comprehensive electrochemical kinetic analysis, and novel device design are areas of active study worldwide. These are believed to be the key factors that will help to significantly improve the electrochromic performance and extend their application areas. In this Account, we present our strategies to design and fabricate electrochromic devices with high performance and multifunctionality. We first describe the synthetic strategies, in which a porous tungsten oxide (WO3) film with nearly ideal optical modulation and fast switching was prepared by a pulsed electrochemical deposition method. Multiple strategies, such as sol-gel/inkjet printing methods, hydrothermal/inkjet printing methods, and a novel hybrid transparent conductor/electrochromic layer have been developed to prepare high-performance electrochromic films. We then summarize the recent advances in transparent conductors and ion conductor layers, which play critial roles in electrochromic devices. Benefiting from the developments of soft transparent conductive substrates, highly deformable electrochromic devices that are flexible, foldable, stretchable, and wearable have been achieved. These emerging devices have great potential in applications such as soft displays, electrochromic e-skins, deformable electrochromic films, and so on. We finally present a concept of multifunctional smart glass, which can change its color to dynamically adjust the daylight and solar heat input of the building or protect the users' privacy

  5. RBS analysis of electrochromic layers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Green, D.C.; Bell, J.M. [University of Technology, Sydney, NSW (Australia); Kenny, M.J.; Wielunski, L.S. [Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Lindfield, NSW (Australia). Div. of Applied Physics

    1993-12-31

    Tungsten oxide thin films produced by dip-coating from tungsten alkoxide solutions are of interest for their application in large area switchable windows. The application consists of a layer of electrochromic tungsten oxide (W0{sub 3}) on indium tin oxide (ITO) coated glass in contact with a complementary structure. Electrochromic devices are switchable between states of high and low transparency by the application of a small voltage. The mechanism relies on the dual injection of ions and electrons into the W0{sub 3} layer from adjacent layers in the device. Electrochromic tungsten oxide can be deposited using standard techniques (eg. sputtering and evaporation) but also using sol-gel deposition. Sol-gel processing has an advantage over conventional preparation techniques because of the simplicity of the equipment. The scaling up to large area coatings is also feasible. RBS and forward recoil has been used to obtain profiles for individual elements in the structure of electrochromic films. 3 refs., 3 figs.

  6. RBS analysis of electrochromic layers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Green, D C; Bell, J M [University of Technology, Sydney, NSW (Australia); Kenny, M J; Wielunski, L S [Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Lindfield, NSW (Australia). Div. of Applied Physics

    1994-12-31

    Tungsten oxide thin films produced by dip-coating from tungsten alkoxide solutions are of interest for their application in large area switchable windows. The application consists of a layer of electrochromic tungsten oxide (W0{sub 3}) on indium tin oxide (ITO) coated glass in contact with a complementary structure. Electrochromic devices are switchable between states of high and low transparency by the application of a small voltage. The mechanism relies on the dual injection of ions and electrons into the W0{sub 3} layer from adjacent layers in the device. Electrochromic tungsten oxide can be deposited using standard techniques (eg. sputtering and evaporation) but also using sol-gel deposition. Sol-gel processing has an advantage over conventional preparation techniques because of the simplicity of the equipment. The scaling up to large area coatings is also feasible. RBS and forward recoil has been used to obtain profiles for individual elements in the structure of electrochromic films. 3 refs., 3 figs.

  7. Electrochromic properties of nanocrystalline MoO3 thin films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hsu, C.-S.; Chan, C.-C.; Huang, H.-T.; Peng, C.-H.; Hsu, W.-C.

    2008-01-01

    Electrochromic MoO 3 thin films were prepared by a sol-gel spin-coating technique. The spin-coated films were initially amorphous; they were calcined, producing nanocrystalline MoO 3 thin films. The effects of annealing temperatures ranging from 100 o C to 500 o C were investigated. The electrochemical and electrochromic properties of the films were measured by cyclic voltammetry and by in-situ optical transmittance techniques in 1 M LiClO 4 /propylene carbonate electrolyte. Experimental results showed that the transmittance of MoO 3 thin films heat-treated at 350 o C varied from 80% to 35% at λ = 550 nm (ΔT = ∼ 45%) and from 86% to 21% at λ ≥ 700 nm (ΔT = ∼ 65%) after coloration. Films heat-treated at 350 deg. C exhibited the best electrochromic properties in the present study

  8. Preparation and Characterization of Carbon Nano tube-based Electrochromic Material

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Muhammad Shahazmi Mohd Zambri; Norani Muti Mohamed; Kait, C.F.

    2011-01-01

    Electrochromic materials that can change their optical properties reversibly for an applied potential due to electrochemical oxidation and reduction have been used in various applications of electrochromic windows or smart glass. Conducting polymer like poly aniline (PANI) is one of the most promising electrochromic materials because of its ease of synthesis and environmental stability. However, the electrochemically deposited poly aniline exhibit substantial resistivity which is attributed to the lack of conducting pathways at the nano scale associated with random deposition morphology. This paper describes the study in developing electrochromic material that will exhibit higher conductivity by using carbon nano tubes (CNTs) as the filler. Preparation of electrochromic material on ITO and FTO glass substrate was done by electrochemical process using mixture of CNTs and PANI in H 2 SO 4 at several loading of CNTs, voltage applied and duration of the process. PANI and PANI/ CNTs films produced were then characterized using SEM and Hall Effect measurement. From the study, highly conductive PANI/ CNTs film can be obtained by using optimum condition of the process parameters. PANI film deposited on FTO glass substrate was also found to be of good quality with conductivity two orders of magnitude higher than the film deposited on ITO glass substrate. (author)

  9. Study on Electrochromic Effect of Polyaniline Film

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lienda Handojo

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available The light transmission factor of an electrochromic film changes reversibly with the application of an electrical voltage. Thereby the transparent film becomes reversibly opaque so that it may be used to control light transmission. In this paper the results of a study on polyaniline film as an electrochromic active material is reported. Polyaniline looks yellow transparent in the reduced state and turns to green-blue at its oxidized state. The electrochromic device considered in this paper was fabricated in planar configuration of ITO glass - polyaniline film - electrolyte - ITO glass which involved 1.0M H2SO4 solution. The measurement of the current density yields voltamograms for several values of the rate of voltage change, while the optical  characteristics were measured with ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy. To inspect the light control properties, the intensity of solar radiation propagating through the device was derived. It is found that in its reduced state, the device transmits 70% of the incoming radiation, while in the oxidized state only 11% of the radiation is left. The result of recycling test indicated that film is stable over 5,000 cycles.

  10. Preparation of electrochromic thin films by transformation of manganese(II) carbonate

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stojkovikj, Sasho; Najdoski, Metodija; Koleva, Violeta; Demiri, Sani

    2013-10-01

    A new chemical bath method for deposition of manganese(II) carbonate thin film on electroconductive FTO glass substrates is designed. The homogeneous thin films with thickness in the range of 70 to 500 nm are deposited at about 98 °C from aqueous solution containing urea and MnCl2. The chemical process is based on a low temperature hydrolysis of the manganese complexes with urea. Three types of films are under consideration: as-deposited, annealed and electrochemically transformed thin films. The structure of the films is studied by XRD, IR and Raman spectroscopy. Electrochemical and optical properties are examined in eight different electrolytes (neutral and alkaline) and the best results are achieved in two component aqueous solution of 0.1 M KNO3 and 0.01 M KOH. It is established that the as-deposited MnCO3 film undergoes electrochemically transformation into birnessite-type manganese(IV) oxide films, which exhibit electrochromic color changes (from bright brown to pale yellow and vice versa) with 30% difference in the transmittance of the colored and bleached state at 400 nm.

  11. An economic analysis of the deposition of electrochromic WO{sub 3} via sputtering or plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Garg, D. [Air Products and Chemicals Inc., 7201 Hamilton Blvd., Allentown, PA 18195-7201 (United States); Henderson, P.B. [Air Products and Chemicals Inc., 7201 Hamilton Blvd., Allentown, PA 18195-7201 (United States)]. E-mail: henderpb@airproducts.co; Hollingsworth, R.E. [ITN Energy Systems Inc., 8130 Shaffer Pkwy, Littleton, CO 80127 (United States); Jensen, D.G. [ITN Energy Systems Inc., 8130 Shaffer Pkwy, Littleton, CO 80127 (United States)

    2005-06-15

    The costs of manufacturing electrochromic WO{sub 3} thin films deposited by either radio frequency plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) or DC reactive magnetron sputtering of metal targets were modeled. Both inline systems for large area glass substrates and roll-to-roll systems for flexible webs were compared. Costs of capital, depreciation, raw materials, labor, power, and other miscellaneous items were accounted for in the model. The results predict that on similar sized systems, PECVD can produce electrochromic WO{sub 3} for as little as one-third the cost, and have more than 10 times the annual production capacity of sputtering. While PECVD cost is dominated by raw materials, primarily WF{sub 6}, sputtering cost is dominated by labor and depreciation.

  12. Physics and applications of electrochromic devices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pawlicka, Agnieszka; Avellaneda, Cesar O.

    2003-07-01

    Solid state electrochromic devices (ECD) are of considerable technological and commercial interest because of their controllable transmission, absorption and/or reflectance. For instance, a major application of these devices is in smart windows that can regulate the solar gains of buildings and also in glare attenuation in automobile rear view mirrors. Other applications include solar cells, small and large area flat panel displays, satellite temperature control, food monitoring, and document authentication. A typical electrochromic device has a five-layer structure: GS/TC/EC/IC/IS/TC/GS, where GS is a glass substrate, TC is a transparent conductor, generally ITO (indium tin oxide) or FTO (fluorine tin oxide), EC is an electrochromic coating, IC is an ion conductor (solid or liquid electrolyte) and IS is an ion storage coating. Generally, the EC and IS layers are deposited separately on the TC coatings and then jointed with the IC and sealed. The EC and IS are thin films that can be deposited by sputtering, CVD, sol-gel precursors, etc. There are different kinds of organic, inorganic and organic-inorganic films that can be used to make electrochromic devices. Thin electrochromic films can be: WO3, Nb2O5, Nb2O5:Li+ or Nb2O5-TiO2 coatings, ions storage films: CeO2-TiO2, CeO2-ZrO2 or CeO2-TiO2-ZrO2 and electrolytes like Organically Modified Electrolytes (Ormolytes) or polymeric films also based on natural polymers like starch or cellulose. These last are very interesting due to their high ionic conductivity, high transparency and good mechanical properties. This paper describes construction and properties of different thin oxide and polymeric films and also shows the optical response of an all sol-gel electrochromic device with WO3/Ormolyte/CeO2-TiO2 configuration.

  13. Electrochromic Devices Based on Porous Tungsten Oxide Thin Films

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Y. Djaoued

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Recent developments in the synthesis of transition metal oxides in the form of porous thin films have opened up opportunities in the construction of electrochromic devices with enhanced properties. In this paper, synthesis, characterization and electrochromic applications of porous WO3 thin films with different nanocrystalline phases, such as hexagonal, monoclinic, and orthorhombic, are presented. Asymmetric electrochromic devices have been constructed based on these porous WO3 thin films. XRD measurements of the intercalation/deintercalation of Li+ into/from the WO3 layer of the device as a function of applied coloration/bleaching voltages show systematic changes in the lattice parameters associated with structural phase transitions in LixWO3. Micro-Raman studies show systematic crystalline phase changes in the spectra of WO3 layers during Li+ ion intercalation and deintercalation, which agree with the XRD data. These devices exhibit interesting optical modulation (up to ~70% due to intercalation/deintercalation of Li ions into/from the WO3 layer of the devices as a function of applied coloration/bleaching voltages. The obtained optical modulation of the electrochromic devices indicates that, they are suitable for applications in electrochromic smart windows.

  14. Polyaniline/Carbon nanotube Electrochromic Films: Electrochemical Polymerization and characterization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Xiao-Xia; Zhao, Liang; Ma, De-Yue; Zeng, Yu-Run

    2018-02-01

    Polyaniline/Carbon nanotube (PANI/CNT) composite films doped with dodecyl-benzene sulfonic acid were synthesized by cyclic voltammetry on an ITO-coated glass substrate. FTIR, XRD and electrochemical analyzer were used to characterize the micro-morphology, chemical structure, crystallinity and electrochromic behavior of the films, respectively. The effect of CNT content on the properties of the films was investigated. Results show that the introducing CNTs make aniline polymerize easier than before. Within a range, the conductivity and crystallinity of PANI/CNT composites improves with CNT content increasing. The electrochromic device made from the PAN/CNT film with a CNT content of 2.5wt% presents a reflectance contrast of 38.8%, a mean response time of 2.3s and a coloration efficiency of 386.4cm2/C at 540nm. The PAN/CNT film shows better electrochromic behaviors due to some interaction between CNTs and the PANI backbones than PANI film.

  15. Electrochromism in surface modified crystalline WO3 thin films grown by reactive DC magnetron sputtering

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karuppasamy, A.

    2013-10-01

    In the present work, tungsten oxide thin films were deposited at various oxygen chamber pressures (1.0-5.0 × 10-3 mbar) by maintaining the sputtering power density and argon pressure constant at 3.0 W/cm2 and 1.2 × 10-2 mbar, respectively. The role of surface morphology and porosity on the electrochromic properties of crystalline tungsten oxide thin films has been investigated. XRD and Raman studies reveal that all the samples post annealed at 450 ̊C in air for 3.0 h settle in monoclinic crystal system of tungsten oxide (W18O49). Though the phase of material is indifferent to oxygen pressure variations (PO2), morphology and film density shows a striking dependence on PO2. A systematic study on plasma (OES), morphology, optical and electrochromic properties of crystalline tungsten oxide reveal that the films deposited at PO2 of 2.0 × 10-3 mbar exhibit better coloration efficiency (58 cm2/C), electron/ion capacity (Qc: -25 mC/cm2), and reversibility (92%). This is attributed to the enhanced surface properties like high density of pores and fine particulates (100 nm) and to lesser bulk density of the film (ρ/ρo = 0.84) which facilitates the process of intercalation/de-intercalation of protons and electrons. These results show good promise toward stable and efficient crystalline tungsten oxide based electrochromic device applications.

  16. Effects of oxygen contents on the electrochromic properties of tungsten oxide films prepared by reactive magnetron sputtering

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lu, H.-H.

    2008-01-01

    The electrochromism have been extensively investigated due to their potential applications such as smart window of architecture and automobile glazing to save energy and modulate the transmittance of light and solar radiation. The objective of this study is to investigate the effects of sputtering conditions on the microstructure and electrochromic properties of tungsten oxide films prepared by dc reactive magnetron sputtering. Experimental results showed that the deposition rate of WO 3-y films decreased with increasing oxygen flow rate. XRD and Raman spectra analysis suggests that the WO 3-y films deposited at various oxygen flow rates are poor crystallinity or amorphous. The transmission change between colored and bleached states at a wavelength of 550 nm was 61.4% as the oxygen content was 60%. The coloration efficiency slightly increases with increasing oxygen flow rate in the low oxygen content region and reaching a maximum value of 38.94 cm 2 /C at 60% oxygen content. In addition, the films deposited at 60% oxygen content showed a good reversibility. The effects of lithium ions intercalated on the transmission of WO 3-y films were also discussed

  17. Enhanced electrochromic coloration in Ag nanoparticle decorated WO3 thin films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kharade, Rohini R.; Mali, Sawanta S.; Patil, Satish P.; Patil, Kashinath R.; Gang, Myong G.; Patil, Pramod S.; Kim, Jin H.; Bhosale, Popatrao N.

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: • Electrochromic WO 3 /Ag nanocomposites prepared by hybrid physico-chemical route. • XRD and XPS results confirm formation of Ag 8 W 4 O 16 phase. • WO 3 /Ag thin films showed good optical transmittance change and coloration efficiency. • SPR enhanced coloration and bleaching mechanism is well explained for electrochromism. • Color stimuli are quantified using CIE chromaticity principles. -- Abstract: WO 3 /Ag composite thin films were prepared by microwave assisted sol–gel synthesis (MW-SGS) of WO 3 followed by vacuum evaporation of Ag nanoparticles and their enhanced electrochromic coloration was investigated. The composition and morphology of WO 3 thin films with different thickness of Ag layer obtained by vacuum evaporation were investigated. Distinct plasmon absorption bands of Ag nanoparticle thin films were obtained. The optical band gap energy of WO 3 /Ag films decreased with increasing the Ag layer thickness. The surface of these films has been examined using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) to gain information about the chemical states of species present at surfaces. Experimental results indicated that the conductivity of the films increased after surface modification by Ag layer. To investigate the origin of enhanced electrochromic absorption in optical properties, working electrode consisting of WO 3 /Ag thin film was used and observed the optical properties during electrochemical reaction. It was found that composite electrode shows enhancement in electrochromic properties in terms of optical modulation (ΔOD) and coloration efficiency (η)

  18. Spin coated versus dip coated electrochromic tungsten oxide films: Structure, morphology, optical and electrochemical properties

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Deepa, M.; Saxena, T.K.; Singh, D.P.; Sood, K.N.; Agnihotry, S.A.

    2006-01-01

    A sol-gel derived acetylated peroxotungstic acid sol encompassing 4 wt.% of oxalic acid dihydrate (OAD) has been employed for the deposition of tungsten oxide (WO 3 ) films by spin coating and dip coating techniques, in view of smart window applications. The morphological and structural evolution of the as-deposited spin and dip coated films as a function of annealing temperature (250 and 500 o C) has been examined and compared by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). A conspicuous feature of the dip coated film (annealed at 250 o C) is that its electrochromic and electrochemical properties ameliorate with cycling without degradation in contrast to the spin coated film for which these properties deteriorate under repetitive cycling. A comparative study of spin and dip coated nanostructured thin films (annealed at 250 o C) revealed a superior performance for the cycled dip coated film in terms of higher transmission modulation and coloration efficiency in solar and photopic regions, faster switching speed, higher electrochemical activity as well as charge storage capacity. While the dip coated film could endure 2500 color-bleach cycles, the spin coated film could sustain only a 1000 cycles. The better cycling stability of the dip coated film which is a repercussion of a balance between optimal water content, porosity and grain size hints at its potential for electrochromic window applications

  19. Elucidation of the electrochromic mechanism of nanostructured iron oxides films

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Garcia-Lobato, M.A.; Martinez, Arturo I.; Castro-Roman, M. [Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute, Cinvestav Campus Saltillo, Carr. Saltillo-Monterrey Km. 13, Ramos Arizpe, Coah. 25900 (Mexico); Perry, Dale L. [Mail Stop 70A1150, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States); Zarate, R.A. [Departamento de Fisica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Catolica del Norte, Casilla 1280, Antofagasta (Chile); Escobar-Alarcon, L. (Departamento de Fisica, Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Nucleares, A.P. 18-1027, 11801 Mexico)

    2011-02-15

    Nanostructured hematite thin films were electrochemically cycled in an aqueous solution of LiOH. Through optical, structural, morphological, and magnetic measurements, the coloration mechanism of electrochromic iron oxide thin films was elucidated. The conditions for double or single electrochromic behavior are given in this work. During the electrochemical cycling, it was found that topotactic transformations of hexagonal crystal structures are favored; i.e. {alpha}-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} to Fe(OH){sub 2} and subsequently to {delta}-FeOOH. These topotactic redox reactions are responsible for color changes of iron oxide films. (author)

  20. Thickness dependence of electro-optical properties of WO{sub 3} films as an electrochromic functional material for energy-efficient applications

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Esmail, Ayat; Hashem, Hany; Soltan, Soltan; Hammam, Mahmoud; Ramadan, Ahmed [Faculty of Science, Department of Physics, Helwan University, Cairo (Egypt)

    2017-01-15

    WO{sub 3} films of different thicknesses (100, 200, and 300 nm) were prepared by two vacuum physical vapor deposition (PVD) methods (thermal evaporation and an electron gun). Electrophysical measurements (cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry) were carried out using a potentiostat in an electrochromic cell (liquid device) that consists of a substrate coated with double layers of F: SnO{sub 2} and WO{sub 3} served as working electrodes. X-ray diffraction showed an amorphous structure for all the deposited WO{sub 3} thin films. While the transmission in the bleached state does not change and it is close to the as-deposited state, it is slightly less at larger thickness. The cyclic voltammogram was more open (more current flow) for thicker films due to the less dense structure with many channels. Also, the coloration efficiency was higher at low thickness. The response time was of the order of seconds and decreased for coloration, while it increased for the bleaching process as the film thickness increases. According to the proposed figure of merit, the electrochromic performance deteriorates as the WO{sub 3} film thickness decreases. However, the thickness is more effective in the case of an electron gun. Generally, continuous films but thinner than 200 nm, are recommended for deposition methods. (copyright 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

  1. The effects of heat treatment on optical, structural, electrochromic and bonding properties of Nb{sub 2}O{sub 5} thin films

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Coşkun, Özlem Duyar, E-mail: duyar@hacettepe.edu.tr [Hacettepe University, Department of Physics Engineering, Thin Film Preparation and Characterization Laboratory, Ankara (Turkey); Demirel, Selen, E-mail: nymph24@gmail.com [Hacettepe University, Department of Physics Engineering, Thin Film Preparation and Characterization Laboratory, Ankara (Turkey); Hacettepe University, Nanotechnology and Nanomedicine Department, Ankara (Turkey); Atak, Gamze, E-mail: gbaser@hacettepe.edu.tr [Hacettepe University, Department of Physics Engineering, Thin Film Preparation and Characterization Laboratory, Ankara (Turkey)

    2015-11-05

    Nb{sub 2}O{sub 5} thin films were deposited onto heated glass substrates by RF magnetron sputtering using a Nb{sub 2}O{sub 5} target. The films were annealed in air at temperatures between 400 and 700 °C for 6 h. Effects of the crystalline structure on optical, structural, electrochromic and bonding properties of the Nb{sub 2}O{sub 5} thin films were investigated by X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, optical spectrophotometry and electrochemical measurements. The film refractive index varied between 2.09 and 2.22 at the wavelength of 550 nm depending on the annealing temperature. The decrease of the optical band gap revealed for the films with increasing annealing temperature is attributed to oxygen-ion vacancies in the film structure. The orthorhombic structure of Nb{sub 2}O{sub 5} films resulted in good electrochromic properties with high colouration efficiencies of 19.56 cm{sup 2}/C and 53.24 cm{sup 2}/C at 550 nm and 1000 nm, respectively. The optical, structural and electrochromic properties of the different crystalline polymorphic forms of the Nb{sub 2}O{sub 5} films make them attractive for optical applications. - Highlights: • Stoichiometric Nb{sub 2}O{sub 5} films prepared using RF magnetron sputtering technique. • The different crystalline forms of Nb{sub 2}O{sub 5} thin films obtained by annealing. • The optical, structural and electrochromic properties of the films were investigated. • The optical band gap decreased with increasing annealing temperature. • The orthorhombic T-Nb{sub 2}O{sub 5} films exhibited a higher colouration efficiency.

  2. Preparation, Characterization, and Electrochromic Properties of Nanocellulose-Based Polyaniline Nanocomposite Films.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Sihang; Sun, Gang; He, Yongfeng; Fu, Runfang; Gu, Yingchun; Chen, Sheng

    2017-05-17

    On the basis of nanocellulose obtained by acidic swelling and ultrasonication, rodlike nanocellulose/polyaniline nanocomposites with a core-shell structure have been prepared via in situ polymerization. Compared to pure polyaniline, the nanocomposites show superior film-forming properties, and the prepared nanocomposite films demonstrate excellent electrochemical and electrochromic properties in electrolyte solution. Nanocomposite films, especially the one prepared with 40% polyaniline coated nanocomposite, exhibited faster response time (1.5 s for bleaching and 1.0 s for coloring), higher optical contrast (62.9%), higher coloration efficiency (206.2 cm 2 /C), and more remarkable switching stability (over 500 cycles). These novel nanocellulose-based nanorod network films are promising novel electrochromic materials with excellent properties.

  3. Effect of modified ITO substrate on electrochromic properties of polyaniline films

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Leon-Silva, U.; Nicho, M.E.; Cruz-Silva, Rodolfo [Centro de Investigacion en Ingenieria y Ciencias Aplicadas, UAEMor, Av. Universidad 1001, Col. Chamilpa, 62209, Cuernavaca, Morelos (Mexico); Hu, Hailin [Departamento de Materiales Solares, Centro de Investigacion en Energia, UNAM, Av. Xochicalco S/N, Temixco, 62580, Morelos (Mexico)

    2007-09-22

    In this work, we report the morphological and electrochromic properties of electrochemically synthesized polyaniline (PANI) thin films on bare and modified indium-tin oxide (ITO) glass substrates. In the last case, the surface of ITO glass was covered by a self-assembled monolayer of N-phenyl-{gamma}-aminopropyl-trimethoxysilane (PAPTS). Atomic force microscopy images and perfilometry show that smoother and thinner PANI films were grown on PAPTS-modified ITO substrates. PANI-based electrochromic devices (ECDs) were assembled by using a viscous polymeric electrolyte (PE) of LiClO{sub 4} and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) co-dissolved in a mixture of propylene and ethylene carbonate. The architectural design of the devices was glass/ITO/PANI/PE/ITO/glass. A dual ECD was also prepared by collocating a poly(3-methylthiophene) (P3MT) thin film as a complementary electrochromic element. The effect of the PAPTS-modified ITO substrate is reflected in a higher optical transmittance at bleach state and a little less color change at 550 nm of PANI-based ECDs. (author)

  4. Eliminating degradation and uncovering ion-trapping dynamics in electrochromic WO3 thin films

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wen, Rui-Tao; Granqvist, Claes G.; Niklasson, Gunnar A.

    2015-01-01

    Amorphous WO3 thin films are of keen interest as cathodic electrodes in transmittance-modulating electrochromic devices. However, these films suffer from ion-trapping-induced degradation of optical modulation and reversibility upon extended Li+-ion exchange. Here, we demonstrate that ion-trapping-induced degradation, which is commonly believed to be irreversible, can be successfully eliminated by constant-current-driven de-trapping, i.e., WO3 films can be rejuvenated and regain their initial highly reversible electrochromic performance. Pronounced ion-trapping occurs when x exceeds ~0.65 in LixWO3 during ion insertion. We find two main kinds of Li+-ion trapping sites (intermediate and deep) in WO3, where the intermediate ones are most prevalent. Li+-ions can be completely removed from intermediate traps but are irreversibly bound in deep traps. Our results provide a general framework for developing and designing superior electrochromic materials and devices. PMID:26259104

  5. Nanocrystal-polymer nanocomposite electrochromic device

    Science.gov (United States)

    Milliron, Delia; Runnerstrom, Evan; Helms, Brett; Llordes, Anna; Buonsanti, Raffaella; Garcia, Guillermo

    2015-12-08

    Described is an electrochromic nanocomposite film comprising a solid matrix of an oxide based material, the solid matrix comprising a plurality of transparent conducting oxide (TCO) nanostructures dispersed in the solid matrix and a lithium salt dispersed in the solid matrix. Also described is a near infrared nanostructured electrochromic device having a functional layer comprising the electrochromic nanocomposite film.

  6. On-chip electrochromic micro display for a disposable bio-sensor chip

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Yanjun; Tsukamoto, Takashiro; Tanaka, Shuji

    2017-12-01

    This paper reports an on-chip electrochromic micro display made of polyaniline (PANi) which can be easily made on a CMOS chip. Micro-patterned PANi thin films were selectively deposited on pre-patterned microelectrodes by using electrodeposition. The optimum conditions for deposition and electrochromism were investigated. An 8-pixel on-chip micro display was made on a Si chip. The color of each PANi film could be independently but simultaneously controlled, which means any 1-byte digital data could be displayed on the display. The PANi display had a response time as fast as about 100 ms, which means the transfer data rate was as fast as 80 bits per second.

  7. Chemically fabricated LiFePO{sub 4} thin film electrode for transparent batteries and electrochromic devices

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Béléké, Alexis B. [Institut de recherche d’Hydro-Québec, 1800 Boul. Lionel-Boulet, Varennes, QC J3X 1S3 (Canada); Department of Mining and Materials Engineering, McGill University, M.H. Wong Building, 3610 rue University, Montréal, QC H3A 2B2 (Canada); Faure, Cyril [Institut de recherche d’Hydro-Québec, 1800 Boul. Lionel-Boulet, Varennes, QC J3X 1S3 (Canada); Röder, Manuel [Center for Applied Electrochemistry, Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research, Neunerplatz 2, 97083 Würzburg (Germany); Hovington, Pierre [Institut de recherche d’Hydro-Québec, 1800 Boul. Lionel-Boulet, Varennes, QC J3X 1S3 (Canada); Posset, Uwe [Center for Applied Electrochemistry, Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research, Neunerplatz 2, 97083 Würzburg (Germany); Guerfi, Abdelbast [Institut de recherche d’Hydro-Québec, 1800 Boul. Lionel-Boulet, Varennes, QC J3X 1S3 (Canada); Zaghib, Karim, E-mail: zaghib.karim@ireq.ca [Institut de recherche d’Hydro-Québec, 1800 Boul. Lionel-Boulet, Varennes, QC J3X 1S3 (Canada)

    2016-12-15

    Graphical abstract: Simplified diagram of the novel sol-gel approach of preparation of colorless and transparent LiFePO{sub 4} thin film electrode. - Highlights: • Novel sol-gel synthesis of colorless LFP thin film electrode for transparent Li-ion battery. • High performance of the electrode at various current densities: 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 μA/cm{sup 2}. • LFP nanoparticles exhibit an excellent electro-activity. • Colorless LFP thin film shows a transmittance above 80% versus FTO. • Higher transmittance of LFP electrode a potential candidate for electrochromic devices. - Abstract: We report a new sol-gel approach of synthesis of LiFePO{sub 4} (LFP) thin film and its application as cathode materials for transparent Li-ion battery in half-cell configuration. LFP thin films were obtained from an alcoholic colloidal suspension of iron acetylacetonate (Fe(AcAc){sub 3}) and aqueous lithium dihydrogen phosphate (LiH{sub 2}PO{sub 4}) deposited on fluorine tin oxide (FTO) glass substrate, followed by heating at 450 °C under nitrogen gas for 1 h. X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed that the LFP films have an orthorhombic crystal system with space group Pnma (62). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) shows spherical LFP nanoparticles aggregates homogenously deposited all over the surface of FTO substrate containing 3-D open pores. The electrochemical behaviors of thin film vs Li/Li{sup +} cell were investigated by cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge-discharge measurements. The cycle life was evaluated by running 1000 cycles of charge-discharge at a current density of 20 μA/cm{sup 2}. The transmission spectra reveal 85–90% of transparency versus FTO as reference, which makes it a potential candidate as a complementary electrode in electrochromic devices (ECDs).

  8. An investigation of the insertion of the cations H{sup +}, Na{sup +}, K{sup +} on the electrochromic properties of the thermally evaporated WO{sub 3} thin films grown at different substrate temperatures

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Patel, K.J. [Applied Physics Department, Faculty of Technology and Engineering, M.S. University of Baroda, Kalabhavan, Vadodara 390001, Gujarat (India); Panchal, C.J., E-mail: cjpanchal_msu@yahoo.com [Applied Physics Department, Faculty of Technology and Engineering, M.S. University of Baroda, Kalabhavan, Vadodara 390001, Gujarat (India); Desai, M.S. [Applied Physics Department, Faculty of Technology and Engineering, M.S. University of Baroda, Kalabhavan, Vadodara 390001, Gujarat (India); Mehta, P.K. [Physics Department, Faculty of Science, M.S. University of Baroda, Vadodara 390002, Gujarat (India)

    2010-11-01

    The phenomenon of electrochromism in tungsten trioxide (WO{sub 3}) thin films has recently attained considerable interest due to their enormous applications in inorganic thin film electrochromic devices. We have investigated the compositional, optical, and electrochromic properties of the WO{sub 3} thin films grown at different substrate temperatures by the thermal evaporation of WO{sub 3} powder. The thin films were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photo-emission spectroscopy (XPS), and electrochemical techniques. The XPS analysis suggested that the oxygen to tungsten (O/W) ratio decreases, i.e., the oxygen deficiency increases, on increasing the substrate temperature up to 500 deg. C. The electrochemical analysis provided a comparative study of the coloration efficiency (CE) of the WO{sub 3} thin films intercalated with three different ions viz. H{sup +}, Na{sup +}, and K{sup +}. The effect of the variation of the substrate temperature on the CE and the switching time have also been investigated for the WO{sub 3} thin films intercalated with H{sup +} ions; the thin films deposited at RT and intercalated with H{sup +} ions are found to possess adequate electrochromic properties viz. CE and switching time from device point of view.

  9. Cyclic voltammetry on sputter-deposited films of electrochromic Ni oxide: Power-law decay of the charge density exchange

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wen, Rui-Tao, E-mail: Ruitao.Wen@angstrom.uu.se; Granqvist, Claes G.; Niklasson, Gunnar A. [Department of Engineering Sciences, The A°ngström Laboratory, Uppsala University, P. O. Box 534, SE-75121 Uppsala (Sweden)

    2014-10-20

    Ni-oxide-based thin films were produced by reactive direct-current magnetron sputtering and were characterized by X-ray diffraction and Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy. Intercalation of Li{sup +} ions was accomplished by cyclic voltammetry (CV) in an electrolyte of LiClO{sub 4} in propylene carbonate, and electrochromism was documented by spectrophotometry. The charge density exchange, and hence the optical modulation span, decayed gradually upon repeated cycling. This phenomenon was accurately described by an empirical power law, which was valid for at least 10{sup 4} cycles when the applied voltage was limited to 4.1 V vs Li/Li{sup +}. Our results allow lifetime assessments for one of the essential components in an electrochromic device such as a “smart window” for energy-efficient buildings.

  10. Li+ ions diffusion into sol-gel V2O5 thin films: electrochromic properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Benmoussa, M.; Outzourhit, A.; Bennouna, A.; Ihlal, A.

    2009-10-01

    V{2}O{5} thin films were prepared by the sol-gel spin coating process. The Li+ ions insertion effect on optical and electrochromic properties of those films was studied. The diffusion coefficient was calculated using both cyclic voltammograms and chronoamperometric curves. The amount x of Li+ ions in LixV{2}O{5} was also calculated. Finally, the electrochromic performance evolution characteristics such as the reversibility, coloration efficiency, coloration memory stability and response time were studied.

  11. Low-cost, highly transparent flexible low-e coating film to enable electrochromic windows with increased energy savings

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Berland, Brian [ITN Energy Systems, Inc., Littleton, CO (United States); Hollingsworth, Russell [ITN Energy Systems, Inc., Littleton, CO (United States)

    2015-03-31

    Five Quads of energy are lost through windows annually in the U.S. Low-e coatings are increasingly employed to reduce the wasted energy. Most commonly, the low-e coating is an oxide material applied directly to the glass at high temperature. With over 100,000,000 existing homes, a retrofit product is crucial to achieve widespread energy savings. Low-e films, i.e. coatings on polymeric substrates, are now also available to meet this need. However, the traditional oxide materials and process is incompatible with low temperature plastics. Alternate high performing low-e films typically incorporate materials that limit visible transmission to 35% or less. Further, the cost is high. The objective of this award was to develop a retrofit, integrated low-e/electrochromic window film to dramatically reduce energy lost through windows. While field testing of state-of-the-art electrochromic (EC) windows show the energy savings are maximized if a low-e coating is used in conjunction with the EC, available low-e films have a low visible transmission (~70% or less) that limits the achievable clear state and therefore, appearance and energy savings potential. Comprehensive energy savings models were completed at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab (LBNL). A parametric approach was used to project energy usage for windows with a large range of low-e properties across all U.S. climate zones, without limiting the study to materials that had already been produced commercially or made in a lab. The model enables projection of energy savings for low-e films as well as integrated low-e/EC products. This project developed a novel low-e film, optimized for compatibility with EC windows, using low temperature, high deposition rate processes for the growth of low-e coatings on plastic films by microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition. Silica films with good density and optical properties were demonstrated at deposition rates as high as 130Å/sec. A simple bi-layer low-e stack of

  12. Electrochromics for smart windows: Oxide-based thin films and devices

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Granqvist, Claes G.

    2014-08-01

    possibilities to accomplish further porosity by having suitable thin-film deposition parameters. A number of examples on the importance of the detailed deposition conditions are presented, and Section 4 ends with a presentation of the EC properties of films with compositions across the full tungsten–nickel oxide system. Section 5 is devoted to transparent electrical conductors and electrolytes, both of which are necessary in EC devices. Detailed surveys are given of transparent conductors comprising doped-oxide semiconductors, coinage metals, nanowire meshes and other alternatives, and also of electrolytes based on thin films and on polymers. Particular attention is devoted to electrolyte functionalization by nanoparticles. Section 6 considers one particular device construction: A foil that is suitable for glass lamination and which, in the author's view, holds particular promise for low-cost large-area implementation of EC smart windows. Device data are presented, and a discussion is given of quality assessment by use of 1/f noise. The “battery-type” EC device covered in the major part of this critical review is not the only alternative, and Section 7 consists of brief discussions of a number of more or less advanced alternatives such as metal hydrides, suspended particle devices, polymer-dispersed liquid crystals, reversible electroplating, and plasmonic electrochromism based on transparent conducting oxide nanoparticles. Finally, Section 8 provides a brief summary and outlook. The aim of this critical review is not only to paint a picture of the state-of-the-art for electrochromics and its applications in smart windows, but also to provide ample references to current literature of particular relevance and thereby, hopefully, an easy entrance to the research field. - Highlights: • Critical review of electrochromic oxide thin films and devices. • Variable transmittance of visible light and solar energy. • Fenestration in energy efficient buildings.

  13. Electrochromics for smart windows: Oxide-based thin films and devices

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Granqvist, Claes G.

    2014-01-01

    possibilities to accomplish further porosity by having suitable thin-film deposition parameters. A number of examples on the importance of the detailed deposition conditions are presented, and Section 4 ends with a presentation of the EC properties of films with compositions across the full tungsten–nickel oxide system. Section 5 is devoted to transparent electrical conductors and electrolytes, both of which are necessary in EC devices. Detailed surveys are given of transparent conductors comprising doped-oxide semiconductors, coinage metals, nanowire meshes and other alternatives, and also of electrolytes based on thin films and on polymers. Particular attention is devoted to electrolyte functionalization by nanoparticles. Section 6 considers one particular device construction: A foil that is suitable for glass lamination and which, in the author's view, holds particular promise for low-cost large-area implementation of EC smart windows. Device data are presented, and a discussion is given of quality assessment by use of 1/f noise. The “battery-type” EC device covered in the major part of this critical review is not the only alternative, and Section 7 consists of brief discussions of a number of more or less advanced alternatives such as metal hydrides, suspended particle devices, polymer-dispersed liquid crystals, reversible electroplating, and plasmonic electrochromism based on transparent conducting oxide nanoparticles. Finally, Section 8 provides a brief summary and outlook. The aim of this critical review is not only to paint a picture of the state-of-the-art for electrochromics and its applications in smart windows, but also to provide ample references to current literature of particular relevance and thereby, hopefully, an easy entrance to the research field. - Highlights: • Critical review of electrochromic oxide thin films and devices. • Variable transmittance of visible light and solar energy. • Fenestration in energy efficient buildings

  14. Redox induced switching dynamics of a three colour electrochromic metallopolymer film

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zeng Qiang; McNally, Andrea; Keyes, Tia E.; Forster, Robert J.

    2008-01-01

    Thin films of a novel Ru-phenolate based metallopolymer, [Ru(terpy)(box)PVP 20 ]PF 6 , in which one in every twenty of the 4-vinyl pyridine monomer units is labelled with the ruthenium complex have been formed on glassy carbon electrodes, terpy is 2,2':6',2''-terpyridine, box is 2-(2-hydroxyphenyl)benzoxazole, and PVP is poly(4-vinylpyridine). Cyclic voltammetry and Raman spectroscopy reveal that the Ru 2+/3+ couple is electrochemically reversible but that the phenolate ligand based oxidation is irreversible. These redox processes are associated with reversible colour changes from wine red (reduced) to red orange (mixed composition) then to light green (oxidized) in the visible region and an irreversible change in the near-IR region, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy reveals that repeated switching in LiClO 4 aqueous solution does not induce any significant structural change within the deposit films. Cyclic voltammetry has been used to determine the electrochromic switching rate under semi-infinite linear diffusion conditions. In aqueous LiClO 4 , the homogeneous charge transport diffusion coefficient, D CT , decreases from 3.6 ± 0.3 x 10 -13 to 2.7 ± 0.2 x 10 -13 cm 2 s -1 as the LiClO 4 concentration increases from 0.1 to 1.0 M. This weak dependence of D CT on electrolyte concentration suggests that counterion availability is not rate-determining and that the overall rate of charge transport through the metallopolymer film is limited by the rate of segmental polymer chain motion necessary to bring adjacent centres sufficiently close to allow electron transfer to occur. Also the impact of changing the identity of the charge compensating anion of the redox electrochromic switching rate has been investigated. Finally, the electronic conductivity has been determined using interdigitated array electrodes (IDAs)

  15. Improved Electrochromic Characteristics of a Honeycomb-Structured Film Composed of NiO.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Hyeeun; Lee, Yulhee; Kim, Dong In; Seo, Hyeon Jin; Yu, Jung-Hoon; Nam, Sang-Hun; Boo, Jin-Hyo

    2018-09-01

    Color changes controlled by electronic energies have been studied for many years in order to fabricate energy-efficient smart windows. Reduction and oxidization of nickel oxide under the appropriate voltage can change the color of a window. For a superior nickel oxide (NiO) electrochromic device (ECD), it is important to control the chemical and physical characteristics of the surface. In this study, we applied polystyrene bead templates to nickel oxide films to fabricate a honeycomb-structured electrochromic (EC) layer. We synthesized uniform polystyrene beads using the chemical wet method and placed them on substrates to create honeycomb-structured NiO films. Then, the EC characteristics of the nickel oxide films with a honeycomb structure were evaluated with UV-Visible and cyclic voltammetry. FE-SEM and AFM were used to measure the morphologies of the nanostructures and the efficiencies of the redox reactions related to the specific surface area.

  16. Electrochromic nickel oxide films and their compatibility with potassium hydroxide and lithium perchlorate in propylene carbonate: Optical, electrochemical and stress-related properties

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wen, Rui-Tao; Niklasson, Gunnar A.; Granqvist, Claes G.

    2014-01-01

    Porous nickel oxide films were deposited onto unheated indium tin oxide coated glass substrates by reactive dc magnetron sputtering. These films had a cubic NiO structure. Electrochromic properties were evaluated in 1 M potassium hydroxide (KOH) and in 1 M lithium perchlorate in propylene carbonate (Li–PC). Large optical modulation was obtained for ∼ 500-nm-thick films both in KOH and in Li–PC (∼ 70% and ∼ 50% at 550 nm, respectively). In KOH, tensile and compressive stresses, due to the expansion and contraction of the lattice, were found for films in their bleached and colored state, respectively. In Li–PC, compressive stress was seen both in colored and bleached films. Durability tests with voltage sweeps between − 0.5 and 0.65 V vs Ag/AgCl in KOH showed good durability for 10,000 cycles, whereas voltage sweeps between 2.0 and 4.7 V vs Li/Li + in Li–PC yielded significant degradation after 1000 cycles. - Highlights: • Ni oxide films were studied in KOH and in LiClO 4 + propylene carbonate (Li–PC). • Good electrochromism was found in both electrolytes. • In KOH, tensile/compressive stresses were seen in bleached/colored films. • In Li–PC, compressive stress was seen both in colored and bleached films

  17. Aluminum doped nickel oxide thin film with improved electrochromic performance from layered double hydroxides precursor in situ pyrolytic route

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shi, Jingjing; Lai, Lincong; Zhang, Ping; Li, Hailong; Qin, Yumei; Gao, Yuanchunxue; Luo, Lei; Lu, Jun

    2016-01-01

    Electrochromic materials with unique performance arouse great interest on account of potential application values in smart window, low-power display, automobile anti-glare rearview mirror, and e-papers. In this paper, high-performing Al-doped NiO porous electrochromic film grown on ITO substrate has been prepared via a layered double hydroxides(LDHs) precursor in situ pyrolytic route. The Al 3+ ions distributed homogenously within the NiO matrix can significantly influence the crystallinity of Ni-Al LDH and NiO:Al 3+ films. The electrochromic performance of the films were evaluated by means of UV–vis absorption spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and chronoamperometry(CA) measurements. In addition, the ratio of Ni 3+ /Ni 2+ also varies with Al content which can lead to different electrochemical performances. Among the as-prepared films, NiO film prepared from Ni-Al (19:1) LDH show the best electrochromic performance with a high transparency of 96%, large optical modulation range (58.4%), fast switching speed (bleaching/coloration times are 1.8/4.2 s, respectively) and excellent durability (30% decrease after 2000 cycles). The improved performance was owed to the synergy of large NiO film specific surface area and porous morphology, as well as Al doping stifled the formation of Ni 3+ making bleached state more pure. This LDHs precursor pyrolytic method is simple, low-cost and environmental benign and is feasible for the preparation of NiO:Al and other Al-doped oxide thin film. - Graphical abstract: The ratio of Ni 3+ /Ni 2+ varies with Al content which can lead to different electrochemical performances. Among the as-prepared films, NiO film prepared from Ni-Al (19:1) LDH show the best electrochromic performance with a high transparency of 96%, large optical modulation range, fast switching speed and excellent durability. Display Omitted

  18. Spectral and optical performance of electrochromic poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) deposited on transparent conducting oxide coated glass and polymer substrates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sindhu, S.; Narasimha Rao, K.; Ahuja, Sharath; Kumar, Anil; Gopal, E.S.R.

    2006-01-01

    Electrochromic devices utilizing conjugated polymers as electrochromic layers have gained increasing attention owing to their optical properties, fast switching times and contrast ratios. Polyethylenedioxythiophene (PEDOT) is an excellent material from its electrochromic properties, high conductivity and high stability in the doped form. Aqueous dispersions of PEDOT were either spin coated or electro-polymerized on transparent conducting oxide coated glass and polyethylene tetraphthalate (PET) film substrates. The spectro- and opto-electrochemical studies of the films on transparent conducting oxide coated glass/PET substrates were performed. These films have application in the fabrication of electrochromic windows (smart windows). Smart window devices having excellent switching characteristics over wide range of temperature are used for glazing applications. The aerospace industry is interested in the development of visors and windows that can control glare for pilots and passengers, especially if the coatings can be made on curved surfaces and electrically conducting

  19. Fabrication of transparent conductive tri-composite film for electrochromic application

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choi, Dahyun; Lee, Minji; Kim, Hyungsub; Chu, Won-shik; Chun, Doo-man; Ahn, Sung-Hoon; Lee, Caroline Sunyong

    2017-12-01

    A transparent conductive electrode (TCE) based on poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) was developed using a dry deposition method for application as an electrochromic (EC) device. To improve its electrical conductivity and stable EC performance, AgNW and TiO2 nanoparticles were included in the TCE film. The resulting TiO2/AgNW/PEDOT:PSS hybrid film showed electrical sheet resistivity of 23 Ω/sq., similar to that of a commercial TCE film. When +2.0 V was applied to the hybrid film, the response current was stable, maintaining a value of 2.0 mA. We found that the hybrid film could be used as an EC device, without using commercial TCE film. Antimony-doped tin oxide on indium-doped tin oxide-glass as an ion-storage layer was combined with the hybrid film, with 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (EMIM-TFSI) injected into the EC device as an ionic liquid electrolyte. The optical transmittance difference between the colored and bleached states was 23% at 630 nm; under applied voltages of -2.0 V and +2.0 V, the coloration efficiency was 127.83 cm2/C. Moreover, cyclic transmittance with switching voltage for 3 h showed stable optical transmittance of 31% at 630 nm. Cyclic voltammetry measurements indicated stable behavior over 50 cycles. Thus, the proposed TCE configuration (TiO2/AgNW/PEDOT:PSS) shows great potential as a substitute for commercial TCEs, the cost of which depends on the availability of rare-earth materials.

  20. Electrochromic Characteristics of Nitrogen-Doped Graphene/TiO2 Nanocomposite Electrodes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang, Chien-Hsin; Chen, Shih-Ming; Wang, Tzong-Liu; Shieh, Yeong-Tarng

    2014-01-01

    Nitrogen-doped graphene (NDG)/titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) nanoparticles were coated on indium-tin oxide (ITO) glass substrates to fabricate NDG-TiO 2 nanocomposite electrodes. 3-methylthiophene (3MT) was electrochemically deposited on the NDG-TiO 2 films to form poly(3-methylthiophene) (P3MT/NDG/TiO 2 ) composite electrochromic electrodes. The introduction of NDG and TiO 2 mesoporous films significantly increased the initial maximum optical contrast (ΔT%) to 70% as compared 41% of pure ITO electrodes, whereas the P3MT/NDG/TiO 2 composite electrodes enhanced the adhesion of P3MT polymers to the NDG/TiO 2 /ITO substrate, thereby increasing the long-term stability of the corresponding electrochromic devices. Experimental results reveal that P3MT/NDG/TiO 2 composite electrodes retained up to 90% of ΔT%, relative to 70% remaining ΔT% of pure ITO electrodes. This illustrates the enhanced long-term stability achieved through the introduction of a NDG-TiO 2 nanocomposite films in electrochromic devices. These devices demonstrated excellent response time characteristics and ΔT% value of 6 s and ca. of 70%, respectively. This work has shown that conductive polymer/NDG/TiO 2 composite electrodes are well suited to electrochromic devices for the promotion of performance and stability

  1. Electrochromic nickel oxide films and their compatibility with potassium hydroxide and lithium perchlorate in propylene carbonate: Optical, electrochemical and stress-related properties

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wen, Rui-Tao, E-mail: Ruitao.Wen@angstrom.uu.se; Niklasson, Gunnar A.; Granqvist, Claes G.

    2014-08-28

    Porous nickel oxide films were deposited onto unheated indium tin oxide coated glass substrates by reactive dc magnetron sputtering. These films had a cubic NiO structure. Electrochromic properties were evaluated in 1 M potassium hydroxide (KOH) and in 1 M lithium perchlorate in propylene carbonate (Li–PC). Large optical modulation was obtained for ∼ 500-nm-thick films both in KOH and in Li–PC (∼ 70% and ∼ 50% at 550 nm, respectively). In KOH, tensile and compressive stresses, due to the expansion and contraction of the lattice, were found for films in their bleached and colored state, respectively. In Li–PC, compressive stress was seen both in colored and bleached films. Durability tests with voltage sweeps between − 0.5 and 0.65 V vs Ag/AgCl in KOH showed good durability for 10,000 cycles, whereas voltage sweeps between 2.0 and 4.7 V vs Li/Li{sup +} in Li–PC yielded significant degradation after 1000 cycles. - Highlights: • Ni oxide films were studied in KOH and in LiClO{sub 4} + propylene carbonate (Li–PC). • Good electrochromism was found in both electrolytes. • In KOH, tensile/compressive stresses were seen in bleached/colored films. • In Li–PC, compressive stress was seen both in colored and bleached films.

  2. Electro-optical evaluation of tungsten oxide and vanadium pentoxide thin films for modeling an electrochromic device

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    H Najafi Ashtiani

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available In this study, tungsten oxide and vanadium oxide electrochromic thin films were placed in vacuum and in a thickness of 200 nm on a transparent conductive substrate of SnO2:F using the physical method of thermal evaporation. Then they were studied for the optical characteristics in the wavelength range from 400 to 700 nm and for their electrical potentials in the range form +1.5 to -1.5 volts. The films were post heated in order to assess changes in energy gap with temperature, at temperatures120 , 300 and 500°C. Refractive and extinction coefficients and the transition type of films in the visible light range and in the thickness of 200 nm were determined and measured. X-ray diffraction pattern and SEM images and cyclic Voltammetry of layers were also studied. The results of this study due to the deposition of layers, the layer thickness selected, the type of substrate, the range of annealing temperatures and selected electrolyte were in full compliance with the works of other researchers [1,2,3]. Therefore, these layers with features such as crystal structure, refractive and even extinction coefficients in the range of visible light, the appropriate response of chromic switch in the replication potential, good adhesion to the substrate, and the high amount of optical transmition and so on, prove useful to be used in an electrochromic device

  3. Aluminum doped nickel oxide thin film with improved electrochromic performance from layered double hydroxides precursor in situ pyrolytic route

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shi, Jingjing; Lai, Lincong; Zhang, Ping; Li, Hailong; Qin, Yumei; Gao, Yuanchunxue; Luo, Lei; Lu, Jun, E-mail: lujun@mail.buct.edu.cn

    2016-09-15

    Electrochromic materials with unique performance arouse great interest on account of potential application values in smart window, low-power display, automobile anti-glare rearview mirror, and e-papers. In this paper, high-performing Al-doped NiO porous electrochromic film grown on ITO substrate has been prepared via a layered double hydroxides(LDHs) precursor in situ pyrolytic route. The Al{sup 3+} ions distributed homogenously within the NiO matrix can significantly influence the crystallinity of Ni-Al LDH and NiO:Al{sup 3+} films. The electrochromic performance of the films were evaluated by means of UV–vis absorption spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and chronoamperometry(CA) measurements. In addition, the ratio of Ni{sup 3+}/Ni{sup 2+} also varies with Al content which can lead to different electrochemical performances. Among the as-prepared films, NiO film prepared from Ni-Al (19:1) LDH show the best electrochromic performance with a high transparency of 96%, large optical modulation range (58.4%), fast switching speed (bleaching/coloration times are 1.8/4.2 s, respectively) and excellent durability (30% decrease after 2000 cycles). The improved performance was owed to the synergy of large NiO film specific surface area and porous morphology, as well as Al doping stifled the formation of Ni{sup 3+} making bleached state more pure. This LDHs precursor pyrolytic method is simple, low-cost and environmental benign and is feasible for the preparation of NiO:Al and other Al-doped oxide thin film. - Graphical abstract: The ratio of Ni{sup 3+}/Ni{sup 2+} varies with Al content which can lead to different electrochemical performances. Among the as-prepared films, NiO film prepared from Ni-Al (19:1) LDH show the best electrochromic performance with a high transparency of 96%, large optical modulation range, fast switching speed and excellent durability. Display Omitted.

  4. In situ infrared spectroscopic study of the electrochromic reactions of tungsten trioxide films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Habib, M.A.; Maheswari, S.P.

    1991-01-01

    This paper reports on thin WO 3 films which are transparent in the oxidized state and colored in the reduced state. These changes in optical properties are associated with compositional variations of the material. Changes in vibrational intensities of W double-bond O, W emdash O, and W double-bond O emdash H bonds in the electrochromic WO 3 film were detected by an in situ FTIR technique at various stages of reduction (coloration). The absorbance due to O emdash H stretching and bending vibrations was found to increase during the electrochemical reduction of the film, indicating the incorporation of water into the film along with the formation of H x WO 3 bronze during coloration. The absorbance due to W double-bond O vibration decreased while that due to W emdash O vibration increased during reduction. These observations suggest that during the coloration process W double-bond O bonds break and new W emdash O bonds form in the film, and thus, provide direct evidence for the electrochromic reaction. O 2 W double-bond O + xH + + xe - ↔ O 2 W emdash O emdash H x

  5. Electrochromic characteristics of a nickel borate thin film investigated by in situ XAFS and UV/vis spectroscopy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yoshida, Masaaki; Iida, Tsuyoshi; Mineo, Takehiro

    2014-01-01

    The electrochromic transition of a nickel borate thin film between colorless and brown was examined by means of in situ XAFS and UV/vis spectroscopy. The XAFS spectra showed that the average valence state of the nickel species in the film changed from +2.1 to +3.8 following the application of an electrode potential. Additionally, a broad peak at 700 nm was observed during in situ UV/vis absorption measurements on the application of a positive potential. These results suggest that the nickel borate film reversibly forms a NiOOH structure with a domain size of several nanometers during the electrochromic reaction. (author)

  6. Annealing induced structural evolution and electrochromic properties of nanostructured tungsten oxide films

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wu, Ching-Lin [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan, ROC (China); Lin, Chung-Kwei [School of Dental Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei City 110, Taiwan, ROC (China); Wang, Chun-Kai [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan, ROC (China); Wang, Sheng-Chang [Department of Mechanical Engineering, Southern Taiwan University, Tainan 710, Taiwan, ROC (China); Huang, Jow-Lay, E-mail: JLH888@mail.ncku.edu.tw [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan, ROC (China); Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, National University of Kaohsiung, Kaohsiung 81148, Taiwan, ROC (China); Research Center for Energy Technology and Strategy, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan, ROC (China)

    2013-12-31

    The effect of microstructure on the optical and electrochemical properties of nanostructured tungsten oxide films was evaluated as a function of annealing temperature. The films using block copolymer as the template were prepared from peroxotungstic acid (PTA) by spin-coating onto the substrate and post-annealed at 250–400 °C to form tungsten oxide films with nanostructure. The microstructure of the films was measured by X-ray diffraction and surface electron microscopy. The films annealed at temperatures below 300 °C are characterized by amorphous or nanocrystalline structures with a pore size of less than 10 nm. The evaluated annealing temperature caused a triclinic crystalline structure and microcracks. Cyclic voltammetry measurements were performed in a LiClO{sub 4}-propylene carbonate electrolyte. The results showed that the ion inserted capacity were maximized for films annealed at 300 °C and decreased with the increasing of annealing temperature. The electrochromic properties of the nanostructured tungsten oxide films were evaluated simultaneously by potentiostat and UV–vis spectroscopy. The films annealed at 300 °C exhibit high transmission modulation (∆T ∼ 40%) at λ = 633 nm and good kinetic properties. As a result, the correlation between the microstructure and kinetic properties was established, and the electrochromic properties have been demonstrated. - Highlights: • Surfactant-assisted WO{sub 3} films have been prepared by sol–gel method. • Nanostructure of porous WO{sub 3} film is retained after crystallization. • Kinetic properties of WO{sub 3} can be improved by nanostructure and crystallinity.

  7. Electrochromism for organic materials in polymeric all-solid-state systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hirai, Yoshihiko; Tani, Chizuka

    1983-10-01

    This letter reports a new electrochromic polymeric film system consisting of a polymer, an electrochromic (EC) dye which is pyrazoline or tetrathiafulvalene (TTF), and lithium perchlorate (LiClO4). The electrochromic cell structure is glass/ITO/polymeric EC film/Au film. The cell using pyrazoline as an EC dye exhibited yellow coloration at 1.0 V and the cell with TTF exhibited red coloration at 3.5 V. These cells exhibited memory.

  8. Optical, structural and electrochromic behavior studies on nanocomposite thin film of aniline, o-toluidine and WO3

    Science.gov (United States)

    Najafi-Ashtiani, Hamed; Bahari, Ali

    2016-08-01

    In the field of materials for electrochromic (EC) applications much attention was paid to the derivatives of aniline. We report on the optical, structural and electrochromic properties of electrochromic thin film based on composite of WO3 nanoparticles and copolymer of aniline and o-toluidine prepared by electrochemical polymerization method on fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) coated glass. The thin film was studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transforms infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The morphology of prepared thin film was characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and the thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) as well. The optical spectra of nanocomposite thin film were characterized in the 200-900 nm wavelength range and EC properties of nanocomposite thin film were studied by cyclic voltammetry (CV). The calculation of optical band gaps of thin film exhibited that the thin film has directly allowed transition with the values of 2.63 eV on first region and 3.80 eV on second region. Dispersion parameters were calculated based on the single oscillator model. Finally, important parameters such as dispersion energy, oscillator energy and lattice dielectric constant were determined and compared with the data from other researchers. The nonlinear optical properties such as nonlinear optical susceptibility, nonlinear absorption coefficient and nonlinear refractive index were extracted. The obtained results of nanocomposite thin film can be useful for the optoelectronic applications.

  9. Prototype solid-state electrochromic window devices

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dao, L.H.; Nguyen, M.T.

    1989-01-01

    This paper discusses electrochromic smart windows which are prospective devices for the control of light transmission in response to the variation of brightness of the environment. The fabrication of electrochromic windows based on cathodically coloring transition metal oxides and anodically coloring conducting polymers are described. The device consists of gel or glassy polymer electrolytes sandwiches by a pair of transparent conducting glass coated respectively with a thin film of WO 3 or MoO 3 prepared by electrodeposition, and with a thin film of ploy(aniline) derivatives obtained by electropolymerization or solution casting. The electrochromic properties of the five-layer smart window devices are presented

  10. Optical and electrochromic properties of Sn:WO3 cermets

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ashrit, P.V.; Bader, G.; Girouard, F.E.; Truong, V.V.

    1989-01-01

    This paper discusses optical and electrochromic properties of Sn:WO 3 cermets deposited by alternate layer thermal deposition. These cermets exhibit electrical and optical behavior in the as deposited state. The inclusion of Sn in the WO 3 matrix enhances the Electrical conductivity of the system and renders them fairly transparent in the visible region. The electrochromic behavior of such systems is studied under both proton and Li + ion injection. The good conductivity and good transmission combined with good electrochromic characteristics of these systems indicate the possibility of utilizing this type of cermet for the dual role of transparent conductor (TC) and electrochromic (EC) layer

  11. High performance passive matrix electrochromic display

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aliev, A.E.

    2003-01-01

    A matrix addressable electrochromic display (ECD) based on solid polymer electrolyte screen-printed on the surface of nano structured WO 3 +0.1TiO 2 electrodes, in which all pixels were insulted by negative photoresist material has been developed. Five types of nano structured films produced by a sol-gel method were investigated to enhance the electrochemical, optical, and mechanical properties of electrochromic tungsten oxide films. The film based on WO 3-x +0.1TiO 2-y sol-gel solution mixed with 32 mol.% oxalic acid was found to be stable and has excellent characteristics in coloring/bleaching kinetics. The ECD used nano structured electrochromic tungsten trioxide layer protected by SiO 2 -CeO 2 -Li 2 O thin film solid electrolyte, screen-printed solid polymer electrolyte mixed with white TiO 2 pigment (P25), and metallic counter electrode covered with carbon layer, has exhibited fast switching, excellent memory effect and substantially free from image diffusion and cross talk effects. (author)

  12. Improved electrochromical properties of sol-gel WO3 thin films by doping gold nanocrystals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Naseri, N.; Azimirad, R.; Akhavan, O.; Moshfegh, A.Z.

    2010-01-01

    In this investigation, the effect of gold nanocrystals on the electrochromical properties of sol-gel Au doped WO 3 thin films has been studied. The Au-WO 3 thin films were dip-coated on both glass and indium tin oxide coated conducting glass substrates with various gold concentrations of 0, 3.2 and 6.4 mol%. Optical properties of the samples were studied by UV-visible spectrophotometry in a range of 300-1100 nm. The optical density spectra of the films showed the formation of gold nanoparticles in the films. The optical bandgap energy of Au-WO 3 films decreased with increasing the Au concentration. Crystalline structure of the doped films was investigated by X-ray diffractometry, which indicated formation of gold nanocrystals in amorphous WO 3 thin films. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was used to study the surface chemical composition of the samples. XPS analysis indicated the presence of gold in metallic state and the formation of stoichiometric WO 3 . The electrochromic properties of the Au-WO 3 samples were also characterized using lithium-based electrolyte. It was found that doping of Au nanocrystals in WO 3 thin films improved the coloration time of the layer. In addition, it was shown that variation of Au concentration led to color change in the colored state of the Au-WO 3 thin films.

  13. Optical detection of ion diffusion in electrochromic poly(3,4-ethylenedioxy)thiophene film using microcantilever electrodes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lin, Rong; Stokbro, Kurt; Madsen, Dorte Nørgaard

    2005-01-01

    potential of the film induced dark (light-absorbing) rings, which spread out from the anode on a time scale of seconds. The rate of expansion of the rings as well as the final diameter depended on the bias voltage. Using two micro four-point probes simultaneously, we measured with one probe the conductance......We present measurements of microscale electrochromic switching of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxy)thiophene doped with poly(4-styrene sulfonate), thin film using microfabricated multi-point probe electrodes. After treatment with a dilute hydrochloric acid, a voltage bias above 3 V with respect to the ground...... of the film outside, near and inside a dark ring induced by a voltage applied to another probe and found the resistivity to be directly related to the observed absorbance of the film. The standard electrochromic mechanism of ion insertion was used to explain the observations. We anticipate this experimental...

  14. Electrochemical polymerization of 9-fluorenecarboxylic acid and its electrochromic device application

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bezgin, Buket; Cihaner, Atilla; Onal, Ahmet M.

    2008-01-01

    Poly(9-fluorenecarboxylic acid) (PFCA) was synthesized by electrochemical oxidation of 9-fluorenecarboxylic acid (FCA) using a mixture of nitromethane and boron trifluoride diethyl etherate as the solvent and tetrabutylammonium tetrafluoroborate as the supporting electrolyte. An insoluble and conducting brownish-orange film was deposited on the electrode surface, both during repetitive cycling and constant potential electrolysis at 1.15 V. Characterization of the polymer film has been carried out using Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy technique and thermal behavior was studied via thermal gravimetric analysis. Structural analysis showed that the polymerization of FCA occurred at 2,7-position. Spectroelectrochemical behavior of the polymer film on indium tin oxide working electrode was studied by recording the electronic absorption spectra, in-situ, in monomer-free electrolytic solution at different potentials and it is found that the PFCA film can be reversibly cycled between 0.0 V and 1.2 V. Furthermore, a dual type electrochromic device based on PFCA was constructed and its spectroelectrochemical properties were investigated. The electrochromic device exhibits color change from transparent to dark blue with a good open circuit memory

  15. Patterned polyaniline encapsulated in titania nanotubes for electrochromism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lv, Haiming; Wang, Yi; Pan, Lei; Zhang, Leipeng; Zhang, Hangchuan; Shang, Lei; Qu, Huiying; Li, Na; Zhao, Jiupeng; Li, Yao

    2018-02-21

    In this article, we report the preparation of a TiO 2 nanotube array (TNA) film used as a transparent electrochromic material and a TNA/polyaniline patterned hybrid electrochromic film utilized as an information display material. The TNA film was fabricated by an anodizing process, and a surface patterned TNA with extreme wettability contrast (hydrophilic/hydrophobic) on a TNA surface through self-assembly (SAM) and photocatalytic lithography is fabricated. Then the TNA/polyaniline hybrid film was prepared by electrodeposition of aniline in an aqueous solution. Finally, the electrochromic properties of the TNA film and the TNA/polyaniline hybrid film were investigated. Compared with neat TNA film and polyaniline (PANI) films, the hybrid film shows a much higher optical contrast in the near infrared range. The TNA/polyaniline hybrid film shows higher coloration efficiencies of 24.4 cm 2 C -1 at a wavelength of 700 nm and 17.1 cm 2 C -1 at a wavelength of 1050 nm compared to the TNA coloration efficiency. The color switching time (20.9 s or 22.9 s) of TNA/polyaniline is faster than TNA.

  16. Solid-state electrochromic cell with anodic iridium oxide film electrodes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dautremont-Smith, W.C.; Beni, G.; Schiavone, L.M.; Shay, J.L.

    1979-01-01

    A new solid-state electrochromic cell has been fabricated using an anodic iridium oxide film (AIROF) display electrode. The cell has the symmetric sandwich structure AIROFvertical-barNafionvertical-barAIROF, with the Nafion solid electrolyte opacified by an in situ precipitation technique. A symmetric square-wave voltage of 1.5 V amplitude produces clearly perceivable color changes from pale to dark blue-gray in approx. =1 sec when viewed in diffuse reflection. Good open-circuit optical memory is exhibited:

  17. Structure, electrochromic and optical properties of WO3 film prepared by dip coating-pyrolysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang Haitao; Shang Fuliang; Gao Ling; Han Haitao

    2007-01-01

    The tungsten oxide (WO 3 ) film was grown by dip coating-pyrolysis method with the PEG-400 as the structure-directing agent. Microstructure of the WO 3 film was characterized by TG-DSC, XRD and SEM techniques. It was found that the film annealed at 350 deg. C for 2 h comprised cubic WO 3 and orthorhombic WO 3 . The measurements of the cyclic voltammetry (CV) and UV-vis spectrum suggested that the WO 3 film had a good electrochromic reversibility performance. The film possessed excellent modulation to the visible light and the maximal average transmittance modulation reached 70.06%

  18. Double-Sided Electrochromic Device Based on Metal-Organic Frameworks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mjejri, Issam; Doherty, Cara M; Rubio-Martinez, Marta; Drisko, Glenna L; Rougier, Aline

    2017-11-22

    Devices displaying controllably tunable optical properties through an applied voltage are attractive for smart glass, mirrors, and displays. Electrochromic material development aims to decrease power consumption while increasing the variety of attainable colors, their brilliance, and their longevity. We report the first electrochromic device constructed from metal organic frameworks (MOFs). Two MOF films, HKUST-1 and ZnMOF-74, are assembled so that the oxidation of one corresponds to the reduction of the other, allowing the two sides of the device to simultaneously change color. These MOF films exhibit cycling stability unrivaled by other MOFs and a significant optical contrast in a lithium-based electrolyte. HKUST-1 reversibly changed from bright blue to light blue and ZnMOF-74 from yellow to brown. The electrochromic device associates the two MOF films via a PMMA-lithium based electrolyte membrane. The color-switching of these MOFs does not arise from an organic-linker redox reaction, signaling unexplored possibilities for electrochromic MOF-based materials.

  19. Characteristics of tungsten oxide thin films prepared on the flexible substrates using pulsed laser deposition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Suda, Yoshiaki; Kawasaki, Hiroharu; Ohshima, Tamiko; Yagyuu, Yoshihito

    2008-01-01

    Tungsten trioxide (WO 3 ) thin films have been prepared on the flexible indium tin oxide (ITO) substrates by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) using WO 3 targets in oxygen gas. Color of the WO 3 film on the flexible ITO substrates depends on the oxygen gas mixture. The plasma plume produced by PLD using a Nd:YAG laser and WO 3 target is investigated by temporal and spatial-resolved optical emission spectroscopy. WO 3 films prepared on the flexible ITO substrates show electrochromic properties, even when the substrates are bent. The film color changes from blue to transparent within 10-20 s after the applied DC voltage is turned off

  20. Oligoaniline-containing electrochromic polymers with tunable properties

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Y. Li

    2018-07-01

    Full Text Available Electrochromic polymers have attracted much attention due to their potential applications in displays, smart windows, intelligent mirrors, and wearable devices. Here, a novel polyamic acid containing aniline pentamer with improved electrochromic properties and new functionalities was synthesized via oxidative coupling polymerization, followed by postpolymerization of tetraaniline, polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane, and fluorene, respectively. With the introduction of tetraaniline pendants, the resultant polymer exhibits improved electrochromic performance with high optical contrast value and rapid switching rate, because of the high content of electrochromic units in the polymeric structure. The polyamic acid functionalized with polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane, demonstrates a great enhancement of switching rate in the electrochromism, due to the rapid electrolyte migration through polymer film under electrochemical potentials. In addition, a new electrofluorochromic feature is easily achieved through the introduction of fluorescent fluorene groups into the polymeric architecture.

  1. Toward Plastic Smart Windows: Optimization of Indium Tin Oxide Electrodes for the Synthesis of Electrochromic Devices on Polycarbonate Substrates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laurenti, Marco; Bianco, Stefano; Castellino, Micaela; Garino, Nadia; Virga, Alessandro; Pirri, Candido F; Mandracci, Pietro

    2016-03-01

    Plastic smart windows are becoming one of the key elements in view of the fabrication of inexpensive, lightweight electrochromic (EC) devices to be integrated in the new generation of high-energy-efficiency buildings and automotive applications. However, fabricating electrochromic devices on polymer substrates requires a reduction of process temperature, so in this work we focus on the development of a completely room-temperature deposition process aimed at the preparation of ITO-coated polycarbonate (PC) structures acting as transparent and conductive plastic supports. Without providing any substrate heating or surface activation pretreatments of the polymer, different deposition conditions are used for growing indium tin oxide (ITO) thin films by the radiofrequency magnetron sputtering technique. According to the characterization results, the set of optimal deposition parameters is selected to deposit ITO electrodes having high optical transmittance in the visible range (∼90%) together with low sheet resistance (∼8 ohm/sq). The as-prepared ITO/PC structures are then successfully tested as conductive supports for the fabrication of plastic smart windows. To this purpose, tungsten trioxide thin films are deposited by the reactive sputtering technique on the ITO/PC structures, and the resulting single electrode EC devices are characterized by chronoamperometric experiments and cyclic voltammetry. The fast switching response between colored and bleached states, together with the stability and reversibility of their electrochromic behavior after several cycling tests, are considered to be representative of the high quality of the EC film but especially of the ITO electrode. Indeed, even if no adhesion promoters, additional surface activation pretreatments, or substrate heating were used to promote the mechanical adhesion among the electrode and the PC surface, the observed EC response confirmed that the developed materials can be successfully employed for the

  2. Investigation of water content in electrolyte solution on electrochromic properties of WO3 thin Films

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zahra Abadi

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Tungsten oxide thin films were prepared by a cathodic electrodeposition method at -0.450 mV in order to investigate how water content affects their electrochromic properties. FESEM images exhibit that WO3 thin films consist of 65 nm uniform grains. Thin Films were electrochemically investigated in 0.1M LiClO4 in propylene carbonate electrolyte with and without 5vol% water content by cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry. The results indicate that tungsten oxide thin films exhibit faster switching time between coloration and bleaching states and also higher coloration efficiency in hydrated electrolyte.  

  3. Enhanced electrochromic properties of TiO2 nanoporous film prepared based on an assistance of polyethylene glycol

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Shunjian; Luo, Xiaorui; Xiao, Zonghu; Luo, Yongping; Zhong, Wei; Ou, Hui; Li, Yinshuai

    2017-01-01

    Polyethylene glycol (PEG) was employed as pore-forming agent to prepare TiO2 nanoporous film based on spin-coating a TiO2 nanoparticle mixed paste on fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) glass. The electrochromic and optical properties of the obtained TiO2 film were investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV), chronoamperometry (CA) and UV-Vis spectrophotometer. The results show that the PEG in the mixed paste endows the TiO2 film with well-developed porous structure and improves the uniformity of the TiO2 film, which are helpful for the rapid intercalation and extraction of lithium ions within the TiO2 film and the strengthening of the diffuse reflection of visible light in the TiO2 film. As a result, the TiO2 film derived from the mixed paste with PEG displays higher electrochemical activity and more excellent electrochromic performances compared with the TiO2 film derived from the mixed paste without PEG. The switching times of coloration/bleaching are respectively 10.16/5.65 and 12.77/6.13 s for the TiO2 films with PEG and without PEG. The maximum value of the optical contrast of the TiO2 film with PEG is 21.2% while that of the optical contrast of the TiO2 film without PEG is 14.9%. Furthermore, the TiO2 film with PEG has better stability of the colored state than the TiO2 film without PEG.

  4. Caracterização de filmes finos de Nb2O5 com propriedades eletrocrômicas Caracterization of OF Nb2O5 thin films with electrochromic properties

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    C. O. Avellaneda

    1998-06-01

    Full Text Available The sols for thin electrochromic coatings of Nb2O5 were obtained by synthesis of the niobium butoxide from BuONa and NbCl5. The ~300nm thick films were deposited by dip-coating technique from the alkoxide solution and calcined at 560ºC in O2 atmosphere during 3 hours. The particles size of niobium oxide (V powder (~20mm was obtained from x-ray diffraction using the Scherrer equation. The coatings were characterized by cyclic voltammetry and cronoamperommetry techniques. The spectral variation of the optical transmittance were determined in situ as a function of the cyclical potencial and memory effect. The insertion process of lithium is reversible and change the film color from transparent (T=80% to dark blue (T=20%.

  5. RF Magnetron Sputtering Deposited W/Ti Thin Film For Smart Window Applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oksuz, Lutfi; Kiristi, Melek; Bozduman, Ferhat; Uygun Oksuz, Aysegul

    2014-10-01

    Electrochromic (EC) devices can change reversible and persistent their optical properties in the visible region (400-800 nm) upon charge insertion/extraction according to the applied voltage. A complementary type EC is a device containing two electrochromic layers, one of which is anodically colored such as vanadium oxide (V2 O5) while the other cathodically colored such as tungsten oxide (WO3) which is separated by an ionic conduction layer (electrolyte). The use of a solid electrolyte such as Nafion eliminates the need for containment of the liquid electrolyte, which simplifies the cell design, as well as improves safety and durability. In this work, the EC device was fabricated on a ITO/glass slide. The WO3-TiO2 thin film was deposited by reactive RF magnetron sputtering using a 2-in W/Ti (9:1%wt) target with purity of 99.9% in a mixture gas of argon and oxygen. As a counter electrode layer, V2O5 film was deposited on an ITO/glass substrate using V2O3 target with the same conditions of reactive RF magnetron sputtering. Modified Nafion was used as an electrolyte to complete EC device. The transmittance spectra of the complementary EC device was measured by optical spectrophotometry when a voltage of +/-3 V was applied to the EC device by computer controlled system. The surface morphology of the films was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) (Fig. 2). The cyclic voltammetry (CV) for EC device was performed by sweeping the potential between +/-3 V at a scan rate of 50 mV/s.

  6. Electrochemical investigation of electrochromic devices based on NiO and WO3 films using different lithium salts electrolytes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wei, Youxiu; Chen, Mu; Liu, Weiming; Li, Lei; Yan, Yue

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: •ECDs based on NiO and WO 3 films using different electrolytes were fabricated. •Effect of different electrolytes on films and ECDs was investigated. •Applied voltage distribution on NiO and WO 3 electrodes in an ECD was studied. •Voltage distribution on films was unbalanced and associated with electrolyte. •Films have different impedance behavior in different states and electrolytes. -- Abstract: Electrochromic devices (ECDs) with different liquid electrolytes were fabricated using NiO film as counter electrode, WO 3 film as working electrode. The effect of liquid electrolytes containing different lithium salts (LiClO 4 , LiPF 6 , LiTFSI) on films and ECDs was investigated, such as transmittance change, charge density, memory effect and cyclic stability. Films or ECDs using LiPF 6 electrolyte have excellent electrochromic properties but low cyclic stability, compared with LiClO 4 and LiTFSI electrolytes. In order to deeply understand the effect of electrolyte on films and devices, the voltage distribution of films based on an analog cell and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were measured and analyzed in different lithium salts electrolytes. Results show that voltage distribution and EIS characteristics of films have obvious difference in liquid LiClO 4 , LiPF 6 and LiTFSI electrolytes. Voltage distribution on NiO and WO 3 films is unbalanced and the impedance of films in bleached and colored states is different in the same electrolyte.

  7. Novel electrochromic devices based on composite films of poly(2,5-dimethoxyaniline)-waterborne polyurethane

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang, C.-H.; Chong, L.-W.; Huang, L.-M.; Lee, Y.-L.; Wen, T.-C.

    2005-01-01

    Waterborne polyurethane (WPU) was spin-coated on indium tin oxide (ITO) coated glass. Poly(2,5-dimethoxyaniline) (PDMA) was deposited using electrochemical polymerization as conducting composite film on the above WPU/ITO electrode and used as an electrode in an electrochromic device assembly. Tungsten oxide (WO 3 ) coated ITO glass was used as the other electrode with LiClO 4 doped gelled polyethylene oxide (PEO) as polymer electrolyte. The configuration of an electrochromic device was assembled: ITO/WPU-PDMA II LiClO 4 -PC-PEO (400,000) II WO 3 /ITO, where PC represents propylene carbonate. The characterization of the single electrodes, ITO/WPU-PDMA composite, ITO/WO 3 , and the device was performed by using cyclic voltammetry. The columbic efficiency (CE) of the ITO/WPU-PDMA composite and ITO/WO 3 electrodes were close to 100%. The optical contrast of the single electrodes and the device were determined by UV-vis spectroelectrochemical studies. A visible contrast in color upon switching the potential from -1.50 to +1.50 V was noticed for the device. The device was pale yellow at -1.5 V and dark green at +1.5 V. The CE of the device was 91%. Double potential chronamperomtry was used to determine the response time of coloring and bleaching processes. The bleaching process was found to be faster than coloring. The stability of the device was established by polarizing the device and recording the UV-vis spectrum in open circuit conditions. Bleaching state is more stable than coloring state

  8. Recent progress in thermochromics and electrochromics: A brief survey

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Granqvist, Claes G., E-mail: claes-goran.granqvist@angstrom.uu.se

    2016-09-01

    Contemporary architecture is characterized by large glazings, which are able to accomplish good indoors–outdoors contact and daylighting. However, glazings, encompassing windows and glass facades, are challenging with regard to energy efficiency and often lead to excessive solar energy ingress and to large thermal losses, which must be balanced by energy-demanding cooling or heating. Cooling, especially, has grown strongly in importance during recent years. Emerging technologies utilizing thermochromics and electrochromics allow control of the inflow of visible light and solar energy and thereby produce better energy efficiency than traditional glazings employing static solutions. Thermochromic thin films, based on vanadium dioxide, let through less solar energy at high temperature than at low temperature, whereas electrochromic devices include thin films—usually based on tungsten oxide and nickel oxide—that can change their transmittance of solar energy and visible light upon the application of a voltage. It is important that electrochromics, and to some degree thermochromics, can enhance indoor comfort and lead to better living and working conditions. The present brief review covers a number of recent advances in thermochromics and electrochromics with a view to applications in energy-efficient buildings. - Highlights: • Thermochromics and electrochromics are introduced • These technologies are based on thin oxide films • Smart windows use thermochromics and electrochromics • The technologies can lead to energy efficiency in windows.

  9. Recent progress in thermochromics and electrochromics: A brief survey

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Granqvist, Claes G.

    2016-01-01

    Contemporary architecture is characterized by large glazings, which are able to accomplish good indoors–outdoors contact and daylighting. However, glazings, encompassing windows and glass facades, are challenging with regard to energy efficiency and often lead to excessive solar energy ingress and to large thermal losses, which must be balanced by energy-demanding cooling or heating. Cooling, especially, has grown strongly in importance during recent years. Emerging technologies utilizing thermochromics and electrochromics allow control of the inflow of visible light and solar energy and thereby produce better energy efficiency than traditional glazings employing static solutions. Thermochromic thin films, based on vanadium dioxide, let through less solar energy at high temperature than at low temperature, whereas electrochromic devices include thin films—usually based on tungsten oxide and nickel oxide—that can change their transmittance of solar energy and visible light upon the application of a voltage. It is important that electrochromics, and to some degree thermochromics, can enhance indoor comfort and lead to better living and working conditions. The present brief review covers a number of recent advances in thermochromics and electrochromics with a view to applications in energy-efficient buildings. - Highlights: • Thermochromics and electrochromics are introduced • These technologies are based on thin oxide films • Smart windows use thermochromics and electrochromics • The technologies can lead to energy efficiency in windows

  10. High-performance electrochromic device based on nanocellulose/polyaniline and nanocellulose/poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) composite thin films

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Sihang; Fu, Runfang; Du, Zoufei; Jiang, Mengjin; Zhou, Mi; Gu, Yingchun; Chen, Sheng

    2017-07-01

    With the development of nanotechnology, nanocomposite materials based on renewable resources are the focus of this research. Nanocellulose was prepared using sulfuric acid to swell cotton pulp, following with extensive ultrasonication. Nanocellulose/polyaniline (NC/PANI) and nanocellulose/poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (NC/PEDOT) nanocomposites with core/shell structure were manufactured by in situ polymerization. The film-forming properties and electrochromic properties of PANI and PEDOT were significantly improved using the nanocellulose as matrix. NC/PANI and NC/PEDOT composite films were studied in single and dual electrochromic devices (ECDs). A viscous gel electrolyte (GE) was used in ECDs. The architectural design of single and dual device was ITO/NC-PANI/GE/ITO or ITO/NC-PEDOT/GE/ITO and ITO/NC-PANI/GE/NC-PEDOT/ITO, respectively. The dual ECD based on NC/PANI and NC/PEDOT composite films exhibited a higher color contrast (30.3%), shortest response time (1.5 s for bleaching and 1.9 s for coloring), largest coloration efficiency (241.6 C/cm2), and best cycling stability (over 150 cycles) compared with the single devices.

  11. Enhanced electrochromic and energy storage performance in mesoporous WO3 film and its application in a bi-functional smart window.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Wei-Qi; Wang, Xiu-Li; Xia, Xin-Hui; Yao, Zhu-Jun; Zhong, Yu; Tu, Jiang-Ping

    2018-05-03

    Construction of multifunctional photoelectrochemical energy devices is of great importance to energy saving. In this study, we have successfully prepared a mesoporous WO3 film on FTO glass via a facile dip-coating sol-gel method; the designed mesoporous WO3 film exhibited advantages including high transparency, good adhesion and high porosity. Also, multifunctional integrated energy storage and optical modulation ability are simultaneously achieved by the mesoporous WO3 film. Impressively, the mesoporous WO3 film exhibits a noticeable electrochromic energy storage performance with a large optical modulation up to 75.6% at 633 nm, accompanied by energy storage with a specific capacity of 75.3 mA h g-1. Furthermore, a full electrochromic energy storage window assembled with the mesoporous WO3 anode and PANI nanoparticle cathode is demonstrated with large optical modulation and good long-term stability. Our research provides a new route to realize the coincident utilization of optical-electrochemical energy.

  12. Electrocolorimetry of electrochromic materials on flexible ITO electrodes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pinheiro, Carlos [Requimte, Dep. Quimica, FCT, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica (Portugal); YDreams, Madan Parque, Quinta da Torre, 2829-516 Caparica (Portugal); Parola, A.J.; Pina, F. [Requimte, Dep. Quimica, FCT, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica (Portugal); Fonseca, J.; Freire, C. [Requimte, Dep. Quimica, Faculdade de Ciencias, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, 4169-007 Porto (Portugal)

    2008-08-15

    Electrochromic materials are characterized by their colour changes upon applied voltage. Colour can mean many things: a certain kind of light, its effect on the human eye, or the result of this effect in the mind of the viewer. Since the electrochromic materials are developed towards real life applications it is relevant to characterize them with the usual commercial colour standards. A colorimetric study of electrogenerated Prussian blue and electrogenerated polymers based on salen-type complexes of Cu(II), Ni(II) and Pd(II) deposited over transparent flexible electrodes of polyethylene terephthalate coated with indium tin oxide (PET/ITO electrodes) was carried out using the CIELAB coordinates. A cuvette with a designed adapter to allow potentiostatic control was placed on an integrating sphere installed in the sample compartment of a spectrophotometer to run the colorimetric measurements. The colour evolution in situ was measured through the transmittance of the films by potentiostatic control. Chronocoulometry/chronoabsorptometry was used to evaluate maximum coloration efficiencies for the coloration step: 184 (Pd), 161 (Cu) and 83 cm{sup 2}/C (Ni) and for bleaching: 199 (Pd), 212 (Cu) and 173 cm{sup 2}/C (Ni) of the Pd, Cu and Ni polymer films, respectively. The Prussian Blue/Prussian White states over the PET/ITO films were relatively reversible while the reversibility and stability of the polymers based on the metals salen-type complexes depends on the metal, Pd being the most stable. (author)

  13. Optical characterization of niobium pentoxide thin films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pawlicka, A.

    1996-01-01

    Thin films of Nb 2 O 5 were obtained by sol-gel method using ultrasonic irradiation and deposited by dip-coating technique. After calcination at temperatures superior than 500 deg C these films (300 nm thick) were characterized by cyclic voltametry and cronoamperometry. The memory measurements, color efficiency, optical density as a function of wave number and applied potential were effectuated to determine their electrochromic properties. The study of electrochromic properties of these films shows that the insertion process of lithium is reversible and changes their coloration from transparent (T=80%) to dark blue (T=20%). (author)

  14. Sunlight-charged electrochromic battery based on hybrid film of tungsten oxide and polyaniline

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chang, Xueting; Hu, Ruirui; Sun, Shibin; Liu, Jingrong; Lei, Yanhua; Liu, Tao; Dong, Lihua; Yin, Yansheng

    2018-05-01

    Electrochromic (EC) energy storage devices that could realize the multifunctional integration of energy storage and electrochromism have gained much recent attention. Herein, an EC battery based on the hybrid film of W18O49 and polyaniline (PANI) is developed and assembled, which integrates energy storage and EC functions in one device. The W18O49/PANI-EC battery delivers a discharging capacity of 52.96 mA h g-1, which is about two times higher than that of the W18O49-EC battery. Sunlight irradiation could greatly promote the oxidation reactions of both W18O49 and PANI during the charging process of the W18O49/PANI-EC battery, thus effectively accelerating the charging rate. This work provides a green, convenient, environmentally friendly, and cost-free charging strategy for the EC energy systems and could further advance the development of the multifunctional EC devices based on the organic/inorganic composites.

  15. Large-scale fabrication of pseudocapacitive glass windows that combine electrochromism and energy storage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Peihua; Sun, Peng; Chai, Zhisheng; Huang, Langhuan; Cai, Xiang; Tan, Shaozao; Song, Jinhui; Mai, Wenjie

    2014-10-27

    Multifunctional glass windows that combine energy storage and electrochromism have been obtained by facile thermal evaporation and electrodeposition methods. For example, WO3 films that had been deposited on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) glass exhibited a high specific capacitance of 639.8 F g(-1). Their color changed from transparent to deep blue with an abrupt decrease in optical transmittance from 91.3% to 15.1% at a wavelength of 633 nm when a voltage of -0.6 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) was applied, demonstrating its excellent energy-storage and electrochromism properties. As a second example, a polyaniline-based pseudocapacitive glass was also developed, and its color can change from green to blue. A large-scale pseudocapacitive WO3-based glass window (15×15 cm(2)) was fabricated as a prototype. Such smart pseudocapacitive glass windows show great potential in functioning as electrochromic windows and concurrently powering electronic devices, such as mobile phones or laptops. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  16. Influence of stoichiometry on electrochromic cerium-titanium oxide compounds

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kullman, L.; Richardson, T.; Rubin, M.; Slack, J.; Rottkay, K. von

    1997-01-01

    CeO 2 -TiO 2 finds use as passive counter-electrode in electrochromic devices. Thin films were produced by de-sputtering in a wide range of compositions. Influence of total pressure and oxygen partial pressure on the optical constants of TiO 2 was investigated. Slightly substoichiometric Ti0 2 films exhibit a red-shift of the bandgap. The Ti0 2 content in the compound essentially determines the degree of cathodical coloring upon Li + intercalation [1]. However, pure TiO 2 films with comparable visible transmittance in the clear state behave differently during electrochemical cycling depending on oxygen stoichiometry. Films that are deposited at higher total pressure are more oxygen rich and require initial formatting until current voltage cycles become stable. CeO 2 -Ti0 2 films of intermediate compositions have the relatively highest charge capacity. Comparison with atomic force microscopy indicates a correlation of small grain size with high charge capacity

  17. Electrochromism and local order in amorphous WO/sub 3/

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zeller, H R; Beyeler, H U

    1977-06-01

    WO/sub 3/ films prepared under different conditions (evaporation, reactive sputtering and spraying of aqueous solutions of metatungstic acid) differ by orders of magnitude in their electrochromic sensitivity. Diffuse X-ray studies show the evaporated and sputtered films to be amorphous and to consists of a disordered network of corner sharing WO/sub 6/ octahedra. Sprayed films have different degrees of crystallinity depending on spraying conditions. From differential scanning calorimetry we conclude that the crystal water present in most films strongly affects the local order of the corner sharing octahedra. We find that crystal water not only provides a high ionic conductivity which is conditional for a fast electrochromic reaction but also stabilises electrocatalytically active surface sites for fast hydrogen or Li exchange with the adjacent electrolyte.

  18. One-step inkjet printing of tungsten oxide-poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrene sulphonate hybrid film and its applications in electrochromic devices

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nguyen, Thi-Thuy-Nga, E-mail: thuysnga@gmail.com; Chan, Chih-Yu; He, Ju-Liang

    2016-03-31

    Hybrid film comprised tungsten oxide and poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrene sulphonate (WO{sub 3}–PEDOT:PSS) was developed by applying one-step inkjet printing from an office inkjet printer. The WO{sub 3} nanoparticles were synthesized from commercial crystalline WO{sub 3} powder through a wet ball-milling process, which is a simple, environmentally friendly, and cost-effective method of using water as a green solvent and low-energy milling. The WO{sub 3}–PEDOT:PSS inkjet ink was prepared by dispersing the as-milled WO{sub 3} and PEDOT:PSS in n-propanol and deionized water. The inkjet-printed WO{sub 3}–PEDOT:PSS thin films show marked improvements of cathodic electrochromism over WO{sub 3} films: the transmittance change of 20% at 550 nm (visible region) and 35% at 900 nm (infrared region) along with the response time of 5.67/0.30 s in their colored/bleached state, and the electrochromic coloration efficiency of 27.86 cm{sup 2}/C at 550 nm and 69.64 cm{sup 2}/C at 900 nm. - Highlights: • WO{sub 3} nanoparticles were synthesized by milling commercial crystalline WO{sub 3}. • Wet ball-milling was carried out by using water as a green solvent and low energy. • WO{sub 3}–PEDOT:PSS hybrid ink was simply prepared by adding n-propanol and DI water. • WO{sub 3}–PEDOT:PSS hybrid films were inkjet-printed via an office inkjet printer. • WO{sub 3}–PEDOT:PSS films show better electrochromic performances than WO{sub 3} films.

  19. A novel donor-acceptor polymeric electrochromic material containing carbazole and 1,8-naphtalimide as subunit

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Koyuncu, Fatma Baycan, E-mail: fatmabaycan@hotmail.co [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences and Arts, Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, 17020 Canakkale (Turkey); Koyuncu, Sermet [Can Vocational School, Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, 17400 Canakkale (Turkey); Ozdemir, Eyup, E-mail: eozdemir@comu.edu.t [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences and Arts, Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, 17020 Canakkale (Turkey)

    2010-07-01

    We report here the synthesis of a novel polymeric electrochromic material containing carbazole (Cbz)-donor and 1,8-napthalimide-acceptor as subunit. The band gap E{sub g} was measured using UV-vis spectroscopy and compared with that obtained by cyclic voltammetry (CV). Due to intramolecular electron transfer from Cbz-donor to 1,8-napthalimide-acceptor, the fluorescence quenching was observed. When the spectro-electrochemical and electrochromic properties of polymer film were investigated, various tones of green color were obtained on the polymeric film. In the positive regime, the polymer film obtained thereby is dark green resulting from the association of carbazolylium cation radicals at oxidized state and then it can be bleached by electrochemical reduction. Besides, in the negative regime, yellowish green color of film converted to blue attributed to reduction of the 1,8-napthalimide moiety. Finally, the polymeric electrochromic exhibits multi-electrochromic behavior, high redox stability, high coloration efficiency and reasonable response time.

  20. A novel donor-acceptor polymeric electrochromic material containing carbazole and 1,8-naphtalimide as subunit

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Koyuncu, Fatma Baycan; Koyuncu, Sermet; Ozdemir, Eyup

    2010-01-01

    We report here the synthesis of a novel polymeric electrochromic material containing carbazole (Cbz)-donor and 1,8-napthalimide-acceptor as subunit. The band gap E g was measured using UV-vis spectroscopy and compared with that obtained by cyclic voltammetry (CV). Due to intramolecular electron transfer from Cbz-donor to 1,8-napthalimide-acceptor, the fluorescence quenching was observed. When the spectro-electrochemical and electrochromic properties of polymer film were investigated, various tones of green color were obtained on the polymeric film. In the positive regime, the polymer film obtained thereby is dark green resulting from the association of carbazolylium cation radicals at oxidized state and then it can be bleached by electrochemical reduction. Besides, in the negative regime, yellowish green color of film converted to blue attributed to reduction of the 1,8-napthalimide moiety. Finally, the polymeric electrochromic exhibits multi-electrochromic behavior, high redox stability, high coloration efficiency and reasonable response time.

  1. Fabrication of WO3-based electrochromic displays using solid or gel-like organic electrolytes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vasilopoulou, M; Aspiotis, G; Kostis, I; Argitis, P; Davazoglou, D

    2005-01-01

    New all solid-state electrochromic displays were fabricated by chemically vapor depositing and patterning a tungsten oxide film on SnO 2 :F covered glass substrates. Aluminum sheets were used as counter electrodes to form electrochromic displays using solid or gel-like organic electrolytes. These ionically conductive and electronically insulating electrolytes were based on poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and poly(2-hydrohyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA) into which phospho-tungstic acid was added at various concentrations. In some devices the electrolyte was formed by addition of photoacid generator into the polymeric matrix and exposure at deep UV light. It was found that displays exhibit an intense, reversible electrochromic effect with reflectivity varying by a factor of five between the uncolored to the colored state. The coloring voltage depends strongly on the polymeric matrix, the thickness of the electrolyte and post-apply baking conditions and is of the order of 6-9 V. The response time was found to be of the order of 500 ms; coloration and bleaching times were comparable

  2. Fully Screen-Printed, Large-Area, and Flexible Active-Matrix Electrochromic Displays Using Carbon Nanotube Thin-Film Transistors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cao, Xuan; Lau, Christian; Liu, Yihang; Wu, Fanqi; Gui, Hui; Liu, Qingzhou; Ma, Yuqiang; Wan, Haochuan; Amer, Moh R; Zhou, Chongwu

    2016-11-22

    Semiconducting single-wall carbon nanotubes are ideal semiconductors for printed electronics due to their advantageous electrical and mechanical properties, intrinsic printability in solution, and desirable stability in air. However, fully printed, large-area, high-performance, and flexible carbon nanotube active-matrix backplanes are still difficult to realize for future displays and sensing applications. Here, we report fully screen-printed active-matrix electrochromic displays employing carbon nanotube thin-film transistors. Our fully printed backplane shows high electrical performance with mobility of 3.92 ± 1.08 cm 2 V -1 s -1 , on-off current ratio I on /I off ∼ 10 4 , and good uniformity. The printed backplane was then monolithically integrated with an array of printed electrochromic pixels, resulting in an entirely screen-printed active-matrix electrochromic display (AMECD) with good switching characteristics, facile manufacturing, and long-term stability. Overall, our fully screen-printed AMECD is promising for the mass production of large-area and low-cost flexible displays for applications such as disposable tags, medical electronics, and smart home appliances.

  3. Self-Stacked Reduced Graphene Oxide Nanosheets Coated with Cobalt-Nickel Hydroxide by One-Step Electrochemical Deposition toward Flexible Electrochromic Supercapacitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grote, Fabian; Yu, Zi-You; Wang, Jin-Long; Yu, Shu-Hong; Lei, Yong

    2015-09-01

    The implementation of an optical function into supercapacitors is an innovative approach to make energy storage devices smarter and to meet the requirements of smart electronics. Here, it is reported for the first time that nickel-cobalt hydroxide on reduced graphene oxide can be utilized for flexible electrochromic supercapacitors. A new and straightforward one-step electrochemical deposition process is introduced that is capable of simultaneously reducing GO and depositing amorphous Co(1-x)Ni(x)(OH)2 on the rGO. It is shown that the rGO nanosheets are homogeneously coated with metal hydroxide and are vertically stacked. No high temperature processes are used so that flexible polymer-based substrates can be coated. The synthesized self-stacked rGO-Co(1-x)Ni(x)(OH)2 nanosheet material exhibits pseudocapacitive charge storage behavior with excellent rate capability, high Columbic efficiency, and nondiffusion limited behavior. It is shown that the electrochemical behavior of the Ni(OH)2 can be modulated, by simultaneously depositing nickel and cobalt hydroxide, into broad oxidization and reduction bands. Further, the material exhibits electrochromic property and can switch between a bleached and transparent state. Literature comparison reveals that the performance characteristics of the rGO-Co(1-x)Ni(x)(OH)2 nanosheet material, in terms of gravimetric capacitance, areal capacitance, and long-term cycling stability, are among the highest reported values of supercapacitors with electrochromic property. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  4. A poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonic acid)/titanium oxide nanocomposite film synthesized by sol–gel assisted electropolymerization for electrochromic application

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lu, Jinlin; Song, Hua; Li, Suning; Wang, Lin; Han, Lu; Ling, Han; Lu, Xuehong

    2015-01-01

    In this article, we report the facile synthesis of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonic acid)/titanium dioxide (PEDOT:PSS/TiO 2 ) nanocomposite film by sol–gel assisted electropolymerization. The structure, morphology and composition of the films were investigated by different techniques, such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscope and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The PEDOT:PSS/TiO 2 nanocomposite film was applied for electrochromic application. The results indicate that the PEDOT:PSS/TiO 2 nanocomposite film exhibits a higher optical contrast and a much better stability as compared to PEDOT:PSS film. The significant performance enhancement can be attributed to the nanoscale particle size and uniform size distribution of PEDOT:PSS/TiO 2 and the synergistic effect between the inorganic nano-TiO 2 and organic PEDOT:PSS material. - Highlights: • Facile synthesis of PEDOT:PSS/TiO 2 nanocomposite film by electropolymerization • PEDOT:PSS/TiO 2 film shows nano-scaled particle sizes and uniform size distribution. • PEDOT:PSS/TiO 2 film shows higher optical contrasts and faster switching speed. • PEDOT:PSS/TiO 2 film displays a good stability for electrochromic application

  5. A poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonic acid)/titanium oxide nanocomposite film synthesized by sol–gel assisted electropolymerization for electrochromic application

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lu, Jinlin, E-mail: jinlinlu@hotmail.com [School of Materials and Metallurgy, University of Science and Technology, Liaoning, Anshan 114051 (China); Song, Hua [School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, University of Science and Technology, Liaoning, Anshan 114051 (China); Li, Suning; Wang, Lin; Han, Lu [School of Materials and Metallurgy, University of Science and Technology, Liaoning, Anshan 114051 (China); Ling, Han; Lu, Xuehong [School of Material Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, 639798 (Singapore)

    2015-06-01

    In this article, we report the facile synthesis of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonic acid)/titanium dioxide (PEDOT:PSS/TiO{sub 2}) nanocomposite film by sol–gel assisted electropolymerization. The structure, morphology and composition of the films were investigated by different techniques, such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscope and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The PEDOT:PSS/TiO{sub 2} nanocomposite film was applied for electrochromic application. The results indicate that the PEDOT:PSS/TiO{sub 2} nanocomposite film exhibits a higher optical contrast and a much better stability as compared to PEDOT:PSS film. The significant performance enhancement can be attributed to the nanoscale particle size and uniform size distribution of PEDOT:PSS/TiO{sub 2} and the synergistic effect between the inorganic nano-TiO{sub 2} and organic PEDOT:PSS material. - Highlights: • Facile synthesis of PEDOT:PSS/TiO{sub 2} nanocomposite film by electropolymerization • PEDOT:PSS/TiO{sub 2} film shows nano-scaled particle sizes and uniform size distribution. • PEDOT:PSS/TiO{sub 2} film shows higher optical contrasts and faster switching speed. • PEDOT:PSS/TiO{sub 2} film displays a good stability for electrochromic application.

  6. Electrochromic and electrochemical capacitive properties of tungsten oxide and its polyaniline nanocomposite films obtained by chemical bath deposition method

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Nwanya, AC

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available Polyanine and its nanocomposite WO3/PANI films were deposited on fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) glassslides by simple chemical bath deposition method. The morphology structure of the composite film wasstudied using atomic force microscopy (AFM...

  7. Effect of Post-annealing on the Electrochromic Properties of Layer-by-Layer Arrangement FTO-WO3-Ag-WO3-Ag

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoseinzadeh, S.; Ghasemiasl, R.; Bahari, A.; Ramezani, A. H.

    2018-03-01

    In the current study, composites of tungsten trioxide (W03) and silver (Ag) are deposited in a layer-by-layer electrochromic (EC) arrangement onto a fluorine-doped tin oxide coated glass substrate. Tungsten oxide nanoparticles are an n-type semiconductor that can be used as EC cathode material. Nano-sized silver is a metal that can serve as an electron trap center that facilitates charge departure. In this method, the WO3 and Ag nanoparticle powder were deposited by physical vapor deposition onto the glass substrate. The fabricated electrochromic devices (ECD) were post-annealed to examine the effect of temperature on their EC properties. The morphology of the thin film was characterized by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. Structural analysis showed that the addition of silver dopant increased the size of the aggregation of the film. The film had an average approximate roughness of about 17.8 nm. The electro-optical properties of the thin film were investigated using cyclic voltammetry and UV-visible spectroscopy to compare the effects of different post-annealing temperatures. The ECD showed that annealing at 200°C provided better conductivity (maximum current of about 90 mA in the oxidation state) and change of transmittance (ΔT = 90% at the continuous switching step) than did the other thin films. The optical band gaps of the thin film showed that it allowed direct transition at 3.85 eV. The EC properties of these combinations of coloration efficiency and response time indicate that the WO3-Ag-WO3-Ag arrangement is a promising candidate for use in such ECDs.

  8. A Paper-Based Electrochromic Array for Visualized Electrochemical Sensing

    OpenAIRE

    Fengling Zhang; Tianyi Cai; Liang Ma; Liyuan Zhan; Hong Liu

    2017-01-01

    We report a battery-powered, paper-based electrochromic array for visualized electrochemical sensing. The paper-based sensing system consists of six parallel electrochemical cells, which are powered by an aluminum-air battery. Each single electrochemical cell uses a Prussian Blue spot electrodeposited on an indium-doped tin oxide thin film as the electrochromic indicator. Each electrochemical cell is preloaded with increasing amounts of analyte. The sample activates the battery for the sensin...

  9. Assembly of tungsten oxide nanobundles and their electrochromic properties

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chang Xueting; Sun Shibin; Li Zhenjiang; Xu Xiao; Qiu Yanyan

    2011-01-01

    Lenticular W 18 O 49 nanobundles composed of ultra-thin nanowires with diameters of 5-10 nm have been synthesized through a simple solvothermal method with hexachloride as precursor and mixed cyclohexanol and ethanol as solvent. Electrochromic films were prepared by assembling the W 18 O 49 nanobundle suspension onto tin-doped indium oxide (ITO) coated glass. Results showed that self-assembly of the W 18 O 49 nanobundles was strongly influenced by the solvents employed to disperse the nanobundles. The W 18 O 49 nanobundles coated films exhibited excellent electrochromic stability and reversibility. The W 18 O 49 nanobundle films also showed much higher charge-insertion density compared with the WO 3 nanorod film, which may be due to the ultrathin feature of single nanowires constituting the nanobundles, unique oxygen vacancies of monoclinic W 18 O 49 , and the highly ordered assembly of the nanobundles.

  10. Assembly of tungsten oxide nanobundles and their electrochromic properties

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chang Xueting, E-mail: xuetingchang@yahoo.cn [Institute of Marine Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Maritime University, Shanghai 200135 (China); College of Electromechanical Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266061 (China); Sun Shibin [Institute of Marine Materials Science and Engineering, Shanghai Maritime University, Shanghai 200135 (China); College of Electromechanical Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266061 (China); Li Zhenjiang; Xu Xiao; Qiu Yanyan [College of Electromechanical Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266061 (China)

    2011-04-15

    Lenticular W{sub 18}O{sub 49} nanobundles composed of ultra-thin nanowires with diameters of 5-10 nm have been synthesized through a simple solvothermal method with hexachloride as precursor and mixed cyclohexanol and ethanol as solvent. Electrochromic films were prepared by assembling the W{sub 18}O{sub 49} nanobundle suspension onto tin-doped indium oxide (ITO) coated glass. Results showed that self-assembly of the W{sub 18}O{sub 49} nanobundles was strongly influenced by the solvents employed to disperse the nanobundles. The W{sub 18}O{sub 49} nanobundles coated films exhibited excellent electrochromic stability and reversibility. The W{sub 18}O{sub 49} nanobundle films also showed much higher charge-insertion density compared with the WO{sub 3} nanorod film, which may be due to the ultrathin feature of single nanowires constituting the nanobundles, unique oxygen vacancies of monoclinic W{sub 18}O{sub 49}, and the highly ordered assembly of the nanobundles.

  11. Synthesis of electrochromic vanadium oxide by pulsed spray pyrolysis technique and its properties

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Patil, C E; Tarwal, N L; Shinde, P S; Patil, P S; Deshmukh, H P

    2009-01-01

    A new improved pulsed spray pyrolysis technique (PSPT) was employed to deposit a vanadium oxide (V 2 O 5 ) thin film from a methanolic vanadium chloride precursor onto glass and conducting F : SnO 2 coated glass substrates. The structural, morphological, electrical, optical and spectroscopic properties of the film deposited at 573 K were studied. Infrared spectroscopy and x-ray diffraction confirmed the presence of the V 2 O 5 phase. The V 2 O 5 film (thickness ∼118 nm) is polycrystalline with a tetragonal crystal structure. Scanning electron microscopy reveals compact granular morphology consisting of ∼80-100 nm size grains. The film is transparent in the visible region (average %T ∼70%) with an optical band gap energy of 2.47 eV involving both direct and indirect optical transitions. The room temperature electrical resistivity (conductivity) of the film is 1.6 x 10 8 Ω cm (6.25 x 10 -9 S cm -1 ) with an activation energy of 0.67 eV in the temperature range 300-550 K. It exhibited cathodic electrochromism in the lithium containing electrolyte (0.5 M LiClO 4 + propylene carbonate).

  12. Mesoporous amorphous tungsten oxide electrochromic films: a Raman analysis of their good switching behavior

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chatzikyriakou, Dafni; Krins, Natacha; Gilbert, Bernard; Colson, Pierre; Dewalque, Jennifer; Denayer, Jessica; Cloots, Rudi; Henrist, Catherine

    2014-01-01

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Mesoporous films exhibit better electrochemical kinetics compared to the dense films. • Mesoporous films exhibit better reversibility compared to the dense films. • Li + cations disrupt WO 3 network in a reversible way in the mesoporous film. • Li + irreversibly intercalate in the voids of crystallites in the dense film. - Abstract: The intercalation and de-intercalation of lithium cations in electrochromic tungsten oxide thin films are significantly influenced by their structural and surface characteristics. In this study, we prepared two types of amorphous films via the sol-gel technique: one dense and one mesoporous in order to compare their response upon lithium intercalation and de-intercalation. According to chronoamperometric measurements, Li + intercalates/de-intercalates faster in the mesoporous film (24s/6s) than in the dense film (48s/10s). The electrochemical measurements (cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry) also showed worse reversibility for the dense film compared to the mesoporous film, giving rise to important Li + trapping and remaining coloration of the film. Raman analysis showed that the mesoporous film provides more accessible and various W-O surface bonds for Li + intercalation. On the contrary, in the first electrochemical insertion and de-insertion in the dense film, Li + selectively reacts with a few surface W-O bonds and preferentially intercalates into pre-existing crystallites to form stable irreversible Li x WO 3 bronze

  13. Effects of oxidation potential and retention time on electrochromic stability of poly (3-hexyl thiophene) films

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Tae-Ho; Hyun Song, Seok; Kim, Hyo-Jae; Oh, Seong-Hyeon; Han, Song-Yi; Kim, Goung; Nah, Yoon-Chae

    2018-06-01

    Herein, we report the effects of applied voltage on the electrochromic (EC) stability of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) films during EC reactions. The transmittance difference and cycling stability of these films were monitored to optimize the oxidation voltage, and their chemical compositions were analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy after long-term electrochemical cycling. High oxidation voltages increased the color contrast of P3HT films but decreased their cycling stability due to facilitating chemical degradation. Furthermore, at an optimized oxidation voltage, the retention time during potential pulsing was adjusted utilizing the optical memory of P3HT, revealing that the decreased voltage application time reduced power consumption by 9.6% and enhanced EC stability without loss of color contrast.

  14. Electrochemistry of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-polyaniline/ Prussian blue electrochromic devices containing an ionic liquid based gel electrolyte film.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Deepa, Melepurath; Awadhia, Arvind; Bhandari, Shweta

    2009-07-21

    Electrochromic devices based on poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) as the cathodic coloring electrode and polyaniline (PANI) or Prussian blue (PB) as the counter electrode containing a highly conductive, self-supporting, distensible and transparent polymer-gel electrolyte film encapsulating an ionic liquid, 1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidiniumbis-(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, have been fabricated. Polarization, charge transfer and diffusion processes control the electrochemistry of the functional electrodes during coloration and bleaching and these phenomena differ when PEDOT and PANI/PB were employed alternately as working electrodes. While the electrochemical impedance response shows good similitude for PEDOT and PANI electrodes, the responses of PEDOT and PB were significantly different in the PEDOT-PB device, especially during reduction of PB, wherein the overall amplitude of the impedance response is enormous. Large values of the coloration efficiency maxima of 281 cm2 C(-1) (lambda = 583 nm) and 274 cm2 C(-1) (lambda = 602 nm), achieved at -1.0 and -1.5 V for the PEDOT PANI and PEDOT-PB devices have been correlated to the particularly low magnitude of charge transfer resistance and high polarization capacitance operative at the PEDOT ionic liquid based electrolyte interface at these dc potentials, thus allowing facile ion-transport and consequently resulting in enhanced absorption modulation. Moderately fast switching kinetics and the ability of these devices to sustain about 2500 cycles of clear-to-dark and dark-to-clear without incurring major losses in the optical contrast, along with the ease of construction of these cells in terms of high scalability and reproducibility of the synthetic procedure for fabrication of the electrochromic films and the ionic liquid based gel electrolyte film, are indicators of the promise these devices hold for practical applications like electrochromic windows and displays.

  15. Organic/inorganic electrochromic nanocomposites with various interfacial interactions: A review

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Xiong, Shanxin, E-mail: xiongsx@xust.edu.cn; Yin, Siyuan; Wang, Yuyun; Kong, Zhenzhen; Lan, Jinpeng; Zhang, Runlan; Gong, Ming; Wu, Bohua; Chu, Jia; Wang, Xiaoqin

    2017-07-15

    Highlights: • We review the effects of interfacial interactions in electrochromic nanocomposites. • Interfacial interactions are useful for film fabrication and property-enhancement. • The strong interaction can enhance the electron conduction and structural strength. • The weak interactions exist widely between organic and inorganic phases. • Multiple weak interactions can provide various performance-adjusting approaches. - Abstract: Electrochromic properties of organic or inorganic materials can be improved through preparing organic/inorganic electrochromic nanocomposites. In electrochromic nanocomposites, the interfacial interactions between the organic and inorganic phases play three important roles in preparation and application of the nanocomposites. Firstly, the interfacial interactions result in stable molecular structures. Secondly, they also improve the electron conduction and ion transport process in the nanocomposites. Thirdly, they enhance the electrochemical and electrochromic properties of the nanocomposites. In this paper, we review the common interfacial interactions including covalent bond, coordination bond, electrostatic interaction, hydrogen bond and π-π stacking interaction between the organic and inorganic phases in the electrochromic nanocomposites. The preparation method, the relationship between the structure and properties, and the mechanism of modulation of electrochromic effect in the nanocomposites with various interfacial interactions are surveyed. The strong interfacial interaction, e.g., covalent bond, is helpful for obtaining electrochromic nanocomposites with high electron conduction and high structural strength. However it is very complicated to construct covalent bond between the organic and inorganic phases. Another strong interfacial interaction, the coordination bond is mainly confined to preparation of electrochromic complex of metal ion and pyridine derivative. While, the weak interfacial interactions, e

  16. Organic/inorganic electrochromic nanocomposites with various interfacial interactions: A review

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xiong, Shanxin; Yin, Siyuan; Wang, Yuyun; Kong, Zhenzhen; Lan, Jinpeng; Zhang, Runlan; Gong, Ming; Wu, Bohua; Chu, Jia; Wang, Xiaoqin

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • We review the effects of interfacial interactions in electrochromic nanocomposites. • Interfacial interactions are useful for film fabrication and property-enhancement. • The strong interaction can enhance the electron conduction and structural strength. • The weak interactions exist widely between organic and inorganic phases. • Multiple weak interactions can provide various performance-adjusting approaches. - Abstract: Electrochromic properties of organic or inorganic materials can be improved through preparing organic/inorganic electrochromic nanocomposites. In electrochromic nanocomposites, the interfacial interactions between the organic and inorganic phases play three important roles in preparation and application of the nanocomposites. Firstly, the interfacial interactions result in stable molecular structures. Secondly, they also improve the electron conduction and ion transport process in the nanocomposites. Thirdly, they enhance the electrochemical and electrochromic properties of the nanocomposites. In this paper, we review the common interfacial interactions including covalent bond, coordination bond, electrostatic interaction, hydrogen bond and π-π stacking interaction between the organic and inorganic phases in the electrochromic nanocomposites. The preparation method, the relationship between the structure and properties, and the mechanism of modulation of electrochromic effect in the nanocomposites with various interfacial interactions are surveyed. The strong interfacial interaction, e.g., covalent bond, is helpful for obtaining electrochromic nanocomposites with high electron conduction and high structural strength. However it is very complicated to construct covalent bond between the organic and inorganic phases. Another strong interfacial interaction, the coordination bond is mainly confined to preparation of electrochromic complex of metal ion and pyridine derivative. While, the weak interfacial interactions, e

  17. Syntheses and electrochromic and fluorescence properties of three double dithienylpyrroles derivatives

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Gang; Fu Xiangkai; Huang Jing; Wu Chuanlong; Wu Liu; Deng Jun; Du Qiuliang; Zou Xiaochuan

    2011-01-01

    Highlights: → Three kinds of double dithienylpyrroles derivatives have been successfully prepared by the Knorr-Paal condensation between 1,4-di(thiophen-2-yl) butane-1,4-dione and aromatic diamines. → Their polymer films were successfully synthesized via electropolymerization. → The polymer films had stable and well-defined reversible redox process, low optical band gap and multicolor electrochromic behavior. → All the monomers and polymers exhibited different intensity emission bands at different wavelengths. - Abstract: Three double dithienylpyrroles derivatives have been successfully prepared by performing a Knorr-Paal condensation between 1,4-di(thiophen-2-yl) butane-1,4-dione and various aromatic diamines. Additionally, their corresponding polymer films were synthesized via electropolymerization. Their electrochemical, spectroelectrochemical and electrochromic behaviors were further investigated by thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy, cyclic voltammetry, UV-vis absorption and fluorescence emission spectra. Scanning electron microscopy and thermogravimetric analysis demonstrated that the polymer films possessed homogeneous, compact and smooth layer structures and thermal stabilities (up to nearly 180 deg. C). Cyclic voltammograms and UV-vis absorption spectra studies showed that the polymer films have stable, well-defined, reversible redox processes, low optical band gaps (E g < 2.2 eV) and multicolor electrochromic behaviors. Additionally, the fluorescence spectra study showed that all of the monomers and polymers exhibited different intensity emission bands at different wavelengths.

  18. Applications of Poly(indole-6-carboxylic acid-co-2,2′-bithiophene Films in High-Contrast Electrochromic Devices

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chung-Wen Kuo

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Two homopolymers (poly(indole-6-carboxylic acid (PInc and poly(2,2′-bithiophene (PbT and a copolymer (poly(indole-6-carboxylic acid-co-2,2′-bithiophene (P(Inc-co-bT are electrodeposited on ITO electrode surfaces via electrochemical method. Electrochemical and electrochromic properties of PInc, PbT, and P(Inc-co-bT films were characterized using cyclic voltammetry and in situ UV-Vis spectroscopy. The anodic P(Inc-co-bT film prepared using Inc./bT = 1/1 feed molar ratio shows high optical contrast (30% at 890 nm and coloring efficiency (112 cm2 C−1 at 890 nm. P(Inc-co-bT film revealed light yellow, yellowish green, and bluish grey in the neutral, intermediate, and oxidation states, respectively. Electrochromic devices (ECDs were constructed using PInc, PbT, or P(Inc-co-bT film as anodic layer and PEDOT-PSS as cathodic layer. P(Inc-co-bT/PMMA-PC-ACN-LiClO4/PEDOT-PSS ECD showed high ∆T (31% at 650 nm, and PInc/PMMA-PC-ACN-LiClO4/PEDOT-PSS ECD displayed high coloration efficiency (416.7 cm2 C−1 at 650 nm. The optical memory investigations of PInc/PMMA-PC-ACN-LiClO4/PEDOT-PSS, PbT/PMMA-PC-ACN-LiClO4/PEDOT-PSS, and P(Inc-co-bT/PMMA-PC-ACN-LiClO4/PEDOT-PSS ECDs exhibited that ECDs had adequate optical memory in bleaching and coloring states.

  19. Direct Photopatterning of Electrochromic Polymers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Jacob; Dyer, Aubrey L.; Shen, D. Eric

    2013-01-01

    Propylenedioxythiophene (ProDOT) polymers are synthesized using an oxidative polymerization route that results in methacrylate substituted poly(ProDOTs) having a Mn of 10–20 kDa wherein the methacrylate functionality constitutes from 6 to 60% of the total monomer units. Solutions of these polymers...... show excellent film forming abilities, with thin films prepared using both spray‐casting and spin‐coating. These polymers are demonstrated to crosslink upon UV irradiation at 350 nm, in the presence of an appropriate photoinitiator, to render the films insoluble to common organic solvents....... Electrochemical, spectroelectrochemical, and colorimetric analyses of the crosslinked polymer films are performed to establish that they retain the same electrochromic qualities as the parent polymers with no detriment to the observed properties. To demonstrate applicability for multi‐film processing...

  20. Carbazole based electrochromic polymers with benzoazole units: Effect of heteroatom variation on electrochromic performance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    C. Doyranli

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available A series of carbazole-based polymers were synthesized via Suzuki polymerization between N-(2-ethylhexylcarbazole-3,6-bis(ethyleneboronate (Cbz and dibromobenzazole unit. Three different polymers, PCBN, PCBS and PCBSe were obtained from 4,7-dibromo-2-hexyl-2H-benzotriazole (BN, 4,7-dibromo-2,1,3-benzothiadiazole- (BS and 4,7-dibromo-2,1,3-benzoselenadiazole (BSe, respectively. It is observed that, the variation of heteroatoms (N,S and Se on the benzazole unit have most important effect on electro-optic properties of the PCBX polymers. Neutral state color of the polymer films and their electrochromic performances are also influenced. Among the synthesized polymers, the PCBS bearing 2,1,3-benzothiadiazole as acceptor units has a broad absorption and 50% of ΔT in the near-IR regime at the oxidized state. This property of PCBS is a great advantage for near-IR electrochromic applications.

  1. Donor-π-bridge-acceptor type polymeric materials with pendant electron-withdrawing groups for electrochromic applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Du, Qing; Wei, Youxiu; Zheng, Jianming; Xu, Chunye

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Donor-π-bridge-acceptor copolymers with different electrophilic groups were synthesized. • Electrochromic devices composed of PBDTTPAs layers, as the working electrode, and vanadium pentoxide, as the counter electrode, were fabricated and evaluated. • The PBDTTPA-CHO film and device show multicolor electrochromic behavior which exhibited vivid yellow, green, and gray with better electrochromic performance than PBDTTPA-COOH. - Abstract: A novel donor-π-bridge-acceptor copolymer, PBDTTPA-CHO, containing 4-(Bis(4-bromophenyl)-amino)benzaldehyde (TPA-CHO) and 4,8-bis-(2-ethyl- hexyloxy)-oxybenzo-[1,2-b:3,4-b’]dithiophene (BDT), was successfully synthesized using Stille coupling polymerization, and the pendant aldehyde group was modified with cyanoacetic acid to synthesize another polymer, PBDTTPA-COOH. Each of these new polymers are soluble in organic solvents and can be cast onto rigid or flexible substrates. The polymers with different electrophilic groups exhibit different electrochromic behaviors, including different colors, driving voltages and transmittances. The polymer film of PBDTTPA-CHO manifests reversible electrochemical oxidation and reduction accompanied by multicolor changes from its yellow neutral state to a highly absorbent green semi-oxidized state and a gray fully oxidized state, its transmittance change at 601 nm is 43%. PBDTTPA-COOH switches between orange and light green. We fabricated and evaluated electrochromic devices using a PBDTTPA layer as the working electrode and vanadium pentoxide as the counter electrode. With the contribution of counter electrodes, devices of both polymers show similar color changes but higher transmittance than their films

  2. Electrochromic Windows: Advanced Processing Technology

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    SAGE Electrochromics, Inc

    2006-12-13

    This project addresses the development of advanced fabrication capabilities for energy saving electrochromic (EC) windows. SAGE EC windows consist of an inorganic stack of thin films deposited onto a glass substrate. The window tint can be reversibly changed by the application of a low power dc voltage. This property can be used to modulate the amount of light and heat entering buildings (or vehicles) through the glazings. By judicious management of this so-called solar heat gain, it is possible to derive significant energy savings due to reductions in heating lighting, and air conditioning (HVAC). Several areas of SAGE’s production were targeted during this project to allow significant improvements to processing throughput, yield and overall quality of the processing, in an effort to reduce the cost and thereby improve the market penetration. First, the overall thin film process was optimized to allow a more robust set of operating points to be used, thereby maximizing the yield due to the thin film deposition themselves. Other significant efforts aimed at improving yield were relating to implementing new procedures and processes for the manufacturing process, to improve the quality of the substrate preparation, and the quality of the IGU fabrication. Furthermore, methods for reworking defective devices were developed, to enable devices which would otherwise be scrapped to be made into useful product. This involved the in-house development of some customized equipment. Finally, the improvements made during this project were validated to ensure that they did not impact the exceptional durability of the SageGlass® products. Given conservative estimates for cost and market penetration, energy savings due to EC windows in residences in the US are calculated to be of the order 0.026 quad (0.026×1015BTU/yr) by the year 2017.

  3. Hybrid Co-deposition of Mixed-Valent Molybdenum-Germanium Oxides (MoxGeyOz): A Route to Tunable Optical Transmission (Postprint)

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-08-05

    within these films can be attrib- uted to low adatommobility related to the low deposition temperature (T ≤ 100 °C), interruption of film nucleation via...heating being applied to the substrate during deposition as well as the tendency of oxygen to act as a grain refining agent, interrupting nucleation ...heating and humidity : effect of Al oxide top coatings, Thin Solid Films 562 (2014) 568–573. [7] C. Granqvist, Electrochromic oxides: a bandstructure

  4. Gel electrolytes with ionic liquid plasticiser for electrochromic devices

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Desai, S.; Shepherd, R.L.; Innis, P.C.; Murphy, P.; Hall, C.; Fabretto, R.; Wallace, G.G.

    2011-01-01

    The comparative performance of conducting polymer electrochromic devices (ECDs) utilising gel polymer electrolytes (GPEs) plasticised with ethylene carbonate/propylene carbonate or (N-butyl-3-methylpyridinium trifluoromethanesulphonylimide (P 14 TFSI) has been made. Lithium perchlorate and lithium trifluoromethanesulphonylimide salts were used in the GPEs to provide enhanced ionic conductivity and inhibit phase separation of the polyethyleneoxide (PEO) and plasticiser. ECDs were assembled from cathodically colouring, polyethylenedioxythiophene (PEDOT), and anodically colouring, polypyrrole (PPy), conducting polymer electrochromes deposited by vapour deposition. The photopic contrast switching over the visible light spectrum, switching speeds and device stability of the ECDs were obtained. These studies demonstrate that the ionic liquid (IL) plasticised GPEs are a suitable replacement for pure IL based devices and volatile organic solvent plasticisers based upon ethylene carbonate/propylene carbonate mixtures.

  5. Gel electrolytes with ionic liquid plasticiser for electrochromic devices

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Desai, S.; Shepherd, R.L.; Innis, P.C. [ARC Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science, Intelligent Polymer Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Northfields Avenue, Wollongong, NSW 2522 (Australia); Murphy, P. [Ian Wark Research Institute, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, SA 5095 (Australia); Mawson Institute, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, SA 5095 (Australia); Hall, C.; Fabretto, R. [Ian Wark Research Institute, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, SA 5095 (Australia); Wallace, G.G., E-mail: gwallace@uow.edu.a [ARC Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science, Intelligent Polymer Research Institute, University of Wollongong, Northfields Avenue, Wollongong, NSW 2522 (Australia)

    2011-04-15

    The comparative performance of conducting polymer electrochromic devices (ECDs) utilising gel polymer electrolytes (GPEs) plasticised with ethylene carbonate/propylene carbonate or (N-butyl-3-methylpyridinium trifluoromethanesulphonylimide (P{sub 14}TFSI) has been made. Lithium perchlorate and lithium trifluoromethanesulphonylimide salts were used in the GPEs to provide enhanced ionic conductivity and inhibit phase separation of the polyethyleneoxide (PEO) and plasticiser. ECDs were assembled from cathodically colouring, polyethylenedioxythiophene (PEDOT), and anodically colouring, polypyrrole (PPy), conducting polymer electrochromes deposited by vapour deposition. The photopic contrast switching over the visible light spectrum, switching speeds and device stability of the ECDs were obtained. These studies demonstrate that the ionic liquid (IL) plasticised GPEs are a suitable replacement for pure IL based devices and volatile organic solvent plasticisers based upon ethylene carbonate/propylene carbonate mixtures.

  6. Structural and optical properties of sol-gel deposited proton conducting Ta{sub 2}O{sub 5} films

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ozer, N.; Lampert, C.M.

    1995-08-01

    Proton conducting tantalum oxide films were deposited by spin coating using a sol-gel process. The coating solutions were prepared using Ta(OC{sub 2}H{sub 5}){sub 5} as a precursor. X-ray diffraction studies determined that the sol-gel films, heat treated at temperatures below 400 C, were amorphous. Films heat treated at higher temperatures were crystalline Ta{sub 2}O{sub 5}. The solar transmission values (T{sub s}) of tantala films on glass generally range from 0.8--0.9 depending on thickness. The refractive index and the extinction coefficient were evaluated from transmittance characteristics in the UV-VIS-NIR regions. The refractive index values calculated at 550 nm increased from 1.78 to 1.97 with increasing heat treatment from 150 to 450 C. The films heat treated at different temperatures showed low absorption with extinction coefficients of less than k=1x10{sup -3} in the visible range. Spectrophotometric and impedance spectroscopic investigations performed on Ta{sub 2}O{sub 5} films revealed that these films have protonic conductivity of 3.2x10{sup -6} S/cm. The films are suitable for proton conducting layers in electrochromic (EC) devices.

  7. Electrochromism in transition metal oxides

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Estrada, W.

    1993-01-01

    Electrochromism is discussed for transition metal oxides. Particularly tungsten oxide and nickel oxide are reviewed, in order to put forth the different aspects of the field. Since this phenomena has been reviewed by several authors, it is not tried to be comprehensive but rather pedagogical. The basic requirements for a material -in both non-emissive displays and energy efficiency applications- to be electrochromic, a general view of electrochromic mechanism, anodic and cathodic electrochromic materials, and current problems for a electrochromic theory are presented. (author) 45 refs., 8 figs

  8. Hybrid Optical Devices: The Case of the Unification of the Electrochromic Device and the Organic Solar Cell

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andre F. S. Guedes

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available The development of Hybrid Optical Devices, using some flexible optically transparent substrate material and organic semiconductor materials, has been widely utilized by the organic electronic industry, when manufacturing new technological products. The Hybrid Optical Device is constituted by the union of the electrochromic device and the organic solar cell. The flexible organic photovoltaic solar cells, in this hybrid optical device, have been the Poly base (3-hexyl thiophene, P3HT, Phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester, PCBM and Polyaniline, PANI, all being deposited in Indium Tin Oxide, ITO. In addition, the thin film, obtained by the deposition of PANI, and prepared in perchloric acid solution, has been identified through PANI-X1. In the flexible electrochromic device, the Poly base (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene, PEDOT, has been prepared in Propylene Carbonate, PC, being deposited in Indium Tin Oxide, ITO. Also, both devices have been united by an electrolyte solution prepared with Vanadium Pentoxide, V2O5, Lithium Perchlorate, LiClO4, and Polymethylmethacrylate, PMMA. This device has been characterized through Electrical Measurements, such as UV-Vis Spectroscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM. Thus, the result obtained through electrical measurements has demonstrated that the flexible organic photovoltaic solar cell presented the characteristic curve of standard solar cell after spin-coating and electrodeposition. Accordingly, the results obtained with optical and electrical characterization have revealed that the electrochromic device demonstrated some change in optical absorption, when subjected to some voltage difference. Moreover, the inclusion of the V2O5/PANI-X1 layer reduced the effects of degradation that this hybrid organic device caused, that is, solar irradiation. Studies on Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM have found out that the surface of V2O5/PANI-X1 layers can be strongly conditioned by the surface morphology of the

  9. Microstructure, optical, and electrochromic properties of sol-gel nanoporous tungsten oxide films

    Science.gov (United States)

    Djaoued, Yahia; Ashrit, P. V.; Badilescu, S.; Bruning, R.

    2003-08-01

    Porous tungsten oxide films have been prepared by a nonhydrolitic sol-gel method using poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) as a structure directing agent. The method entails the hydrolysis of an ethanolic solution of tungsten ethoxide (formed by the reaction of WCl6 with ethanol) followed by condensation and polymerization at the PEG-tungsten oxide oligometers interface. A highly porous WO3 framework was obtained after PEG was burned off by calcination at a relativley low temperature. AFM images of the films treated thermally show an ordered material rather than microscopic particulates. Both fibrilar nanostructures and striped phase can be obtained via this approach, depending on the concentration of PEG in the coating solution. XRD data from the fibrils indicate that they are crystalline with very small crystals, whereas the striped phases obtained with 20% PEG correspond to two crystalline phases, one, the stoichiometric WO3 and the other one an oxygen deficient phase, containing larger crystals (~28 nm). The results show that PEG promotes the formation of oxygen deficient phases and delays crystallization. Compared to WO3 with no PEG, the optical and electrochromic properties of the macroporous tungsten oxide films appear to be significantly improved. The formation of organized nanostructures is tentatively accounted for by the strong hydrogen bonding interactions between PEG and the tungsten oxide oligomers.

  10. Paper-based electrochemical sensing platform with integral battery and electrochromic read-out.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Hong; Crooks, Richard M

    2012-03-06

    We report a battery-powered, microelectrochemical sensing platform that reports its output using an electrochromic display. The platform is fabricated based on paper fluidics and uses a Prussian blue spot electrodeposited on an indium-doped tin oxide thin film as the electrochromic indicator. The integrated metal/air battery powers both the electrochemical sensor and the electrochromic read-out, which are in electrical contact via a paper reservoir. The sample activates the battery and the presence of analyte in the sample initiates the color change of the Prussian blue spot. The entire system is assembled on the lab bench, without the need for cleanroom facilities. The applicability of the device to point-of-care sensing is demonstrated by qualitative detection of 0.1 mM glucose and H(2)O(2) in artificial urine samples.

  11. Colorless triphenylamine-based aliphatic thermoset epoxy for multicolored and near-infrared electrochromic applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chuang, Ya-Wen; Yen, Hung-Ju; Wu, Jia-Hao; Liou, Guey-Sheng

    2014-03-12

    In this study, two novel colorless thermoset epoxy resins with anodically electrochromism were prepared from the thermal curing of two triphenylamine-based diamine monomers, 4,4'-diamino-4″-methoxytriphenylamine (1) and N,N'-bis(4-aminophenyl)-N,N'-di(4-methoxylphenyl)-1,4-phenylenediamine (2) with aliphatic epoxy triglycidyl isocyanurate, respectively. The resulting thermoset epoxy resins showed excellent softening temperature (Ts, 270 and 280 °C) due to the rigid structure and highly crosslinking density. In addition, novel colorless epoxy resin films revealed good reversible electrochemical oxidation and interesting multi-electrochromic behavior with high contrast ratio both in visible and near-infrared regions. The aliphatic thermoset epoxy resins also exhibited high transparency in visible region as colorless and great potential for practical electrochromic applications.

  12. The effect of water on the electrochromic properties of WO{sub 3} films prepared by vacuum and chemical methods

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Leftheriotis, G.; Papaefthimiou, S.; Yianoulis, P. [Department of Physics, University of Patras, Patras 26500 (Greece)

    2004-06-01

    We present a comparative study on the effect of absorbed water on the properties of tungsten oxide films prepared by two different methods (e-gun evaporation, and an aqueous sol-gel technique). Scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and electrochemical techniques have been used to assess the film properties. It has been found that the preparation method of the films greatly affects their water content and thus, electron gun evaporated films have less water incorporated into their structure than their sol-gel counterparts. The former are closely packed and transparent with most of their water content adsorbed on their surface, while the latter have a porous structure, being opaque, highly hydroxylated and hydrated to a lesser extent. Both types of films exhibit reversible electrochromism, with the evaporated films being stable up to 5000 coloration-bleaching cycles and the sol-gel ones gradually degrading after 1000 cycles. Irreversible Li{sup +} trapping related to the presence of water and hydroxyl radicals has been envisaged as the cause of the inferior cycling stability of the sol-gel films.

  13. Roll-to-Roll sputtered ITO/Cu/ITO multilayer electrode for flexible, transparent thin film heaters and electrochromic applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Park, Sung-Hyun; Lee, Sang-Mok; Ko, Eun-Hye; Kim, Tae-Ho; Nah, Yoon-Chae; Lee, Sang-Jin; Lee, Jae Heung; Kim, Han-Ki

    2016-09-22

    We fabricate high-performance, flexible, transparent electrochromic (EC) films and thin film heaters (TFHs) on an ITO/Cu/ITO (ICI) multilayer electrode prepared by continuous roll-to-roll (RTR) sputtering of ITO and Cu targets. The RTR-sputtered ICI multilayer on a 700 mm wide PET substrate at room temperature exhibits a sheet resistance of 11.8 Ω/square and optical transmittance of 73.9%, which are acceptable for the fabrication of flexible and transparent EC films and TFHs. The effect of the Cu interlayer thickness on the electrical and optical properties of the ICI multilayer was investigated in detail. The bending and cycling fatigue tests demonstrate that the RTR-sputtered ICI multilayer was more flexible than a single ITO film because of high strain failure of the Cu interlayer. The flexible and transparent EC films and TFHs fabricated on the ICI electrode show better performances than reference EC films and TFHs with a single ITO electrode. Therefore, the RTR-sputtered ICI multilayer is the best substitute for the conventional ITO film electrode in order to realize flexible, transparent, cost-effective and large-area EC devices and TFHs that can be used as flexible and smart windows.

  14. Structure, stability and electrochromic properties of polyaniline film covalently bonded to indium tin oxide substrate

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhang, Wenzhi, E-mail: zhangwz@xatu.edu.cn [Key Laboratory for Photoelectric Functional Materials and Devices of Shaanxi Province, School of Materials and Chemical Engineering, Xi’an Technological University, Xi’an 710021 (China); Ju, Wenxing; Wu, Xinming; Wang, Yan; Wang, Qiguan; Zhou, Hongwei; Wang, Sumin [Key Laboratory for Photoelectric Functional Materials and Devices of Shaanxi Province, School of Materials and Chemical Engineering, Xi’an Technological University, Xi’an 710021 (China); Hu, Chenglong [Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Chemical Materials and Devices of Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Jianghan University, Wuhan 430056 (China)

    2016-03-30

    Graphical abstract: A chemical bonding approach was proposed to prepare the PANI film covalently bonded to ITO substrate and the film exhibited high electrochemical activities and stability compared with that obtained by conventional film-forming approach. - Highlights: • The PANI film covalently bonded to ITO substrate was prepared using ABPA as modifier. • The oxidative potentials of the obtained PANI film were decreased. • The obtained PANI film exhibits high electrochemical activities and stability. - Abstract: Indium tin oxide (ITO) substrate was modified with 4-aminobenzylphosphonic acid (ABPA), and then the polyaniline (PANI) film covalently bonded to ITO substrate was prepared by the chemical oxidation polymerization. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), attenuated total reflection infrared (ATR-IR) spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurements demonstrated that chemical binding was formed between PANI and ABPA-modified ITO surface, and the maximum thickness of PANI layer is about 30 nm. The adhesive strength of PANI film on ITO substrate was tested by sonication. It was found that the film formed on the modified ITO exhibited a much better stability than that on bare one. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) and UV–vis spectroscopy measurements indicated that the oxidative potentials of PANI film on ABPA-modified ITO substrate were decreased and the film exhibited high electrochemical activities. Moreover, the optical contrast increased from 0.58 for PANI film (without ultrasound) to 1.06 for PANI film (after ultrasound for 60 min), which had an over 83% enhancement. The coloration time was 20.8 s, while the bleaching time was 19.5 s. The increase of electrochromic switching time was due to the lower ion diffusion coefficient of the large cation of (C{sub 4}H{sub 9}){sub 4}N{sup +} under the positive and negative potentials as comparison with the small Li{sup +} ion.

  15. Electrochromic Windows: Process and Fabrication Improvements for Lower Total Costs

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mark Burdis; Neil Sbar

    2007-03-31

    The overall goal with respect to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is to achieve significant national energy savings through maximized penetration of EC windows into existing markets so that the largest cumulative energy reduction can be realized. The speed with which EC windows can be introduced and replace current IGU's (and current glazings) is clearly a strong function of cost. Therefore, the aim of this project was to investigate possible improvements to the SageGlass{reg_sign} EC glazing products to facilitate both process and fabrication improvements resulting in lower overall costs. The project was split into four major areas dealing with improvements to the electrochromic layer, the capping layer, defect elimination and general product improvements. Significant advancements have been made in each of the four areas. These can be summarized as follows: (1) Plasma assisted deposition for the electrochromic layer was pursued, and several improvements made to the technology for producing a plasma beam were made. Functional EC devices were produced using the new technology, but there are still questions to be answered regarding the intrinsic properties of the electrochromic films produced by this method. (2) The capping layer work was successfully implemented into the existing SageGlass{reg_sign} product, thereby providing a higher level of transparency and somewhat lower reflectivity than the 'standard' product. (3) Defect elimination is an ongoing effort, but this project spurred some major defect reduction programs, which led to significant improvements in yield, with all the implicit benefits afforded. In particular, major advances were made in the development of a new bus bar application process aimed at reducing the numbers of 'shorts' developed in the finished product, as well as making dramatic improvements in the methods used for tempering the glass, which had previously been seen to produce a defect which appeared as a

  16. ZnO film deposition on Al film and effects of deposition temperature on ZnO film growth characteristics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yoon, Giwan; Yim, Munhyuk; Kim, Donghyun; Linh, Mai; Chai, Dongkyu

    2004-01-01

    The effects of the deposition temperature on the growth characteristics of the ZnO films were studied for film bulk acoustic wave resonator (FBAR) device applications. All films were deposited using a radio frequency magnetron sputtering technique. It was found that the growth characteristics of ZnO films have a strong dependence on the deposition temperature from 25 to 350 deg. C. ZnO films deposited below 200 deg. C exhibited reasonably good columnar grain structures with highly preferred c-axis orientation while those above 200 deg. C showed very poor columnar grain structures with mixed-axis orientation. This study seems very useful for future FBAR device applications

  17. Electrochromic Properties of Tungsten Oxide Films Prepared by Reactive Sputtering

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Min Hong; Kang, Tai Young; Jung, Yu Sup; Kim, Kyung Hwan

    2013-05-01

    WO3-x thin films were deposited on induim tin oxide (ITO) glass substrates with various oxygen flow ratios from 0.55 to 0.7 by the reactive facing-target sputtering method, at a power density of 4 W/cm2 and room temperature. The structural properties of the WO3-x thin films were measured by X-ray diffractometry and Raman spectral analysis. As-deposited WO3-x thin films had an amorphous structure. In the Raman spectra, WO3-x thin films exhibited two strong peaks at 770 and 950 cm-1 attributed to the vibrations of W6+-O and W6+=O bonds, respectively. The electrochemical and optical properties of WO3-x thin films were measured by cyclic voltammetry and UV/vis spectrometry. The results showed the highest charge density at an oxygen flow ratio of 0.7 and the highest transmittance in the visible range. The maximum coloration efficiency was 30.82 cm2/C at an oxygen flow ratio of 0.7.

  18. A Paper-Based Electrochromic Array for Visualized Electrochemical Sensing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Fengling; Cai, Tianyi; Ma, Liang; Zhan, Liyuan; Liu, Hong

    2017-01-31

    We report a battery-powered, paper-based electrochromic array for visualized electrochemical sensing. The paper-based sensing system consists of six parallel electrochemical cells, which are powered by an aluminum-air battery. Each single electrochemical cell uses a Prussian Blue spot electrodeposited on an indium-doped tin oxide thin film as the electrochromic indicator. Each electrochemical cell is preloaded with increasing amounts of analyte. The sample activates the battery for the sensing. Both the preloaded analyte and the analyte in the sample initiate the color change of Prussian Blue to Prussian White. With a reaction time of 60 s, the number of electrochemical cells with complete color changes is correlated to the concentration of analyte in the sample. As a proof-of-concept analyte, lactic acid was detected semi-quantitatively using the naked eye.

  19. Low-potential electrosynthesis of novel electroactive poly(9-fluorenemethanol) and its electrochromic and blue-light-emitting properties

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Shimin; Qin, Leiqiang; Lu, Baoyang; Xu, Jingkun

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: ► The electropolymerization of 9-fluorenemethanol (FMO) was reported. ► Semiconducting poly(9-fluorenemethanol) (PFMO) film was electrosynthesized. ► PFMO shows favorable solubility and good redox activity and stability. ► PFMO exhibits electrochromic nature from pale brown to dark blue. ► PFMO is highly fluorescent with its emission at 418 nm and a quantum yield of 0.52. -- Abstract: In this paper we describe the electropolymerization of 9-fluorenemethanol (FMO) in boron trifluoride diethyl etherate, which leads to low-potential electrodeposition of semiconducting poly(9-fluorenemethanol) (PFMO) film under optimized conditions. The as-formed PFMO film shows favorable solubility in common organic solvents, good redox activity and stability with a conductivity of 10 −2 S cm −1 , good thermal stability, and uniform morphology. Besides, PFMO exhibits electrochromic nature with its color changing from pale brown in its reduced form to dark blue upon oxidation, but its electrochromic performances are relatively poor. Fluorescence spectral studies demonstrated that soluble PFMO is highly fluorescent with its maximum emission at 418 nm and a quantum yield of 0.52, and it can emit bright blue light under 365 nm UV light irradiation

  20. Characterization of Porous WO3 Electrochromic Device by Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chien Chon Chen

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper concerns the microstructure of the anodic tungsten oxide (WO3 and its use in an electrochromic (EC glass device. When voltages between 100 V and 160 V were applied to tungsten film for 1 h under 0.4 wt. % NaF electrolyte, porous WO3 film was formed. The film, which had a large surface area, was used as electrochromic film for EC glass. The average transmittance in a visible region of the spectrum for a 144 cm2 EC device was above 75% in the bleached state and below 40% in the colored state, respectively. Repeatability using of the colored/bleached cycles was tested good by a cyclic voltammograms method. The internal impedance values under colored and bleached states were detected and simulated using an electrical impedance spectra (EIS technique. The EC glass impedance characteristics were simulated using resistors, capacitors, and Warburg impedance. The ITO/WO3, WO3/electrolyte, electrolyte/NiO, and NiO/ITO interfaces can be simulated using a resistance capacitance (RC parallel circuits, and bulk materials such as the indium tin oxide (ITO and conducting wire can be simulated by using a series of resisters.

  1. Dip-Coating Process Engineering and Performance Optimization for Three-State Electrochromic Devices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Lu; Yang, Dejiang; Fei, Lixun; Huang, Yue; Wu, Fang; Sun, Yiling; Shi, Jiayuan; Xiang, Yong

    2017-06-01

    Titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles were modified onto fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) via dip-coating technique with different nanoparticle sizes, lifting speeds, precursor concentrations, and dipping numbers. Electrodeposition-based electrochromic device with reversible three-state optical transformation (transparent, mirror, and black) was fabricated subsequently by sandwiching a suitable amount of gel electrolyte between modified FTO electrode and flat FTO electrode. Correlation between dip-coating process engineering, morphological features of TiO2 thin films, i.e., thickness and roughness, as well as performance of electrochromic devices, i.e., optical contrast, switching time, and cycling stability, were investigated. The modified device exhibits high optical contrast of 57%, the short coloration/bleaching switching time of 6 and 20 s, and excellent cycling stability after 1500 cycles of only 27% decrement rate by adjusting dip-coating processes engineering. The results in this study will provide valuable guidance for rational design of the electrochromic device with satisfactory performance.

  2. Laser deposition of HTSC films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sobol', Eh.N.; Bagratashvili, V.N.; Zherikhin, A.N.; Sviridov, A.P.

    1990-01-01

    Studies of the high-temperature superconducting (HTSC) films fabrication by the laser deposition are reviewed. Physical and chemical processes taking place during laser deposition are considered, such as the target evaporation, the material transport from the target to the substrate, the film growth on the substrate, thermochemical reactions and mass transfer within the HTSC films and their stability. The experimental results on the laser deposition of different HTSC ceramics and their properties investigations are given. The major technological issues are discussed including the deposition schemes, the oxygen supply, the target compositions and structure, the substrates and interface layers selection, the deposition regimes and their impact on the HTSC films properties. 169 refs.; 6 figs.; 2 tabs

  3. ITO thin films deposited by advanced pulsed laser deposition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Viespe, Cristian; Nicolae, Ionut; Sima, Cornelia; Grigoriu, Constantin; Medianu, Rares

    2007-01-01

    Indium tin oxide thin films were deposited by computer assisted advanced PLD method in order to obtain transparent, conductive and homogeneous films on a large area. The films were deposited on glass substrates. We studied the influence of the temperature (room temperature (RT)-180 deg. C), pressure (1-6 x 10 -2 Torr), laser fluence (1-4 J/cm 2 ) and wavelength (266-355 nm) on the film properties. The deposition rate, roughness, film structure, optical transmission, electrical conductivity measurements were done. We deposited uniform ITO thin films (thickness 100-600 nm, roughness 5-10 nm) between RT and 180 deg. C on a large area (5 x 5 cm 2 ). The films have electrical resistivity of 8 x 10 -4 Ω cm at RT, 5 x 10 -4 Ω cm at 180 deg. C and an optical transmission in the visible range, around 89%

  4. A Paper-Based Electrochromic Array for Visualized Electrochemical Sensing

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fengling Zhang

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available We report a battery-powered, paper-based electrochromic array for visualized electrochemical sensing. The paper-based sensing system consists of six parallel electrochemical cells, which are powered by an aluminum-air battery. Each single electrochemical cell uses a Prussian Blue spot electrodeposited on an indium-doped tin oxide thin film as the electrochromic indicator. Each electrochemical cell is preloaded with increasing amounts of analyte. The sample activates the battery for the sensing. Both the preloaded analyte and the analyte in the sample initiate the color change of Prussian Blue to Prussian White. With a reaction time of 60 s, the number of electrochemical cells with complete color changes is correlated to the concentration of analyte in the sample. As a proof-of-concept analyte, lactic acid was detected semi-quantitatively using the naked eye.

  5. The fabrication and characterization of inkjet-printed polyaniline nanoparticle films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Morrin, Aoife; Ngamna, Orawan; O'Malley, Eimer; Kent, Nigel; Moulton, Simon E.; Wallace, Gordon G.; Smyth, Malcolm R.; Killard, Anthony J.

    2008-01-01

    This paper reports on the fabrication and characterization of electrodes modified with conducting polymer nanoparticle films, produced via inkjet printing. The polyaniline nanoparticle formulations were deposited via a desktop inkjet printer onto screen-printed carbon-paste electrodes (SPE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and gold-PET and their morphology studied at a range of length scales using profilometry, scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. The deposited films were found to form continuous polymer films depending upon film thickness, which was in turn dependent on the number of prints performed. The inkjet-printed films exhibited a smooth morphology on the SPEs at the micro-dimensional scale, as a result of the aggradation and coalescing of the nanoparticles upon deposition. The resulting modified electrodes were both conductive and electroactive, possessing good reversible polyaniline electrochemistry. Such a combination of materials and processing offers the potential of producing a range of low cost, solid state devices such as sensors, actuators and electrochromic devices

  6. Review on electrochromic devices for automotive glazing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Demiryont, Hulya

    1991-12-01

    Electrochromic materials have been intensively studied for applications of various switchable optical systems. These materials exhibit adjustable optical absorption upon reversible oxidation/reduction processes. Since a reversible oxidation/reduction phenomenon is provided by electrically-driven electrochemical reactions, these materials are known as electrochromics. There are many publications including proceedings, books, and review articles written on electrochromic (EC) materials and their applications. This paper focuses on conventional and some new electrochromic devices (ECD), their specifications, and applications.

  7. Photovoltaic Powering And Control System For Electrochromic Windows

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schulz, Stephen C.; Michalski, Lech A.; Volltrauer, Hermann N.; Van Dine, John E.

    2000-04-25

    A sealed insulated glass unit is provided with an electrochromic device for modulating light passing through the unit. The electrochromic device is controlled from outside the unit by a remote control electrically unconnected to the device. Circuitry within the unit may be magnetically controlled from outside. The electrochromic device is powered by a photovoltaic cells. The photovoltaic cells may be positioned so that at least a part of the light incident on the cell passes through the electrochromic device, providing a form of feedback control. A variable resistance placed in parallel with the electrochromic element is used to control the response of the electrochromic element to changes in output of the photovoltaic cell.

  8. A Resettable Keypad Lock with Visible Readout Based on Closed Bipolar Electrochemistry and Electrochromic Poly(3-methylthiophene) Films.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Lei; Lian, Wenjing; Liu, Hongyun

    2016-03-24

    A closed bipolar electrode (BPE) system was developed with electrochromic poly(3-methylthiophene) (PMT) films electropolymerized on the ITO/rGO electrode as one pole of BPE in the reporting reservoir and the bare ITO electrode as another pole of BPE in the analyte reservoir, in which rGO represents reduced graphene oxide. Under a suitable driving voltage (Vtot), the electrochemical reduction/oxidation of electroactive probes, such as H2O2/glutathione (Glu), in the analyte reservoir could induce the reversible color change of PMT films in the reporting reservoir between blue and red. Based on this, a keypad lock with H2O2 , Glu, and Vtot =-3.0 V as the three inputs and the color change of PMT films as the visible output was established. This system was easily operated and did not need to synthesize the complex compounds or DNA molecules. The security system was easy to reset and could be used repeatedly. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  9. Developments in hot-filament metal oxide deposition (HFMOD)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Durrant, Steven F.; Trasferetti, Benedito C.; Scarminio, Jair; Davanzo, Celso U.; Rouxinol, Francisco P.M.; Gelamo, Rogerio V.; Bica de Moraes, Mario A.

    2008-01-01

    Hot-filament metal oxide deposition (HFMOD) is a variant of conventional hot-filament chemical vapor deposition (HFCVD) recently developed in our laboratory and successfully used to obtain high-quality, uniform films of MO x , WO x and VO x . The method employs the controlled oxidation of a filament of a transition metal heated to 1000 deg. C or more in a rarefied oxygen atmosphere (typically, of about 1 Pa). Metal oxide vapor formed on the surface of the filament is transported a few centimetres to deposit on a suitable substrate. Key system parameters include the choice of filament material and diameter, the applied current and the partial pressures of oxygen in the chamber. Relatively high film deposition rates, such as 31 nm min -1 for MoO x , are obtained. The film stoichiometry depends on the exact deposition conditions. MoO x films, for example, present a mixture of MoO 2 and MoO 3 phases, as revealed by XPS. As determined by Li + intercalation using an electrochemical cell, these films also show a colouration efficiency of 19.5 cm 2 C -1 at a wavelength of 700 nm. MO x and WO x films are promising in applications involving electrochromism and characteristics of their colouring/bleaching cycles are presented. The chemical composition and structure of VO x films examined using IRRAS (infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy), RBS (Rutherford backscattering spectrometry) and XPS (X-ray photoelectron spectrometry) are also presented

  10. Large-Scale Multifunctional Electrochromic-Energy Storage Device Based on Tungsten Trioxide Monohydrate Nanosheets and Prussian White.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bi, Zhijie; Li, Xiaomin; Chen, Yongbo; He, Xiaoli; Xu, Xiaoke; Gao, Xiangdong

    2017-09-06

    A high-performance electrochromic-energy storage device (EESD) is developed, which successfully realizes the multifunctional combination of electrochromism and energy storage by constructing tungsten trioxide monohydrate (WO 3 ·H 2 O) nanosheets and Prussian white (PW) film as asymmetric electrodes. The EESD presents excellent electrochromic properties of broad optical modulation (61.7%), ultrafast response speed (1.84/1.95 s), and great coloration efficiency (139.4 cm 2 C -1 ). In particular, remarkable cyclic stability (sustaining 82.5% of its initial optical modulation after 2500 cycles as an electrochromic device, almost fully maintaining its capacitance after 1000 cycles as an energy storage device) is achieved. The EESD is also able to visually detect the energy storage level via reversible and fast color changes. Moreover, the EESD can be combined with commercial solar cells to constitute an intelligent operating system in the architectures, which would realize the adjustment of indoor sunlight and the improvement of physical comfort totally by the rational utilization of solar energy without additional electricity. Besides, a scaled-up EESD (10 × 11 cm 2 ) is further fabricated as a prototype. Such promising EESD shows huge potential in practically serving as electrochromic smart windows and energy storage devices.

  11. Spray deposited CeO2–TiO2 counter electrode for electrochromic ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    application in smart window technology. The technological requirement of smart windows includes the electrochromic working electrode and ion storage layer that should be optically passive after intercalation/deintercalation process. There are only few materials which are used as an optically passive counter electrode with ...

  12. Photoresponsive Smart Coloration Electrochromic Supercapacitor.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yun, Tae Gwang; Kim, Donghyuk; Kim, Yong Ho; Park, Minkyu; Hyun, Seungmin; Han, Seung Min

    2017-08-01

    Electrochromic devices have been widely adopted in energy saving applications by taking advantage of the electrode coloration, but it is critical to develop a new electrochromic device that can undergo smart coloration and can have a wide spectrum in transmittance in response to input light intensity while also functioning as a rechargeable energy storage system. In this study, a photoresponsive electrochromic supercapacitor based on cellulose-nanofiber/Ag-nanowire/reduced-graphene-oxide/WO 3 -composite electrode that is capable of undergoing "smart" reversible coloration while simultaneously functioning as a reliable energy-storage device is developed. The fabricated device exhibits a high coloration efficiency of 64.8 cm 2 C -1 and electrochemical performance with specific capacitance of 406.0 F g -1 , energy/power densities of 40.6-47.8 Wh kg -1 and 6.8-16.9 kW kg -1 . The electrochromic supercapacitor exhibits excellent cycle reliability, where 75.0% and 94.1% of its coloration efficiency and electrochemical performance is retained, respectively, beyond 10 000 charge-discharge cycles. Cyclic fatigue tests show that the developed device is mechanically durable and suitable for wearable electronics applications. The smart electrochromic supercapacitor system is then integrated with a solar sensor to enable photoresponsive coloration where the transmittance changes in response to varying light intensity. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  13. Materials And Devices In Electrochromic Window Development

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cogan, Stuart F.; Anderson, Elizabeth J.; Plante, Timothy D.; Rauh, R. David

    1985-12-01

    Windows with switchable electrochromic glazings are potentially useful for regulating solar input to building interiors. In this article, we describe the structure and operation of a proposed solid-state electrochromic glazing based on crystalline LixWO3 (c-LiXWO3) and a low coloration efficiency counter electrode material such as amorphous Nb2O5 (a-Nb2O5). The importance of reversibility in electrochromic glazing operation is emphasized, and optical switching experiments that demonstrate reversible lithium insertion/extraction in c-LixW03, a-LixWO3, and a-LixNb2O5 are described. Additional optical switching experiments in tandem electrochromic cells comprised of c-LixWO3/a-Nb2O5 and a-LixWO3/a-Nb2O5 demonstrated the proposed design, indicating reversible optical switching over 500 and 200 complete cycles, respectively, without degradation. Optical data on the evolution of reflective and absorp-tive modulation in c-LixWO3 are presented and solar attenuation results are used to demon-strate the advantage of using crystalline electrochromics to conserve daylighting during electrochromic window operation.

  14. Technologies for deposition of transition metal oxide thin films: application as functional layers in “Smart windows” and photocatalytic systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gesheva, K.; Ivanova, T.; Bodurov, G.; Szilágyi, I. M.; Justh, N.; Kéri, O.; Boyadjiev, S.; Nagy, D.; Aleksandrova, M.

    2016-02-01

    “Smart windows” are envisaged for future low-energy, high-efficient architectural buildings, as well as for the car industry. By switching from coloured to fully bleached state, these windows regulate the energy of solar flux entering the interior. Functional layers in these devices are the transition metals oxides. The materials (transitional metal oxides) used in smart windows can be also applied as photoelectrodes in water splitting photocells for hydrogen production or as photocatalytic materials for self-cleaning surfaces, waste water treatment and pollution removal. Solar energy utilization is recently in the main scope of numerous world research laboratories and energy organizations, working on protection against conventional fuel exhaustion. The paper presents results from research on transition metal oxide thin films, fabricated by different methods - atomic layer deposition, atmospheric pressure chemical vapour deposition, physical vapour deposition, and wet chemical methods, suitable for flowthrough production process. The lower price of the chemical deposition processes is especially important when the method is related to large-scale glazing applications. Conclusions are derived about which processes are recently considered as most prospective, related to electrochromic materials and devices manufacturing.

  15. Technologies for deposition of transition metal oxide thin films: application as functional layers in “Smart windows” and photocatalytic systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gesheva, K; Ivanova, T; Bodurov, G; Szilágyi, I M; Justh, N; Kéri, O; Boyadjiev, S; Nagy, D; Aleksandrova, M

    2016-01-01

    “Smart windows” are envisaged for future low-energy, high-efficient architectural buildings, as well as for the car industry. By switching from coloured to fully bleached state, these windows regulate the energy of solar flux entering the interior. Functional layers in these devices are the transition metals oxides. The materials (transitional metal oxides) used in smart windows can be also applied as photoelectrodes in water splitting photocells for hydrogen production or as photocatalytic materials for self-cleaning surfaces, waste water treatment and pollution removal. Solar energy utilization is recently in the main scope of numerous world research laboratories and energy organizations, working on protection against conventional fuel exhaustion. The paper presents results from research on transition metal oxide thin films, fabricated by different methods - atomic layer deposition, atmospheric pressure chemical vapour deposition, physical vapour deposition, and wet chemical methods, suitable for flowthrough production process. The lower price of the chemical deposition processes is especially important when the method is related to large-scale glazing applications. Conclusions are derived about which processes are recently considered as most prospective, related to electrochromic materials and devices manufacturing. (paper)

  16. Developments in hot-filament metal oxide deposition (HFMOD)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Durrant, Steven F. [Laboratorio de Plasmas Tecnologicos, Campus Experimental de Sorocaba, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Avenida Tres de Marco, 511, Alto de Boa Vista, 18087-180 Sorocaba, SP (Brazil)], E-mail: steve@sorocaba.unesp.br; Trasferetti, Benedito C. [Departamento de Policia Federal, Superintendencia Regional no Piaui, Setor Tecnico-Cientifico, Avenida Maranhao, 1022/N, 64.000-010, Teresina, PI (Brazil); Scarminio, Jair [Departamento de Fisica, Universidade Estadual de Londrina (UEL), 86051-990, Londrina, PR (Brazil); Davanzo, Celso U. [Instituto de Quimica, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), 13083-970, Campinas, SP (Brazil); Rouxinol, Francisco P.M.; Gelamo, Rogerio V.; Bica de Moraes, Mario A. [Laboratorio de Processos de Plasma, Departamento de Fisica Aplicada, Instituto de Fisica Gleb Wataghin, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), 13083-970, Campinas, SP (Brazil)

    2008-01-15

    Hot-filament metal oxide deposition (HFMOD) is a variant of conventional hot-filament chemical vapor deposition (HFCVD) recently developed in our laboratory and successfully used to obtain high-quality, uniform films of MO{sub x}, WO{sub x} and VO{sub x}. The method employs the controlled oxidation of a filament of a transition metal heated to 1000 deg. C or more in a rarefied oxygen atmosphere (typically, of about 1 Pa). Metal oxide vapor formed on the surface of the filament is transported a few centimetres to deposit on a suitable substrate. Key system parameters include the choice of filament material and diameter, the applied current and the partial pressures of oxygen in the chamber. Relatively high film deposition rates, such as 31 nm min{sup -1} for MoO{sub x}, are obtained. The film stoichiometry depends on the exact deposition conditions. MoO{sub x} films, for example, present a mixture of MoO{sub 2} and MoO{sub 3} phases, as revealed by XPS. As determined by Li{sup +} intercalation using an electrochemical cell, these films also show a colouration efficiency of 19.5 cm{sup 2} C{sup -1} at a wavelength of 700 nm. MO{sub x} and WO{sub x} films are promising in applications involving electrochromism and characteristics of their colouring/bleaching cycles are presented. The chemical composition and structure of VO{sub x} films examined using IRRAS (infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy), RBS (Rutherford backscattering spectrometry) and XPS (X-ray photoelectron spectrometry) are also presented.

  17. Photochromic and electrochromic performances of new types of donor/acceptor systems based on crosslinked polyviologen film and electron donors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gao Liping; Ding Guojing; Li Chaolong; Wang Yuechuan

    2011-01-01

    Viologen-functionalized copolymer COPV 2+ was synthesized by copolymer graft-modified, which was crosslinked by NH 3 .H 2 O gas-fumigated at 25 deg. C for 4 h due to the condensation of the siloxanes of COPV 2+ film. Simultaneously, different donor/acceptor systems had been prepared based on crosslinked polyviologen film (COPV 2+ ) and N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl-1,4-phenylenediamine (TMPD) or hydroxyethylferrocene (HEFc) in order to shorten the response times and improve contrast ratios in response to external photo- and potential stimuli. The evolution of structures from COPO to COPV 2+ is carefully characterized. The COPV 2+ /TMPD and COPV 2+ /HEFc films exhibited both photochromic and electrochromic performances. After UV irradiations, COPV 2+ /TMPD and COPV 2+ /HEFc films changed their colors from colorless to deep blue, while optical transmissions at 610 nm decreased about 64% and 75%, respectively. When removing out from UV irradiation, the colored COPV 2+ /TMPD and COPV 2+ /HEFc films faded to the original colors within about 60 min. When COPV 2+ /TMPD and COPV 2+ /HEFc films were biased with negative voltage of -2.5 V, they changed their colors from colorless to deep blue in 4 s and 3 s, while the optical transmissions at 556 nm decreased about 81% and 75%, respectively. When electric impulse was switched off, the colored COPV 2+ /TMPD and COPV 2+ /HEFc films faded to the original colors within about 7 s and 6 s, respectively.

  18. Atomic-Layer-Deposition of Indium Oxide Nano-films for Thin-Film Transistors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Qian; Zheng, He-Mei; Shao, Yan; Zhu, Bao; Liu, Wen-Jun; Ding, Shi-Jin; Zhang, David Wei

    2018-01-09

    Atomic-layer-deposition (ALD) of In 2 O 3 nano-films has been investigated using cyclopentadienyl indium (InCp) and hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) as precursors. The In 2 O 3 films can be deposited preferentially at relatively low temperatures of 160-200 °C, exhibiting a stable growth rate of 1.4-1.5 Å/cycle. The surface roughness of the deposited film increases gradually with deposition temperature, which is attributed to the enhanced crystallization of the film at a higher deposition temperature. As the deposition temperature increases from 150 to 200 °C, the optical band gap (E g ) of the deposited film rises from 3.42 to 3.75 eV. In addition, with the increase of deposition temperature, the atomic ratio of In to O in the as-deposited film gradually shifts towards that in the stoichiometric In 2 O 3 , and the carbon content also reduces by degrees. For 200 °C deposition temperature, the deposited film exhibits an In:O ratio of 1:1.36 and no carbon incorporation. Further, high-performance In 2 O 3 thin-film transistors with an Al 2 O 3 gate dielectric were achieved by post-annealing in air at 300 °C for appropriate time, demonstrating a field-effect mobility of 7.8 cm 2 /V⋅s, a subthreshold swing of 0.32 V/dec, and an on/off current ratio of 10 7 . This was ascribed to passivation of oxygen vacancies in the device channel.

  19. Application issues for large-area electrochromic windows incommercial buildings

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lee, Eleanor S.; DiBartolomeo, D.L.

    2000-05-01

    Projections of performance from small-area devices to large-area windows and enterprise marketing have created high expectations for electrochromic glazings. As a result, this paper seeks to precipitate an objective dialog between material scientists and building-application scientists to determine whether actual large-area electrochromic devices will result in significant performance benefits and what material improvements are needed, if any, to make electrochromics more practical for commercial building applications. Few in-situ tests have been conducted with large-area electrochromic windows applied in buildings. This study presents monitored results from a full-scale field test of large-area electrochromic windows to illustrate how this technology will perform in commercial buildings. The visible transmittance (Tv) of the installed electrochromic ranged from 0.11 to 0.38. The data are limited to the winter period for a south-east-facing window. The effect of actual device performance on lighting energy use, direct sun control, discomfort glare, and interior illumination is discussed. No mechanical system loads were monitored. These data demonstrate the use of electrochromics in a moderate climate and focus on the most restrictive visual task: computer use in offices. Through this small demonstration, we were able to determine that electrochromic windows can indeed provide unmitigated transparent views and a level of dynamic illumination control never before seen in architectural glazing materials. Daily lighting energy use was 6-24 percent less compared to the 11 percent-glazing, with improved interior brightness levels. Daily lighting energy use was 3 percent less to 13 percent more compared to the 38 percent-glazing, with improved window brightness control. The electrochromic window may not be able to fulfill both energy-efficiency and visual comfort objectives when low winter direct sun is present, particularly for computer tasks using cathode-ray tube (CRT

  20. Chemical vapour deposition of thin-film dielectrics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vasilev, Vladislav Yu; Repinsky, Sergei M

    2005-01-01

    Data on the chemical vapour deposition of thin-film dielectrics based on silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride and silicon dioxide and on phosphorus- and boron-containing silicate glasses are generalised. The equipment and layer deposition procedures are described. Attention is focussed on the analysis and discussion of the deposition kinetics and on the kinetic models for film growth. The film growth processes are characterised and data on the key physicochemical properties of thin-film covalent dielectric materials are given.

  1. The improvement of all-solid-state electrochromic devices fabricated with the reactive sputter and cathodic arc technology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Min-Chuan Wang

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available The all-solid-state electrochromic device (ECD with the one substrate structure fabricated by the reactive dc magnetron sputtering (DCMS and cathodic vacuum arc plasma (CVAP technology has been developed for smart electrochromic (EC glass application. The EC layer and ion conductor layer were deposited by reactive DCMS and CVAP technology, respectively. The ion conductor layer Ta2O5 deposited by the CVAP technology has provided the better porous material structure for ion transportation and showed 1.76 times ion conductivity than devices with all sputtering process. At the same time, the EC layer WO3 and NiO deposited by the reactive DCMS have also provided the high quality and uniform characteristic to overcome the surface roughness effect of the CVAP ion conductor layer in multilayer device structure. The all-solid-state ECD with the CVAP ion conductor layer has demonstrated a maximum transmittance variation (ΔT of 55% at 550nm and a faster-switching speed. Furthermore, the lower equipment cost and higher deposition rate could be achieved by the application of CVAP technology.

  2. Synergistic tungsten oxide/organic framework hybrid nanofibers for electrochromic device application

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dulgerbaki, Cigdem; Komur, Ali Ihsan; Nohut Maslakci, Neslihan; Kuralay, Filiz; Uygun Oksuz, Aysegul

    2017-08-01

    We report the first successful applications of tungsten oxide/conducting polymer hybrid nanofiber assemblies in electrochromic devices. Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)/tungsten oxide (PEDOT/WO3) and polypyrrole/tungsten oxide (PPy/WO3) composites were prepared by an in situ chemical oxidative polymerization of monomers in different ionic liquids; 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (BMIMBF4), 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate (BMIMPF6), 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl) imide (BMIMTFSI) and 1-butyl-1-methylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl) imide (BMPTFSI). Electrospinning process was used to form hybrid nanofibers from chemically synthesized nanostructures. The electrospun hybrid samples were compared from both morphological and electrochemical perspectives. Importantly, deposition of nanofibers from chemically synthesized hybrids can be achieved homogenously, on nanoscale dimensions. The morphologies of these assemblies were evaluated by SEM, whereas their electroactivity was characterized by cyclic voltammetry. Electrochromic devices made from hybrid nanofiber electrodes exhibited highest chromatic contrast of 37.66% for PEDOT/WO3/BMIMPF6, 40.42% for PPy/WO3/BMIMBF4 and show a strong electrochromic color change from transparent to light brown. Furthermore, the nanofiber devices exhibit outstanding stability when color switching proceeds, which may ensure a versatile platform for color displays, rear-view mirrors and smart windows.

  3. Preparation and characterization of nanocrystalline porous TiO2/WO3 composite thin films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hsu, C.-S.; Lin, C.-K.; Chan, C.-C.; Chang, C.-C.; Tsay, C.-Y.

    2006-01-01

    TiO 2 materials possessing not only photocatalytic but also electrochromic properties have attracted many research and development interests. Though WO 3 exhibits excellent electrochromic properties, the much higher cost and water-sensitivity of WO 3 as compared with the TiO 2 may restrict the practical application of WO 3 materials. In the present study, the feasibility of preparing nanocrystalline porous TiO 2 /WO 3 composite thin films was investigated. Precursors of sols TiO 2 and/or WO 3 and polystyrene microspheres were used to prepare nanocrystalline pure TiO 2 , WO 3 , and composite TiO 2 /WO 3 thin films by spin coating. The spin-coated thin films were amorphous and, after heat treating at a temperature of 500 o C, nanocrystalline TiO 2 , TiO 2 /WO 3 , and WO 3 thin films with or without pores were prepared successfully. The heat-treated thin films were colorless and coloration-bleaching phenomena can be observed during cyclic voltammetry tests. The heat-treated thin films exhibited good reversible electrochromic behavior while the porous TiO 2 /WO 3 composite film exhibited improved electrochromic properties

  4. Effects of deposition time in chemically deposited ZnS films in acidic solution

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Haddad, H.; Chelouche, A., E-mail: azeddinechelouche@gmail.com; Talantikite, D.; Merzouk, H.; Boudjouan, F.; Djouadi, D.

    2015-08-31

    We report an experimental study on the synthesis and characterization of zinc sulfide (ZnS) single layer thin films deposited on glass substrates by chemical bath deposition technique in acidic solution. The effect of deposition time on the microstructure, surface morphology, optical absorption, transmittance, and photoluminescence (PL) was investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electronic microscopy (SEM), UV-Vis–NIR spectrophotometry and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. The results showed that the samples exhibit wurtzite structure and their crystal quality is improved by increasing deposition time. The latter, was found to affect the morphology of the thin films as showed by SEM micrographs. The optical measurements revealed a high transparency in the visible range and a dependence of absorption edge and band gap on deposition time. The room temperature PL spectra indicated that all ZnS grown thin films emit a UV and blue light, while the band intensities are found to be dependent on deposition times. - Highlights: • Single layer ZnS thin films were deposited by CBD in acidic solution at 95 °C. • The effect of deposition time was investigated. • Coexistence of ZnS and ZnO hexagonal structures for time deposition below 2 h • Thicker ZnS films were achieved after monolayer deposition for 5 h. • The highest UV-blue emission observed in thin film deposited at 5 h.

  5. Tungsten Trioxide/Zinc Tungstate Bilayers: Electrochromic Behaviors, Energy Storage and Electron Transfer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wei, Huige; Ding, Daowei; Yan, Xingru; Guo, Jiang; Shao, Lu; Chen, Haoran; Sun, Luyi; Colorado, Henry A.; Wei, Suying; Guo, Zhanhu

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Tungsten oxide and zinc tungstate bilayers have been prepared via a facile sol-gel method for integrated applications of electrochromic behaviors and energy storage;. • Electron transfer behaviors between the semiconductor bilayer films have been found dependent on the bilayer assembly sequence;. • Methylene blue (MB) has been employed for the first time as an indicator to study the electron transfer phenomenon in the bilayer films. - Abstract: Pair-sequentially spin-coated tungsten trioxide (WO 3 ) and zinc tungstate (ZnWO 4 ) bilayer films onto indium tin oxide (ITO) coated glass slides have been prepared via sol-gel methods followed by annealing. The bilayers (ZnWO 4 /WO 3 denoting the bilayer film with the inner layer of ZnWO 4 and the outer layer of WO 3 on the ITO while WO 3 /ZnWO 4 standing for the bilayer film with the inner layer of WO 3 and the outer layer of ZnWO 4 on the ITO) exhibit integrated functions of electrochromic and energy storage behaviors as indicated by the in situ spectroelectrochemistry and cyclic voltammetry (CV) results. Accordingly, blue color was observed for the bilayer films at -1 V in 0.5 M H 2 SO 4 solution. An areal capacitance of 140 and 230 μF/cm 2 was obtained for the ZnWO 4 /WO 3 , and WO 3 /ZnWO 4 film, respectively, at a scan rate of 0.05 V/s in the CV measurements. The CV results also unveiled the electron transfer behavior between the semiconductor films in the oxidation process, suggesting a sequence-dependent electrochemical response in the bilayer films. Meanwhile, methylene blue (MB) was used as an indicator to study the electron transfer phenomenon during the reduction process at negative potentials of -0.4 and -0.8 V, in 0.5 M Na 2 SO 4 . The results indicated that the electrons transfer across the bilayers was enhanced at more negative potentials

  6. Electrochromic properties of a novel low band gap conductive copolymer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yigitsoy, Basak; Varis, Serhat; Tanyeli, Cihangir; Akhmedov, Idris M.; Toppare, Levent [Department of Chemistry, Middle East Technical University, 06531 Ankara (Turkey)

    2007-07-10

    A copolymer of 2,5-di(thiophen-2-yl)-1-p-tolyl-1H-pyrrole (DTTP) with 3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene (EDOT) was electrochemically synthesized. The resultant copolymer P(DTTP-co-EDOT) was characterized via cyclic voltammetry, FTIR, SEM, conductivity measurements and spectroelectrochemistry. Copolymer film has distinct electrochromic properties. It has four different colors (chestnut, khaki, camouflage green, and blue). At the neutral state {lambda}{sub max} due to the {pi}-{pi}{sup *} transition was found to be 487 nm and E{sub g} was calculated as 1.65 eV. Double potential step chronoamperometry experiment shows that copolymer film has good stability, fast switching time (less than 1 s) and good optical contrast (20%). An electrochromic device based on P(DTTP-co-EDOT) and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) was constructed and characterized. The device showed reddish brown color at -0.6 V when the P(DTTP-co-EDOT) layer was in its reduced state; whereas blue color at 2.0 V when PEDOT was in its reduced state and P(DTTP-co-EDOT) layer was in its oxidized state. At 0.2 V intermediate green state was observed. Maximum contrast (%{delta}T) and switching time of the device were measured as 18% and 1 s at 615 nm. ECD has good environmental and redox stability. (author)

  7. Optical thin film deposition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Macleod, H.A.

    1979-01-01

    The potential usefulness in the production of optical thin-film coatings of some of the processes for thin film deposition which can be classified under the heading of ion-assisted techniques is examined. Thermal evaporation is the process which is virtually universally used for this purpose and which has been developed to a stage where performance is in almost all respects high. Areas where further improvements would be of value, and the possibility that ion-assisted deposition might lead to such improvements, are discussed. (author)

  8. Physical Vapor Deposition of Thin Films

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mahan, John E.

    2000-01-01

    A unified treatment of the theories, data, and technologies underlying physical vapor deposition methods With electronic, optical, and magnetic coating technologies increasingly dominating manufacturing in the high-tech industries, there is a growing need for expertise in physical vapor deposition of thin films. This important new work provides researchers and engineers in this field with the information they need to tackle thin film processes in the real world. Presenting a cohesive, thoroughly developed treatment of both fundamental and applied topics, Physical Vapor Deposition of Thin Films incorporates many critical results from across the literature as it imparts a working knowledge of a variety of present-day techniques. Numerous worked examples, extensive references, and more than 100 illustrations and photographs accompany coverage of: * Thermal evaporation, sputtering, and pulsed laser deposition techniques * Key theories and phenomena, including the kinetic theory of gases, adsorption and condensation, high-vacuum pumping dynamics, and sputtering discharges * Trends in sputter yield data and a new simplified collisional model of sputter yield for pure element targets * Quantitative models for film deposition rate, thickness profiles, and thermalization of the sputtered beam

  9. Practical design and production of optical thin films

    CERN Document Server

    Willey, Ronald R

    2002-01-01

    Providing insider viewpoints and perspectives unavailable in any other text, this book presents useful guidelines and tools to produce effective coatings and films. Covering subjects ranging from materials selection and process development to successful system construction and optimization, it contains expanded discussions on design visualization, dense wavelength division multiplexing, new coating equipment, electrochromic and chemically active coatings, ion-assisted deposition, and optical monitoring sensitivity. Furnishing real-world examples and know-how, the book introduces Fourier analysis and synthesis without difficult mathematical concepts and equations.

  10. Electrochromic device based on electrospun WO{sub 3} nanofibers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dulgerbaki, Cigdem; Maslakci, Neslihan Nohut; Komur, Ali Ihsan; Oksuz, Aysegul Uygun, E-mail: ayseguluygun@sdu.edu.tr

    2015-12-15

    Highlights: • WO{sub 3} electrochromic nanofibers were prepared by electrospinning technique. • WO{sub 3} nanofibers switched reversibly from transparent to blue color. • Electrochromic device was assembled using ionic liquid based gel electrolyte. • Significant optical modulation and excellent cycling stability were achieved for ECD. - Abstract: The tungsten oxide (WO{sub 3}) nanofibers were grown directly onto an ITO-coated glass via an electrospinning method for electrochromic applications. The electrochromic properties of WO{sub 3} nanofibers were investigated in the presence of different electrolytes including a series of ionic liquids and classic LiClO{sub 4}-PC system. A significant optical modulation of 20.82% at 760 nm, reversible coloration with efficiency of 64.58 cm{sup 2}/C and excellent cycling stability were achieved for the nanofiber electrochromic device (ECD) with ionic liquid based gel electrolyte.

  11. Microstructural, photocatalysis and electrochemical investigations on CeTi2O6 thin films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Verma, Amita; Goyal, Anshu; Sharma, R.K.

    2008-01-01

    The properties of sol-gel derived CeTi 2 O 6 thin films deposited using a solution of cerium chloride heptahydrate and titanium propoxide in ethanol are discussed. The effect of annealing temperature on structural, optical, photoluminescence, photocatalysis and electrochemical characteristics has been examined. Lowest annealing temperature for the formation of crystalline CeTi 2 O 6 phase in these samples is identified as 580 deg. C. The optical transmittance of the films is observed to be independent of the annealing temperature. The optical energy bandgap of the 600 deg. C annealed film for indirect transition is influenced by the presence of anatase phase of TiO 2 in its structure. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy investigations have evidenced increased bond strength of the Ti-O-Ti network in the films as a function of annealing temperature. The photoluminescence intensity of the films has shown dependence on the annealing temperature with the films fired at 450 deg. C exhibiting the maximum photoluminescence activity. The decomposition of methyl orange and eosin (yellow) under UV-visible light irradiation in the presence of crystalline CeTi 2 O 6 films shows the presence of photoactivity in these films. The photocatalytic response of CeTi 2 O 6 films is found to be superior to the TiO 2 films. In comparison to crystalline films, the amorphous films have shown superior electrochemical characteristics. The 500 deg. C annealed amorphous films have exhibited the most appropriate properties for incorporation in electrochromic devices comprising tungsten oxide as the primary electrochromic electrode

  12. Ion beam deposited epitaxial thin silicon films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Orrman-Rossiter, K.G.; Al-Bayati, A.H.; Armour, D.G.; Donnelly, S.E.; Berg, J.A. van den

    1991-01-01

    Deposition of thin films using low energy, mass-separated ion beams is a potentially important low temperature method of producing epitaxial layers. In these experiments silicon films were grown on Si (001) substrates using 10-200 eV 28 Si + and 30 Si + ions at substrate temperatures in the range 273-1073 K, under ultrahigh-vacuum conditions (deposition pressure -7 Pa). The film crystallinity was assessed in situ using medium energy ion scattering (MEIS). Films of crystallinity comparable to bulk samples were grown using 10-40 eV 28 Si + and 30 Si + ions at deposition temperatures in the range 623-823 K. These experiments confirmed the role of key experimental parameters such as ion energy, substrate temperature during deposition, and the surface treatment prior to deposition. It was found that a high temperature in situ anneal (1350-1450 K) gave the best results for epitaxial nucleation, whereas low energy (20-40 eV) Cl + ion bombardment resulted in amorphous film growth. The deposition energy for good epitaxial growth indicates that it is necessary to provide enough energy to induce local mobility but not to cause atomic displacements leading to the buildup of stable defects, e.g. divacancies, below the surface layer of the growing film. (orig.)

  13. Structural and optical properties of electrodeposited molybdenum oxide thin films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Patil, R.S.; Uplane, M.D.; Patil, P.S.

    2006-01-01

    Electrosynthesis of Mo(IV) oxide thin films on F-doped SnO 2 conducting glass (10-20/Ω/□) substrates were carried from aqueous alkaline solution of ammonium molybdate at room temperature. The physical characterization of as-deposited films carried by thermogravimetric/differential thermogravimetric analysis (TGA/DTA), infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD) showed the formation of hydrous and amorphous MoO 2 . Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed a smooth but cracked surface with multi-layered growth. Annealing of these films in dry argon at 450 deg. C for 1 h resulted into polycrystalline MoO 2 with crystallites aligned perpendicular to the substrate. Optical absorption study indicated a direct band gap of 2.83 eV. The band gap variation consistent with Moss rule and band gap narrowing upon crystallization was observed. Structure tailoring of as-deposited thin films by thermal oxidation in ambient air to obtain electrochromic Mo(VI) oxide thin films was exploited for the first time by this novel route. The results of this study will be reported elsewhere

  14. Black-to-Transmissive Electrochromism with Visible-to-Near-Infrared Switching of a Co(II)-Based Metallo-Supramolecular Polymer for Smart Window and Digital Signage Applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hsu, Chih-Yu; Zhang, Jian; Sato, Takashi; Moriyama, Satoshi; Higuchi, Masayoshi

    2015-08-26

    Black-to-transmissive electrochromism has been obtained with a Co(II)-based metallo-supramolecular polymer (polyCo). Thin films of polyCo, based on bisterpyridine ligand assembled with Co(II) metal ion, were constructed by spray casting the polymer onto ITO glass. With such simple fabricating means to form good-quality films, polyCo films show stable switching at the central metal ion of the Co(II)/Co(I) redox reaction when immersed in aqueous solution. With an increase in the pH of the aqueous electrolyte solution from neutral, the film exhibits a color response due to the interaction between the d-orbital electron and hydroxide ions affecting the d-d* transition. As a result, a nearly transparent-to-black electrochromic performance can be achieved with a transmittance difference at 550 nm of 74.3% (81.9-7.6%) in pH 13 solution. The light absorption of the film can be tuned over light regions from visible to near-infrared with a large attenuation.

  15. Solution-Processed Smart Window Platforms Based on Plasmonic Electrochromics

    KAUST Repository

    Abbas, Sara

    2018-04-30

    Electrochromic smart windows offer a viable route to reducing the consumption of buildings energy, which represents about 30% of the worldwide energy consumption. Smart windows are far more compelling than current static windows in that they can dynamically modulate the solar spectrum depending on climate and lighting conditions or simply to meet personal preferences. The latest generation of smart windows relies on nominally transparent metal oxide nanocrystal materials whose chromism can be electrochemically controlled using the plasmonic effect. Plasmonic electrochromic materials selectively control the near infrared (NIR) region of the solar spectrum, responsible for solar heat, without affecting the visible transparency. This is in contrast to conventional electrochromic materials which block both the visible and NIR and thus enables electrochromic devices to reduce the energy consumption of a building or a greenhouse in warm climate regions due to enhancements of both visible lighting and heat blocking. Despite this edge, this technology can benefit from important developments, including low-cost solution-based manufacturing on flexible substrates while maintaining durability and coloration efficiency, demonstration of independent control in the NIR and visible spectra, and demonstration of self-powering capabilities. This thesis is focused on developing low-temperature and all-solution processed plasmonic electrochromic devices and dual-band electrochromic devices. We demonstrate new device fabrication approaches in terms of materials and processes which enhance electrochromic performance all the while maintaining low processing temperatures. Scalable fabrication methods are used to highlight compatibility with high throughput, continuous roll-to-roll fabrication on flexible substrates. In addition, a dualband plasmonic electrochromic device was developed by combining the plasmonic layer with a conventional electrochromic ion storage layer. This enables

  16. Direct current magnetron sputter-deposited ZnO thin films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hoon, Jian-Wei; Chan, Kah-Yoong; Krishnasamy, Jegenathan; Tou, Teck-Yong; Knipp, Dietmar

    2011-01-01

    Zinc oxide (ZnO) is a very promising electronic material for emerging transparent large-area electronic applications including thin-film sensors, transistors and solar cells. We fabricated ZnO thin films by employing direct current (DC) magnetron sputtering deposition technique. ZnO films with different thicknesses ranging from 150 nm to 750 nm were deposited on glass substrates. The deposition pressure and the substrate temperature were varied from 12 mTorr to 25 mTorr, and from room temperature to 450 deg. C, respectively. The influence of the film thickness, deposition pressure and the substrate temperature on structural and optical properties of the ZnO films was investigated using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectrometer. The experimental results reveal that the film thickness, deposition pressure and the substrate temperature play significant role in the structural formation and the optical properties of the deposited ZnO thin films.

  17. Effects of deposition period on the chemical bath deposited Cu4SnS4 thin films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kassim, Anuar; Wee Tee, Tan; Soon Min, Ho.; Nagalingam, Saravanan

    2010-01-01

    Cu 4 SnS 4 thin films were prepared by simple chemical bath deposition technique. The influence of deposition period on the structural, morphological and optical properties of films was studied. The films were characterized using X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy and UV-Vis Spectrophotometer. X-ray diffraction patterns indicated that the films were polycrystalline with prominent peak attributed to (221) plane of orthorhombic crystal structure. The films prepared at 80 min showed significant increased in the intensity of all diffractions. According to AFM images, these films indicated that the surface of substrate was covered completely. The obtained films also produced higher absorption characteristics when compared to the films prepared at other deposition periods based on optical absorption studies. The band gap values of films deposited at different deposition periods were in the range of 1.6-2.1 eV. Deposition for 80 min was found to be the optimum condition to produce good quality thin films under the current conditions. (author).

  18. Chromium carbide thin films deposited by ultra-short pulse laser deposition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Teghil, R.; Santagata, A.; De Bonis, A.; Galasso, A.; Villani, P.

    2009-01-01

    Pulsed laser deposition performed by a laser with a pulse duration of 250 fs has been used to deposit films from a Cr 3 C 2 target. Due to the different processes involved in the laser ablation when it is performed by an ultra-short pulse source instead of a conventional short pulse one, it has been possible to obtain in vacuum films containing only one type of carbide, Cr 3 C 2 , as shown by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. On the other hand, Cr 3 C 2 is not the only component of the films, since a large amount of amorphous carbon is also present. The films, deposited at room temperature, are amorphous and seem to be formed by the coalescence of a large number of particles with nanometric size. The film composition can be explained in terms of thermal evaporation from particles ejected from the target.

  19. Preparations and characterizations of tunable and multicolored electrochromic copolymers derived from a novel star-shaped monomer and BEDOT-V

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Kai; Yang, Wenge; Hu, Yonghong; Kai, Yumei; Shi, Ying

    2014-01-01

    A novel star-shaped monomer 1,3,5-Tri[2-(3,4-ethylenedioxythien-2-yl)vin-1-yl]benzene (TEDOT-V-B) was synthesized by Wittig coupling reaction. The copolymers with BEDOT-V at different feed ratios were prepared onto the ITO-coated glass by cyclic voltammetry (CV) method and the electrochromic properties were reported. The influences of different feed ratios on the spectroelectrochemical and kinetic properties were investigated. Spectroelectrochemical studies indicated that the maximum absorption wavelengths of the copolymer films bathochromically shifted with feed ratios. In addition, the copolymers had tunable and low band gaps. When the feed ratio of BEDOT-V-B/BEDOT-V was 1:3, the copolymer film showed the fastest oxidation switching time of 0.9s (567 nm) and 0.9s (967 nm) and the fastest reduction switching time of 0.8s (567 nm) and 0.9s (967 nm). Compared with PBEDOT-V, the copolymers showed tunable and multicolored electrochromism through feed ratios and the RGB colors were achieved. Additionally, the surface morphology of the copolymer film was investigated by scanning electron microscope (SEM)

  20. Stress evaluation of chemical vapor deposited silicon dioxide films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Maeda, Masahiko; Itsumi, Manabu

    2002-01-01

    Film stress of chemical vapor deposited silicon dioxide films was evaluated. All of the deposited films show tensile intrinsic stresses. Oxygen partial pressure dependence of the intrinsic stress is very close to that of deposition rate. The intrinsic stress increases with increasing the deposition rate under the same deposition temperature, and decreases with increasing substrate temperature. Electron spin resonance (ESR) active defects in the films were observed when the films were deposited at 380 deg. C and 450 deg. C. The ESR signal intensity decreases drastically with increasing deposition temperature. The intrinsic stress correlates very closely to the intensity of the ESR-active defects, that is, the films with larger intrinsic stress have larger ESR-active defects. It is considered that the intrinsic stress was generated because the voids caused by local bond disorder were formed during random network formation among the SiO 4 tetrahedra. This local bond disorder also causes the ESR-active defects

  1. Chemical bath deposited and dip coating deposited CuS thin films - Structure, Raman spectroscopy and surface study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tailor, Jiten P.; Khimani, Ankurkumar J.; Chaki, Sunil H.

    2018-05-01

    The crystal structure, Raman spectroscopy and surface microtopography study on as-deposited CuS thin films were carried out. Thin films deposited by two techniques of solution growth were studied. The thin films used in the present study were deposited by chemical bath deposition (CBD) and dip coating deposition techniques. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis of both the as-deposited thin films showed that both the films possess covellite phase of CuS and hexagonal unit cell structure. The determined lattice parameters of both the films are in agreement with the standard JCPDS as well as reported data. The crystallite size determined by Scherrer's equation and Hall-Williamsons relation using XRD data for both the as-deposited thin films showed that the respective values were in agreement with each other. The ambient Raman spectroscopy of both the as-deposited thin films showed major emission peaks at 474 cm-1 and a minor emmision peaks at 265 cm-1. The observed Raman peaks matched with the covellite phase of CuS. The atomic force microscopy of both the as-deposited thin films surfaces showed dip coating thin film to be less rough compared to CBD deposited thin film. All the obtained results are presented and deliberated in details.

  2. Deep reduced PEDOT films support electrochemical applications: Biomimetic color front.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Toribio Fernandez OTERO

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available Most of the literature accepts, despite many controversial results, that during oxidation/reduction films of conducting polymers move from electronic conductors to insulators. Thus, engineers and device’s designers are forced to use metallic supports to reoxidize the material for reversible device work. Electrochromic front experiments appear as main visual support of the claimed insulating nature of reduced conducting polymers. Here we present a different design of the biomimetic electrochromic front that corroborates the electronic and ionic conducting nature of deep reduced films. The direct contact PEDOT metal/electrolyte and film/electrolyte was prevented from electrolyte contact until 1cm far from the metal contact with protecting Parafilm®. The deep reduced PEDOT film supports the flow of high currents promoting reaction induced electrochromic color changes beginning 1 cm far from the metal-polymer electrical contact and advancing, through the reduced film, towards the metal contact. Reverse color changes during oxidation/reduction always are initiated at the film/electrolyte contact advancing, under the protecting film, towards the film/metal contact. Both reduced and oxidized states of the film demonstrate electronic and ionic conductivities high enough to be used for electronic applications or, as self-supported electrodes, for electrochemical devices. The electrochemically stimulated conformational relaxation (ESCR model explains those results.

  3. Controllable deposition of gadolinium doped ceria electrolyte films by magnetic-field-assisted electrostatic spray deposition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ksapabutr, Bussarin; Chalermkiti, Tanapol; Wongkasemjit, Sujitra; Panapoy, Manop

    2013-01-01

    This paper describes a simple and low-temperature approach to fabrication of dense and crack-free gadolinium doped ceria (GDC) thin films with controllable deposition by a magnetic-field-assisted electrostatic spray deposition technique. The influences of external permanent magnets on the deposition of GDC films were investigated. The coating area deposited using two magnets with the same pole arrangement decreased in comparison with the case of no magnets, whereas the largest deposition area was obtained in the system of the opposite poles. Analysis of as-deposited films at 450 °C indicated the formation of uniform, smooth and dense thin films with a single-phase fluorite structure. The films produced in the system using same poles were thicker, smaller in crystallite size and smoother than those fabricated under other conditions. Additionally, the GDC film deposited using the same pole arrangement showed the maximum in electrical conductivity of about 2.5 × 10 −2 S/cm at a low operating temperature of 500 °C. - Highlights: • Magnetic-field-assisted electrostatic spray allows a controllable coating. • Dense, crack-free thin films were obtained at low process temperature of 450 °C. • Control of deposition, thickness and uniformity is easy to achieve simultaneously. • Films from the same pole were thicker, smaller in crystal size and smoother. • The maximum conductivity of doped ceria film was 2.5 × 10 −2 S/cm at 500 °C

  4. Electrophoretic deposition of composite halloysite nanotube–hydroxyapatite–hyaluronic acid films

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Deen, I. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada L8S 4L7 (Canada); Zhitomirsky, I., E-mail: zhitom@mcmaster.ca [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada L8S 4L7 (Canada)

    2014-02-15

    Highlights: ► Composite halloysite nanotubes–hydroxyapatite–hyaluronic acid films were prepared. ► Electrophoretic deposition method was used for deposition. ► Natural hyaluronic acid was used as a dispersing, charging and film forming agent. ► Film composition and deposition yield can be varied. ► The films can be used for biomedical implants with controlled release of drugs. -- Abstract: Electrophoretic deposition method has been developed for the deposition of biocomposite films containing halloysite nanotubes (HNTs), hydroxyapatite (HA) and hyaluronic acid. The method is based on the use of natural hyaluronate biopolymer as a dispersing and charging agent for HNT and HA and film forming agent for the fabrication of the composite films. The deposition kinetics was studied by the quartz crystal microbalance method. The composite films were studied by X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, differential thermal analysis and electron microscopy. The composite films are promising materials for the fabrication of biomedical implants with advanced functional properties.

  5. Electrophoretic deposition of composite halloysite nanotube–hydroxyapatite–hyaluronic acid films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Deen, I.; Zhitomirsky, I.

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: ► Composite halloysite nanotubes–hydroxyapatite–hyaluronic acid films were prepared. ► Electrophoretic deposition method was used for deposition. ► Natural hyaluronic acid was used as a dispersing, charging and film forming agent. ► Film composition and deposition yield can be varied. ► The films can be used for biomedical implants with controlled release of drugs. -- Abstract: Electrophoretic deposition method has been developed for the deposition of biocomposite films containing halloysite nanotubes (HNTs), hydroxyapatite (HA) and hyaluronic acid. The method is based on the use of natural hyaluronate biopolymer as a dispersing and charging agent for HNT and HA and film forming agent for the fabrication of the composite films. The deposition kinetics was studied by the quartz crystal microbalance method. The composite films were studied by X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, differential thermal analysis and electron microscopy. The composite films are promising materials for the fabrication of biomedical implants with advanced functional properties

  6. Excimer Laser Deposition of PLZT Thin Films

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Petersen, GAry

    1991-01-01

    .... In order to integrate these devices into optical systems, the production of high quality thin films with high transparency and perovskite crystal structure is desired. This requires development of deposition technologies to overcome the challenges of depositing and processing PLZT thin films.

  7. Atomic layer deposition of a MoS₂ film.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tan, Lee Kheng; Liu, Bo; Teng, Jing Hua; Guo, Shifeng; Low, Hong Yee; Tan, Hui Ru; Chong, Christy Yuen Tung; Yang, Ren Bin; Loh, Kian Ping

    2014-09-21

    A mono- to multilayer thick MoS₂ film has been grown by using the atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique at 300 °C on a sapphire wafer. ALD provides precise control of the MoS₂ film thickness due to pulsed introduction of the reactants and self-limiting reactions of MoCl₅ and H₂S. A post-deposition annealing of the ALD-deposited monolayer film improves the crystallinity of the film, which is evident from the presence of triangle-shaped crystals that exhibit strong photoluminescence in the visible range.

  8. Photoluminescence properties of poly (p-phenylene vinylene) films deposited by chemical vapor deposition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gedelian, Cynthia A.; Rajanna, K.C.; Premerlani, Brian; Lu, Toh-Ming

    2014-01-01

    Photoluminescence spectra of PPV at varying thicknesses and temperatures have been studied. A study of the quenching of the polymer film using a modified version of fluorescence spectroscopy reveals interface effects dominating at thicknesses below about 600 Å, while bulk effects dominate at higher thicknesses. The application of the Stern–Volmer equation to solid film is discussed. Stern–Volmer plots were nonlinear with downward deviations at higher thickness of the film which was explained due to self-quenching in films and larger conformational change and increased restriction from change in electron density due to electron transition during excitation in bulk polymer films over 60 nm thick. PPV deposited into porous (∼4 nm in diameter) nanostructured substrate shows a larger 0–0 than 0–1 transition peak intensity and decreased disorder in the films due to structure imposed by substrate matrix. Temperature dependent effects are measured for a film at 500 Å, right on the border between the two areas. PPV films deposited on porous methyl silsesquioxane (MSQ) were also examined in order to compare the flat film to a substrate that allows for the domination of interface effects. The enthalpies of the first two peaks are very similar, but the third peak demonstrates a lower enthalpy and a larger wavelength shift with temperature. Films deposited inside pores show a smaller amount of disorder than flat films. Calculation of the Huang–Rhys factor at varying temperatures for the flat film and film in porous MSQ shows large temperature dependence for the flat film but a smaller amount of disorder in the nanostructured film. -- Highlights: • Poly (p-phenylene vinylene) films deposited by chemical vapor deposition exhibited photoluminescence properties. • Fluorescence spectra of the polymer films revealed interface effects dominating at thicknesses below about 600 Å, while bulk effects dominate at higher thicknesses. • Stern–Volmer plots were

  9. Hydrothermal crystallization of amorphous titania films deposited using low temperature atomic layer deposition

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mitchell, D.R.G. [Institute of Materials Engineering, ANSTO, PMB 1, Menai, NSW 2234 (Australia)], E-mail: drm@ansto.gov.au; Triani, G.; Zhang, Z. [Institute of Materials Engineering, ANSTO, PMB 1, Menai, NSW 2234 (Australia)

    2008-10-01

    A two stage process (atomic layer deposition, followed by hydrothermal treatment) for producing crystalline titania thin films at temperatures compatible with polymeric substrates (< 130 deg. C) has been assessed. Titania thin films were deposited at 80 deg. C using atomic layer deposition. They were extremely flat, uniform and almost entirely amorphous. They also contained relatively high levels of residual Cl from the precursor. After hydrothermal treatment at 120 deg. C for 1 day, > 50% of the film had crystallized. Crystallization was complete after 10 days of hydrothermal treatment. Crystallization of the film resulted in the formation of coarse grained anatase. Residual Cl was completely expelled from the film upon crystallization. As a result of the amorphous to crystalline transformation voids formed at the crystallization front. Inward and lateral crystal growth resulted in voids being localized to the film/substrate interface and crystallite perimeters resulting in pinholing. Both these phenomena resulted in films with poor adhesion and film integrity was severely compromised.

  10. Plasma-polymerized SiOx deposition on polymer film surfaces for preparation of oxygen gas barrier polymeric films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Inagaki, N.

    2003-01-01

    SiOx films were deposited on surfaces of three polymeric films, PET, PP, and Nylon; and their oxygen gas barrier properties were evaluated. To mitigate discrepancies between the deposited SiOx and polymer film, surface modification of polymer films was done, and how the surface modification could contribute to was discussed from the viewpoint of apparent activation energy for the permeation process. The SiOx deposition on the polymer film surfaces led to a large decrease in the oxygen permeation rate. Modification of polymer film surfaces by mans of the TMOS or Si-COOH coupling treatment in prior to the SiOx deposition was effective in decreasing the oxygen permeation rate. The cavity model is proposed as an oxygen permeation process through the SiOx-deposited Nylon film. From the proposed model, controlling the interface between the deposited SiOx film and the polymer film is emphasized to be a key factor to prepare SiOx-deposited polymer films with good oxygen gas barrier properties. (author)

  11. Influence of deposition time on the properties of chemical bath deposited manganese sulfide thin films

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anuar Kassim

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available Manganese sulfide thin films were chemically deposited from an aqueous solution containing manganese sulfate, sodium thiosulfate and sodium tartrate. The influence of deposition time (2, 3, 6 and 8 days on the properties of thin films was investigated. The structure and surface morphology of the thin films were studied by X-ray diffraction and atomic force microscopy, respectively. In addition, in order to investigate the optical properties of the thin films, the UV-visible spectrophotometry was used. The XRD results indicated that the deposited MnS2 thin films exhibited a polycrystalline cubic structure. The number of MnS2 peaks on the XRD patterns initially increased from three to six peaks and then decreased to five peaks, as the deposition time was increased from 2 to 8 days. From the AFM measurements, the film thickness and surface roughness were found to be dependent on the deposition time.

  12. Deposition of antimony telluride thin film by ECALE

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    GAO; Xianhui; YANG; Junyou; ZHU; Wen; HOU; Jie; BAO; Siqian; FAN; Xi'an; DUAN; Xingkai

    2006-01-01

    The process of Sb2Te3 thin film growth on the Pt substrate by electrochemical atomic layer epitaxy (ECALE) was studied. Cyclic voltammetric scanning was performed to analyze the electrochemical behavior of Te and Sb on the Pt substrate. Sb2Te3 film was formed using an automated flow deposition system by alternately depositing Te and Sb atomic layers for 400 circles. The deposited Sb2Te3 films were characterized by XRD, EDX, FTIR and FESEM observation. Sb2Te3 compound structure was confirmed by XRD pattern and agreed well with the results of EDX quantitative analysis and coulometric analysis. FESEM micrographs showed that the deposit was composed of fine nano particles with size of about 20 nm. FESEM image of the cross section showed that the deposited films were very smooth and dense with thickness of about 190 nm. The optical band gap of the deposited Sb2Te3 film was determined as 0.42 eV by FTIR spectroscopy, and it was blue shifted in comparison with that of the bulk Sb2Te3 single crystal due to its nanocrystalline microstructure.

  13. APCVD Transition Metal Oxides – Functional Layers in ''Smart windows''

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gesheva, K A; Ivanova, T M; Bodurov, G K

    2014-01-01

    Transition metal oxides (TMO) exhibit electrochromic effect. Under a small voltage they change their optical transmittance from transparent to collored (absorbing) state. The individual material can manifest its electrochromic properties only when it is part of electrochromic (EC) multilayer system. Smart window is controlling the energy of solar flux entering the building or car and makes the interiors comfortable and energy utilization more effective. Recently the efforts of material researchers in this field are directed to price decreasing. APCVD technology is considered as promissing as this process permits flowthrough large-scale production process. The paper presents results on device optimization based on WO 3 -MoO 3 working electrode. Extensive research reveals that WO 3 -MoO 3 structure combines positive features of single oxides: excellent electrochromic performance of WO 3 and better kinetic properties of MoO 3 deposition. The achieved color efficiency of APCVD WO 3 -MoO 3 films is 200cm 2 /C and optical modulation of 65-70% are practically favorable electrochromic characteristics. To respond to low cost requirement, the expensive hexacarbonyl can be replaced with acetylacetonate. We have started with this precursor to fabricate mixed W x V 1-x O 3 films. The films possess excellent surface coverage and high growth-rate. CVD deposition of VO 2 , a promissing thermochromic thin film material is also presented

  14. Pulsed laser deposition of Tl-Ca-Ba-Cu-O films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ianno, N.J.; Liou, S.H.; Woollam, J.A.; Thompson, D.; Johs, B.

    1990-01-01

    Pulsed laser deposition is a technique commonly used to deposit high quality thin films of high temperature superconductors. This paper discusses the results obtained when this technique is applied to the deposition of Tl-Ca-Ba-Cu-O thin films using a frequency doubled Nd:YAG laser operating at 532 nm and an excimer laser operating at 248 nm. Films with onset temperatures of 125 K and zero resistance temperatures of 110 K deposited on (100) oriented MgO from a composite Tl2Ca2Ba2Cu3Ox target were obtained at both wavelengths upon appropriate post deposition annealing. Films deposited at 532 nm exhibit a rough surface, while those deposited at 248 nm are smooth and homogeneous. Upon annealing, films deposited at both wavelengths are single phase Tl2Ca2Ba2Cu3Ox. 12 refs

  15. Plasma-deposited a-C(N) H films

    CERN Document Server

    Franceschini, D E

    2000-01-01

    The growth behaviour, film structure and mechanical properties of plasma-deposited amorphous hydrogenated carbon-nitrogen films are shortly reviewed. The effect of nitrogen-containing gas addition to the deposition to the hydrocarbon atmospheres used is discussed, considering the modifications observed in the chemical composition growth kinetics, carbon atom hybridisation and chemical bonding arrangements of a-C(N):H films. The overall structure behaviour is correlated to the variation of the mechanical properties.

  16. Electrochromic properties of poly (1-(phenyl)-2,5-di(2-thienyl)-1H-pyrrole-co-3,4-ethylenedioxy thiophene) and its application in electrochromic devices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tarkuc, S.; Sahmetlioglu, E.; Tanyeli, C.; Akhmedov, I. M.; Toppare, L.

    2008-06-01

    Electrochemical copolymerization of 1-(phenyl)-2,5-di(2-thienyl)-1H-pyrrole (PTP) with 3,4-ethylenedioxy thiophene (EDOT) was carried out in acetonitrile (AN)/NaClO4/LiClO4 (0.1 M) solvent-electrolyte couple via potentiodynamic electrolysis. Characterizations of the resulting copolymer were performed via cyclic voltammetry (CV), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and spectroelectrochemical analysis. Spectroelectrochemical analyses show that the copolymer of PTP with EDOT has an electronic band gap (due to π to π∗ transition) of 1.9 eV at 480 nm, with a claret red in the fully reduced form and a blue color in the fully oxidized form. Via kinetic studies, the optical contrast (ΔT %) was found to be 8% for P(PTP-co-EDOT). Results showed that the time required to reach 95% of the ultimate transmittance was 1.7 s for the copolymer. The P(PTP-co-EDOT) film was used to construct a dual type polymer electrochromic device (ECDs) with poly(3,4-ethylenedioxy thiophene) (PEDOT). Spectroelectrochemistry, electrochromic switching and open circuit memory of the device were investigated.

  17. Nickel films: Nonselective and selective photochemical deposition and properties

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Smirnova, N.V.; Boitsova, T.B.; Gorbunova, V.V.; Alekseeva, L.V.; Pronin, V.P.; Kon'uhov, G.S.

    2006-01-01

    Nickel films deposited on quartz surfaces by the photochemical reduction of a chemical nickel plating solution were studied. It was found that the deposition of the films occurs after an induction period, the length of which depends on the composition of the photolyte and the light intensity. Ni particles with a mean diameter of 20-30 nm were detected initially by transmission electron microscopy. The particles then increased in size (50 nm) upon irradiation and grouped into rings consisting of 4-5 particles. Irradiation with high-intensity light produces three-dimensional films. The calculated extinction coefficient of the nickel film was found to be 4800 L mol -1 cm -1 . Electron diffraction revealed that the prepared amorphous nickel films crystallize after one day of storage. It was determined that the films exhibit catalytic activity in the process of nickel deposition from nickel plating solution. The catalytic action remains for about 5-7 min after exposure of the films to air. The processes of selective and nonselective deposition of the nickel films are discussed. The use of poly(butoxy titanium) in the process of selective photochemical deposition enables negative and positive images to be prepared on quartz surfaces

  18. Thin film-based optically variable security devices: From passive to active

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baloukas, Bill

    Counterfeiting costs the world economy billions of dollars every year. Aside from financial losses, counterfeiting also poses a great threat to the public's safety, for example through the existence of counterfeit passports (terrorism), pharmaceutical products (health hazards) and even airplane parts (safety issues). Optical security devices (OSDs) have therefore played a critical role in the fight against counterfeiting. It is the aim of the present thesis to show that through the use of metamerism and electrochromic materials, new types of active security devices with interesting features can be created; indeed, most present-day devices are passive in nature. I first demonstrate that the addition of metamerism in the design of interference filters can result in innovative features. Different structures which can be used in transmission and/or in reflection are designed, fabricated, and evaluated. The first structures which are presented here are based on a combination of two different metameric interference filters. Possessing widely different transmission spectra, these filters also offer different angular color shifts and, as a result, offer an opportunity of creating hidden image effects. Despite their interesting properties, such metameric devices are shown to be highly illuminant and observer sensitive; that is the color match is lost under most observation conditions. These issues are solved by a simpler structure based on the juxtaposition of an interference filter and a non-iridescent colored material. Throughout this study, I present the design approach, analyze the filters' sensitivity to deposition errors, and evaluate the performance of prototype devices prepared by dual ion beam sputtering. Following my work on passive metameric systems, I then propose to go one step further by implementing an active component using an electrochromic material. This novel concept, which is based on the joint use of a metameric filter and electrochromic device, offers

  19. Atomic layer deposition of copper thin film and feasibility of deposition on inner walls of waveguides

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yuqing, XIONG; Hengjiao, GAO; Ni, REN; Zhongwei, LIU

    2018-03-01

    Copper thin films were deposited by plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition at low temperature, using copper(I)-N,N‧-di-sec-butylacetamidinate as a precursor and hydrogen as a reductive gas. The influence of temperature, plasma power, mode of plasma, and pulse time, on the deposition rate of copper thin film, the purity of the film and the step coverage were studied. The feasibility of copper film deposition on the inner wall of a carbon fibre reinforced plastic waveguide with high aspect ratio was also studied. The morphology and composition of the thin film were studied by atomic force microscopy and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, respectively. The square resistance of the thin film was also tested by a four-probe technique. On the basis of on-line diagnosis, a growth mechanism of copper thin film was put forward, and it was considered that surface functional group played an important role in the process of nucleation and in determining the properties of thin films. A high density of plasma and high free-radical content were helpful for the deposition of copper thin films.

  20. The influences of target properties and deposition times on pulsed laser deposited hydroxyapatite films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bao Quanhe; Chen Chuanzhong; Wang Diangang; Liu Junming

    2008-01-01

    Hydroxyapatite films were produced by pulsed laser deposition from three kinds of hydroxyapatite targets and with different deposition times. A JXA-8800R electron probe microanalyzer (EPMA) with a Link ISIS300 energy spectrum analyzer was used to give the secondary electron image (SE) and determine the element composition of the films. The phases of thin film were analyzed by a D/max-γc X-ray diffractometer (XRD). The Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) was used to characterize the hydroxyl, phosphate and other functional groups. The results show that deposited films were amorphous which mainly composed of droplet-like particles and vibration of PO 4 3- groups. With the target sintering temperature deposition times increasing, the density of droplets is decreased. While with deposition times increasing, the density of droplets is increased. With the target sintering temperature and deposition time increasing, the ratio of Ca/P is increasing and higher than that of theoretical value of HA

  1. Low-pressure chemical vapor deposition as a tool for deposition of thin film battery materials

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Oudenhoven, J.F.M.; Dongen, van T.; Niessen, R.A.H.; Croon, de M.H.J.M.; Notten, P.H.L.

    2009-01-01

    Low Pressure Chemical Vapor Deposition was utilized for the deposition of LiCoO2 cathode materials for all-solid-state thin-film micro-batteries. To obtain insight in the deposition process, the most important process parameters were optimized for the deposition of crystalline electrode films on

  2. Electrochromic coatings made of surface modified rutile and anatase pigments: Influence of trisilanol POSS dispersant on electrochromic effect

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mihelčič, Mohor [National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1000 Ljubljana (Slovenia); Francetič, Vojmir [Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University of Ljubljani, Aškerčeva cesta 5, 1000 Ljubljana (Slovenia); Pori, Pavli [Chemcolor Sevnica d.o.o., Dolenje Brezovo 35, 8290 Sevnica (Slovenia); Gradišar, Helena [National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1000 Ljubljana (Slovenia); Kovač, Janez [Jožef Stefan Institute., Jamova 39, SI-1000 Ljubljana (Slovenia); Orel, Boris, E-mail: boris.orel@ki.si [National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, 1000 Ljubljana (Slovenia); CO-NOT, Hajdrihova 19, Ljubljana (Slovenia)

    2014-09-15

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Transparent pigmented coatings were deposited from titania dispersions. • Trisilanol POSS was used as dispersant. • Surface modification of pigment particles was established from TEM, TG and IR. • IR spectra studies revealed covalent and H-bond dispersant/pigment interactions. • Electrochromic properties of titanina pigment coatings were shown and discussed. - Abstract: Polyhedral oligomeric silsesqioxanes (POSS) compounds consisting of [RSiO{sub 3/2}]{sub n} groups organized in the form of various polyhedra (T{sub n}, n = 3, 6, 8, 10, 12, ….) have not often been used as pigment surface modifiers. Their interactions with pigments are not known in detail and coatings deposited from pigments modified by POSS dispersants are rare. Identification of interactions between a dispersant and the surface of pigments is important from the point of view of obtaining stable pigment dispersions enabling the deposition of optical coatings with high pigment loading, low haze and mechanical integrity. Thin TiO{sub 2} (anatase) pigment coatings (70–260 nm) were deposited from pigment dispersions prepared by milling metatitanic acid (mTiA) powder agglomerates with trisilanol heptaisobutyl silsesquioxane dispersant (trisilanol POSS) in butanol and hexane. The results of TEM, EDAX and TG measurements confirmed the influence of trisilanol POSS dispersant on the formation of a dispersion with a uniform distribution of mTiA and rutile (mTiR) nanoparticles with a size of about 30 ± 5.0 nm and 90 ± 5.0 nm, respectively, as determined from dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurements. The mTiA/trisilanol POSS dispersions with added titanium tetraisopropoxide were deposited on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) coated glass (spin-coating) and indium tin oxide coated polymeric substrate (ITO PET) (coil-coating) and thermally treated at 150 °C. UV–vis spectra, AFM and SEM results showed that the pigment coatings exhibited low haze (up to 6

  3. Electrochromic coatings made of surface modified rutile and anatase pigments: Influence of trisilanol POSS dispersant on electrochromic effect

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mihelčič, Mohor; Francetič, Vojmir; Pori, Pavli; Gradišar, Helena; Kovač, Janez; Orel, Boris

    2014-01-01

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Transparent pigmented coatings were deposited from titania dispersions. • Trisilanol POSS was used as dispersant. • Surface modification of pigment particles was established from TEM, TG and IR. • IR spectra studies revealed covalent and H-bond dispersant/pigment interactions. • Electrochromic properties of titanina pigment coatings were shown and discussed. - Abstract: Polyhedral oligomeric silsesqioxanes (POSS) compounds consisting of [RSiO 3/2 ] n groups organized in the form of various polyhedra (T n , n = 3, 6, 8, 10, 12, ….) have not often been used as pigment surface modifiers. Their interactions with pigments are not known in detail and coatings deposited from pigments modified by POSS dispersants are rare. Identification of interactions between a dispersant and the surface of pigments is important from the point of view of obtaining stable pigment dispersions enabling the deposition of optical coatings with high pigment loading, low haze and mechanical integrity. Thin TiO 2 (anatase) pigment coatings (70–260 nm) were deposited from pigment dispersions prepared by milling metatitanic acid (mTiA) powder agglomerates with trisilanol heptaisobutyl silsesquioxane dispersant (trisilanol POSS) in butanol and hexane. The results of TEM, EDAX and TG measurements confirmed the influence of trisilanol POSS dispersant on the formation of a dispersion with a uniform distribution of mTiA and rutile (mTiR) nanoparticles with a size of about 30 ± 5.0 nm and 90 ± 5.0 nm, respectively, as determined from dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurements. The mTiA/trisilanol POSS dispersions with added titanium tetraisopropoxide were deposited on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) coated glass (spin-coating) and indium tin oxide coated polymeric substrate (ITO PET) (coil-coating) and thermally treated at 150 °C. UV–vis spectra, AFM and SEM results showed that the pigment coatings exhibited low haze (up to 6%), low surface

  4. Novel poly(triphenylamine-alt-fluorene) with asymmetric hexaphenylbenzene and pyrene moieties: synthesis, fluorescence, flexible near-infrared electrochromic devices and theoretical investigation

    KAUST Repository

    Wang, Po-I.

    2016-01-13

    © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2016. In this study, a new triphenylamine-alt-fluorene conjugated copolymer, HPBPYFL6, with hexaphenylbenzene (HPB) and pyrene as asymmetrical pendant groups was synthesized via Suzuki coupling polymerization. The conjugated polymer had a weight-average molecular weight of 5.8 × 104 g mol-1 with a polydispersity index of 2.5 characterized by gel permeation chromatography (GPC). HPBPYFL6 showed good solubility in common organic solvents such as NMP, THF, toluene and dichloromethane at 25°C. In addition, HPBPYFL6 possessed a high glass transition temperature of 260°C and a 10% weight-loss temperature of 503°C in nitrogen. HPBPYFL6 bearing a pyrene moiety had a solvatochromic fluorescence shift from a green to an orange emission as the polarity of the solvent increased. Cyclic voltammetry of HPBPYFL6 films cast onto indium-tin oxide-coated glass (ITO-glass) exhibited two oxidation redox couples at an E1/2 value of 0.82 and 1.17 V versus Ag/Ag+ in an acetonitrile solution. The HPBPYFL6 film on graphene-coated PET had an E1/2 value of 0.24 and 1.12 V. Conjugated polymer films exhibited reversible electrochromic behaviour with a colour change from pale yellow to deep blue upon electrochemical oxidation and high absorbance in the near-infrared (NIR) region. The switching and bleaching times were 5.16 s and 3.12 s for 1231 nm and were 3.30 s and 3.74 s for 1030 nm of HPBPYFL6 on ITO-glass. The strong NIR electrochromic absorbance of HPBPYFL6 was attributed to intervalence charge transfer by the incorporation of the HPB moiety. This phenomenon was confirmed by chemical oxidation as the oxidant contents increased in the solution state. Furthermore, the electrochromic mechanism was interpreted by DFT calculation and the simulated NIR electrochromic spectra of model compound HPBPYFL are in good agreement with the experimental data.

  5. Electrochromism and Swelling of Polypyrrole Membranes: An Electrochemical and Ellipsometric Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J. O. Zerbino

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available The growth of polypyrrole (Ppy layers on gold electrodes in nearly neutral pH solutions is analysed using “in situ” voltametric and ellipsometric techniques. Different film structures are obtained depending on the potentiodynamic programme and the composition of the electrolyte. More compact dodecylsulphate-(DS doped Ppy layers were grown at 1.2 V versus RHE than those obtained by applying a higher potential. The more compact layers correspond to the growth of an oxidised Ppy/DS layer that shows low pseudo capacity behaviour. After dipping, the doped Ppy/DS film in KCl solution-significant variations in optical indices and thickness are detected as a function of the applied potential. Higher electrochromism as well as decrease in film thickness after cathodisation is achieved. The optical indices and the thickness of the Ppy layer formed under different applied potential/time programmes are estimated.

  6. ZnSe thin films by chemical bath deposition method

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lokhande, C.D.; Patil, P.S.; Tributsch, H. [Hahn-Meitner-Institute, Bereich Physikalische Chemie, Abt. CS, Glienicker Strasse-100, D-14109 Berlin (Germany); Ennaoui, A. [Hahn-Meitner-Institute, Bereich Physikalische Chemie, Abt. CG, Glienicker Strasse-100, D-14109 Berlin (Germany)

    1998-09-04

    The ZnSe thin films have been deposited onto glass substrates by the simple chemical bath deposition method using selenourea as a selenide ion source from an aqueous alkaline medium. The effect of Zn ion concentration, bath temperature and deposition time period on the quality and thickness of ZnSe films has been studied. The ZnSe films have been characterized by XRD, TEM, EDAX, TRMC (time-resolved microwave conductivity), optical absorbance and RBS techniques for their structural, compositional, electronic and optical properties. The as-deposited ZnSe films are found to be amorphous, Zn rich with optical band gap, Eg, equal to 2.9 eV

  7. Properties of indium tin oxide films deposited on unheated polymer substrates by ion beam assisted deposition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yu Zhinong; Li Yuqiong; Xia Fan; Zhao Zhiwei; Xue Wei

    2009-01-01

    The optical, electrical and mechanical properties of indium tin oxide (ITO) films prepared on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates by ion beam assisted deposition at room temperature were investigated. The properties of ITO films can be improved by introducing a buffer layer of silicon dioxide (SiO 2 ) between the ITO film and the PET substrate. ITO films deposited on SiO 2 -coated PET have better crystallinity, lower electrical resistivity, and improved resistance stability under bending than those deposited on bare PET. The average transmittance and the resistivity of ITO films deposited on SiO 2 -coated PET are 85% and 0.90 x 10 -3 Ω cm, respectively, and when the films are bent, the resistance remains almost constant until a bending radius of 1 cm and it increases slowly under a given bending radius with an increase of the bending cycles. The improved resistance stability of ITO films deposited on SiO 2 -coated PET is mainly attributed to the perfect adhesion of ITO films induced by the SiO 2 buffer layer.

  8. Optimization of PEDOT films in ionic liquid supercapacitors: demonstration as a power source for polymer electrochromic devices.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Österholm, Anna M; Shen, D Eric; Dyer, Aubrey L; Reynolds, John R

    2013-12-26

    We report on the optimization of the capacitive behavior of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) films as polymeric electrodes in flexible, Type I electrochemical supercapacitors (ESCs) utilizing ionic liquid (IL) and organic gel electrolytes. The device performance was assessed based on figures of merit that are critical to evaluating the practical utility of electroactive polymer ESCs. PEDOT/IL devices were found to be highly stable over hundreds of thousands of cycles and could be reversibly charged/discharged at scan rates between 500 mV/s and 2 V/s depending on the polymer loading. Furthermore, these devices exhibit leakage currents and self-discharge rates that are comparable to state of the art electrochemical double-layer ESCs. Using an IL as device electrolyte allowed an extension of the voltage window of Type I ESCs by 60%, resulting in a 2.5-fold increase in the energy density obtained. The efficacies of tjese PEDOT ESCs were assessed by using them as a power source for a high-contrast and fast-switching electrochromic device, demonstrating their applicability in small organic electronic-based devices.

  9. Electrochromic Molecular Imprinting Sensor for Visual and Smartphone-Based Detections.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Capoferri, Denise; Álvarez-Diduk, Ruslan; Del Carlo, Michele; Compagnone, Dario; Merkoçi, Arben

    2018-05-01

    Electrochromic effect and molecularly imprinted technology have been used to develop a sensitive and selective electrochromic sensor. The polymeric matrices obtained using the imprinting technology are robust molecular recognition elements and have the potential to mimic natural recognition entities with very high selectivity. The electrochromic behavior of iridium oxide nanoparticles (IrOx NPs) as physicochemical transducer together with a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) as recognition layer resulted in a fast and efficient translation of the detection event. The sensor was fabricated using screen-printing technology with indium tin oxide as a transparent working electrode; IrOx NPs where electrodeposited onto the electrode followed by thermal polymerization of polypyrrole in the presence of the analyte (chlorpyrifos). Two different approaches were used to detect and quantify the pesticide: direct visual detection and smartphone imaging. Application of different oxidation potentials for 10 s resulted in color changes directly related to the concentration of the analyte. For smartphone imaging, at fixed potential, the concentration of the analyte was dependent on the color intensity of the electrode. The electrochromic sensor detects a highly toxic compound (chlorpyrifos) with a 100 fM and 1 mM dynamic range. So far, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first work where an electrochromic MIP sensor uses the electrochromic properties of IrOx to detect a certain analyte with high selectivity and sensitivity.

  10. Defect control in room temperature deposited cadmium sulfide thin films by pulsed laser deposition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hernandez-Como, N.; Martinez-Landeros, V.; Mejia, I.; Aguirre-Tostado, F.S.; Nascimento, C.D.; Azevedo, G. de M; Krug, C.; Quevedo-Lopez, M.A.

    2014-01-01

    The control of defects in cadmium sulfide thin films and its impact on the resulting CdS optical and electrical characteristics are studied. Sulfur vacancies and cadmium interstitial concentrations in the CdS films are controlled using the ambient pressure during pulsed laser deposition. CdS film resistivities ranging from 10 −1 to 10 4 Ω-cm are achieved. Hall Effect measurements show that the carrier concentration ranges from 10 19 to 10 13 cm −3 and is responsible for the observed resistivity variation. Hall mobility varies from 2 to 12 cm 2 /V-s for the same pressure regime. Although the energy bandgap remains unaffected (∼ 2.42 eV), the optical transmittance is reduced due to the increase of defects in the CdS films. Rutherford back scattering spectroscopy shows the dependence of the CdS films stoichiometry with deposition pressure. The presence of CdS defects is attributed to more energetic species reaching the substrate, inducing surface damage in the CdS films during pulsed laser deposition. - Highlights: • CdS thin films deposited by pulsed laser deposition at room temperature. • The optical, electrical and structural properties were evaluated. • Carrier concentration ranged from 10 19 to 10 13 cm −3 . • The chemical composition was studied by Rutherford back scattering. • The density of sulfur vacancies and cadmium interstitial was varied

  11. SnS thin films deposited by chemical bath deposition, dip coating and SILAR techniques

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chaki, Sunil H.; Chaudhary, Mahesh D.; Deshpande, M. P.

    2016-05-01

    The SnS thin films were synthesized by chemical bath deposition (CBD), dip coating and successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) techniques. In them, the CBD thin films were deposited at two temperatures: ambient and 70 °C. The energy dispersive analysis of X-rays (EDAX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and optical spectroscopy techniques were used to characterize the thin films. The electrical transport properties studies on the as-deposited thin films were done by measuring the I-V characteristics, DC electrical resistivity variation with temperature and the room temperature Hall effect. The obtained results are deliberated in this paper.

  12. Ultraviolet optical properties of aluminum fluoride thin films deposited by atomic layer deposition

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hennessy, John, E-mail: john.j.hennessy@jpl.nasa.gov; Jewell, April D.; Balasubramanian, Kunjithapatham; Nikzad, Shouleh [Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, California 91109 (United States)

    2016-01-15

    Aluminum fluoride (AlF{sub 3}) is a low refractive index material with promising optical applications for ultraviolet (UV) wavelengths. An atomic layer deposition process using trimethylaluminum and anhydrous hydrogen fluoride has been developed for the deposition of AlF{sub 3} at substrate temperatures between 100 and 200 °C. This low temperature process has resulted in thin films with UV-optical properties that have been characterized by ellipsometric and reflection/transmission measurements at wavelengths down to 200 nm. The optical loss for 93 nm thick films deposited at 100 °C was measured to be less than 0.2% from visible wavelengths down to 200 nm, and additional microstructural characterization demonstrates that the films are amorphous with moderate tensile stress of 42–105 MPa as deposited on silicon substrates. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis shows no signature of residual aluminum oxide components making these films good candidates for a variety of applications at even shorter UV wavelengths.

  13. ZnO film deposition by DC magnetron sputtering: Effect of target configuration on the film properties

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Arakelova, E.; Khachatryan, A.; Kteyan, A.; Avjyan, K.; Grigoryan, S.

    2016-08-01

    Ballistic transport model for target-to-substrate atom transfer during magnetron sputter deposition was used to develop zinc target (cathode) configuration that enabled growth of uniform zinc oxide films on extensive surfaces and provided reproducibility of films characteristics irrespective of the cathode wear-out. The advantage of the developed target configuration for high-quality ZnO film deposition was observed in the sputtering pressure range of 5− 50 mTorr, and in the range of cathode-to-substrate distances 7–20 cm. Characteristics of the deposited films were demonstrated by using X-ray diffraction analysis, as well as optical and electrical measurements. - Highlights: • Change of target configuration for optimization of magnetron sputtering deposition is proposed. • Improvement of ZnO film properties due to use of this target is demonstrated. • This configuration provided reproducibility of the deposited films properties.

  14. Temperature dependence of InN film deposition by an RF plasma-assisted reactive ion beam sputtering deposition technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shinoda, Hiroyuki; Mutsukura, Nobuki

    2005-01-01

    Indium nitride (InN) films were deposited on Si(100) substrates using a radiofrequency (RF) plasma-assisted reactive ion beam sputtering deposition technique at various substrate temperatures. The X-ray diffraction patterns of the InN films suggest that the InN films deposited at substrate temperatures up to 370 deg C were cubic crystalline InN; and at 500 deg C, the InN film was hexagonal crystalline InN. In a scanning electron microscope image of the InN film surface, facets of cubic single-crystalline InN grains were clearly observed on the InN film deposited at 370 deg C. The inclusion of metallic indium appeared on the InN film deposited at 500 deg C

  15. Modification of thin film properties by ion bombardment during deposition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Harper, J.M.E.; Cuomo, J.J.; Gambino, R.J.; Kaufman, H.R.

    1984-01-01

    Many thin film deposition techniques involve some form of energetic particle bombardment of the growing film. The degree of bombardment greatly influences the film composition, structure and other properties. While in some techniques the degree of bombardment is secondary to the original process design, in recent years more deposition systems are being designed with the capability for controlled ion bombardment of thin films during deposition. The highest degree of control is obtained with ion beam sources which operate independently of the vapor source providing the thin film material. Other plasma techniques offer varying degrees of control of energetic particle bombardment. Deposition methods involving ion bombardment are described, and the basic processes with which film properties are modified by ion bombardment are summarized. (Auth.)

  16. Photochemical stability of electrochromic polymers and devices

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jensen, Jacob; Madsen, Morten Vesterager; Krebs, Frederik C

    2013-01-01

    The stability of fully printed flexible organic electrochromics based on 11 different conjugated polymers is explored from the fundamental chemical degradation level to the operational device level. The photochemical stability of the electrochromic polymers (ECPs) is studied enabling an analysis ...... based on flexible barrier substrates exhibit increased stability and are indeed viable in devices such as shading elements, light management systems, displays with low switching speed requirements and signage. © 2013 The Royal Society of Chemistry....

  17. Chemical bath deposition of indium sulphide thin films: preparation and characterization

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lokhande, C.D.; Ennaoui, A.; Patil, P.S.; Giersig, M.; Diesner, K.; Muller, M.; Tributsch, H. [Hahn-Meitner-Institut Berlin GmbH (Germany). Bereich Physikalische Chemie

    1999-02-26

    Indium sulphide (In{sub 2}S{sub 3}) thin films have been successfully deposited on different substrates under varying deposition conditions using chemical bath deposition technique. The deposition mechanism of In{sub 2}S{sub 3} thin films from thioacetamide deposition bath has been proposed. Films have been characterized with respect to their crystalline structure, composition, optical and electrical properties by means of X-ray diffraction, TEM, EDAX, optical absorption, TRMC (time resolved microwave conductivity) and RBS. Films on glass substrates were amorphous and on FTO (flourine doped tin oxide coated) glass substrates were polycrystalline (element of phase). The optical band gap of In{sub 2}S{sub 3} thin film was estimated to be 2.75 eV. The as-deposited films were photoactive as evidenced by TRMC studies. The presence of oxygen in the film was detected by RBS analysis. (orig.) 27 refs.

  18. Electrical and optical performance of transparent conducting oxide films deposited by electrostatic spray assisted vapour deposition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hou, Xianghui; Choy, Kwang-Leong; Liu, Jun-Peng

    2011-09-01

    Transparent conducting oxide (TCO) films have the remarkable combination of high electrical conductivity and optical transparency. There is always a strong motivation to produce TCO films with good performance at low cost. Electrostatic Spray Assisted Vapor Deposition (ESAVD), as a variant of chemical vapour deposition (CVD), is a non-vacuum and low-cost deposition method. Several types of TCO films have been deposited using ESAVD process, including indium tin oxide (ITO), antimony-doped tin oxide (ATO), and fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO). This paper reports the electrical and optical properties of TCO films produced by ESAVD methods, as well as the effects of post treatment by plasma hydrogenation on these TCO films. The possible mechanisms involved during plasma hydrogenation of TCO films are also discussed. Reduction and etching effect during plasma hydrogenation are the most important factors which determine the optical and electrical performance of TCO films.

  19. Cadmium sulfide thin films growth by chemical bath deposition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hariech, S.; Aida, M. S.; Bougdira, J.; Belmahi, M.; Medjahdi, G.; Genève, D.; Attaf, N.; Rinnert, H.

    2018-03-01

    Cadmium sulfide (CdS) thin films have been prepared by a simple technique such as chemical bath deposition (CBD). A set of samples CdS were deposited on glass substrates by varying the bath temperature from 55 to 75 °C at fixed deposition time (25 min) in order to investigate the effect of deposition temperature on CdS films physical properties. The determination of growth activation energy suggests that at low temperature CdS film growth is governed by the release of Cd2+ ions in the solution. The structural characterization indicated that the CdS films structure is cubic or hexagonal with preferential orientation along the direction (111) or (002), respectively. The optical characterization indicated that the films have a fairly high transparency, which varies between 55% and 80% in the visible range of the optical spectrum, the refractive index varies from 1.85 to 2.5 and the optical gap value of which can reach 2.2 eV. It can be suggested that these properties make these films perfectly suitable for their use as window film in thin films based solar cells.

  20. Aluminosilicate glass thin films elaborated by pulsed laser deposition

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Carlier, Thibault [Univ. Lille, CNRS, Centrale Lille, ENSCL, Univ. Artois, UMR 8181 – UCCS – Unité de Catalyse et Chimie du Solide, F-59000 Lille (France); Saitzek, Sébastien [Univ. Artois, CNRS, Centrale Lille, ENSCL, Univ. Lille, UMR 8181, Unité de Catalyse et de Chimie du Solide (UCCS), F-62300 Lens (France); Méar, François O., E-mail: francois.mear@univ-lille1.fr [Univ. Lille, CNRS, Centrale Lille, ENSCL, Univ. Artois, UMR 8181 – UCCS – Unité de Catalyse et Chimie du Solide, F-59000 Lille (France); Blach, Jean-François; Ferri, Anthony [Univ. Artois, CNRS, Centrale Lille, ENSCL, Univ. Lille, UMR 8181, Unité de Catalyse et de Chimie du Solide (UCCS), F-62300 Lens (France); Huvé, Marielle; Montagne, Lionel [Univ. Lille, CNRS, Centrale Lille, ENSCL, Univ. Artois, UMR 8181 – UCCS – Unité de Catalyse et Chimie du Solide, F-59000 Lille (France)

    2017-03-01

    Highlights: • Successfully deposition of a glassy thin film by PLD. • A good homogeneity and stoichiometry of the coating. • Influence of the deposition temperature on the glassy thin-film structure. - Abstract: In the present work, we report the elaboration of aluminosilicate glass thin films by Pulsed Laser Deposition at various temperatures deposition. The amorphous nature of glass thin films was highlighted by Grazing Incidence X-Ray Diffraction and no nanocristallites were observed in the glassy matrix. Chemical analysis, obtained with X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy and Time of Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectroscopy, showed a good transfer and homogeneous elementary distribution with of chemical species from the target to the film a. Structural studies performed by Infrared Spectroscopy showed that the substrate temperature plays an important role on the bonding configuration of the layers. A slight shift of Si-O modes to larger wavenumber was observed with the synthesis temperature, assigned to a more strained sub-oxide network. Finally, optical properties of thins film measured by Spectroscopic Ellipsometry are similar to those of the bulk aluminosilicate glass, which indicate a good deposition of aluminosilicate bulk glass.

  1. Defect control in room temperature deposited cadmium sulfide thin films by pulsed laser deposition

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hernandez-Como, N. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, 75080 (United States); Martinez-Landeros, V. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, 75080 (United States); Centro de Investigación en Materiales Avanzados, Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, 66600, México (Mexico); Mejia, I. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, 75080 (United States); Aguirre-Tostado, F.S. [Centro de Investigación en Materiales Avanzados, Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, 66600, México (Mexico); Nascimento, C.D.; Azevedo, G. de M; Krug, C. [Instituto de Física, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, 91509-900 (Brazil); Quevedo-Lopez, M.A., E-mail: mquevedo@utdallas.edu [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, 75080 (United States)

    2014-01-01

    The control of defects in cadmium sulfide thin films and its impact on the resulting CdS optical and electrical characteristics are studied. Sulfur vacancies and cadmium interstitial concentrations in the CdS films are controlled using the ambient pressure during pulsed laser deposition. CdS film resistivities ranging from 10{sup −1} to 10{sup 4} Ω-cm are achieved. Hall Effect measurements show that the carrier concentration ranges from 10{sup 19} to 10{sup 13} cm{sup −3} and is responsible for the observed resistivity variation. Hall mobility varies from 2 to 12 cm{sup 2}/V-s for the same pressure regime. Although the energy bandgap remains unaffected (∼ 2.42 eV), the optical transmittance is reduced due to the increase of defects in the CdS films. Rutherford back scattering spectroscopy shows the dependence of the CdS films stoichiometry with deposition pressure. The presence of CdS defects is attributed to more energetic species reaching the substrate, inducing surface damage in the CdS films during pulsed laser deposition. - Highlights: • CdS thin films deposited by pulsed laser deposition at room temperature. • The optical, electrical and structural properties were evaluated. • Carrier concentration ranged from 10{sup 19} to 10{sup 13} cm{sup −3}. • The chemical composition was studied by Rutherford back scattering. • The density of sulfur vacancies and cadmium interstitial was varied.

  2. A high-efficiency solution-deposited thin-film photovoltaic device

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mitzi, David B; Yuan, Min; Liu, Wei; Chey, S Jay; Schrott, Alex G [IBM T. J. Watson Research Center, Yorktown Heights, NY (United States); Kellock, Andrew J; Deline, Vaughn [IBM Almaden Research Center, San Jose, CA (United States)

    2008-10-02

    High-quality Cu(In,Ga)Se{sub 2} (CIGS) films are deposited from hydrazine-based solutions and are employed as absorber layers in thin-film photovoltaic devices. The CIGS films exhibit tunable stoichiometry and well-formed grain structure without requiring post-deposition high-temperature selenium treatment. Devices based on these films offer power conversion efficiencies of 10% (AM1.5 illumination). (Abstract Copyright [2008], Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

  3. Chemical bath ZnSe thin films: deposition and characterisation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lokhande, C. D.; Patil, P. S.; Ennaoui, A.; Tributsch, H.

    1998-01-01

    The zinc selenide (ZnSe) thin films have been deposited by a simple and inexpensive chemical bath deposition (CBD) method. The selenourea was used as a selenide ion source. The ZnSe films have been characterised by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDAX), Rutherford back scattering (RBS), and optical absorption. The as-deposited ZnSe films on various substrates are found to be amorphous and contain O2 and N2 in addition to Zn and Se. The optical band gap of the film is estimated to be 2.9 eV. The films are photoactive as evidenced by time resolved microwave conductivity (TRMC).

  4. Sputter deposition of BSCCO films from a hollow cathode

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lanagan, M.T.; Kampwirth, R.T.; Doyle, K.; Kowalski, S.; Miller, D.; Gray, K.E.

    1991-01-01

    High-T c superconducting thin films were deposited onto MgO single crystal substrates from a hollow cathode onto ceramic targets with the nominal composition of Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O x . Films similar in composition to those used for the targets were deposited on MgO substrates by rf sputtering. The effects of sputtering time, rf power, and post-annealing on film microstructure and properties were studied in detail. Substrate temperature was found to have a significant influence on the film characteristics. Initial results show that deposition rates from a hollow cathode are an order of magnitude higher than those of a planar magnetron source at equivalent power levels. Large deposition rates allow for the coating of long lengths of wire

  5. Porous nanostructured ZnO films deposited by picosecond laser ablation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sima, Cornelia; Grigoriu, Constantin; Besleaga, Cristina; Mitran, Tudor; Ion, Lucian; Antohe, Stefan

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► We deposite porous nanostructured ZnO films by picoseconds laser ablation (PLA). ► We examine changes of the films structure on the experimental parameter deposition. ► We demonstrate PLA capability to produce ZnO nanostructured films free of particulates. - Abstract: Porous nanostructured polycrystalline ZnO films, free of large particulates, were deposited by picosecond laser ablation. Using a Zn target, zinc oxide films were deposited on indium tin oxide (ITO) substrates using a picosecond Nd:YVO 4 laser (8 ps, 50 kHz, 532 nm, 0.17 J/cm 2 ) in an oxygen atmosphere at room temperature (RT). The morpho-structural characteristics of ZnO films deposited at different oxygen pressures (150–900 mTorr) and gas flow rates (0.25 and 10 sccm) were studied. The post-deposition influence of annealing (250–550 °C) in oxygen on the film characteristics was also investigated. At RT, a mixture of Zn and ZnO formed. At substrate temperatures above 350 °C, the films were completely oxidized, containing a ZnO wurtzite phase with crystallite sizes of 12.2–40.1 nm. At pressures of up to 450 mTorr, the porous films consisted of well-distinguished primary nanoparticles with average sizes of 45–58 nm, while at higher pressures, larger clusters (3.1–14.7 μm) were dominant, leading to thicker films; higher flow rates favored clustering.

  6. Electrical Conductivity of CUXS Thin Film Deposited by Chemical ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Thin films of CuxS have successfully been deposited on glass substrates using the Chemical Bath Deposition (CBD) technique. The films were then investigated for their electrical properties. The results showed that the electrical conductivities of the CuxS films with different molarities (n) of thiourea (Tu), determined using ...

  7. Micro-structured electrochromic device based on poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Deutschmann, T; Oesterschulze, E

    2013-01-01

    Recent developments in consumer electronics, e.g. smartphones, tablet PCs or compact cameras, demand the development of very compact, active, optical microsystems. Because of their low power consumption, low operation voltage and cheap fabrication, voltage-controlled electrochromic devices (ECDs) based on polymer materials are promising candidates. However, the broad application of ECDs is still hindered by crucial technological obstacles. In this paper, we address two main issues: the structuring of the electrochromic material (ECM) and its underlying transparent conductive electrode on a microscale and additionally, the assembly of the ECD as an electrochemical cell with the challenges of airtight sealing, appropriate chemical stability, electrical insulation and the necessity of defining a compartment to hold the liquid electrolyte inside the cell. We first introduce a technological sequence consisting of batch processes (UV lithography and dry and wet etching) to render the microscale structuring of the ECM possible. Furthermore, we exploit the outstanding properties of the thick film dry photoresist Ordyl SY 300 to complete the assembly of ECDs with single-layer technology. As a proof of principle, we present the first results of an ECD device based on a poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) material that works as an aperture stop with three coaxial segments, each individually controlled by an external voltage. (paper)

  8. Application of Nanostructures in Electrochromic Materials and Devices: Recent Progress

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jin Min Wang

    2010-11-01

    Full Text Available The recent progress in application of nanostructures in electrochromic materials and devices is reviewed. ZnO nanowire array modified by viologen and WO3, crystalline WO3 nanoparticles and nanorods, mesoporous WO3 and TiO2, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene nanotubes, Prussian blue nanoinks and nanostructures in switchable mirrors are reviewed. The electrochromic properties were significantly enhanced by applying nanostructures, resulting in faster switching responses, higher stability and higher optical contrast. A perspective on the development trends in electrochromic materials and devices is also proposed.

  9. Properties of electrophoretically deposited single wall carbon nanotube films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lim, Junyoung; Jalali, Maryam; Campbell, Stephen A.

    2015-01-01

    This paper describes techniques for rapidly producing a carbon nanotube thin film by electrophoretic deposition at room temperature and determines the film mass density and electrical/mechanical properties of such films. The mechanism of electrophoretic deposition of thin layers is explained with experimental data. Also, film thickness is measured as a function of time, electrical field and suspension concentration. We use Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy to determine the film mass density. Films created in this manner have a resistivity of 2.14 × 10 −3 Ω·cm, a mass density that varies with thickness from 0.12 to 0.54 g/cm 3 , and a Young's modulus between 4.72 and 5.67 GPa. The latter was found to be independent of thickness from 77 to 134 nm. We also report on fabricating free-standing films by removing the metal seed layer under the CNT film, and selectively etching a sacrificial layer. This method could be extended to flexible photovoltaic devices or high frequency RF MEMS devices. - Highlights: • We explain the electrophoretic deposition process and mechanism of thin SWCNT film deposition. • Characterization of the SWCNT film properties including density, resistivity, transmittance, and Young's modulus. • The film density and resistivity are found to be a function of the film thickness. • Techniques developed to create free standing layers of SW-CNTs for flexible electronics and mechanical actuators

  10. Defect studies of thin ZnO films prepared by pulsed laser deposition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vlček, M; Čížek, J; Procházka, I; Novotný, M; Bulíř, J; Lančok, J; Anwand, W; Brauer, G; Mosnier, J-P

    2014-01-01

    Thin ZnO films were grown by pulsed laser deposition on four different substrates: sapphire (0 0 0 1), MgO (1 0 0), fused silica and nanocrystalline synthetic diamond. Defect studies by slow positron implantation spectroscopy (SPIS) revealed significantly higher concentration of defects in the studied films when compared to a bulk ZnO single crystal. The concentration of defects in the films deposited on single crystal sapphire and MgO substrates is higher than in the films deposited on amorphous fused silica substrate and nanocrystalline synthetic diamond. Furthermore, the effect of deposition temperature on film quality was investigated in ZnO films deposited on synthetic diamond substrates. Defect studies performed by SPIS revealed that the concentration of defects firstly decreases with increasing deposition temperature, but at too high deposition temperatures it increases again. The lowest concentration of defects was found in the film deposited at 450° C.

  11. UV laser deposition of metal films by photogenerated free radicals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Montgomery, R. K.; Mantei, T. D.

    1986-01-01

    A novel photochemical method for liquid-phase deposition of metal films is described. In the liquid phase deposition scheme, a metal containing compound and a metal-metal bonded carbonyl complex are dissolved together in a polar solvent and the mixture is irradiated using a UV laser. The optical arrangement consists of a HeCd laser which provides 7 mW of power at a wavelength of 325 nm in the TEM(OO) mode. The beam is attenuated and may be expanded to a diameter of 5-20 mm. Experiments with photochemical deposition of silver films onto glass and quartz substrates are described in detail. Mass spectrometric analysis of deposited silver films indicated a deposition rate of about 1 A/s at incident power levels of 0.01 W/sq cm. UV laser-induced copper and palladium films have also been obtained. A black and white photograph showing the silver Van Der Pauw pattern of a solution-deposited film is provided.

  12. Role of hydrogen in Sb film deposition and characterization of Sb and GexSby films deposited by cyclic plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition using metal-organic precursors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Hyung Keun; Jung, Jin Hwan; Choi, Doo Jin

    2012-01-01

    To meet increasing demands for chemical vapor deposition methods for high performance phase-change memory, cyclic plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition of Sb and Ge x Sb y phase-change films and characterization of their properties were performed. Two cycle sequences were designed to investigate the role of hydrogen gas as a reduction gas during Sb film deposition. Hydrogen gas was not introduced into the reaction chamber during the purge step in cycle sequence A and was introduced during the purge step for cycle sequence B. The role of hydrogen gas was investigated by comparing the results obtained from these two cycle sequences and was concluded to exert an effect by a combination of precursor decomposition, surface maintenance as a hydrogen termination agent, and surface etching. These roles of hydrogen gas are discussed through consideration of changes in deposition rates, the oxygen concentration on the surface of the Sb film, and observations of film surface morphology. Based on these results, Ge x Sb y phase-change films were deposited with an adequate flow rate of hydrogen gas. The Ge and Sb composition of the film was controlled with the designed cycle sequences. A strong oxygen affinity for Ge was observed during the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis of Sb 3d, Sb 4d, and Ge 3d orbitals. Based on the XPS results, the ratios of Ge to Sb were calculated to be Ge 0.32 Sb 0.68 , Ge 0.38 Sb 0.62 , Ge 0.44 Sb 0.56 , Ge 0.51 Sb 0.49 and Ge 0.67 Sb 0.33 for the G1S7, G1S3, G1S2, G1S1, and G2S1 cycles, respectively. Crystal structures of Sb, Ge, and the GeSb metastable phase were observed with various Ge x Sb y film compositions. Sb crystallinity decreased with respect to Ge crystallinity by increasing the Ge fraction. A current–voltage curve was introduced, and an electro-switching phenomenon was clearly generated at a typical voltage, V th . V th values increased in conjunction with an increased proportion of Ge. The Sb crystallinity decrease and V

  13. Ion beam and dual ion beam sputter deposition of tantalum oxide films

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cevro, Mirza; Carter, George

    1994-11-01

    Ion beam sputter deposition (IBS) and dual ion beam sputter deposition (DIBS) of tantalum oxide films was investigated at room temperature and compared with similar films prepared by e-gun deposition. Optical properties ie refractive index and extinction coefficient of IBS films were determined in the 250 - 1100 nm range by transmission spectrophotometry and at (lambda) equals 632.8 nm by ellipsometry. They were found to be mainly sensitive to the partial pressure of oxygen used as a reactive gas in the deposition process. The maximum value of the refractive index of IBS deposited tantalum oxide films was n equals 2.15 at (lambda) equals 550 nm and the extinction coefficient of order k equals 2 X 10-4. Films deposited by e-gun deposition had refractive index n equals 2.06 at (lambda) equals 550 nm. Films deposited using DIBS ie deposition assisted by low energy Ar and O2 ions (Ea equals 0 - 300 eV) and low current density (Ji equals 0 - 40 (mu) A/cm2) showed no improvement in the optical properties of the films. Preferential sputtering occurred at Ea(Ar) equals 300 eV and Ji equals 20 (mu) A/cm2 and slightly oxygen deficient films were formed. Different bonding states in the tantalum-oxide films were determined by x-ray spectroscopy while composition of the film and contaminants were determined by Rutherford scattering spectroscopy. Tantalum oxide films formed by IBS contained relatively high Ar content (approximately equals 2.5%) originating from the reflected argon neutrals from the sputtering target while assisted deposition slightly increased the Ar content. Stress in the IBS deposited films was measured by the bending technique. IBS deposited films showed compressive stress with a typical value of s equals 3.2 X 109 dyn/cm2. Films deposited by concurrent ion bombardment showed an increase in the stress as a function of applied current density. The maximum was s approximately equals 5.6 X 109 dyn/cm2 for Ea equals 300 eV and Ji equals 35 (mu) A/cm2. All

  14. Ion-beam and dual-ion-beam sputter deposition of tantalum oxide films

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cevro, Mirza; Carter, George

    1995-02-01

    Ion-beam sputter deposition (IBS) and dual-ion-beam sputter deposition (DIBS) of tantalum oxide films was investigated at room temperature and compared with similar films prepared by e-gun deposition. The optical properties, i.e., refractive index and extinction coefficient, of IBS films were determined in the 250- to 1100-nm range by transmission spectrophotometry and at (lambda) equals 632.8 nm by ellipsometry. They were found to be mainly sensitive to the partial pressure of oxygen used as a reactive gas in the deposition process. The maximum value of the refractive index of IBS deposited tantalum oxide films was n equals 2.15 at (lambda) equals 550 nm and the extinction coefficient of order k equals 2 X 10-4. Films deposited by e-gun deposition had refractive index n 2.06 at (lambda) equals 550 nm. Films deposited using DIBS, i.e., deposition assisted by low energy Ar and O2 ions (Ea equals 0 to 300 eV) and low current density (Ji equals 0 to 40 (mu) A/cm2), showed no improvement in the optical properties of the films. Preferential sputtering occurred at Ea(Ar) equals 300 eV and Ji equals 20 (mu) A/cm2 and slightly oxygen deficient films were formed. Different bonding states in the tantalum-oxide films were determined by x-ray spectroscopy, whereas composition of the film and contaminants were determined by Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy (RBS). Tantalum oxide films formed by IBS contained relatively high Ar content (approximately equals 2.5%) originating from the reflected argon neutrals from the sputtering target whereas assisted deposition slightly increased the Ar content. Stress in the IBS-deposited films was measured by the bending technique. IBS-deposited films showed compressive stress with a typical value of s equals 3.2 X 109 dyn/cm2. Films deposited by concurrent ion bombardment showed an increase in the stress as a function of applied current density. The maximum was s approximately equals 5.6 X 109 dyn/cm2 for Ea equals 300 eV and Ji equals

  15. Annealing dependence of residual stress and optical properties of TiO2 thin film deposited by different deposition methods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Hsi-Chao; Lee, Kuan-Shiang; Lee, Cheng-Chung

    2008-05-01

    Titanium oxide (TiO(2)) thin films were prepared by different deposition methods. The methods were E-gun evaporation with ion-assisted deposition (IAD), radio-frequency (RF) ion-beam sputtering, and direct current (DC) magnetron sputtering. Residual stress was released after annealing the films deposited by RF ion-beam or DC magnetron sputtering but not evaporation, and the extinction coefficient varied significantly. The surface roughness of the evaporated films exceeded that of both sputtered films. At the annealing temperature of 300 degrees C, anatase crystallization occurred in evaporated film but not in the RF ion-beam or DC magnetron-sputtered films. TiO(2) films deposited by sputtering were generally more stable during annealing than those deposited by evaporation.

  16. Amorphous Terfenol-D films using nanosecond pulsed laser deposition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ma, James; O'Brien, Daniel T.; Kovar, Desiderio

    2009-01-01

    Thin films of Terfenol-D were produced by nanosecond pulsed laser deposition (PLD) at two fluences. Electron dispersive spectroscopy conducted using scanning electron and transmission electron microscopes showed that the film compositions were similar to that of the PLD target. Contrary to previous assertions that suggested that nanosecond PLD results in crystalline films, X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy analysis showed that the films produced at both fluences were amorphous. Splatters present on the film had similar compositions to the overall film and were also amorphous. Magnetic measurements showed that the films had high saturation magnetization and magnetostriction, similar to high quality films produced using other physical vapor deposition methods.

  17. Ellipsometric study of nanostructured carbon films deposited by pulsed laser deposition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bereznai, M.; Budai, J.; Hanyecz, I.; Kopniczky, J.; Veres, M.; Koos, M.; Toth, Z.

    2011-01-01

    When depositing carbon films by plasma processes the resulting structure and bonding nature strongly depends on the plasma energy and background gas pressure. To produce different energy plasma, glassy carbon targets were ablated by laser pulses of different excimer lasers: KrF (248 nm) and ArF (193 nm). To modify plume characteristics argon atmosphere was applied. The laser plume was directed onto Si substrates, where the films were grown. To evaluate ellipsometric measurements first a combination of the Tauc-Lorentz oscillator and the Sellmeier formula (TL/S) was applied. Effective Medium Approximation models were also used to investigate film properties. Applying argon pressures above 10 Pa the deposits became nanostructured as indicated by high resolution scanning electron microscopy. Above ∼ 100 and ∼ 20 Pa films could not be deposited by KrF and ArF laser, respectively. Our ellipsometric investigations showed, that with increasing pressure the maximal refractive index of both series decreased, while the optical band gap starts with a decrease, but shows a non monotonous course. Correlation between the size of the nanostructures, bonding structure, which was followed by Raman spectroscopy and optical properties were also investigated.

  18. Dithienylpyrrole- and Tris[4-(2-thienylphenyl]amine-Containing Copolymers as Promising Anodic Layers in High-Contrast Electrochromic Devices

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tzi-Yi Wu

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Three dithienylpyrrole- and tris[4-(2-thienylphenyl]amine-containing copolymers (P(MPS-co-TTPA, P(MPO-co-TTPA, and P(ANIL-co-TTPA were deposited on indium tin oxide (ITO surfaces using electrochemical polymerization. Spectroelectrochemical characterizations of polymer films revealed that P(MPS-co-TTPA film was light olive green, greyish-green, bluish grey, and grey in neutral state, intermediate state, oxidized state, and highly oxidized state, respectively, whereas P(MPO-co-TTPA film was green moss, foliage green, dark greyish-green, and bluish-grey in neutral state, intermediate state, oxidized state, and highly oxidized state, respectively. The ΔTmax of P(MPS-co-TTPA film at 964 nm, P(MPO-co-TTPA film at 914 nm, and P(ANIL-co-TTPA film at 960 nm were 67.2%, 60.7%, and 67.1%, respectively, and the coloration efficiency (η of P(MPS-co-TTPA film at 964 nm, P(MPO-co-TTPA film at 914 nm, and P(ANIL-co-TTPA film at 960 nm were calculated to be 260.3, 176.6, and 230.8 cm2 C−1, respectively. Dual type complementary colored electrochromic devices (ECDs were constructed using P(MPS-co-TTPA, P(MPO-co-TTPA, or P(ANIL-co-TTPA as anodic copolymer layer and PProDOT-Et2 as cathodic polymer layer. P(MPO-co-TTPA/PProDOT-Et2 ECD revealed high ΔT (55.1% and high η (766.5 cm2 C−1 at 580 nm. Moreover, P(MPS-co-TTPA/PProDOT-Et2, P(MPO-co-TTPA/PProDOT-Et2, and P(ANIL-co-TTPA/PProDOT-Et2 ECDs showed satisfactory long-term cycling stability and optical memory.

  19. Chemical vapor deposition of Si/SiC nano-multilayer thin films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Weber, A.; Remfort, R.; Woehrl, N.; Assenmacher, W.; Schulz, S.

    2015-01-01

    Stoichiometric SiC films were deposited with the commercially available single source precursor Et_3SiH by classical thermal chemical vapor deposition (CVD) as well as plasma-enhanced CVD at low temperatures in the absence of any other reactive gases. Temperature-variable deposition studies revealed that polycrystalline films containing different SiC polytypes with a Si to carbon ratio of close to 1:1 are formed at 1000 °C in thermal CVD process and below 100 °C in the plasma-enhanced CVD process. The plasma enhanced CVD process enables the reduction of residual stress in the deposited films and offers the deposition on temperature sensitive substrates in the future. In both deposition processes the film thickness can be controlled by variation of the process parameters such as the substrate temperature and the deposition time. The resulting material films were characterized with respect to their chemical composition and their crystallinity using scanning electron microscope, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (XRD), atomic force microscopy, X-ray diffraction, grazing incidence X-ray diffraction, secondary ion mass spectrometry and Raman spectroscopy. Finally, Si/SiC multilayers of up to 10 individual layers of equal thickness (about 450 nm) were deposited at 1000 °C using Et_3SiH and SiH_4. The resulting multilayers features amorphous SiC films alternating with Si films, which feature larger crystals up to 300 nm size as measured by transmission electron microscopy as well as by XRD. XRD features three distinct peaks for Si(111), Si(220) and Si(311). - Highlights: • Stoichiometric silicon carbide films were deposited from a single source precursor. • Thermal as well as plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition was used. • Films morphology, crystallinity and chemical composition were characterized. • Silicon/silicon carbide multilayers of up to 10 individual nano-layers were deposited.

  20. Molecular dynamics simulation about porous thin-film growth in secondary deposition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen Huawei; Tieu, A. Kiet; Liu Qiang; Hagiwara, Ichiro; Lu Cheng

    2007-01-01

    The thin film growth has been confirmed to be assembled by an enormous number of clusters in experiments of CVD. Sequence of clusters' depositions proceeds to form the thin film at short time as gas fluids through surface of substrate. In order to grow condensed thin film using series of cluster deposition, the effect of initial velocity, substrate temperature and density of clusters on property of deposited thin film, especially appearance of nanoscale pores inside thin film must be investigated. In this simulation, three different cluster sizes of 203, 653, 1563 atoms with different velocities (0, 10, 100, 1000 and 3000 m/s) were deposited on a Cu(0 0 1) substrate whose temperatures were set between 300 and 1000 K. Four clusters and one cluster were used in primary deposition and secondary deposition, respectively. We have clarified that adhesion between clusters and substrate is greatly influenced by initial velocity. As a result, the exfoliation pattern of deposited thin film is dependent on initial velocity and different between them. One borderline dividing whole region into porous region and nonporous region are obtained to show the effect of growth conditions on appearance of nanoscale pores inside thin film. Moreover, we have also shown that the likelihood of porous thin film is dependent on the point of impact of a cluster relative to previously deposited clusters

  1. Molecular dynamics simulation about porous thin-film growth in secondary deposition

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chen Huawei [School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Beihang University, No. 37 Xuyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing (China) and Mechanical Materials and Mechatronic Engineering, University of Wollongong, Northfields Avenue, NSW 2522 (Australia)]. E-mail: chen_hua_wei@yahoo.com; Tieu, A. Kiet [Mechanical Materials and Mechatronic Engineering, University of Wollongong, Northfields Avenue, NSW 2522 (Australia); Liu Qiang [School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Beihang University, No. 37 Xuyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing (China); Hagiwara, Ichiro [Department of Mechanical Sciences and Engineering, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 O-okayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo (Japan); Lu Cheng [Mechanical Materials and Mechatronic Engineering, University of Wollongong, Northfields Avenue, NSW 2522 (Australia)

    2007-07-15

    The thin film growth has been confirmed to be assembled by an enormous number of clusters in experiments of CVD. Sequence of clusters' depositions proceeds to form the thin film at short time as gas fluids through surface of substrate. In order to grow condensed thin film using series of cluster deposition, the effect of initial velocity, substrate temperature and density of clusters on property of deposited thin film, especially appearance of nanoscale pores inside thin film must be investigated. In this simulation, three different cluster sizes of 203, 653, 1563 atoms with different velocities (0, 10, 100, 1000 and 3000 m/s) were deposited on a Cu(0 0 1) substrate whose temperatures were set between 300 and 1000 K. Four clusters and one cluster were used in primary deposition and secondary deposition, respectively. We have clarified that adhesion between clusters and substrate is greatly influenced by initial velocity. As a result, the exfoliation pattern of deposited thin film is dependent on initial velocity and different between them. One borderline dividing whole region into porous region and nonporous region are obtained to show the effect of growth conditions on appearance of nanoscale pores inside thin film. Moreover, we have also shown that the likelihood of porous thin film is dependent on the point of impact of a cluster relative to previously deposited clusters.

  2. Cuprous oxide thin films grown by hydrothermal electrochemical deposition technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Majumder, M.; Biswas, I.; Pujaru, S.; Chakraborty, A.K.

    2015-01-01

    Semiconducting cuprous oxide films were grown by a hydrothermal electro-deposition technique on metal (Cu) and glass (ITO) substrates between 60 °C and 100 °C. X-ray diffraction studies reveal the formation of cubic cuprous oxide films in different preferred orientations depending upon the deposition technique used. Film growth, uniformity, grain size, optical band gap and photoelectrochemical response were found to improve in the hydrothermal electrochemical deposition technique. - Highlights: • Cu 2 O thin films were grown on Cu and glass substrates. • Conventional and hydrothermal electrochemical deposition techniques were used. • Hydrothermal electrochemical growth showed improved morphology, thickness and optical band gap

  3. Spray deposited CeO2–TiO2 counter electrode for electrochromic ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Abstract. Optically passive thin films of CeO2–TiO2 mixed oxides with molar ratio of Ce/Ti of 0.05 were deposited by the spray pyrolysis technique (SPT) on a glass and fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO)-coated glass substrates. Precur- sor solution containing cerium nitrate hexahydrate (Ce(NO3)2·6H2O) and titanium ...

  4. Cu and Cu(Mn) films deposited layer-by-layer via surface-limited redox replacement and underpotential deposition

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fang, J.S., E-mail: jsfang@nfu.edu.tw [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Formosa University, Huwei 63201, Taiwan (China); Sun, S.L. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, National Formosa University, Huwei 63201, Taiwan (China); Cheng, Y.L. [Department of Electrical Engineering, National Chi-Nan University, Nan-Tou 54561, Taiwan (China); Chen, G.S.; Chin, T.S. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Feng Chia University, Taichung 40724, Taiwan (China)

    2016-02-28

    Graphical abstract: - Abstract: The present paper reports Cu and Cu(Mn) films prepared layer-by-layer using an electrochemical atomic layer deposition (ECALD) method. The structure and properties of the films were investigated to elucidate their suitability as Cu interconnects for microelectronics. Previous studies have used primarily a vacuum-based atomic layer deposition to form a Cu metallized film. Herein, an entirely wet chemical process was used to fabricate a Cu film using the ECALD process by combining underpotential deposition (UPD) and surface-limited redox replacement (SLRR). The experimental results indicated that an inadequate UPD of Pb affected the subsequent SLRR of Cu and lead to the formation of PbSO{sub 4}. A mechanism is proposed to explain the results. Layer-by-layer deposition of Cu(Mn) films was successfully performed by alternating the deposition cycle-ratios of SLRR-Cu and UPD-Mn. The proposed self-limiting growth method offers a layer-by-layer wet chemistry-based deposition capability for fabricating Cu interconnects.

  5. Diamond-like carbon films deposited on polycarbonates by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Guo, C.T. [Department of Computer and Communication, Diwan College of Management, 72141 Taiwan (China)], E-mail: ctguo@dwu.edu.tw

    2008-04-30

    Diamond-like carbon films were coated on optical polycarbonate using plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. A mixture of SiH{sub 4} and CH{sub 4}/H{sub 2} gases was utilized to reduce the internal compressive stress of the deposited films. The structure of the DLC films was characterized as a function of film thickness using Raman spectroscopy. The dependence of G peak positions and the intensity ratio of I{sub D}/I{sub G} on the DLC film thicknesses was analyzed in detail. Other studies involving atomic force microscopy, ultraviolet visible spectrometry, and three adhesion tests were conducted. Good transparency in the visible region, and good adhesion between diamond-like carbon films and polycarbonate were demonstrated. One-time recordings before and after a DLC film was coated on compact rewritable disc substrates were analyzed as a case study. The results reveal that the diamond-like carbon film overcoating the optical polycarbonates effectively protects the storage media.

  6. Lanthanoid titanate film structure deposited at different temperatures in vacuum

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kushkov, V.D.; Zaslavskij, A.M.; Mel'nikov, A.V.; Zverlin, A.V.; Slivinskaya, A.Eh.

    1991-01-01

    Influence of deposition temperature on the structure of lanthanoid titanate films, prepared by the method of high-rate vacuum condensation. It is shown that formation of crystal structure, close to equilibrium samples, proceeds at 1100-1300 deg C deposition temperatures. Increase of temperature in this range promotes formation of films with higher degree of structural perfection. Amorphous films of lanthanoid titanates form at 200-1000 deg C. Deposition temperature shouldn't exceed 1400 deg C to prevent the formation of perovskite like phases in films

  7. P-type thin films transistors with solution-deposited lead sulfide films as semiconductor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Carrillo-Castillo, A.; Salas-Villasenor, A.; Mejia, I. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The University of Texas at Dallas. 800 West Campbell Rd, Richardson, TX 75083 (United States); Aguirre-Tostado, S. [Centro de Investigacion en Materiales Avanzados, S. C. Alianza Norte 202, Parque de Investigacion e Innovacion Tecnologica, Apodaca, Nuevo Leon, C.P. 666000 (Mexico); Gnade, B.E. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Texas at Dallas. 800 West Campbell Rd, Richardson, TX 75083 (United States); Quevedo-Lopez, M.A., E-mail: mxq071000@utdallas.edu [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Texas at Dallas. 800 West Campbell Rd, Richardson, TX 75083 (United States)

    2012-01-31

    In this paper we demonstrate p-type thin film transistors fabricated with lead sulfide (PbS) as semiconductor deposited by chemical bath deposition methods. Crystallinity and morphology of the resulting PbS films were characterized using X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Devices were fabricated using photolithographic processes in a bottom gate configuration with Au as source and drain top contacts. Field effect mobility for as-fabricated devices was {approx} 0.09 cm{sup 2} V{sup -1} s{sup -1} whereas the mobility for devices annealed at 150 Degree-Sign C/h in forming gas increased up to {approx} 0.14 cm{sup 2} V{sup -1} s{sup -1}. Besides the thermal annealing, the entire fabrications process was maintained below 100 Degree-Sign C. The electrical performance of the PbS-thin film transistors was studied before and after the 150 Degree-Sign C anneal as well as a function of the PbS active layer thicknesses. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Thin film transistors with PbS as semiconductor deposited by chemical bath deposition. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Photolithography-based thin film transistors with PbS films at low temperatures. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Electron mobility for anneal-PbS devices of {approx} 0.14 cm{sup 2} V{sup -1} s{sup -1}. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Highest mobility reported in thin film transistors with PbS as the semiconductor.

  8. Perovskite Thin Films via Atomic Layer Deposition

    KAUST Repository

    Sutherland, Brandon R.; Hoogland, Sjoerd; Adachi, Michael M.; Kanjanaboos, Pongsakorn; Wong, Chris T. O.; McDowell, Jeffrey J.; Xu, Jixian; Voznyy, Oleksandr; Ning, Zhijun; Houtepen, Arjan J.; Sargent, Edward H.

    2014-01-01

    © 2014 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA. (Graph Presented) A new method to deposit perovskite thin films that benefit from the thickness control and conformality of atomic layer deposition (ALD) is detailed. A seed layer of ALD PbS is place-exchanged with PbI2 and subsequently CH3NH3PbI3 perovskite. These films show promising optical properties, with gain coefficients of 3200 ± 830 cm-1.

  9. Perovskite Thin Films via Atomic Layer Deposition

    KAUST Repository

    Sutherland, Brandon R.

    2014-10-30

    © 2014 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA. (Graph Presented) A new method to deposit perovskite thin films that benefit from the thickness control and conformality of atomic layer deposition (ALD) is detailed. A seed layer of ALD PbS is place-exchanged with PbI2 and subsequently CH3NH3PbI3 perovskite. These films show promising optical properties, with gain coefficients of 3200 ± 830 cm-1.

  10. Evidence of coexistence of micro and nanoporosity of organo-silica polymeric films deposited on silicon by plasma deposition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Purohit, Viswas; Mielczarski, Ela; Mielczarski, Jerzy A.; Akesso, Laurent

    2013-01-01

    A range of hybrid, SiOCH films were deposited on silicon substrates within a radio frequency plasma reactor using hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDSO) as a precursor. The plasma polymerized films were deposited at various HMDSO/argon/oxygen ratios. The composition and structure, at microscopic and nanoscopic levels, of the deposited films were determined by external reflection and transmission Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy as well as by X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). The content of carbon and oxygen in films were found to be inversely proportional to each other. XPS results showed that the outermost surface of the deposited films are nanoporous and coexist with microporosity which was revealed by electron microscopy. The structure of deposited coatings is anisotropic as was documented by polarized external reflection FTIR spectroscopy. Several correlations between the film chemical composition, surface structure, and macroscopic properties of the films such as: hydrophobicity and hydrophilicity were established. - Highlights: • Hybrid organo-polymer silicon films deposited by RF plasma on silicon substrates. • FTIR and XPS reveal porosity by interpreting bonding between Si and –O. • Quantification of nano and microporosity are identified with bonding of Si with –O

  11. Evidence of coexistence of micro and nanoporosity of organo-silica polymeric films deposited on silicon by plasma deposition

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Purohit, Viswas, E-mail: vishwas.purohit@gmail.com [Laboratoire Environnment et Mineralurgie, UMR 7569 CNRS, INPL-ENSG, BP.40, 54501 Vandoeuvre-les-Nancy (France); Mielczarski, Ela; Mielczarski, Jerzy A. [Laboratoire Environnment et Mineralurgie, UMR 7569 CNRS, INPL-ENSG, BP.40, 54501 Vandoeuvre-les-Nancy (France); Akesso, Laurent [Teer Coatings Ltd., Droitwich, Worcestershire WR9 9AS (United Kingdom)

    2013-09-16

    A range of hybrid, SiOCH films were deposited on silicon substrates within a radio frequency plasma reactor using hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDSO) as a precursor. The plasma polymerized films were deposited at various HMDSO/argon/oxygen ratios. The composition and structure, at microscopic and nanoscopic levels, of the deposited films were determined by external reflection and transmission Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy as well as by X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). The content of carbon and oxygen in films were found to be inversely proportional to each other. XPS results showed that the outermost surface of the deposited films are nanoporous and coexist with microporosity which was revealed by electron microscopy. The structure of deposited coatings is anisotropic as was documented by polarized external reflection FTIR spectroscopy. Several correlations between the film chemical composition, surface structure, and macroscopic properties of the films such as: hydrophobicity and hydrophilicity were established. - Highlights: • Hybrid organo-polymer silicon films deposited by RF plasma on silicon substrates. • FTIR and XPS reveal porosity by interpreting bonding between Si and –O. • Quantification of nano and microporosity are identified with bonding of Si with –O.

  12. Structural surprises in friction-deposited films of poly(tetrafluoroethylene)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Breiby, Dag Werner; Sølling, Theis Ivan; Bunk, Oliver

    2005-01-01

    Thin films of poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE) produced by friction deposition were studied using grazing incidence X-ray diffraction as the principal tool. The structure of the deposited thin films was compared with that of the surface of the PTFE bar used for depositing the films. Both exhibited...... the 15/7 helix conformation characteristic of crystal PTFE phase IV. A high degree of biaxial orientation was found for the highly crystalline thin films. Whereas the unit cell of the bar surface material appeared to be single-stem hexagonal, the film displayed diffraction characteristics consistent...... the possibility of a continuous transition between the low-order single-stem hexagonal and the multistem high-order unit cell. The degree of chain orientation was much lower at the surface of the bar than in the thin film. A modification of the commonly accepted mechanism for the transfer of material from the bar...

  13. Catalytic Palladium Film Deposited by Scalable Low-Temperature Aqueous Combustion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Voskanyan, Albert A; Li, Chi-Ying Vanessa; Chan, Kwong-Yu

    2017-09-27

    This article describes a novel method for depositing a dense, high quality palladium thin film via a one-step aqueous combustion process which can be easily scaled up. Film deposition of Pd from aqueous solutions by conventional chemical or electrochemical methods is inhibited by hydrogen embrittlement, thus resulting in a brittle palladium film. The method outlined in this work allows a direct aqueous solution deposition of a mirror-bright, durable Pd film on substrates including glass and glassy carbon. This simple procedure has many advantages including a very high deposition rate (>10 cm 2 min -1 ) and a relatively low deposition temperature (250 °C), which makes it suitable for large-scale industrial applications. Although preparation of various high-quality oxide films has been successfully accomplished via solution combustion synthesis (SCS) before, this article presents the first report on direct SCS production of a metallic film. The mechanism of Pd film formation is discussed with the identification of a complex formed between palladium nitrate and glycine at low temperature. The catalytic properties and stability of films are successfully tested in alcohol electrooxidation and electrochemical oxygen reduction reaction. It was observed that combustion deposited Pd film on a glassy carbon electrode showed excellent catalytic activity in ethanol oxidation without using any binder or additive. We also report for the first time the concept of a reusable "catalytic flask" as illustrated by the Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reaction. The Pd film uniformly covers the inner walls of the flask and eliminates the catalyst separation step. We believe the innovative concept of a reusable catalytic flask is very promising and has the required features to become a commercial product in the future.

  14. Morphology evolution in spinel manganite films deposited from an aqueous solution

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ko, Song Won; Li, Jing; Trolier-McKinstry, Susan

    2012-01-01

    Spinel manganite films were deposited by the spin spray technique at low deposition temperatures ( 1000, agglomeration of small particles was dominant, which suggests that homogeneous nucleation is dominant during deposition. Heterogeneous nucleation was critical to obtain dense films. - Highlights: ► Film microstructure depends on supersaturation. ► Heterogeneous nucleation induces dense and continuous films. ► The spin spray technique enables use of a variety of substrates.

  15. Ultrashort pulse laser deposition of thin films

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perry, Michael D.; Banks, Paul S.; Stuart, Brent C.

    2002-01-01

    Short pulse PLD is a viable technique of producing high quality films with properties very close to that of crystalline diamond. The plasma generated using femtosecond lasers is composed of single atom ions with no clusters producing films with high Sp.sup.3 /Sp.sup.2 ratios. Using a high average power femtosecond laser system, the present invention dramatically increases deposition rates to up to 25 .mu.m/hr (which exceeds many CVD processes) while growing particulate-free films. In the present invention, deposition rates is a function of laser wavelength, laser fluence, laser spot size, and target/substrate separation. The relevant laser parameters are shown to ensure particulate-free growth, and characterizations of the films grown are made using several diagnostic techniques including electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) and Raman spectroscopy.

  16. CdS films deposited by chemical bath under rotation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oliva-Aviles, A.I.; Patino, R.; Oliva, A.I.

    2010-01-01

    Cadmium sulfide (CdS) films were deposited on rotating substrates by the chemical bath technique. The effects of the rotation speed on the morphological, optical, and structural properties of the films were discussed. A rotating substrate-holder was fabricated such that substrates can be taken out from the bath during the deposition. CdS films were deposited at different deposition times (10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 min) onto Corning glass substrates at different rotation velocities (150, 300, 450, and 600 rpm) during chemical deposition. The chemical bath was composed by CdCl 2 , KOH, NH 4 NO 3 and CS(NH 2 ) 2 as chemical reagents and heated at 75 deg. C. The results show no critical effects on the band gap energy and the surface roughness of the CdS films when the rotation speed changes. However, a linear increase on the deposition rate with the rotation energy was observed, meanwhile the stoichiometry was strongly affected by the rotation speed, resulting a better 1:1 Cd/S ratio as speed increases. Rotation effects may be of interest in industrial production of CdTe/CdS solar cells.

  17. CdS films deposited by chemical bath under rotation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Oliva-Aviles, A.I., E-mail: aoliva@mda.cinvestav.mx [Centro de Investigacion y de Estudios Avanzados Unidad Merida, Departamento de Fisica Aplicada. A.P. 73-Cordemex, 97310 Merida, Yucatan (Mexico); Patino, R.; Oliva, A.I. [Centro de Investigacion y de Estudios Avanzados Unidad Merida, Departamento de Fisica Aplicada. A.P. 73-Cordemex, 97310 Merida, Yucatan (Mexico)

    2010-08-01

    Cadmium sulfide (CdS) films were deposited on rotating substrates by the chemical bath technique. The effects of the rotation speed on the morphological, optical, and structural properties of the films were discussed. A rotating substrate-holder was fabricated such that substrates can be taken out from the bath during the deposition. CdS films were deposited at different deposition times (10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 min) onto Corning glass substrates at different rotation velocities (150, 300, 450, and 600 rpm) during chemical deposition. The chemical bath was composed by CdCl{sub 2}, KOH, NH{sub 4}NO{sub 3} and CS(NH{sub 2}){sub 2} as chemical reagents and heated at 75 deg. C. The results show no critical effects on the band gap energy and the surface roughness of the CdS films when the rotation speed changes. However, a linear increase on the deposition rate with the rotation energy was observed, meanwhile the stoichiometry was strongly affected by the rotation speed, resulting a better 1:1 Cd/S ratio as speed increases. Rotation effects may be of interest in industrial production of CdTe/CdS solar cells.

  18. Picosecond and subpicosecond pulsed laser deposition of Pb thin films

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    F. Gontad

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available Pb thin films were deposited on Nb substrates by means of pulsed laser deposition (PLD with UV radiation (248 nm, in two different ablation regimes: picosecond (5 ps and subpicosecond (0.5 ps. Granular films with grain size on the micron scale have been obtained, with no evidence of large droplet formation. All films presented a polycrystalline character with preferential orientation along the (111 crystalline planes. A maximum quantum efficiency (QE of 7.3×10^{-5} (at 266 nm and 7 ns pulse duration was measured, after laser cleaning, demonstrating good photoemission performance for Pb thin films deposited by ultrashort PLD. Moreover, Pb thin film photocathodes have maintained their QE for days, providing excellent chemical stability and durability. These results suggest that Pb thin films deposited on Nb by ultrashort PLD are a noteworthy alternative for the fabrication of photocathodes for superconductive radio-frequency electron guns. Finally, a comparison with the characteristics of Pb films prepared by ns PLD is illustrated and discussed.

  19. Optical materials technology for energy efficiency and solar energy conversion III; Proceedings of the Meeting, San Diego, CA, August 21-23, 1984

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lampert, C. M.

    1984-01-01

    Transparent heat mirror films are discussed, taking into account bandgap widening in heavily doped oxide semiconductors used as transparent heat-reflectors, the characterization of a low emissivity coating in large scale production, an exact analysis of radiative and conductive heat transfer through radiative gray films, and process control for sputter deposition of low emissivity films in large scale production. Other topics explored are related to optical switching materials, selective absorber coatings, general solar optical materials and instrumentation, and technical needs of the energy related coatings industry and the building sciences. Attention is given to electrochromic coatings for 'smart windows', materials for electrochromic windows, optical frequencies free electron scattering studies on electrochromic materials for variable reflectivity windows, progress on solar absorber selective paint research, complex index interference films on metal substrates, luminescent solar concentrator daylighting, and research on passive solar materials in Canada.

  20. Recent progress of obliquely deposited thin films for industrial applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suzuki, Motofumi; Itoh, Tadayoshi; Taga, Yasunori

    1999-06-01

    More than 10 years ago, birefringent films of metal oxides were formed by oblique vapor deposition and investigated with a view of their application to optical retardation plates. The retardation function of the films was explained in terms of the birefringence caused by the characteristic anisotropic nanostructure inside the films. These films are now classified in the genre of the so-called sculptured thin films. However, the birefringent films thus prepared are not yet industrialized even now due to the crucial lack of the durability and the yield of products. In this review paper, we describe the present status of application process of the retardation films to the information systems such as compact disc and digital versatile disc devices with a special emphasis on the uniformity of retardation properties in a large area and the stability of the optical properties of the obliquely deposited thin films. Finally, further challenges for wide application of the obliquely deposited thin films are also discussed.

  1. Morphological Characteristics of Au Films Deposited on Ti: A Combined SEM-AFM Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Francesco Ruffino

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Deposited Au films and coatings are, nowadays, routinely used as active or passive elements in several innovative electronic, optoelectronic, sensing, and energy devices. In these devices, the physical properties of the Au films are strongly determined by the films nanoscale structure. In addition, in these devices, often, a layer of Ti is employed to promote adhesion and, so, influencing the nanoscale structure of the deposited Au film. In this work, we present experimental analysis on the nanoscale cross-section and surface morphology of Au films deposited on Ti. In particular, we sputter-deposited thick (>100 nm thickness Au films on Ti foils and we used Scanning Electron Microscopy to analyze the films cross-sectional and surface morphology as a function of the Au film thickness and deposition angle. In addition, we analyzed the Au films surface morphology by Atomic Force Microscopy which allowed quantifying the films surface roughness versus the film thickness and deposition angle. The results establish a relation between the Au films cross-sectional and surface morphologies and surface roughness to the film thickness and deposition angle. These results allow setting a general working framework to obtain Au films on Ti with specific morphological and topographic properties for desired applications in which the Ti adhesion layer is needed for Au.

  2. Fabrication and characterization of vacuum deposited fluorescein thin films

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jalkanen, Pasi, E-mail: pasi.jalkanen@gmail.co [University of Jyvaeskylae, Department of Physics, Nanoscience center (NSC), P.O. Box 35, FI-40014 Jyvaeskylae (Finland); Kulju, Sampo, E-mail: sampo.j.kulju@jyu.f [University of Jyvaeskylae, Department of Physics, Nanoscience center (NSC), P.O. Box 35, FI-40014 Jyvaeskylae (Finland); Arutyunov, Konstantin, E-mail: konstantin.arutyunov@jyu.f [University of Jyvaeskylae, Department of Physics, Nanoscience center (NSC), P.O. Box 35, FI-40014 Jyvaeskylae (Finland); Antila, Liisa, E-mail: liisa.j.antila@jyu.f [University of Jyvaeskylae, Department of Chemistry, Nanoscience center (NSC) P.O. Box 35, FI-40014 Jyvaeskylae (Finland); Myllyperkioe, Pasi, E-mail: pasi.myllyperkio@jyu.f [University of Jyvaeskylae, Department of Chemistry, Nanoscience center (NSC) P.O. Box 35, FI-40014 Jyvaeskylae (Finland); Ihalainen, Teemu, E-mail: teemu.o.ihalainen@jyu.f [University of Jyvaeskylae, Department of Biology, Nanoscience center (NSC), P.O. Box 35, FI-40014 Jyvaeskylae (Finland); Kaeaeriaeinen, Tommi, E-mail: tommi.kaariainen@lut.f [Lappeenranta University of Technology, ASTRal, P.O. Box 181, FI-50101 Mikkeli (Finland); Kaeaeriaeinen, Marja-Leena, E-mail: marja-leena.kaariainen@lut.f [Lappeenranta University of Technology, ASTRal, P.O. Box 181, FI-50101 Mikkeli (Finland); Korppi-Tommola, Jouko, E-mail: jouko.korppi-tommola@jyu.f [University of Jyvaeskylae, Department of Biology, Nanoscience center (NSC), P.O. Box 35, FI-40014 Jyvaeskylae (Finland)

    2011-03-31

    Simple vacuum evaporation technique for deposition of dyes on various solid surfaces has been developed. The method is compatible with conventional solvent-free nanofabrication processing enabling fabrication of nanoscale optoelectronic devices. Thin films of fluorescein were deposited on glass, fluorine-tin-oxide (FTO) coated glass with and without atomically layer deposited (ALD) nanocrystalline 20 nm thick anatase TiO{sub 2} coating. Surface topology, absorption and emission spectra of the films depend on their thickness and the material of supporting substrate. On a smooth glass surface the dye initially forms islands before merging into a uniform layer after 5 to 10 monolayers. On FTO covered glass the absorption spectra are similar to fluorescein solution in ethanol. Absorption spectra on ALD-TiO{sub 2} is red shifted compared to the film deposited on bare FTO. The corresponding emission spectra at {lambda} = 458 nm excitation show various thickness and substrate dependent features, while the emission of films deposited on TiO{sub 2} is quenched due to the effective electron transfer to the semiconductor conduction band.

  3. Physical properties of chemical vapour deposited nanostructured carbon thin films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mahadik, D.B.; Shinde, S.S.; Bhosale, C.H.; Rajpure, K.Y.

    2011-01-01

    Research highlights: In the present paper, nanostructured carbon films are grown using a natural precursor 'turpentine oil (C 10 H 16 )' as a carbon source in the simple thermal chemical vapour deposition method. The influence of substrate surface topography (viz. stainless steel, fluorine doped tin oxide coated quartz) and temperature on the evolution of carbon allotropes surfaces topography/microstructural and structural properties are investigated and discussed. - Abstract: A simple thermal chemical vapour deposition technique is employed for the deposition of carbon films by pyrolysing the natural precursor 'turpentine oil' on to the stainless steel (SS) and FTO coated quartz substrates at higher temperatures (700-1100 deg. C). In this work, we have studied the influence of substrate and deposition temperature on the evolution of structural and morphological properties of nanostructured carbon films. The films were characterized by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), contact angle measurements, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and Raman spectroscopy techniques. XRD study reveals that the films are polycrystalline exhibiting hexagonal and face-centered cubic structures on SS and FTO coated glass substrates respectively. SEM images show the porous and agglomerated surface of the films. Deposited carbon films show the hydrophobic nature. FTIR study displays C-H and O-H stretching vibration modes in the films. Raman analysis shows that, high ID/IG for FTO substrate confirms the dominance of sp 3 bonds with diamond phase and less for SS shows graphitization effect with dominant sp 2 bonds. It reveals the difference in local microstructure of carbon deposits leading to variation in contact angle and hardness, which is ascribed to difference in the packing density of carbon films, as observed also by Raman.

  4. Pulsed laser deposition and characterization of multilayer metal-carbon thin films

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Siraj, K., E-mail: khurram.uet@gmail.com [Advance Physics Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore (Pakistan); Khaleeq-ur-Rahman, M.; Rafique, M.S.; Munawar, M.Z. [Advance Physics Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore (Pakistan); Naseem, S.; Riaz, S. [Center for Solid State Physics, University of Punjab, Lahore (Pakistan)

    2011-05-15

    Cobalt-DLC multilayer films were deposited with increasing content of cobalt, keeping carbon content constant by pulsed laser deposition technique. A cobalt free carbon film was also deposited for comparison. Excimer laser was employed to ablate the materials onto silicon substrate, kept at 250 deg. C, while post-deposition annealing at 400 deg. C was also performed in situ. The formation of cobalt grains within the carbon matrix in Co-DLC films can be seen through scanning electron and atomic force micrographs while no grains on the surface of the cobalt-free DLC film were observed. Raman spectra of all the films show D- and G-bands, which is a confirmation that the films are DLC in nature. According to Vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) measurements, the DLC films with cobalt revealed ferromagnetic behaviour whereas the cobalt free DLC film exhibited diamagnetic behaviour. The pure DLC film also shows ferromagnetic nature when diamagnetic background is subtracted. Spectroscopic Ellipsometry (SE) analysis showed that the optical band gaps, refractive indices and extinction coefficients of Co-DLC films can be effectively tuned with increasing content of cobalt.

  5. Pulsed laser deposition and characterization of multilayer metal-carbon thin films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Siraj, K.; Khaleeq-ur-Rahman, M.; Rafique, M.S.; Munawar, M.Z.; Naseem, S.; Riaz, S.

    2011-01-01

    Cobalt-DLC multilayer films were deposited with increasing content of cobalt, keeping carbon content constant by pulsed laser deposition technique. A cobalt free carbon film was also deposited for comparison. Excimer laser was employed to ablate the materials onto silicon substrate, kept at 250 deg. C, while post-deposition annealing at 400 deg. C was also performed in situ. The formation of cobalt grains within the carbon matrix in Co-DLC films can be seen through scanning electron and atomic force micrographs while no grains on the surface of the cobalt-free DLC film were observed. Raman spectra of all the films show D- and G-bands, which is a confirmation that the films are DLC in nature. According to Vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) measurements, the DLC films with cobalt revealed ferromagnetic behaviour whereas the cobalt free DLC film exhibited diamagnetic behaviour. The pure DLC film also shows ferromagnetic nature when diamagnetic background is subtracted. Spectroscopic Ellipsometry (SE) analysis showed that the optical band gaps, refractive indices and extinction coefficients of Co-DLC films can be effectively tuned with increasing content of cobalt.

  6. Plasma deposition of polymer composite films incorporating nanocellulose whiskers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Samyn, P.; Airoudj, A.; Laborie, M.-P.; Mathew, A. P.; Roucoules, V.

    2011-11-01

    In a trend for sustainable engineering and functionalization of surfaces, we explore the possibilities of gas phase processes to deposit nanocomposite films. From an analysis of pulsed plasma polymerization of maleic anhydride in the presence of nanocellulose whiskers, it seems that thin nanocomposite films can be deposited with various patterns. By specifically modifying plasma parameters such as total power, duty cycle, and monomer gas pressure, the nanocellulose whiskers are either incorporated into a buckled polymer film or single nanocellulose whiskers are deposited on top of a polymeric film. The density of the latter can be controlled by modifying the exact positioning of the substrate in the reactor. The resulting morphologies are evaluated by optical microscopy, AFM, contact angle measurements and ellipsometry.

  7. Deposition of Au/TiO2 film by pulsed laser

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhao Chongjun; Zhao Quanzhong; Zhao Qitao; Qiu Jianrong; Zhu Congshan

    2006-01-01

    Au nanoparticles, which were photoreduced by a Nd:YAG laser in HAuCl 4 solution containing TiO 2 colloid and accompanied by the TiO 2 particles, were deposited on the substrate surface. The film consisting of Au/TiO 2 particles was characterized by the absorption spectra, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. The adhesion between the film and substrate was evaluated by using adhesive tape test. It was found that the presence of TiO 2 dramatically enhanced the adhesion strength between the film and the substrate, as well as the deposition rate of film. The mechanism for the deposition of Au/TiO 2 film was also discussed

  8. Induced Recrystallization of CdTe Thin Films Deposited by Close-Spaced Sublimation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mayo, B.

    1998-01-01

    We have deposited CdTe thin films by close-spaced sublimation at two different temperature ranges. The films deposited at the lower temperature partially recrystallized after CdCl2 treatment at 350C and completely recrystallized after the same treatment at 400C. The films deposited at higher temperature did not recrystallize at these two temperatures. These results confirmed that the mechanisms responsible for changes in physical properties of CdTe films treated with CdCl2 are recrystallization and grain growth, and provided an alternative method to deposit CSS films using lower temperatures

  9. Characterization of thin CeO{sub 2} films electrochemically deposited on HOPG

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Faisal, Firas [Lehrstuhl für Physikalische Chemie II, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Egerlandstrasse 3, 91058 Erlangen (Germany); Toghan, Arafat, E-mail: arafat.toghan@yahoo.com [Lehrstuhl für Physikalische Chemie II, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Egerlandstrasse 3, 91058 Erlangen (Germany); Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, South Valley University, 83523 Qena (Egypt); Khalakhan, Ivan; Vorokhta, Mykhailo; Matolin, Vladimír [Department of Surface and Plasma Science, Charles University in Prague, V Holešovičkách 747/2, 180 00 Prague 8 (Czech Republic); Libuda, Jörg [Lehrstuhl für Physikalische Chemie II, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Egerlandstrasse 3, 91058 Erlangen (Germany); Erlangen Catalysis Resource Center, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Egerlandstrasse 3, 91058 Erlangen (Germany)

    2015-09-30

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Preparation of proton exchange membrane fuel cells catalyst using electrochemical thin film deposition. • Electrodeposition thin films of CeO{sub 2} on HOPG substrates. • The samples were characterized by in-situ AFM and ex-situ XPS. • XPS results reveal that the electrochemically deposited cerium oxide films are stoichiometric. • Exposing the films to ambient air, cracking structures are formed. - Abstract: Electrodeposition is widely used for industrial applications to deposit thin films, coatings, and adhesion layers. Herein, CeO{sub 2} thin films were deposited on a highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) substrate by cathodic electrodeposition. The influence of the deposition parameters on the yield and on the film morphology is studied and discussed. Morphology and composition of the electrodeposited films were characterized by in-situ atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). By AFM we show that the thickness of CeO{sub 2} films can be controlled via the Ce{sup 3+} concentration in solution and the deposition time. After exposing the films to ambient air, cracking structures are formed, which were analyzed by AFM in detail. The chemical composition of the deposits was analyzed by XPS indicating the formation of nearly stoichiometric CeO{sub 2}.

  10. FORMATION AND ELECTROCHEMICAL BEHAVIOUR OF POLYION COMPLEXES FOR ELECTROCHROMIC DISPLAY MATERIAL

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    WAN Guoxiang; WANG Bing; DENG Zhenghua; LUO Chunqiao

    1988-01-01

    Formation of intermacromolecular complexes containing viologen and electron-transfer reaction occurred on the electrode modified by the complex films were studied. Compositions and morphology of the complexes depend on the properties of polyanion and chemical environment of complexation. The analytical results of cyclic voltammetry (CV) and rotating disk voltammetry(RDV) indicated: (1) active sites of viologen in network of complexes transferred single electron reversibly; (2) the redox peak currents showed excellent symmetry and stability; (3) redox potentials were related to properties of polyanions, varying from -0.4 to -0.6V (vs. SCE). Electrochromic materials with different displaying colors could be obtained by changing the structure of polyviologen.

  11. Photocatalytic activity of tin-doped TiO{sub 2} film deposited via aerosol assisted chemical vapor deposition

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chua, Chin Sheng, E-mail: cschua@simtech.a-star.edu.sg [School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, 639798 (Singapore); Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology, 71 Nanyang Drive, 638075 (Singapore); Tan, Ooi Kiang; Tse, Man Siu [School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, 639798 (Singapore); Ding, Xingzhao [Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology, 71 Nanyang Drive, 638075 (Singapore)

    2013-10-01

    Tin-doped TiO{sub 2} films are deposited via aerosol assisted chemical vapor deposition using a precursor mixture composing of titanium tetraisopropoxide and tetrabutyl tin. The amount of tin doping in the deposited films is controlled by the volume % concentration ratio of tetrabutyl tin over titanium tetraisopropoxide in the mixed precursor solution. X-ray diffraction analysis results reveal that the as-deposited films are composed of pure anatase TiO{sub 2} phase. Red-shift in the absorbance spectra is observed attributed to the introduction of Sn{sup 4+} band states below the conduction band of TiO{sub 2}. The effect of tin doping on the photocatalytic property of TiO{sub 2} films is studied through the degradation of stearic acid under UV light illumination. It is found that there is a 10% enhancement on the degradation rate of stearic acid for the film with 3.8% tin doping in comparison with pure TiO{sub 2} film. This improvement of photocatalytic performance with tin incorporation could be ascribed to the reduction of electron-hole recombination rate through charge separation and an increased amount of OH radicals which are crucial for the degradation of stearic acid. Further increase in tin doping results in the formation of recombination site and large anatase grains, which leads to a decrease in the degradation rate. - Highlights: ► Deposition of tin-doped TiO{sub 2} film via aerosol assisted chemical vapor depositionDeposited anatase films show red-shifted in UV–vis spectrum with tin-dopants. ► Photoactivity improves at low tin concentration but reduces at higher concentration. ► Improvement in photoactivity due to bandgap narrowing from Sn{sup 4+} band states ► Maximum photoactivity achieved occurs for films with 3.8% tin doping.

  12. Effects of Fluoro Substitution on the Electrochromic Performance of Alternating Benzotriazole and Benzothiadiazole-Based Donor–Acceptor Type Copolymers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yan Zhang

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Two new donor–acceptor type electrochromic copolymers containing non-fluorinated and di-fluorinated benzothiadiazole analogues, namely P(TBT-TBTh and P(TBT-F-TBTh, were synthesized successfully through chemical polymerization. Both polymers were measured by cyclic voltammetry, UV-vis spectroscopy, colorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis to study the influence of fluoro substitution on the electrochromic performance. The results demonstrated that the two polymer films displayed well-defined redox peaks in pairs during the p-type doping, and showed distinct color change from dark gray blue to light green for P(TBT-TBTh with the band gap of 1.51 eV, and from gray blue to celandine green for P(TBT-F-TBTh with the band gap of 1.58 eV. P(TBT-F-TBTh presented lower highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO energy levels, and better stability than P(TBT-TBTh. It was found that the two fluorine atoms participated in not only inductive effects but also mesomeric effects in the P(TBT-F-TBTh backbone. In addition, the polymers exhibited high optical contrasts, short response time, and favorable coloration efficiency, especially in the near infrared region. The characterization results indicated that the two reported polymers can be the potential choice as electrochromic materials.

  13. Iron films deposited on porous alumina substrates

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yamada, Yasuhiro, E-mail: yyasu@rs.kagu.tus.ac.jp; Tanabe, Kenichi; Nishida, Naoki [Tokyo University of Science (Japan); Kobayashi, Yoshio [The University of Electro-Communications (Japan)

    2016-12-15

    Iron films were deposited on porous alumina substrates using an arc plasma gun. The pore sizes (120 – 250 nm) of the substrates were controlled by changing the temperature during the anodic oxidation of aluminum plates. Iron atoms penetrated into pores with diameters of less than 160 nm, and were stabilized by forming γ-Fe, whereas α-Fe was produced as a flat plane covering the pores. For porous alumina substrates with pore sizes larger than 200 nm, the deposited iron films contained many defects and the resulting α-Fe had smaller hyperfine magnetic fields. In addition, only a very small amount of γ-Fe was obtained. It was demonstrated that the composition and structure of an iron film can be affected by the surface morphology of the porous alumina substrate on which the film is grown.

  14. Aerosol deposition of (Cu,Ti) substituted bismuth vanadate films

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Exner, Jörg, E-mail: Functional.Materials@Uni-Bayreuth.de [University of Bayreuth, Department of Functional Materials, Universitätsstraße 30, 95440 Bayreuth (Germany); Fuierer, Paul [Materials and Metallurgical Engineering Department, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Socorro, NM 87801 (United States); Moos, Ralf [University of Bayreuth, Department of Functional Materials, Universitätsstraße 30, 95440 Bayreuth (Germany)

    2014-12-31

    Bismuth vanadate, Bi{sub 4}V{sub 2}O{sub 11}, and related compounds with various metal (Me) substitutions, Bi{sub 4}(Me{sub x}V{sub 1−x}){sub 2}O{sub 11−δ}, show some of the highest ionic conductivities among the known solid oxide electrolytes. Films of Cu and Ti substituted bismuth vanadate were prepared by an aerosol deposition method, a spray coating process also described as room temperature impact consolidation. Resultant films, several microns in thickness, were dense with good adhesion to the substrate. Scanning electron microscopy and high temperature X-ray diffraction were used to monitor the effects of temperature on the structure and microstructure of the film. The particle size remained nano-scale while microstrain decreased rapidly up to 500 °C, above which coarsening and texturing increased rapidly. Impedance measurements of films deposited on inter-digital electrodes revealed an annealing effect on the ionic conductivity, with the conductivity exceeding that of a screen printed film, and approaching that of bulk ceramic. - Highlights: • Cu and Ti doped bismuth vanadate films were prepared by aerosol deposition (AD). • Dense 3–5 μm thick films were deposited on alumina, silicon and gold electrodes. • Annealing of the AD-layer increases the conductivity by 1.5 orders of magnitude. • Effect of temperature on structure and microstructure was investigated.

  15. Thermionic vacuum arc (TVA) technique for magnesium thin film deposition

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Balbag, M.Z., E-mail: zbalbag@ogu.edu.t [Eskisehir Osmangazi University, Education Faculty, Primary Education, Meselik Campus, Eskisehir 26480 (Turkey); Pat, S.; Ozkan, M.; Ekem, N. [Eskisehir Osmangazi University, Art and Science Faculty, Physics Department, Eskisehir 26480 (Turkey); Musa, G. [Ovidius University, Physics Department, Constanta (Romania)

    2010-08-15

    In this study, magnesium thin films were deposited on glass substrate by the Thermionic Vacuum Arc (TVA) technique for the first time. We present a different technique for deposition of high-quality magnesium thin films. By means of this technique, the production of films is achieved by condensing the plasma of anode material generated using Thermionic Vacuum Arc (TVA) under high vacuum conditions onto the surface to be coated. The crystal orientation and morphology of the deposited films were investigated by using XRD, EDX, SEM and AFM. The aim of this study is to search the use of TVA technique to coat magnesium thin films and to determine some of the physical properties of the films generated. Furthermore, this study will contribute to the scientific studies which search the thin films of magnesium or the compounds containing magnesium. In future, this study will be preliminary work to entirely produce magnesium diboride (MgB{sub 2}) superconductor thin film with the TVA technique.

  16. Metal-doped diamond-like carbon films synthesized by filter-arc deposition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Weng, K.-W.; Chen, Y.-C.; Lin, T.-N.; Wang, D.-Y.

    2006-01-01

    Diamond-like carbon (DLC) thin films are extensively utilized in the semiconductor, electric and cutting machine industries owing to their high hardness, high elastic modulus, low friction coefficients and high chemical stability. DLC films are prepared by ion beam-assisted deposition (BAD), sputter deposition, plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), cathodic arc evaporation (CAE), and filter arc deposition (FAD). The major drawbacks of these methods are the degraded hardness associated with the low sp 3 /sp 2 bonding ratio, the rough surface and poor adhesion caused by the presence of particles. In this study, a self-developed filter arc deposition (FAD) system was employed to prepare metal-containing DLC films with a low particle density. The relationships between the DLC film properties, such as film structure, surface morphology and mechanical behavior, with variation of substrate bias and target current, are examined. Experimental results demonstrate that FAD-DLC films have a lower ratio, suggesting that FAD-DLC films have a greater sp 3 bonding than the CAE-DLC films. FAD-DLC films also exhibit a low friction coefficient of 0.14 and half of the number of surface particles as in the CAE-DLC films. Introducing a CrN interfacial layer between the substrate and the DLC films enables the magnetic field strength of the filter to be controlled to improve the adhesion and effectively eliminate the contaminating particles. Accordingly, the FAD system improves the tribological properties of the DLC films

  17. Cracking and delamination of vapor-deposited tantalum films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fisher, R.M.; Duan, J.Z.; Liu, J.B.

    1990-01-01

    This paper reports on tantalum films which begin to crack and spall during vapor deposition on glass at a thickness of 180 nm. Islands and ribbons, 10 - 30 μm in size, delaminate by crack growth along the Ta/glass interface for several μm after which the crack penetrates into the glass to a depth of 0.5 - 1 μm and complete spalling occurs. X-ray diffraction showed that about 50% of the original bct, β-tantalum, phase had transformed to the bcc α-Ta phase. When Ta was deposited on glass that was first covered with 52 nm of copper, spalling was observed to begin at a thickness of 105 nm. In this case, the film first cracks and then peels along the Cu/glass interface and curls into scrolls indicating the presence of a small stress gradient. X-ray diffraction of the as-deposited film, and electron diffraction of ion-milled flakes, showed that the Ta films deposited on Cu-coated glass almost completely transform to bcc α-Ta. The critical thickness for delamination along the Cu/glass interface is about 1/2 that for cracking in the glass substrate when an intermediate layer of Cu is not present. All of the above findings are in good agreement with previous observations on Cr films

  18. Effect of argon addition into oxygen atmosphere on YBCO thin films deposition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mozhaev, P. B.; Borisenko, I. V.; Ovsyannikov, G. A.; Kuehle, A.; Bindslev-Hansen, J.; Johannes, L.; Skov, J. L.

    2002-01-01

    Multicomponent nature of the YBa 2 Cu 3 O x (YBCO) high-temperature superconductor makes difficult fabrication of smooth thin films: every local deviation from stoichiometry can result in seeding of a non-superconducting oxide particle. High density of such particles on typical YBCO thin film surface, however, presumes overall non-stoichiometry of the film. Such an effect can result from (i) non-uniform material transport from target to substrate, and (ii) re-evaporation or re-sputtering from the growing film surface. The first reason is more usual for laser ablation deposition technique, the second is typical for long sputtering deposition processes. Substitution of oxygen with argon in the deposition atmosphere improves surface quality of YBCO thin films deposited both by laser ablation and DC-sputtering at high pressure techniques. In the first case, the ablated species are scattered different ways in the oxygen atmosphere. Addition of argon decreases the inelastic scattering of barium; the proper part of Ar in the deposition atmosphere makes scattering and, hence, transport of all atoms uniform. The YBCO films deposited by DC-sputtering at high pressure technique are Ba-deficient also, but the reason is re-sputtering of Ba from the growing film as a result of negative oxygen ions bombardment. Such bombardment can lead also to chemical interaction of the deposited material with the substrate, as in the case of deposition of YBCO thin film on the CeO 2 buffer layer on sapphire. Substitution of oxygen with argon not only suppresses ion bombardment of the film, but also increases discharge stability due to presence of positive Ar + ions. The limiting factor of argon substitution is sufficient oxygenation of the growing oxide film. When oxygen partial pressure is too small, the superconducting quality of the YBCO thin film decreases and such a decrease cannot be overcome by prolonged oxygenation after deposition. (Authors)

  19. Ga–Ge–Te amorphous thin films fabricated by pulsed laser deposition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Němec, P.; Nazabal, V.; Dussauze, M.; Ma, H.-L.; Bouyrie, Y.; Zhang, X.-H.

    2013-01-01

    UV pulsed laser deposition was employed for the fabrication of amorphous Ga–Ge–Te thin films. The local structure of the bulk glasses as well as corresponding thin films was studied using Raman scattering spectroscopy; the main structural motifs were found to be [GeTe 4 ], eventually [GaTe 4 ] corner-sharing tetrahedra and disordered Te chains. Optical functions of the films (refractive index, extinction coefficient) were characterized by variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry. Photostability experiments showed all Ga–Ge–Te laser deposited films to be stable against 1550 nm laser irradiation in an as-deposited state. In an annealed state, the most photostable composition seems to be Ga 10 Ge 15 Te 75 . This particular composition was further studied from the point of view of thermal stability and stability against ageing in as-deposited state. - Highlights: ► Pulsed laser deposition was used for fabrication of amorphous Ga–Ge–Te thin films. ► GeTe 4 , eventually GaTe 4 tetrahedra and disordered Te chains form the film structure. ► Optical functions of Ge–Ga–Te films were characterized by spectroscopic ellipsometry. ► All as-deposited Ga–Ge–Te thin films are stable against 1550 nm irradiation. ► In annealed state, the most photostable composition seems to be Ga 10 Ge 15 Te 75

  20. Electron-beam deposition of vanadium dioxide thin films

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Marvel, R.E.; Appavoo, K. [Vanderbilt University, Interdisciplinary Materials Science Program, Nashville, TN (United States); Choi, B.K. [Vanderbilt University, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Nashville, TN (United States); Nag, J. [Vanderbilt University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Nashville, TN (United States); Haglund, R.F. [Vanderbilt University, Interdisciplinary Materials Science Program, Nashville, TN (United States); Vanderbilt University, Institute for Nanoscale Science and Engineering, Nashville, TN (United States); Vanderbilt University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Nashville, TN (United States)

    2013-06-15

    Developing a reliable and efficient fabrication method for phase-transition thin-film technology is critical for electronic and photonic applications. We demonstrate a novel method for fabricating polycrystalline, switchable vanadium dioxide thin films on glass and silicon substrates and show that the optical switching contrast is not strongly affected by post-processing annealing times. The method relies on electron-beam evaporation of a nominally stoichiometric powder, followed by fast annealing. As a result of the short annealing procedure we demonstrate that films deposited on silicon substrates appear to be smoother, in comparison to pulsed laser deposition and sputtering. However, optical performance of e-beam evaporated film on silicon is affected by annealing time, in contrast to glass. (orig.)

  1. Metalorganic atomic layer deposition of TiN thin films using TDMAT and NH3

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Hyo Kyeom; Kim, Ju Youn; Park, Jin Yong; Kim, Yang Do; Kim, Young Do; Jeon, Hyeong Tag; Kim, Won Mok

    2002-01-01

    TiN films were deposited by using the metalorganic atomic layer deposition (MOALD) method using tetrakis-dimethyl-amino-titanium (TDMAT) as the titanium precursor and ammonia (NH 3 ) as the reactant gas. Two saturated TiN film growth regions were observed in the temperature ranges from 175 and 190 .deg. C and from 200 and 210 .deg. C. TiN films deposited by the MOALD technique showed relatively lower carbon content than films deposited by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) method. TiN films deposited at around 200 .deg. C under standard conditions showed the resistivity values as low as 500 μΩ-cm, which is about one order lower than the values for TiN films deposited by MOCVD using TDMAT or TDMAT with NH 3 . Also, the carbon incorporation and the resistivity were further decreased with increasing Ar purge time and flow rate. TiN films deposited at temperature below 300 .deg. C showed amorphous characteristics. TiN film deposited on contact holes, about 0.4-μm wide and 0.8-μm deep, by using the MOALD method showed excellent conformal deposition with almost 100% step coverage. This study demonstrates that the processing parameters need to be carefully controlled to optimize the film properties that the processing parameters need to be carefully controlled to optimize the film properties when using the ALD technique and that TiN films deposited by using the MOALD method exhibited excellent film properties compared to those of films deposited by using other CVD methods

  2. Formation of aluminum films on silicon by ion beam deposition: a comparison with ionized cluster beam deposition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zuhr, R.A.; Haynes, T.E.; Galloway, M.D.; Tanaka, S.; Yamada, A.; Yamada, I.

    1991-01-01

    The direct ion beam deposition (IBD) technique has been used to study the formation of oriented aluminum films on single crystal silicon substrates. In the IBD process, thin film growth is accomplished by decelerating a magnetically analyzed ion beam to low energies (10-200 eV) for direct deposition onto the substrate under UHV conditions. The aluminum-on-silicon system is one which has been studied extensively by ionized cluster beam (ICB) deposition. This technique has produced intriguing results for aluminum, with oriented crystalline films being formed at room temperature in spite of the 25% mismatch in lattice constant between aluminum and silicon. In this work, we have studied the formation of such films by IBD, with emphasis on the effects of ion energy, substrate temperature, and surface cleanliness. Oriented films have been grown on Si(111) at temperatures from 40 to 300degC and with ion energies of 30-120 eV per ion. Completed films were analyzed by ion scattering, X-ray diffraction, scanning-electron microscopy, and optical microscopy. Results achieved for thin films grown by IBD are comparable to those for similar films grown by ICB deposition. (orig.)

  3. Study on the electrical properties of ITO films deposited by facing target sputter deposition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Youn J; Jin, Su B; Kim, Sung I; Choi, Yoon S; Choi, In S; Han, Jeon G

    2009-01-01

    This study examined the mechanism for the change in the electrical properties (carrier concentration (n) and mobility (μ)) of tin-doped indium oxide (ITO) films deposited by magnetron sputtering in a confined facing magnetic field. The relationship between the carrier concentration and the mobility was significantly different from the results reported for ITO films deposited by other magnetron sputtering processes. The lowest resistivity obtained for ITO films deposited in a confined facing magnetic field at low substrate temperatures (approximately 120 0 C) was 4.26 x 10 -4 Ω cm at a power density of 3 W cm -2 . Crystalline ITO films were obtained at a low power density range from 3 to 5 W cm -2 due to the increase in the substrate temperature from 120 to 162 0 C. This contributed to the increased carrier concentration and decreased electrical resistivity. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed an increase in the concentration of the Sn 4+ states. This was attributed to the formation of a crystalline ITO film, which effectively enhanced the carrier concentration and reduced the carrier mobility.

  4. SEM and XPS study of layer-by-layer deposited polypyrrole thin films

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pigois-Landureau, E.; Nicolau, Y. F.; Delamar, M.

    1996-01-01

    Layer-by-layer deposition of thin films (a few nm) of polypyrrole was carried out on various substrates such as silver, platinum, electrochemically oxidized aluminum and pretreated glass. SEM micrographs showed that the deposited layers nucleate by an island-type mechanism on hydrated alumina and KOH-pretreated (hydrophilic) glass before forming a continuous film. However, continuous thin films are obtained on chromic acid pretreated (hydrophobic) glass and sputtered Ag or Pt on glass after only 3-4 deposition cycles. The mean deposition rate evaluated by XPS for the first deposition cycles on Ag and Pt is 3 and 4 nm/cycle, respectively, in agreement with previous gravimetric determinations on thicker films, proving the constancy of the deposition rate. The XPS study of the very thin films obtained by a few deposition cycles shows that the first polypyrrole layers are dedoped by hydroxydic (basic) substrate surfaces.

  5. Short review on chemical bath deposition of thin film and characterization

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mugle, Dhananjay, E-mail: dhananjayforu@gmail.com; Jadhav, Ghanshyam, E-mail: ghjadhav@rediffmail.com [Depertment of Physics, Shri Chhatrapati Shivaji College, Omerga-413606 (India)

    2016-05-06

    This reviews the theory of early growth of the thin film using chemical deposition methods. In particular, it critically reviews the chemical bath deposition (CBD) method for preparation of thin films. The different techniques used for characterizations of the chemically films such as X-ray diffractometer (XRD), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Electrical conductivity and Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) are discussed. Survey shows the physical and chemical properties solely depend upon the time of deposition, temperature of deposition.

  6. Structural characterization of the nickel thin film deposited by glad technique

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Potočnik J.

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available In this work, a columnar structure of nickel thin film has been obtained using an advanced deposition technique known as Glancing Angle Deposition. Nickel thin film was deposited on glass sample at the constant emission current of 100 mA. Glass sample was positioned 15 degrees with respect to the nickel vapor flux. The obtained nickel thin film was characterized by Force Modulation Atomic Force Microscopy and by Scanning Electron Microscopy. Analysis indicated that the formation of the columnar structure occurred at the film thickness of 1 μm, which was achieved for the deposition time of 3 hours. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. III45005

  7. Film growth kinetics and electric field patterning during electrospray deposition of block copolymer thin films

    Science.gov (United States)

    Toth, Kristof; Hu, Hanqiong; Choo, Youngwoo; Loewenberg, Michael; Osuji, Chinedum

    The delivery of sub-micron droplets of dilute polymer solutions to a heated substrate by electrospray deposition (ESD) enables precisely controlled and continuous growth of block copolymer (BCP) thin films. Here we explore patterned deposition of BCP films by spatially varying the electric field at the substrate using an underlying charged grid, as well as film growth kinetics. Numerical analysis was performed to examine pattern fidelity by considering the trajectories of charged droplets during flight through imposed periodic field variations in the vicinity of the substrate. Our work uncovered an unexpected modality for improving the resolution of the patterning process via stronger field focusing through the use of a second oppositely charged grid beneath a primary focusing array, with an increase in highly localized droplet deposition on the intersecting nodes of the grid. Substrate coverage kinetics are considered for homopolymer deposition in the context of simple kinetic models incorporating temperature and molecular weight dependence of diffusivity. By contrast, film coverage kinetics for block copolymer depositions are additionally convoluted with preferential wetting and thickness-periodicity commensurability effects. NSF GRFP.

  8. Deposition of thermal and hot-wire chemical vapor deposition copper thin films on patterned substrates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Papadimitropoulos, G; Davazoglou, D

    2011-09-01

    In this work we study the hot-wire chemical vapor deposition (HWCVD) of copper films on blanket and patterned substrates at high filament temperatures. A vertical chemical vapor deposition reactor was used in which the chemical reactions were assisted by a tungsten filament heated at 650 degrees C. Hexafluoroacetylacetonate Cu(I) trimethylvinylsilane (CupraSelect) vapors were used, directly injected into the reactor with the aid of a liquid injection system using N2 as carrier gas. Copper thin films grown also by thermal and hot-wire CVD. The substrates used were oxidized silicon wafers on which trenches with dimensions of the order of 500 nm were formed and subsequently covered with LPCVD W. HWCVD copper thin films grown at filament temperature of 650 degrees C showed higher growth rates compared to the thermally ones. They also exhibited higher resistivities than thermal and HWCVD films grown at lower filament temperatures. Thermally grown Cu films have very uniform deposition leading to full coverage of the patterned substrates while the HWCVD films exhibited a tendency to vertical growth, thereby creating gaps and incomplete step coverage.

  9. Laser-assisted deposition of thin C60 films

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Schou, Jørgen; Canulescu, Stela; Fæster, Søren

    Metal and metal oxide films with controlled thickness from a fraction of a monolayer up more than 1000 nm and known stoichiometry can be produced by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) relatively easily, and (PLD) is now a standard technique in all major research laboratories within materials science...... of the matrix material, anisole, with a concentration of 0.67 wt% C60. At laser fluences below 1.5 J/cm2, a dominant fraction of the film molecules are C60 transferred to the substrate without any fragmentation. High-resolution SEM images of MAPLE deposited films reveal large circular features on the surface...

  10. Investigation of Electrical, Optical and GaS Sensing properties Sol-Gel Derived WO3 Thin Films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dumludag, F.

    2008-01-01

    Tungsten oxide (WO 3 ) is a wide band gap n-type semiconductor. Thin films of WO 3 are considerable interest because of their potential applications in electrochromic devices, and gas sensors. In this work, WO 3 thin films were deposited on IDT (Interdigital electrodes) by a sol-gel dipping process. Precursor solution was prepared by dissolving of tungstic acid in ammonia. We investigated d.c. and a.c. (40 Hz-100 KHz) electrical properties of the films in the temperature range of 293K and 473K in vacuum ambient (10 - 2 mbar). We observed frequency dependent conductivity behavior at high frequencies. Absorption spectra of the film showed that a maximum absorption occurred at 330 nm. We also investigated the response of the films to vapors of the volatile organic compounds (acetone, chloroform, toluene, ethanol, ammonia) and water vapor. The films showed no sensitivity to the test gases at room temperature. Concentration of the vapors were controlled by mass flowmeters. All the measurement system was computerized

  11. The approach of in-situ doping ion conductor fabricated with the cathodic arc plasma for all-solid-state electrochromic devices

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Min-Chuan Wang

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available The all-solid-state electrochromic device (ECD with the one substrate structure fabricated by the reactive dc magnetron sputtering (DCMS and in-situ doping cathodic vacuum arc plasma (CVAP technology has been developed. The electrochromic (EC layer and ion conductor layer were deposited by reactive DCMS and CVAP technology, respectively. The in-situ doping ion conductor Ta2O5 deposited by the CVAP technology has provided the better material structure for ion transportation and showed about 2 times ion conductivity than the external doping process. The all-solid-state ECD with the in-situ doping CVAP ion conductor layer has demonstrated a maximum transmittance variation (ΔT of 71% at 550 nm, and a faster switching speed. The lower production cost and higher process stability could be achieved by the application of in-situ doping CVAP technology without breaking the vacuum process. Furthermore, the ion doping process with the reuse of energy during the CVAP process is not only decreasing the process steps, but also reducing the process energy consumption.

  12. Investigation of deposition characteristics and properties of high-rate deposited silicon nitride films prepared by atmospheric pressure plasma chemical vapor deposition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kakiuchi, H.; Nakahama, Y.; Ohmi, H.; Yasutake, K.; Yoshii, K.; Mori, Y.

    2005-01-01

    Silicon nitride (SiN x ) films have been prepared at extremely high deposition rates by the atmospheric pressure plasma chemical vapor deposition (AP-PCVD) technique on Si(001) wafers from gas mixtures containing He, H 2 , SiH 4 and N 2 or NH 3 . A 150 MHz very high frequency (VHF) power supply was used to generate high-density radicals in the atmospheric pressure plasma. Deposition rate, composition and morphology of the SiN x films prepared with various deposition parameters were studied by scanning electron microscopy and Auger electron spectroscopy. Fourier transformation infrared (FTIR) absorption spectroscopy was also used to characterize the structure and the chemical bonding configurations of the films. Furthermore, etching rate with buffered hydrofluoric acid (BHF) solution, refractive index and capacitance-voltage (C-V) characteristics were measured to evaluate the dielectric properties of the films. It was found that effective passivation of dangling bonds and elimination of excessive hydrogen atoms at the film-growing surface seemed to be the most important factor to form SiN x film with a dense Si-N network. The C-V curve of the optimized film showed good interface properties, although further improvement was necessary for use in the industrial metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) applications

  13. SEM and XPS study of layer-by-layer deposited polypyrrole thin films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pigois-Landureau, E.; Nicolau, Y.F.; Delamar, M.

    1996-01-01

    Layer-by-layer deposition of thin films (a few nm) of polypyrrole was carried out on various substrates such as silver, platinum, electrochemically oxidized aluminum and pretreated glass. SEM micrographs showed that the deposited layers nucleate by an island-type mechanism on hydrated alumina and KOH-pretreated (hydrophilic) glass before forming a continuous film. However, continuous thin films are obtained on chromic acid pretreated (hydrophobic) glass and sputtered Ag or Pt on glass after only 3 endash 4 deposition cycles. The mean deposition rate evaluated by XPS for the first deposition cycles on Ag and Pt is 3 and 4 nm/cycle, respectively, in agreement with previous gravimetric determinations on thicker films, proving the constancy of the deposition rate. The XPS study of the very thin films obtained by a few deposition cycles shows that the first polypyrrole layers are dedoped by hydroxydic (basic) substrate surfaces. copyright 1996 American Institute of Physics

  14. Tribological behavior of in situ Ag nanoparticles/polyelectrolyte composite molecular deposition films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guo Yanbao; Wang Deguo; Liu Shuhai

    2010-01-01

    Multilayer polyelectrolyte films containing silver ions were obtained by molecular deposition method on a glass plate or a quartz substrate. The in situ Ag nanoparticles were synthesized in the multilayer polyelectrolyte films which were put into fresh NaBH 4 aqueous solution. The structure and surface morphology of composite molecular deposition films were observed by UV-vis spectrophotometer, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Tribological characteristic was investigated by AFM and micro-tribometer. It was found that the in situ Ag nanoparticles/polyelectrolyte composite molecular deposition films have lower coefficient of friction and higher anti-wear life than pure polyelectrolyte molecular deposition films.

  15. PVD processes of thin films deposition using Hall-current discharge

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Svadkovskij, I.V.

    2007-01-01

    Results of research and developments in the field of PVD processes of thin films deposition using Hall-current discharge have been summarized. Effects of interaction of ions with surface during deposition have been considered. Also features of application and prospects of devices based on ion beam and magnetron sputtering systems in thin films technologies have been analyzed. The aspects in the field plasma physics, technology and equipment plasma PVD processes of thin films deposition have been systematized, on the base of investigations made by author and other scientists. (authors)

  16. Characterization of superconducting thin films deposited by laser ablation. Caracterisation de films minces supraconducteurs deposes par ablation laser

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sentis, M; Delaporte, P [I.M.F.M., 13 - Marseille (FR); Gerri, M; Marine, W [Aix-Marseille-2 Univ., 13-Marseille (FR). Centre Universitaire de Luminy

    1991-05-01

    Thin films of YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7} are deposited by laser ablation on MgO and YSZ substrates. Deposits by infrared (I.R.) Nd: YAG are non stoechiometric. The films having the best superconductor qualities are deposited by ablation with an excimer U.V. laser ({lambda} = 308 nm). These films are epitaxiated with the c axis perpendicular to the substrate. The film quality depends on the substrate temperature, oxygen pressure and cooling speed.

  17. Aerosol deposition of Ba0.8Sr0.2TiO3 thin films

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Branković Zorica

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available In this work we optimized conditions for aerosol deposition of homogeneous, nanograined, smooth Ba0.8Sr0.2TiO3 thin films. Investigation involved optimization of deposition parameters, namely deposition time and temperature for different substrates. Solutions were prepared from titanium isopropoxide, strontium acetate and barium acetate. Films were deposited on Si (1 0 0 or Si covered by platinum (Pt (1 1 1 /Ti/SiO2/Si. Investigation showed that the best films were obtained at substrate temperature of 85ºC. After deposition films were slowly heated up to 650ºC, annealed for 30 min, and slowly cooled. Grain size of BST films deposited on Si substrate were in the range 40-70 nm, depending on deposition conditions, while the same films deposited on Pt substrates showed mean grain size in the range 35-50 nm. Films deposited under optimal conditions were very homogeneous, crackfree, and smooth with rms roughness lower than 4 nm for both substrates.

  18. Photo- and Electrochromic Properties of Activated Reactive Evaporated MoO3 Thin Films Grown on Flexible Substrates

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    K. Hari Krishna

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available The molybdenum trioxide (MoO3 thin films were grown onto ITO-coated flexible Kapton substrates using plasma assisted activated reactive evaporation technique. The film depositions were carried out at constant glow power and oxygen partial pressures of 8 W and 1×10−3 Torr, respectively. The influence of substrate temperature on the microstructural and optical properties was investigated. The MoO3 thin films prepared at a substrate temperature of 523 K were found to be composed of uniformly distributed nanosized grains with an orthorhombic structure of α-MoO3. These nanocrystalline MoO3 thin films exhibited higher optical transmittance of about 80% in the visible region with an evaluated optical band gap of 3.29 eV. With the insertion of 12.5 mC/cm2, the films exhibited an optical modulation of 40% in the visible region with coloration efficiency of 22 cm2/C at the wavelength of 550 nm. The MoO3 films deposited at 523 K demonstrated better photochromic properties and showed highest color center concentration for the irradiation time of 30 minutes at 100 mW/cm2.

  19. Direct-current substrate bias effects on amorphous silicon sputter-deposited films for thin film transistor fabrication

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jun, Seung-Ik; Rack, Philip D.; McKnight, Timothy E.; Melechko, Anatoli V.; Simpson, Michael L.

    2005-01-01

    The effect that direct current (dc) substrate bias has on radio frequency-sputter-deposited amorphous silicon (a-Si) films has been investigated. The substrate bias produces a denser a-Si film with fewer defects compared to unbiased films. The reduced number of defects results in a higher resistivity because defect-mediated conduction paths are reduced. Thin film transistors (TFTs) that were completely sputter deposited were fabricated and characterized. The TFT with the biased a-Si film showed lower leakage (off-state) current, higher on/off current ratio, and higher transconductance (field effect mobility) than the TFT with the unbiased a-Si film

  20. Sputter deposition of tantalum-nitride films on copper using an rf-plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Walter, K.C.; Fetherston, R.P.; Sridharan, K.; Chen, A.; Shamim, M.M.; Conrad, J.R.

    1994-01-01

    A tantalum-nitride film was successfully deposited at ambient temperature on copper with a modified ion-assisted-deposition (IAD) technique. The process uses an argon and nitrogen plasma to sputter deposit from a tantalum rf-cathode and ion implant the deposited film simultaneously. Both argon and nitrogen ions are used for sputtering and ion implantation. Auger spectroscopy and x-ray diffraction were used to characterize the resulting film

  1. Properties of pulsed laser deposited NiO/MWCNT thin films

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Yalisi, B

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available Pulsed laser deposition (PLD) is a thin-film deposition technique, which uses short and intensive laser pulses to evaporate target material. The technique has been used in this work to produce selective solar absorber (SSA) thin film composites...

  2. Stress anisotropy and stress gradient in magnetron sputtered films with different deposition geometries

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhao, Z.B.; Yalisove, S.M.; Bilello, J.C.

    2006-01-01

    Mo films were deposited via magnetron sputtering with two different deposition geometries: dynamic deposition (moving substrate) and static deposition (fixed substrate). The residual stress and structural morphologies of these films were investigated, with particular focus on in-plane anisotropy of the biaxial stress and stress gradient across the film thickness. The results revealed that the Mo films developed distinct states of residual stress, which depended on both deposition geometry and film thickness. With the dynamic geometry, the Mo films generally exhibited anisotropic stress. Both the degree of anisotropy and the magnitude of stress varied as functions of film thickness. The variation of stress was linked to the evolution of anisotropic microstructures in the films. The Mo films from the static geometry developed isotropic residual stress, which was more compressive and noticeably larger in magnitude than that of the Mo films from the dynamic geometry. Aside from these disparities, the two types of Mo films (i.e., anisotropic and isotropic) exhibited notably similar trends of stress variation with film thickness. Depth profiling indicated the presence of large stress gradients for the Mo films, irrespective of the deposition geometries. This observation seems to be consistent with the premise that Mo films develop a zone T structure, which is inherently inhomogeneous along the film thickness. Moreover, the largest stress gradient for both types of deposition geometries arises at roughly the same film depth (∼240 nm from substrate), where the stresses sharply transits from highly compressive to less compressive or even tensile. This appears to correspond to the boundary region that separates two distinct stages of microstructural evolution, a feature unique to zone T-type structure

  3. Structure and properties of TiC, VC, and TiC/VC thin films deposited by pulsed laser deposition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Krzanowski, J.E.; Leuchtner, R.E.

    1996-01-01

    A study has been conducted on the mechanical, tribological and chemical properties of pulsed laser deposited (PLD) TiC, VC and TiC/VC thin films. The TiC films were deposited at 375 C and 5 mTorr Ar, while the TiC/VC films were deposited from a composite target at 475 C at pressures of base vacuum and 50 mTorr Ar. XRD analysis revealed the films had the expected B1 structure, although XPS analysis showed a significant oxygen content. Tribological studies were conducted using a ball-on-disk test, and the wear behavior depended on the surface condition and film composition. One TiC/VC film exhibited little wear but caused significant ball wear, indicating mixed carbide films are promising candidates for wear-resistant coatings

  4. Room-temperature plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition of SiOCH films using tetraethoxysilane

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yamaoka, K.; Yoshizako, Y.; Kato, H.; Tsukiyama, D.; Terai, Y.; Fujiwara, Y.

    2006-01-01

    Carbon-doped silicon oxide (SiOCH) thin films were deposited by room-temperature plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) using tetraethoxysilane (TEOS). The deposition rate and composition of the films strongly depended on radio frequency (RF) power. The films deposited at low RF power contained more CH n groups. The SiOCH films showed high etch rate and low refractive index in proportion to the carbon composition. The deposition with low plasma density and low substrate temperature is effective for SiOCH growth by PECVD using TEOS

  5. Polycrystalline thin films of antimony selenide via chemical bath deposition and post deposition treatments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rodriguez-Lazcano, Y.; Pena, Yolanda; Nair, M.T.S.; Nair, P.K.

    2005-01-01

    We report a method for obtaining thin films of polycrystalline antimony selenide via chemical bath deposition followed by heating the thin films at 573 K in selenium vapor. The thin films deposited from chemical baths containing one or more soluble complexes of antimony, and selenosulfate initially did not show X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns corresponding to crystalline antimony selenide. Composition of the films, studied by energy dispersive X-ray analyses indicated selenium deficiency. Heating these films in presence of selenium vapor at 573 K under nitrogen (2000 mTorr) resulted in an enrichment of Se in the films. XRD peaks of such films matched Sb 2 Se 3 . Evaluation of band gap from optical spectra of such films shows absorption due to indirect transition occurring in the range of 1-1.2 eV. The films are photosensitive, with dark conductivity of about 2 x 10 -8 (Ω cm) -1 and photoconductivity, about 10 -6 (Ω cm) -1 under tungsten halogen lamp illumination with intensity of 700 W m -2 . An estimate for the mobility life time product for the film is 4 x 10 -9 cm 2 V -1

  6. Characterization of chemically deposited Ag/sub 2/S thin films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Choudhury, M.G.M.; Rahman, M.M; Shahjahan, M.; Hossain, M.S.; Muhibbullah, M.; Uddin, M.A.; Banu, D.A.

    2001-01-01

    Silver Sulphide (Ag/sub 2/S) thin films were prepared by the chemical deposition method on glass substrates. Films of different thickness were deposited at room temperature. The films obtained were found to the uniform, pin-hole free and strongly adherent to the substrates. Films were characterized by X-$D, Hall effect, dc conductivity, thermoelectric power and optical measurements. X-RD revealed that as deposited films are amorphous with some microcrystalline structure. Hall effect measurement shows that the material deposited is n-type semiconductor with carrier concentration of the order of 10/sup 14/ cm/sup -3/. The dc dark conductivity shows two distinct conduction regions. The conductivity increases quite sharply above a transition temperature. Tt and below Tt the conductivity is weakly activated process with hopping via localized states. Above Tt the activation energy is quite high and the conduction may be due to impurity states to extended states. From the nature of variation of thermoelectric power with temperature it was found that in this material the position of Fermi level lie above the conduction band for thicker films and below the conduction band for relatively thinner films. The optical band gap of the films has been calculated from the transmittance spectra. The evaluated optical band gap E/sup opt/ was found to be about 1.1 eV and the value do not change much with film thickness. The refractive index, extinction coefficient and dielectric constants have also been evaluated from the transmission measurements. (author)

  7. Effects of surface deposition and droplet injection on film cooling

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Jin; Cui, Pei; Vujanović, Milan; Baleta, Jakov; Duić, Neven; Guzović, Zvonimir

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • Cooling effectiveness is significantly affected by the deposition size. • Coverage area for model without mist is reduced by increasing the deposition height. • Wall temperature is decreased by 15% with 2% mist injection. • Cooling coverage is increased by more than three times with 2% mist injection. • Cooling effectiveness for mist models is improved by increasing deposition height. - Abstract: In the present research, the influence of the particle dispersion onto the continuous phase in film cooling application was analysed by means of numerical simulations. The interaction between the water droplets and the main stream plays an important role in the results. The prediction of two-phase flow is investigated by employing the discrete phase model (DPM). The results present heat transfer characteristics in the near-wall region under the influence of mist cooling. The local wall temperature distribution and film cooling effectiveness are obtained, and results show that the film cooling characteristics on the downstream wall are affected by different height of surface deposits. It is also found that smaller deposits without mist injection provide a lower wall temperature and a better cooling performance. With 2% mist injection, evaporation of water droplets improves film cooling effectiveness, and higher deposits cause lateral and downstream spread of water droplets. The results indicate that mist injection can significantly enhance film cooling performance.

  8. Physical properties of chemically deposited Bi{sub 2}S{sub 3} thin films using two post-deposition treatments

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Moreno-García, H., E-mail: hamog@ier.unam.mx [Instituto de Ciencias Físicas, Laboratorio de espectroscopia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Apartado Postal 48-3, C.P. 62210 Cuernavaca, Morelos (Mexico); Messina, S. [Universidad Autónoma de Nayarit, Ciudad de la Cultura “Amado Nervo” S/N, C.P. 63155 Tepic, Nayarit (Mexico); Calixto-Rodriguez, M. [Universidad Tecnológica Emiliano Zapata del Estado de Morelos, Av. Universidad Tecnológica No. 1, C.P. 62760 Emiliano Zapata, Morelos (Mexico); Martínez, H. [Instituto de Ciencias Físicas, Laboratorio de espectroscopia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Apartado Postal 48-3, C.P. 62210 Cuernavaca, Morelos (Mexico)

    2014-08-30

    Highlights: • The post-deposition treatment by Ar plasma is a viable alternative to enhance the optical, electrical, morphological and structural properties of Bi{sub 2}S{sub 3} semiconductor thin films. • The plasma treatment avoids the loss in thickness of the chemically deposited Bi{sub 2}S{sub 3} thin films. • The E{sub g} values were 1.60 eV for the thermally annealed samples and 1.56 eV for the Ar plasma treated samples. • The highest value obtained for the electrical conductivity was 7.7 × 10{sup −2} (Ω cm){sup −1} in plasma treated samples. - Abstract: As-deposited bismuth sulfide (Bi{sub 2}S{sub 3}) thin films prepared by chemical bath deposition technique were treated with thermal annealed in air atmosphere and argon AC plasma. The as-deposited, thermally annealing and plasma treatment Bi{sub 2}S{sub 3} thin films have been characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, atomic force microscopy analysis (AFM), transmission, specular reflectance and electrical measurements. The structural, morphological, optical and electrical properties of the films are compared. The XRD analysis showed that both post-deposition treatments, transform the thin films from amorphous to a crystalline phase. The atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurement showed a reduction of roughness for the films treated in plasma. The energy band gap value of the as-prepared film was E{sub g} = 1.61 eV, while for the film thermally annealed was E{sub g} = 1.60 eV and E{sub g} = 1.56 eV for film treated with Plasma. The electrical conductivity under illumination of the as-prepared films was 3.6 × 10{sup −5} (Ω cm){sup −1}, whereas the conductivity value for the thermally annealed films was 2.0 × 10{sup −3} (Ω cm){sup −1} and for the plasma treated films the electrical conductivity increases up to 7.7 × 10{sup −2} (Ω cm){sup −1}.

  9. Pulsed laser deposition of YBCO films on ISD MgO buffered metal tapes

    CERN Document Server

    Ma, B; Koritala, R E; Fisher, B L; Markowitz, A R; Erck, R A; Baurceanu, R; Dorris, S E; Miller, D J; Balachandran, U

    2003-01-01

    Biaxially textured magnesium oxide (MgO) films deposited by inclined-substrate deposition (ISD) are desirable for rapid production of high-quality template layers for YBCO-coated conductors. High-quality YBCO films were grown on ISD MgO buffered metallic substrates by pulsed laser deposition (PLD). Columnar grains with a roof-tile surface structure were observed in the ISD MgO films. X-ray pole figure analysis revealed that the (002) planes of the ISD MgO films are tilted at an angle from the substrate normal. A small full-width at half maximum (FWHM) of approx 9deg was observed in the phi-scan for ISD MgO films deposited at an inclination angle of 55deg . In-plane texture in the ISD MgO films developed in the first approx 0.5 mu m from the substrate surface, and then stabilized with further increases in film thickness. Yttria-stabilized zirconia and ceria buffer layers were deposited on the ISD MgO grown on metallic substrates prior to the deposition of YBCO by PLD. YBCO films with the c-axis parallel to the...

  10. Deposition and characterization of aluminum magnesium boride thin film coatings

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tian, Yun

    Boron-rich borides are a special group of materials possessing complex structures typically comprised of B12 icosahedra. All of the boron-rich borides sharing this common structural unit exhibit a variety of exceptional physical and electrical properties. In this work, a new ternary boride compound AlMgB14, which has been extensively studied in bulk form due to its novel mechanical properties, was fabricated into thin film coatings by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technology. The effect of processing conditions (laser operating modes, vacuum level, substrate temperature, and postannealing, etc.) on the composition, microstructure evolution, chemical bonding, and surface morphology of AlMgB14 thin film coatings has been investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometry; the mechanical, electrical, and optical properties of AlMgB14 thin films have been characterized by nanoindentation, four-point probe, van der Pauw Hall measurement, activation energy measurement, and UV-VIS-NIR spectrophotometer. Experimental results show that AlMgB14 films deposited in the temperature range of 300 K - 873 K are amorphous. Depositions under a low vacuum level (5 x 10-5 Torr) can introduce a significant amount of C and O impurities into AlMgB14 films and lead to a complex oxide glass structure. Orthorhombic AlMgB14 phase cannot be obtained by subsequent high temperature annealing. By contrast, the orthorhombic AlMgB 14 crystal structure can be attained via high temperature-annealing of AlMgB14 films deposited under a high vacuum level (boride films, high vacuum level-as deposited AlMgB14 films also possess a low n-type electrical resistivity, which is a consequence of high carrier concentration and moderate carrier mobility. The operative electrical transport mechanism and doping behavior for high vacuum level-as deposited AlMgB14

  11. Quality improvement of organic thin films deposited on vibrating substrates

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Paredes, Y.A.; Caldas, P.G.; Prioli, R.; Cremona, M., E-mail: cremona@fis.puc-rio.br

    2011-12-30

    Most of the Organic Light-Emitting Diodes (OLEDs) have a multilayered structure composed of functional organic layers sandwiched between two electrodes. Thin films of small molecules are generally deposited by thermal evaporation onto glass or other rigid or flexible substrates. The interface state between two organic layers in OLED device depends on the surface morphology of the layers and affects deeply the OLED performance. The morphology of organic thin films depends mostly on substrate temperature and deposition rate. Generally, the control of the substrate temperature allows improving the quality of the deposited films. For organic compounds substrate temperature cannot be increased too much due to their poor thermal stability. However, studies in inorganic thin films indicate that it is possible to modify the morphology of a film by using substrate vibration without increasing the substrate temperature. In this work, the effect of the resonance vibration of glass and silicon substrates during thermal deposition in high vacuum environment of tris(8-quinolinolate)aluminum(III) (Alq{sub 3}) and N,N Prime -Bis(naphthalene-2-yl)-N,N Prime -bis(phenyl)-benzidine ({beta}-NPB) organic thin films with different deposition rates was investigated. The vibration used was in the range of hundreds of Hz and the substrates were kept at room temperature during the process. The nucleation and subsequent growth of the organic films on the substrates have been studied by atomic force microscopy technique. For Alq{sub 3} and {beta}-NPB films grown with 0.1 nm/s as deposition rate and using a frequency of 100 Hz with oscillation amplitude of some micrometers, the results indicate a reduction of cluster density and a roughness decreasing. Moreover, OLEDs fabricated with organic films deposited under these conditions improved their power efficiency, driven at 4 mA/cm{sup 2}, passing from 0.11 lm/W to 0.24 lm/W with an increase in their luminance of about 352 cd/m{sup 2

  12. Deposition of SiC thin films by PECVD

    CERN Document Server

    Cho, N I; Kim, C K

    1999-01-01

    The SiC films were deposited on Si substrate by the decomposition of CH sub 3 SiCl sub 3 (methylthrichlorosilane) molecules in a high frequency discharge field. From the Raman spectra, it is conjectured that the deposited film are formed into the polycrystalline structure. The photon absorption measurement reveal that the band gap of the electron energy state are to be 2.4 eV for SiC, and 2.6 eV for Si sub 0 sub . sub 4 C sub 0 sub . sub 6 , respectively. In the high power density regime, methyl-radicals decompose easily and increases the carbon concentration in plasma and result in the growing films.

  13. Remote plasma-enhanced metalorganic chemical vapor deposition of aluminum oxide thin films

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Volintiru, I.; Creatore, M.; Hemmen, van J.L.; Sanden, van de M.C.M.

    2008-01-01

    Aluminum oxide films were deposited using remote plasma-enhanced metalorganic chemical vapor deposition from oxygen/trimethylaluminum mixtures. Initial studies by in situ spectroscopic ellipsometry demonstrated that the aluminum oxide films deposited at temperatures

  14. Chemical vapor deposition of nanocrystalline diamond films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vyrovets, I.I.; Gritsyna, V.I.; Dudnik, S.F.; Opalev, O.A.; Reshetnyak, O.M.; Strel'nitskij, V.E.

    2008-01-01

    The brief review of the literature is devoted to synthesis of nanocrystalline diamond films. It is shown that the CVD method is an effective way for deposition of such nanostructures. The basic technological methods that allow limit the size of growing diamond crystallites in the film are studied.

  15. Transport Properties of LCMO Granular Films Deposited by the Pulsed Electron Deposition Technique

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    CHEN Leiming; XU Bin; ZHANG Yan; CHEN Zhenping

    2011-01-01

    By finely controlling the deposition parameters in the pulsed electron deposition process,granular La2/3Ca1/3MnO3 (LCMO) film was grown on silicon substrates.The substrate temperature,ambient pressure in the deposition chamber and acceleration potential for the electron beam were all found to affect the grain size of the film,resulting in different morphologies of the samples.Transport properties of the obtained granular films,especially the magnetoresistance (MR),were studied.Prominent low-field MR was observed in all samples,indicating the forming of grain boundaries in the sample.The low-field MR show great sensitive to the morphology evolution,which reaches the highest value of about 40% for the sample with the grain size of about 250 nm.More interestingly,positive-MR (p-MR) was also detected above 300 K when low magnetic field applying,whereas it disappeared with higher magnetic field applied up to 1.5 and 2 Tesla.Instead of the spinpolarized tunneling process being commonly regarded as a responsible reason,lattice mismatch between LCMO film and silicon substrate appears to be the origin of the p-MR

  16. Progress on sputter-deposited thermotractive titanium-nickel films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Grummon, D.S.; Hou Li; Zhao, Z.; Pence, T.J.

    1995-01-01

    It is now well established that titanium-nickel alloys fabricated as thin films by physical vapor deposition can display the same transformation and shape-memory effects as their ingot-metallurgy counterparts. As such they may find important application to microelectromechanical and biomechanical systems. Furthermore, we show here that titanium-nickel films may be directly processed so as to possess extremely fine austenite grain size and very high strength. These films display classical transformational superelasticity, including high elastic energy storage capacity, the expected dependence of martensite-start temperature on transformation enthalpy, and large, fully recoverable anelastic strains at temperatures above A f . Processing depends on elevated substrate temperatures during deposition, which may be manipulated within a certain range to control both grain size and crystallographic texture. It is also possible to deposit crystalline titanium-nickel films onto polymeric substrates, making them amenable to lithographic patterning into actuator elements that are well-suited to electrical excitation of the martensite reversion transformation. Finally, isothermal annealing of nickel-rich films, under conditions of controlled extrinsic residual stress, leads to topotaxial orientation of Ni 4 Ti 3 -type precipitates, and the associated possibility of two-way memory effects. Much work remains to be done, especially with respect to precise control of composition. (orig.)

  17. Plume-induced stress in pulsed-laser deposited CeO2 films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Norton, D.P.; Park, C.; Budai, J.D.; Pennycook, S.J.; Prouteau, C.

    1999-01-01

    Residual compressive stress due to plume-induced energetic particle bombardment in CeO 2 films deposited by pulsed-laser deposition is reported. For laser ablation film growth in low pressures, stresses as high as 2 GPa were observed as determined by substrate curvature and four-circle x-ray diffraction. The amount of stress in the films could be manipulated by controlling the kinetic energies of the ablated species in the plume through gas-phase collisions with an inert background gas. The film stress decreased to near zero for argon background pressures greater than 50 mTorr. At these higher background pressures, the formation of nanoparticles in the deposited film was observed. copyright 1999 American Institute of Physics

  18. Growth, structure and stability of sputter-deposited MoS2 thin films

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Reinhard Kaindl

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Molybdenum disulphide (MoS2 thin films have received increasing interest as device-active layers in low-dimensional electronics and also as novel catalysts in electrochemical processes such as the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER in electrochemical water splitting. For both types of applications, industrially scalable fabrication methods with good control over the MoS2 film properties are crucial. Here, we investigate scalable physical vapour deposition (PVD of MoS2 films by magnetron sputtering. MoS2 films with thicknesses from ≈10 to ≈1000 nm were deposited on SiO2/Si and reticulated vitreous carbon (RVC substrates. Samples deposited at room temperature (RT and at 400 °C were compared. The deposited MoS2 was characterized by macro- and microscopic X-ray, electron beam and light scattering, scanning and spectroscopic methods as well as electrical device characterization. We find that room-temperature-deposited MoS2 films are amorphous, of smooth surface morphology and easily degraded upon moderate laser-induced annealing in ambient conditions. In contrast, films deposited at 400 °C are nano-crystalline, show a nano-grained surface morphology and are comparatively stable against laser-induced degradation. Interestingly, results from electrical transport measurements indicate an unexpected metallic-like conduction character of the studied PVD MoS2 films, independent of deposition temperature. Possible reasons for these unusual electrical properties of our PVD MoS2 thin films are discussed. A potential application for such conductive nanostructured MoS2 films could be as catalytically active electrodes in (photo-electrocatalysis and initial electrochemical measurements suggest directions for future work on our PVD MoS2 films.

  19. Synthesis of LSM films deposited by dip-coating on YSZ substrate

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Conceicao, Leandro da; Souza, Mariana M.V.M.; Ribeiro, Nielson F.P.

    2010-01-01

    The dip-coating process was used to deposit films of La 0.7 Sr 0. 3MnO 3 (LSM) used as cathode in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC). In this study we evaluated the relationship between the deposition parameters such as speed of withdrawal and number of deposited layers of LSM film on a substrate of 8% YSZ commercial, and structural properties, such as thickness and formation of cracks. The structure and morphology of the films were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). With parameters set the film had good adhesion to the substrate with a thickness around 10 μm, showing possible adherence problems when more than one layer is deposited on the substrate. (author)

  20. Biomaterial thin film deposition and characterization by means of MAPLE technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bloisi, F.; Vicari, L.; Papa, R.; Califano, V.; Pedrazzani, R.; Bontempi, E.; Depero, L.E.

    2007-01-01

    Polyethylene glycol (PEG) is a polymer with technologically important applications, especially as a biomaterial. Several biomedical applications (such as tissue engineering, spatial patterning of cells, anti-biofouling and biocompatible coatings) require the application of high quality PEG thin films. In order to have a good adhesion to substrate chemically modified polymer molecules have been used, but for some 'in vivo' applications it is essential to deposit a film with the same chemical and structural properties of bulk PEG. Pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique is generally able to produce high quality thin films but it is inadequate for polymer/organic molecules. MAPLE (Matrix Assisted Pulsed Laser Evaporation) is a recently developed PLD based thin film deposition technique, particularly well suited for organic/polymer thin film deposition. Up to now MAPLE depositions have been carried out mainly by means of modified PLD systems, using excimer lasers operating in UV, but the use of less energetic radiations can minimize the photochemical decomposition of the polymer molecules. We have used a deposition system explicitly designed for MAPLE technique connected to a Q-switched Ng:YAG pulsed laser which can be operated at different wavelength ranging from IR to UV in order to optimise the deposition parameters. The capability of MAPLE technique to deposit PEG has been confirmed and preliminary results show that visible (532 nm wavelength) radiation gives better results with respect to UV (355 nm) radiation. Despite usually UV wavelengths have been used and even if more systematic tests must be performed, it is important to underline that the choice of laser wavelength plays an important role in the application of MAPLE thin film deposition technique

  1. CdS thin films prepared by laser assisted chemical bath deposition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Garcia, L.V.; Mendivil, M.I.; Garcia Guillen, G.; Aguilar Martinez, J.A.; Krishnan, B.; Avellaneda, D.; Castillo, G.A.; Das Roy, T.K.; Shaji, S.

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • CdS thin films by conventional CBD and laser assisted CBD. • Characterized these films using XRD, XPS, AFM, optical and electrical measurements. • Accelerated growth was observed in the laser assisted CBD process. • Improved dark conductivity and good photocurrent response for the LACBD CdS. - Abstract: In this work, we report the preparation and characterization of CdS thin films by laser assisted chemical bath deposition (LACBD). CdS thin films were prepared from a chemical bath containing cadmium chloride, triethanolamine, ammonium hydroxide and thiourea under various deposition conditions. The thin films were deposited by in situ irradiation of the bath using a continuous laser of wavelength 532 nm, varying the power density. The thin films obtained during deposition of 10, 20 and 30 min were analyzed. The changes in morphology, structure, composition, optical and electrical properties of the CdS thin films due to in situ irradiation of the bath were analyzed by atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and UV–vis spectroscopy. The thin films obtained by LACBD were nanocrystalline, photoconductive and presented interesting morphologies. The results showed that LACBD is an effective synthesis technique to obtain nanocrystalline CdS thin films having good optoelectronic properties

  2. CdS thin films prepared by laser assisted chemical bath deposition

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Garcia, L.V.; Mendivil, M.I.; Garcia Guillen, G.; Aguilar Martinez, J.A. [Facultad de Ingenieria Mecanica y Electrica, Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon, Av. Pedro de Alba s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, San Nicolas de los Garza, Nuevo Leon 66450 (Mexico); Krishnan, B. [Facultad de Ingenieria Mecanica y Electrica, Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon, Av. Pedro de Alba s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, San Nicolas de los Garza, Nuevo Leon 66450 (Mexico); CIIDIT – Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon, Apodaca, Nuevo Leon (Mexico); Avellaneda, D.; Castillo, G.A.; Das Roy, T.K. [Facultad de Ingenieria Mecanica y Electrica, Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon, Av. Pedro de Alba s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, San Nicolas de los Garza, Nuevo Leon 66450 (Mexico); Shaji, S., E-mail: sshajis@yahoo.com [Facultad de Ingenieria Mecanica y Electrica, Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon, Av. Pedro de Alba s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, San Nicolas de los Garza, Nuevo Leon 66450 (Mexico); CIIDIT – Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon, Apodaca, Nuevo Leon (Mexico)

    2015-05-01

    Highlights: • CdS thin films by conventional CBD and laser assisted CBD. • Characterized these films using XRD, XPS, AFM, optical and electrical measurements. • Accelerated growth was observed in the laser assisted CBD process. • Improved dark conductivity and good photocurrent response for the LACBD CdS. - Abstract: In this work, we report the preparation and characterization of CdS thin films by laser assisted chemical bath deposition (LACBD). CdS thin films were prepared from a chemical bath containing cadmium chloride, triethanolamine, ammonium hydroxide and thiourea under various deposition conditions. The thin films were deposited by in situ irradiation of the bath using a continuous laser of wavelength 532 nm, varying the power density. The thin films obtained during deposition of 10, 20 and 30 min were analyzed. The changes in morphology, structure, composition, optical and electrical properties of the CdS thin films due to in situ irradiation of the bath were analyzed by atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and UV–vis spectroscopy. The thin films obtained by LACBD were nanocrystalline, photoconductive and presented interesting morphologies. The results showed that LACBD is an effective synthesis technique to obtain nanocrystalline CdS thin films having good optoelectronic properties.

  3. Nanomechanical properties of GaSe thin films deposited on Si(1 1 1) substrates by pulsed laser deposition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jian, Sheng-Rui; Juang, Jenh-Yih; Luo, Chih-Wei; Ku, Shin-An; Wu, Kaung-Hsiung

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► GaSe thin films are grown by PLD. ► Structural properties of GaSe thin films are measured by XRD. ► Hardness and Young’s modulus of GaSe thin films are measured by nanoindentation. - Abstract: The correlations between the crystalline structure and mechanical properties of GaSe thin films were investigated by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD) and nanoindentation techniques. The GaSe thin films were deposited on Si(1 1 1) substrates deposited at various deposition temperatures using pulsed laser deposition (PLD). The XRD results indicate that all the GaSe thin films are pure hexagonal phase with highly (0 0 0 l)-oriented characteristics. Nanoindentation results revealed apparent discontinuities (so-called multiple “pop-in” events) in the load-displacement curve, while no discontinuity was observed in the unloading segment of the load-displacement curve. The hardness and Young’s modulus of GaSe thin films determined by the continuous stiffness measurements (CSM) method indicated that both mechanical parameters increased with the increasing deposition temperature with the hardness and the Young’s modulus being increased from 1.2 ± 0.1 to 1.8 ± 0.1 GPa and from 39.6 ± 1.2 to 68.9 ± 2.7 GPa, respectively, as the deposition temperature was raised from 400 to 475 °C. These results suggest that the increased grain size might have played a prominent role in determining the mechanical properties of the PLD-derived GaSe thin films.

  4. High-quality AlN films grown on chemical vapor-deposited graphene films

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chen Bin-Hao

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available We report the growth of high-quality AlN films on graphene. The graphene films were synthesized by CVD and then transferred onto silicon substrates. Epitaxial aluminum nitride films were deposited by DC magnetron sputtering on both graphene as an intermediate layer and silicon as a substrate. The structural characteristics of the AlN films and graphene were investigated. Highly c-axis-oriented AlN crystal structures are investigated based on the XRDpatterns observations.

  5. Microstructure and phase composition of sputter-deposited zirconia-yttria films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Knoll, R.W.; Bradley, E.R.

    1983-11-01

    Thin ZrO 2 -Y 2 O 3 coatings ranging in composition from 3 to 15 mole % Y 2 O 3 were produced by rf sputter deposition. This composition range spanned the region on the equilibrium ZrO 2 -Y 2 O 3 phase diagram corresponding to partially stabilized zirconia (a mixture of tetragonal ZrO 2 and cubic solid solution). Microstructural characteristics and crystalline phase composition of as-deposited and heat treated films (1100 0 C and 1500 0 C) were determined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and by x-ray diffraction (XRD). Effects of substrate bias (0 approx. 250 volts), which induced ion bombardment of the film during growth, were also studied. The as-deposited ZrO 2 -Y 2 O 3 films were single phase over the composition range studied, and XRD data indicated considerable local atomic disorder in the lattice. Films produced at low bias contained intergranular voids, pronounced columnar growth, and porosity between columns. At high bias, the microstructure was denser, and films contained high compressive stress. After heat treatment, all deposits remained single phase, therefore a microstructure and precipitate distribution characteristic of toughened, partially stabilized zirconia appear to be difficult to achieve in vapor deposited zirconia coatings

  6. High quality superconducting titanium nitride thin film growth using infrared pulsed laser deposition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Torgovkin, A.; Chaudhuri, S.; Ruhtinas, A.; Lahtinen, M.; Sajavaara, T.; Maasilta, I. J.

    2018-05-01

    Superconducting titanium nitride (TiN) thin films were deposited on magnesium oxide, sapphire and silicon nitride substrates at 700 °C, using a pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique, where infrared (1064 nm) pulses from a solid-state laser were used for the ablation from a titanium target in a nitrogen atmosphere. Structural studies performed with x-ray diffraction showed the best epitaxial crystallinity for films deposited on MgO. In the best films, superconducting transition temperatures, T C, as high as 4.8 K were observed, higher than in most previous superconducting TiN thin films deposited with reactive sputtering. A room temperature resistivity down to ∼17 μΩ cm and residual resistivity ratio up to 3 were observed in the best films, approaching reported single crystal film values, demonstrating that PLD is a good alternative to reactive sputtering for superconducting TiN film deposition. For less than ideal samples, the suppression of the film properties were correlated mostly with the unintended incorporation of oxygen (5–10 at%) in the film, and for high oxygen content films, vacuum annealing was also shown to increase the T C. On the other hand, superconducting properties were surprisingly insensitive to the nitrogen content, with high quality films achieved even in the highly nitrogen rich, Ti:N = 40/60 limit. Measures to limit oxygen exposure during deposition must be taken to guarantee the best superconducting film properties, a fact that needs to be taken into account with other deposition methods, as well.

  7. Bioactive glass and hydroxyapatite thin films obtained by pulsed laser deposition

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gyorgy, E. [National Institute for Lasers, Plasma and Radiation Physics, P.O. Box MG 36, 77125 Bucharest (Romania) and Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, Instituto de Ciencia de Materiales de Barcelona, Campus UAB, 08193 Bellaterra (Spain)]. E-mail: egyorgy@icmab.es; Grigorescu, S. [National Institute for Lasers, Plasma and Radiation Physics, P.O. Box MG 36, 77125 Bucharest (Romania); Socol, G. [National Institute for Lasers, Plasma and Radiation Physics, P.O. Box MG 36, 77125 Bucharest (Romania); Mihailescu, I.N. [National Institute for Lasers, Plasma and Radiation Physics, P.O. Box MG 36, 77125 Bucharest (Romania); Janackovic, D. [Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy, University of Belgrade, Karnegijeva 4, 11000 Belgrade (Serbia); Dindune, A. [Institute of Inorganic Chemistry of the Riga Technical University (Latvia); Plasma and Ceramic Technologies Ltd. (PCT Ltd.) (Latvia); Kanepe, Z. [Institute of Inorganic Chemistry of the Riga Technical University (Latvia); Plasma and Ceramic Technologies Ltd. (PCT Ltd.) (Latvia); Palcevskis, E. [Plasma and Ceramic Technologies Ltd. (PCT Ltd.) (Latvia); Zdrentu, E.L. [Institute of Biochemistry, Splaiul Independentei 296, Bucharest (Romania); Petrescu, S.M. [Institute of Biochemistry, Splaiul Independentei 296, Bucharest (Romania)

    2007-07-31

    Bioactive glass (BG), calcium hydroxyapatite (HA), and ZrO{sub 2} doped HA thin films were grown by pulsed laser deposition on Ti substrates. An UV KrF{sup *} ({lambda} = 248 nm, {tau} {>=} 7 ns) excimer laser was used for the multi-pulse irradiation of the targets. The substrates were kept at room temperature or heated during the film deposition at values within the (400-550 deg. C) range. The depositions were performed in oxygen and water vapor atmospheres, at pressure values in the range (5-40 Pa). The HA coatings were heat post-treated for 6 h in a flux of hot water vapors at the same temperature as applied during deposition. The surface morphology, chemical composition, and crystalline quality of the obtained thin films were studied by scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and X-ray diffractometry. The films were seeded for in vitro tests with Hek293 (human embryonic kidney) cells that revealed a good adherence on the deposited layers. Biocompatibility tests showed that cell growth was better on HA than on BG thin films.

  8. Deposition and characterization of Pt nanocluster films by means of gas aggregation cluster source

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kylián, Ondřej, E-mail: ondrej.kylian@gmail.com; Prokeš, Jan; Polonskyi, Oleksandr; Čechvala, Juraj; Kousal, Jaroslav; Pešička, Josef; Hanuš, Jan; Biederman, Hynek

    2014-11-28

    In this study we report on the deposition of Pt nanocluster films prepared by gas aggregation source that was operated with argon as working gas. The aim of this study was optimization of deposition process as well as determination of properties of deposited nanocluster films and their temporal stability. It was found that the production of Pt nanoclusters reached maximum value for pressure of 100 Pa and increases monotonously with magnetron current. The deposition rate at optimized deposition conditions was 0.7 nm of the Pt nanocluster film per second. Deposited films were porous and composed of 4 nm Pt nanoclusters. The nanoclusters were metallic and no sights of their oxidation were observed after 1 year on open air as witnessed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Regarding the electrical properties, a dramatic decrease of the resistivity was observed with increasing amount of deposited nanoclusters. This decrease saturated for the films approximately 50 nm thick. Such behavior indicates transition between different mechanisms of electrical conductivity: charge hopping for thin discontinuous films and current conduction through conducting path formed when higher amount of nanoclusters is deposited. Different mechanisms of electrical conduction for thin and thick layers of Pt were confirmed by subsequent investigation of temperature dependence of resistivity. In addition, no changes in resistivity were observed after one year on open air that confirms stability of produced Pt nanocluster films. - Highlights: • Pt nanocluster films were deposited by gas aggregation nanocluster source. • Conditions leading to effective deposition of Pt nanocluster films were found. • Deposited nanocluster films have good temporal stability. • Electrical properties of Pt films were found to depend on their thickness.

  9. Fabrication of cuprous chloride films on copper substrate by chemical bath deposition

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lin, Yu-Ting; Ci, Ji-Wei; Tu, Wei-Chen [Department of Electronic Engineering, College of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Chung Yuan Christian University, Chung-Li 32023, Taiwan (China); Uen, Wu-Yih, E-mail: uenwuyih@ms37.hinet.net [Department of Electronic Engineering, College of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Chung Yuan Christian University, Chung-Li 32023, Taiwan (China); Lan, Shan-Ming [Department of Electronic Engineering, College of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Chung Yuan Christian University, Chung-Li 32023, Taiwan (China); Yang, Tsun-Neng; Shen, Chin-Chang; Wu, Chih-Hung [Institute of Nuclear Energy Research, P.O. Box 3-11, Lungtan 32500, Taiwan (China)

    2015-09-30

    Polycrystalline CuCl films were fabricated by chemical bath deposition (CBD) on a Cu substrate at a low solution temperature of 90 °C. Continuous CuCl films were prepared using the copper (II) chloride (CuCl{sub 2}) compound as the precursor for both the Cu{sup 2+} and Cl{sup −} sources, together with repeated HCl dip treatments. An HCl dip pretreatment of the substrate favored the nucleation of CuCl crystallites. Further, interrupting the film deposition and including an HCl dip treatment of the film growth surface facilitated the deposition of a full-coverage CuCl film. A dual beam (FIB/SEM) system with energy dispersive spectrometry facilities attached revealed a homogeneous CuCl layer with a flat-top surface and an average thickness of about 1 μm. Both the excitonic and biexcitonic emission lines were well-resolved in the 6.4 K photoluminescence spectra. In particular, the free exciton emission line was observable at room temperature, indicating the good quality of the CuCl films prepared by CBD. - Highlights: • Cuprous chloride (CuCl) was prepared on Cu substrate by chemical bath deposition. • HCl dip treatments facilitated the deposition of a full-coverage CuCl film. • A homogeneous elemental distribution was recognized for the deposited CuCl layer. • Excitonic and biexcitonic photoluminescence lines of CuCl films were well-resolved. • The free exciton emission line of CuCl films was observable at room temperature.

  10. Capillary assisted deposition of carbon nanotube film for strain sensing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Zida; Xue, Xufeng; Lin, Feng; Wang, Yize; Ward, Kevin; Fu, Jianping

    2017-10-01

    Advances in stretchable electronics offer the possibility of developing skin-like motion sensors. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs), owing to their superior electrical properties, have great potential for applications in such sensors. In this paper, we report a method for deposition and patterning of CNTs on soft, elastic polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrates using capillary action. Micropillar arrays were generated on PDMS surfaces before treatment with plasma to render them hydrophilic. Capillary force enabled by the micropillar array spreads CNT solution evenly on PDMS surfaces. Solvent evaporation leaves a uniform deposition and patterning of CNTs on PDMS surfaces. We studied the effect of the CNT concentration and micropillar gap size on CNT coating uniformity, film conductivity, and piezoresistivity. Leveraging the piezoresistivity of deposited CNT films, we further designed and characterized a device for the contraction force measurement. Our capillary assisted deposition method of CNT films showed great application potential in fabrication of flexible CNT thin films for strain sensing.

  11. Effect of performance of Zr-Y alloy target on thin film deposition technology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pan Qianfu; Liu Chaohong; Jiang Mingzhong; Yin Changgeng

    2011-01-01

    Yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) films are synthesized on corrosion resistant plates by pulsed bias arc ion plating. The arc starting performance and the stability of thin film deposition is explored by improving the uniformity and compactibility of Zr-Y alloy target. The property of Zr-Y alloy target and depositional thin films were measured with the optical microscope, scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffractometer. The result shows that the target with hot rolling and annealing has a good arc starting performance and stability of thin film deposition, and the depositional thin films made of Yttria and amorphous zirconia are homogeneous and compact. (authors)

  12. Fracture Analysis of MWCNT/Epoxy Nanocomposite Film Deposited on Aluminum Substrate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Her, Shiuh-Chuan; Chien, Pao-Chu

    2017-04-13

    Multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) reinforced epoxy films were deposited on an aluminum substrate by a hot-pressing process. Three-point bending tests were performed to determine the Young's modulus of MWCNT reinforced nanocomposite films. Compared to the neat epoxy film, nanocomposite film with 1 wt % of MWCNT exhibits an increase of 21% in the Young's modulus. Four-point-bending tests were conducted to investigate the fracture toughness of the MWCNT/epoxy nanocomposite film deposited on an aluminum substrate with interfacial cracks. Based on the Euler-Bernoulli beam theory, the strain energy in a film/substrate composite beam is derived. The difference of strain energy before and after the propagation of the interfacial crack are calculated, leading to the determination of the strain energy release rate. Experimental test results show that the fracture toughness of the nanocomposite film deposited on the aluminum substrate increases with the increase in the MWCNT content.

  13. Ag films deposited on Si and Ti: How the film-substrate interaction influences the nanoscale film morphology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ruffino, F.; Torrisi, V.

    2017-11-01

    Submicron-thick Ag films were sputter deposited, at room temperature, on Si, covered by the native SiO2 layer, and on Ti, covered by the native TiO2 layer, under normal and oblique deposition angle. The aim of this work was to study the morphological differences in the grown Ag films on the two substrates when fixed all the other deposition parameters. In fact, the surface diffusivity of the Ag adatoms is different on the two substrates (higher on the SiO2 surface) due to the different Ag-SiO2 and Ag-TiO2 atomic interactions. So, the effect of the adatoms surface diffusivity, as determined by the adatoms-substrate interaction, on the final film morphology was analyzed. To this end, microscopic analyses were used to study the morphology of the grown Ag films. Even if the homologous temperature prescribes that the Ag film grows on both substrates in the zone I described by the structure zone model some significant differences are observed on the basis of the supporting substrate. In the normal incidence condition, on the SiO2/Si surface a dense close-packed Ag film exhibiting a smooth surface is obtained, while on the TiO2/Ti surface a more columnar film morphology is formed. In the oblique incidence condition the columnar morphology for the Ag film occurs both on SiO2/Si and TiO2/Ti but a higher porous columnar film is obtained on TiO2/Ti due to the lower Ag diffusivity. These results indicate that the adatoms diffusivity on the substrate as determined by the adatom-surface interaction (in addition to the substrate temperature) strongly determines the final film nanostructure.

  14. Deposition of fluorocarbon films by Pulsed Plasma Thruster on the anode side

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Rui; Zhang, Daixian; Zhang, Fan; He, Zhen; Wu, Jianjun

    2013-01-01

    Fluorocarbon thin films were deposited by Pulsed Plasma Thruster at different angles on the anode side of the thruster. Density and velocity of the plasma in the plume of the Pulsed Plasma Thruster were determined using double and triple Langmuir probe apparatus respectively. The deposited films were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning probe microscope (SPM) and UV–vis spectrometer. Low F/C ratio (0.64–0.86) fluorocarbon films are deposited. The F/C ratio decreases with angle increasing from 0 degree to 30 degree; however it turns to increase with angle increasing from 45 degree to 90 degree. The films deposited at center angles appear rougher compared with that prepared at angles beyond 45 degree. These films basically show having strong absorption properties for wavelength below 600 nm and having enhanced reflective characteristics. Due to the influence of the chemical composition and the surface morphology of the films, the optical properties of these films also show significant angular dependence.

  15. A new processable electrochromic polymer based on an electron deficient fluorene derivative with a high coloration efficiency

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Çarbaş, Buket Bezgin; Kivrak, Arif; Önal, Ahmet M.

    2011-01-01

    Highlights: ► Electrochemical synthesis and elecroptical properties of a new soluble polymer based on fluorenone and 3,4-propylenedioxythiophene are highlighted. ► The polymer film exhibits reversible electrochromic behavior and both p and n dopable. ► In addition it has high electrochemical stability and coloration efficiency. ► In THF, polymer film emits orange light when excited at 355 nm. - Abstract: A new fluorenone based soluble polymer, namely poly(2,7-bis-(3,3-dihexyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-thieno[3,4-b][1,4]dioxepin-6-yl) -fluoren-9-one) (PPFP), containing propylenedioxythiophene (ProDOT) as a donor and fluorenone (FO) as an acceptor group is highlighted. Electrochemical polymerization of 2,7-bis-(3,3-dihexyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-thieno[3,4-b][1,4]dioxepin-6-yl) -fluoren-9-one (PFP) was achieved in dichloromethane/acetonitrile mixture with 0.1 M tetrabutylammonium hexafluorophosphate via potential cycling. The polymer shows an electrochromic behavior, a color change from orange to dark blue during oxidation with a high coloration efficiency (422 cm 2 /C at 684 nm) and orange to yellow during reduction with high optical and electrochemical stability as compared to its close analogues, in addition it is found to be both p and n dopable. Furthermore, this soluble polymer exhibits fluorescent properties (the emission of orange light (578 nm) in THF solution).

  16. A wide-gap a-SiC:H PV-powered electrochromic window coating

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gao, W.; Lee, S.H.; Xu, Y.; Benson, D.K.; Deb, S.K.; Branz, H.M. [National Renewable Energy Lab., Golden, CO (United States)

    1998-09-01

    The authors report on the first monolithic, amorphous-silicon-based, photovoltaic-powered electrochromic window coating. The coating employs a wide bandgap a-Si{sub 1{minus}x}C{sub x}:H n-i-p photovoltaic (PV) cell as a semitransparent power supply, and a Li{sub y}WO{sub 3}/LiAlF{sub 4}/V{sub 2}O{sub 5} electrochromic (EC) device as an optical-transmittance modulator. The EC device is deposited directly on top of a PV cell that coats a glass substrate. The a-Si{sub 1{minus}x}C{sub x}:H PV cell has a Tauc gap of 2.2 eV and a transmittance of 60--80% over a large portion of the visible light spectrum. The authors reduced the thickness of the device to about 600 {angstrom} while maintaining a 1-sun open-circuit voltage of 0.9 V and short-circuit current of 2 mA/cm{sup 2}. The prototype 16 cm{sup 2} PV/EC device modulates the transmittance by more than 60% over a large portion of the visible spectrum. The coloring and bleaching times of the EC device are approximately 1 minute under normal operating conditions ({+-} 1 volt). A brief description of photoelectrochromic windows study is also given.

  17. Topography evolution of germanium thin films synthesized by pulsed laser deposition

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    P. Schumacher

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Germanium thin films were deposited by Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD onto single crystal Ge (100 and Si (100 substrates with a native oxide film on the surface. The topography of the surface was investigated by Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM to evaluate the scaling behavior of the surface roughness of amorphous and polycrystalline Ge films grown on substrates with different roughnesses. Roughness evolution was interpreted within the framework of stochastic rate equations for thin film growth. Here the Kardar-Parisi-Zhang equation was used to describe the smoothening process. Additionally, a roughening regime was observed in which 3-dimensional growth occurred. Diffusion of the deposited Ge adatoms controlled the growth of the amorphous Ge thin films. The growth of polycrystalline thin Ge films was dominated by diffusion processes only in the initial stage of the growth.

  18. A comparative study of CdS thin films deposited by different techniques

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pérez-Hernández, G., E-mail: german.perez@ujat.mx [Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco, Avenida Universidad s/n, Col. Magisterial, Villahermosa, Tabasco 86040 (Mexico); Pantoja-Enríquez, J. [Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo Tecnológico en Energías Renovables, UNICACH, Libramiento Norte No 1150, Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas 29039 (Mexico); Escobar-Morales, B. [Instituto Tecnológico de Cancún, Avenida Kábah Km 3, Cancún, Quintana Roo 77500 (Mexico); Martinez-Hernández, D.; Díaz-Flores, L.L.; Ricardez-Jiménez, C. [Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco, Avenida Universidad s/n, Col. Magisterial, Villahermosa, Tabasco 86040 (Mexico); Mathews, N.R.; Mathew, X. [Centro de Investigación en Energía, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Temixco, Morelos 62580 (Mexico)

    2013-05-01

    Cadmium sulfide thin-films were deposited on glass slides and SnO{sub 2}:F coated glass substrates by chemical bath deposition, sputtering and close-spaced sublimation techniques. The films were studied for the structural and opto-electronic properties after annealing in an ambient identical to that employed in the fabrication of CdTe/CdS devices. Quantum efficiency of the CdTe/CdS solar cells fabricated with CdS buffer films prepared by the three methods were investigated to understand the role of CdS film preparation method on the blue response of the devices. The higher blue response observed for the devices fabricated with chemical bath deposited CdS film is discussed. - Highlights: ► CdS films were prepared by different techniques. ► Role of CdS on the blue response of device was studied. ► Structural and optical properties of CdS were analyzed. ► Chemically deposited CdS has high blue transmittance. ► CdS deposition method influences diffusion of S and Te.

  19. Radio-frequency oxygen-plasma-enhanced pulsed laser deposition of IGZO films

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chou, Chia-Man; Lai, Chih-Chang; Chang, Chih-Wei; Wen, Kai-Shin; Hsiao, Vincent K. S.

    2017-07-01

    We demonstrate the crystalline structures, optical transmittance, surface and cross-sectional morphologies, chemical compositions, and electrical properties of indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO)-based thin films deposited on glass and silicon substrates through pulsed laser deposition (PLD) incorporated with radio-frequency (r.f.)-generated oxygen plasma. The plasma-enhanced pulsed laser deposition (PEPLD)-based IGZO thin films exhibited a c-axis-aligned crystalline (CAAC) structure, which was attributed to the increase in Zn-O under high oxygen vapor pressure (150 mTorr). High oxygen vapor pressure (150 mTorr) and low r.f. power (10 W) are the optimal deposition conditions for fabricating IGZO thin films with improved electrical properties.

  20. Modification of thin film properties by ion bombardment during deposition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Harper, J.M.E.; Cuomo, J.J.; Gambino, R.J.; Kaufman, H.R.

    1984-01-01

    Deposition methods involving ion bombardment are described, and the basic processes with which film properties are modified by ion bombardment are summarized. Examples of thin film property modification by ion bombardment during deposition, including effects which are primarily compositional as well as those which are primarily structural are presented. The examples demonstrate the usefulness of ion beam techniques in identifying and controlling the fundamental deposition parameters. 68 refs.; 15 figs.; 1 table

  1. Comparison of lanthanum substituted bismuth titanate (BLT) thin films deposited by sputtering and pulsed laser deposition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Besland, M.P.; Djani-ait Aissa, H.; Barroy, P.R.J.; Lafane, S.; Tessier, P.Y.; Angleraud, B.; Richard-Plouet, M.; Brohan, L.; Djouadi, M.A.

    2006-01-01

    Bi 4-x La x Ti 3 O 12 (BLT x ) (x = 0 to 1) thin films were grown on silicon (100) and platinized substrates Pt/TiO 2 /SiO 2 /Si using RF diode sputtering, magnetron sputtering and pulsed laser deposition (PLD). Stoichiometric home-synthesized targets were used. Reactive sputtering was investigated in argon/oxygen gas mixture, with a pressure ranging from 0.33 to 10 Pa without heating the substrate. PLD was investigated in pure oxygen, at a chamber pressure of 20 Pa for a substrate temperature of 400-440 deg. C. Comparative structural, chemical, optical and morphological characterizations of BLT thin films have been performed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS), X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), Spectro-ellipsometric measurements (SE) and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). Both sputtering techniques allow to obtain uniform films with thickness ranging from 200 to 1000 nm and chemical composition varying from (Bi,La) 2 Ti 3 O 12 to (Bi,La) 4.5 Ti 3 O 12 , depending on deposition pressure and RF power. In addition, BLT films deposited by magnetron sputtering, at a pressure deposition ranging from 1.1 to 5 Pa, were well-crystallized after a post-deposition annealing at 650 deg. C in oxygen. They exhibit a refractive index and optical band gap of 2.7 and 3.15 eV, respectively. Regarding PLD, single phase and well-crystallized, 100-200 nm thick BLT films with a stoichiometric (Bi,La) 4 Ti 3 O 12 chemical composition were obtained, exhibiting in addition a preferential orientation along (200). It is worth noting that BLT films deposited by magnetron sputtering are as well-crystallized than PLD ones

  2. Nano-Impact (Fatigue Characterization of As-Deposited Amorphous Nitinol Thin Film

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rehan Ahmed

    2012-08-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents nano-impact (low cycle fatigue behavior of as-deposited amorphous nitinol (TiNi thin film deposited on Si wafer. The nitinol film was 3.5 µm thick and was deposited by the sputtering process. Nano-impact tests were conducted to comprehend the localized fatigue performance and failure modes of thin film using a calibrated nano-indenter NanoTest™, equipped with standard diamond Berkovich and conical indenter in the load range of 0.5 mN to 100 mN. Each nano-impact test was conducted for a total of 1000 fatigue cycles. Depth sensing approach was adapted to understand the mechanisms of film failure. Based on the depth-time data and surface observations of films using atomic force microscope, it is concluded that the shape of the indenter test probe is critical in inducing the localized indentation stress and film failure. The measurement technique proposed in this paper can be used to optimize the design of nitinol thin films.

  3. Indium zinc oxide films deposited on PET by LF magnetron sputtering

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Eun Lyoung; Jung, Sang Kooun; Sohn, Sang Ho; Park, Duck Kyu

    2007-01-01

    Indium zinc oxide (IZO) has attracted much attention recently for use in transparent oxide films compared with the ITO film. We carried out the deposition of IZO on a polyethylene terapthalate (PET) substrate at room temperature by a low-frequency (LF) magnetron sputtering system. These films have amorphous structures with excellent electrical stability, surface uniformity and high optical transmittance. The effects of LF applied voltage and O 2 flow rate were investigated. The electrical and optical properties were studied. At optimal deposition conditions, thin films of IZO with a sheet resistance of 32 Ω/sq and an optical transmittance of over 80% in the visible spectrum range were achieved. The IZO thin films fabricated by this method do not require substrate heating during the film preparation of any additional post-deposition annealing treatment. The experimental results show that films with good qualities of surface morphology, transmittance and electrical conduction can be grown by the LF magnetron sputtering method on PET which is recommendable

  4. Nanocomposite oxide thin films grown by pulsed energy beam deposition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nistor, M.; Petitmangin, A.; Hebert, C.; Seiler, W.

    2011-01-01

    Highly non-stoichiometric indium tin oxide (ITO) thin films were grown by pulsed energy beam deposition (pulsed laser deposition-PLD and pulsed electron beam deposition-PED) under low oxygen pressure. The analysis of the structure and electrical transport properties showed that ITO films with a large oxygen deficiency (more than 20%) are nanocomposite films with metallic (In, Sn) clusters embedded in a stoichiometric and crystalline oxide matrix. The presence of the metallic clusters induces specific transport properties, i.e. a metallic conductivity via percolation with a superconducting transition at low temperature (about 6 K) and the melting and freezing of the In-Sn clusters in the room temperature to 450 K range evidenced by large changes in resistivity and a hysteresis cycle. By controlling the oxygen deficiency and temperature during the growth, the transport and optical properties of the nanocomposite oxide films could be tuned from metallic-like to insulating and from transparent to absorbing films.

  5. Nanostructured CdS thin films deposited by spray pyrolysis method

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kerimova, A.; Bagiyev, E.; Aliyeva, E.; Bayramov, A. [Institute of Physics, Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, Baku (Azerbaijan)

    2017-06-15

    Influence of solution pH on the structural and optical properties of CdS films deposited by conventional spray pyrolysis technique was studied. X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Photoluminescence spectroscopy (PLS), and Spectroscopic Ellipsometry (SE) methods were used for the characterization of the deposited films. PL spectrum of the film deposited from the solution with pH = 10.2 shows broad-band PL emission located at 460 nm (2.7 eV), which can be attributed to the quantum size effect at grain sizes of <10 nm. No shifts of ε{sub 1} and ε{sub 2} due to the quantum size effect are observed in dielectric function spectra, what can be caused by low concentration of nano-sized (<10 nm) CdS grains. The change in the film properties with the pH of the solution was analyzed in terms of variation of grain sizes of the polycrystalline films. (copyright 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

  6. Thickness dependent growth of low temperature atomic layer deposited zinc oxide films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Montiel-González, Z.; Castelo-González, O.A.; Aguilar-Gama, M.T.; Ramírez-Morales, E.; Hu, H.

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • Polycrystalline columnar ZnO thin films deposited by ALD at low temperatures. • Higher deposition temperature leads to a greater surface roughness in the ALD ZnO films. • Higher temperature originates larger refractive index values of the ALD ZnO films. • ZnO thin films were denser as the numbers of ALD deposition cycles were larger. • XPS analysis revels mayor extent of the DEZ reaction during the ALD process. - Abstract: Zinc oxide films are promising to improve the performance of electronic devices, including those based on organic materials. However, the dependence of the ZnO properties on the preparation conditions represents a challenge to obtain homogeneous thin films that satisfy specific applications. Here, we prepared ZnO films of a wide range of thicknesses by atomic layer deposition (ALD) at relatively low temperatures, 150 and 175 °C. From the results of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and Spectroscopic Ellipsometry it is concluded that the polycrystalline structure of the wurtzite is the main phase of the ALD samples, with OH groups on their surface. Ellipsometry revealed that the temperature and the deposition cycles have a strong effect on the films roughness. Scanning electron micrographs evidenced such effect, through the large pyramids developed at the surface of the films. It is concluded that crystalline ZnO thin films within a broad range of thickness and roughness can be obtained for optic or optoelectronic applications.

  7. Opto-electrical properties of amorphous carbon thin film deposited from natural precursor camphor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Pradhan, Debabrata [Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai 400 076 (India)]. E-mail: dpradhan@sciborg.uwaterloo.ca; Sharon, Maheshwar [Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai 400 076 (India)

    2007-06-30

    A simple thermal chemical vapor deposition technique is employed for the pyrolysis of a natural precursor 'camphor' and deposition of carbon films on alumina substrate at higher temperatures (600-900 deg. C). X-ray diffraction measurement reveals the amorphous structure of these films. The carbon films properties are found to significantly vary with the deposition temperatures. At higher deposition temperature, films have shown predominately sp{sup 2}-bonded carbon and therefore, higher conductivity and lower optical band gap (Tauc gap). These amorphous carbon (a-C) films are also characterized with Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. In addition, electrical and optical properties are measured. The thermoelectric measurement shows these as-grown a-C films are p-type in nature.

  8. Structural characterization of ZnO thin films grown on various substrates by pulsed laser deposition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Novotný, M; Bulíř, J; Lančok, J; Čížek, J; Kužel, R; Connolly, J; McCarthy, E; Krishnamurthy, S; Mosnier, J-P; Anwand, W; Brauer, G

    2012-01-01

    ZnO thin films were grown by pulsed laser deposition on three different substrates: sapphire (0 0 0 1), MgO (1 0 0) and fused silica (FS). The structure and morphology of the films were characterized by x-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy and defect studies were carried out using slow positron implantation spectroscopy (SPIS). Films deposited on all substrates studied in this work exhibit the wurtzite ZnO structure and are characterized by an average crystallite size of 20-100 nm. However, strong differences in the microstructure of films deposited on various substrates were found. The ZnO films deposited on MgO and sapphire single-crystalline substrates exhibit local epitaxy, i.e. a well-defined relation between film crystallites and the substrate. Domains with different orientation relationships with the substrate were found in both films. On the other hand, the film deposited on the FS substrate exhibits fibre texture with random lateral orientation of crystallites. Extremely high compressive in-plane stress of σ ∼ 14 GPa was determined in the film deposited on the MgO substrate, while the film deposited on sapphire is virtually stress-free, and the film deposited on the FS substrate exhibits a tensile in-plane stress of σ ∼ 0.9 GPa. SPIS investigations revealed that the concentration of open-volume defects in the ZnO films is substantially higher than that in a bulk ZnO single crystal. Moreover, the ZnO films deposited on MgO and sapphire single-crystalline substrates exhibit a significantly higher density of defects than the film deposited on the amorphous FS substrate. (paper)

  9. Self-limiting atomic layer deposition of conformal nanostructured silver films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Golrokhi, Zahra; Chalker, Sophia; Sutcliffe, Christopher J.; Potter, Richard J.

    2016-01-01

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • We grow metallic silver by direct liquid injection thermal atomic layer deposition. • Highly conformal silver nanoparticle coatings on high aspect ratio surfaces. • An ALD temperature growth window between 123 and 128 °C is established. • ALD cycles provides sub nanometre control of silver growth. • Catalytic dehydrogenation ALD mechanism has been elucidated by in-situ QCM. - Abstract: The controlled deposition of ultra-thin conformal silver nanoparticle films is of interest for applications including anti-microbial surfaces, plasmonics, catalysts and sensors. While numerous techniques can produce silver nanoparticles, few are able to produce highly conformal coatings on high aspect ratio surfaces, together with sub-nanometre control and scalability. Here we develop a self-limiting atomic layer deposition (ALD) process for the deposition of conformal metallic silver nanoparticle films. The films have been deposited using direct liquid injection ALD with ((hexafluoroacetylacetonato)silver(I)(1,5-cyclooctadiene)) and propan-1-ol. An ALD temperature window between 123 and 128 °C is identified and within this range self-limiting growth is confirmed with a mass deposition rate of ∼17.5 ng/cm"2/cycle. The effects of temperature, precursor dose, co-reactant dose and cycle number on the deposition rate and on the properties of the films have been systematically investigated. Under self-limiting conditions, films are metallic silver with a nano-textured surface topography and nanoparticle size is dependent on the number of ALD cycles. The ALD reaction mechanisms have been elucidated using in-situ quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) measurements, showing chemisorption of the silver precursor, followed by heterogeneous catalytic dehydrogenation of the alcohol to form metallic silver and an aldehyde.

  10. Morphology and structural studies of WO_3 films deposited on SrTiO_3 by pulsed laser deposition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kalhori, Hossein; Porter, Stephen B.; Esmaeily, Amir Sajjad; Coey, Michael; Ranjbar, Mehdi; Salamati, Hadi

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • Highly oriented WO_3 stoichiometric films were determined using pulsed laser deposition method. • Effective parameters on thin films including temperature, oxygen partial pressure and laser energy fluency was studied. • A phase transition was observed in WO_3 films at 700 °C from monoclinic to tetragonal. - Abstract: WO_3 films have been grown by pulsed laser deposition on SrTiO_3 (001) substrates. The effects of substrate temperature, oxygen partial pressure and energy fluence of the laser beam on the physical properties of the films were studied. Reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) patterns during and after growth were used to determine the surface structure and morphology. The chemical composition and crystalline phases were obtained by XPS and XRD respectively. AFM results showed that the roughness and skewness of the films depend on the substrate temperature during deposition. Optimal conditions were determined for the growth of the highly oriented films.

  11. Microstructural and magnetic properties of thin obliquely deposited films: A simulation approach

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Solovev, P.N., E-mail: platon.solovev@gmail.com [Kirensky Institute of Physics, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 50/38, Akademgorodok, Krasnoyarsk 660036 (Russian Federation); Siberian Federal University, 79, pr. Svobodnyi, Krasnoyarsk 660041 (Russian Federation); Izotov, A.V. [Kirensky Institute of Physics, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 50/38, Akademgorodok, Krasnoyarsk 660036 (Russian Federation); Siberian Federal University, 79, pr. Svobodnyi, Krasnoyarsk 660041 (Russian Federation); Belyaev, B.A. [Kirensky Institute of Physics, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 50/38, Akademgorodok, Krasnoyarsk 660036 (Russian Federation); Siberian Federal University, 79, pr. Svobodnyi, Krasnoyarsk 660041 (Russian Federation); Reshetnev Siberian State Aerospace University, 31, pr. Imeni Gazety “Krasnoyarskii Rabochii”, Krasnoyarsk 660014 (Russian Federation)

    2017-05-01

    The relation between microstructural and magnetic properties of thin obliquely deposited films has been studied by means of numerical techniques. Using our developed simulation code based on ballistic deposition model and Fourier space approach, we have investigated dependences of magnetometric tensor components and magnetic anisotropy parameters on the deposition angle of the films. A modified Netzelmann approach has been employed to study structural and magnetic parameters of an isolated column in the samples with tilted columnar microstructure. Reliability and validity of used numerical methods is confirmed by a good agreement of the calculation results with each other, as well as with our experimental data obtained by the ferromagnetic resonance measurements of obliquely deposited thin Ni{sub 80}Fe{sub 20} films. The combination of these numerical methods can be used to design a magnetic film with a desirable value of uniaxial magnetic anisotropy and to extract the obliquely deposited film structure from only magnetic measurements. - Highlights: • We present a simulation approach to study a relation between structural and magnetic properties of oblique films. • The calculated dependence of magnetic anisotropy on a deposition angle accords well with the experiment. • A modified Netzelmann approach is proposed. • It allows for the computation of magnetic and structural parameters of an isolated column. • Proposed approach can be used for theoretical studies and for characterization of oblique films.

  12. Structural and Magnetic Properties of Mn doped ZnO Thin Film Deposited by Pulsed Laser Deposition

    KAUST Repository

    Baras, Abdulaziz

    2011-07-01

    Diluted magnetic oxide (DMO) research is a growing field of interdisciplinary study like spintronic devices and medical imaging. A definite agreement among researchers concerning the origin of ferromagnetism in DMO has yet to be reached. This thesis presents a study on the structural and magnetic properties of DMO thin films. It attempts to contribute to the understanding of ferromagnetism (FM) origin in DMO. Pure ZnO and Mn doped ZnO thin films have been deposited by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) using different deposition conditions. This was conducted in order to correlate the change between structural and magnetic properties. Structural properties of the films were characterized using x-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) was used to investigate the magnetic properties of these films. The structural characterizations showed that the quality of pure ZnO and Mn doped ZnO films increased as oxygen pressure (PO) increased during deposition. All samples were insulators. In Mn doped films, Mn concentration decreased as PO increased. The Mn doped ZnO samples were deposited at 600˚C and oxygen pressure from 50-500mTorr. All Mn doped films displayed room temperature ferromagnetism (RTFM). However, at 5 K a superparamagnetic (SPM) behavior was observed in these samples. This result was accounted for by the supposition that there were secondary phase(s) causing the superparamagnetic behavior. Our findings hope to strengthen existing research on DMO origins and suggest that secondary phases are the core components that suppress the ferromagnetism. Although RTFM and SPM at low temperature has been observed in other systems (e.g., Co doped ZnO), we are the first to report this behavior in Mn doped ZnO. Future research might extend the characterization and exploration of ferromagnetism in this system.

  13. Optoelectronic Characterization of Ta-Doped ZnO Thin Films by Pulsed Laser Deposition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koo, Horng-Show; Peng, Jo-Chi; Chen, Mi; Chin, Hung-I; Chen, Jaw-Yeh; Wu, Maw-Kuen

    2015-11-01

    Transparent conductive oxide of Ta-doped ZnO (TZO) film with doping amount of 3.0 wt% have been deposited on glass substrates (Corning Eagle XG) at substrate temperatures of 100 to 500 degrees C by the pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique. The effect of substrate temperature on the structural, optical and electronic characteristics of Ta-doped ZnO (TZO) films with 3.0 wt% dopant of tantalum oxide (Ta2O5) was measured and demonstrated in terms of X-ray diffraction (XRD), ultraviolet-visible spectrometer (UV-Vis), four-probe and Hall-effect measurements. X-ray diffraction pattern shows that TZO films grow in hexagonal crystal structure of wurtzite phase with a preferred orientation of the crystallites along (002) direction and exhibits better physical characteristics of optical transmittance, electrical conductivity, carrier concentration and mobility for the application of window layer in the optoelectronic devices of solar cells, OLEDs and LEDs. The lowest electrical resistivity (ρ) and the highest carrier concentration of the as-deposited film deposited at 300 degrees C are measured as 2.6 x 10(-3) Ω-cm and 3.87 x 10(-20) cm(-3), respectively. The highest optical transmittance of the as-deposited film deposited at 500 degrees C is shown to be 93%, compared with another films deposited below 300 degrees C. It is found that electrical and optical properties of the as-deposited TZO film are greatly dependent on substrate temperature during laser ablation deposition.

  14. Atomic-layer-deposited WNxCy thin films as diffusion barrier for copper metallization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Soo-Hyun; Oh, Su Suk; Kim, Ki-Bum; Kang, Dae-Hwan; Li, Wei-Min; Haukka, Suvi; Tuominen, Marko

    2003-06-01

    The properties of WNxCy films deposited by atomic layer deposition (ALD) using WF6, NH3, and triethyl boron as source gases were characterized as a diffusion barrier for copper metallization. It is noted that the as-deposited film shows an extremely low resistivity of about 350 μΩ cm with a film density of 15.37 g/cm3. The film composition measured from Rutherford backscattering spectrometry shows W, C, and N of ˜48, 32, and 20 at. %, respectively. Transmission electron microscopy analyses show that the as-deposited film is composed of face-centered-cubic phase with a lattice parameter similar to both β-WC1-x and β-W2N with an equiaxed microstructure. The barrier property of this ALD-WNxCy film at a nominal thickness of 12 nm deposited between Cu and Si fails only after annealing at 700 °C for 30 min.

  15. Antibacterial and barrier properties of oriented polymer films with ZnO thin films applied with atomic layer deposition at low temperatures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vähä-Nissi, Mika; Pitkänen, Marja; Salo, Erkki; Kenttä, Eija; Tanskanen, Anne; Sajavaara, Timo; Putkonen, Matti; Sievänen, Jenni; Sneck, Asko; Rättö, Marjaana; Karppinen, Maarit; Harlin, Ali

    2014-01-01

    Concerns on food safety, and need for high quality and extended shelf-life of packaged foods have promoted the development of antibacterial barrier packaging materials. Few articles have been available dealing with the barrier or antimicrobial properties of zinc oxide thin films deposited at low temperature with atomic layer deposition (ALD) onto commercial polymer films typically used for packaging purposes. The purpose of this paper was to study the properties of ZnO thin films compared to those of aluminum oxide. It was also possible to deposit ZnO thin films onto oriented polylactic acid and polypropylene films at relatively low temperatures using ozone instead of water as an oxidizing precursor for diethylzinc. Replacing water with ozone changed both the structure and the chemical composition of films deposited on silicon wafers. ZnO films deposited with ozone contained large grains covered and separated probably by a more amorphous and uniform layer. These thin films were also assumed to contain zinc salts of carboxylic acids. The barrier properties of a 25 nm ZnO thin film deposited with ozone at 100 °C were quite close to those obtained earlier with ALD Al 2 O 3 of similar apparent thickness on similar polymer films. ZnO thin films deposited at low temperature indicated migration of antibacterial agent, while direct contact between ZnO and Al 2 O 3 thin films and bacteria promoted antibacterial activity. - Highlights: • Thin films were grown from diethylzinc also with ozone instead of water at 70 and 100 °C. • ZnO films deposited with diethylzinc and ozone had different structures and chemistries. • Best barrier properties obtained with zinc oxide films close to those obtained with Al 2 O 3 • Ozone as oxygen source provided better barrier properties at 100 °C than water. • Both aluminum and zinc oxide thin films showed antimicrobial activity against E. coli

  16. Antibacterial and barrier properties of oriented polymer films with ZnO thin films applied with atomic layer deposition at low temperatures

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Vähä-Nissi, Mika, E-mail: mika.vaha-nissi@vtt.fi [VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, P.O. Box 1000, FI-02044, VTT (Finland); Pitkänen, Marja; Salo, Erkki; Kenttä, Eija [VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, P.O. Box 1000, FI-02044, VTT (Finland); Tanskanen, Anne, E-mail: Anne.Tanskanen@aalto.fi [Aalto University, School of Chemical Technology, Department of Chemistry, Laboratory of Inorganic Chemistry, P.O. Box 16100, FI-00076 Aalto (Finland); Sajavaara, Timo, E-mail: timo.sajavaara@jyu.fi [University of Jyväskylä, Department of Physics, P.O. Box 35, FI-40014 Jyväskylä (Finland); Putkonen, Matti; Sievänen, Jenni; Sneck, Asko; Rättö, Marjaana [VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, P.O. Box 1000, FI-02044, VTT (Finland); Karppinen, Maarit, E-mail: Maarit.Karppinen@aalto.fi [Aalto University, School of Chemical Technology, Department of Chemistry, Laboratory of Inorganic Chemistry, P.O. Box 16100, FI-00076 Aalto (Finland); Harlin, Ali [VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, P.O. Box 1000, FI-02044, VTT (Finland)

    2014-07-01

    Concerns on food safety, and need for high quality and extended shelf-life of packaged foods have promoted the development of antibacterial barrier packaging materials. Few articles have been available dealing with the barrier or antimicrobial properties of zinc oxide thin films deposited at low temperature with atomic layer deposition (ALD) onto commercial polymer films typically used for packaging purposes. The purpose of this paper was to study the properties of ZnO thin films compared to those of aluminum oxide. It was also possible to deposit ZnO thin films onto oriented polylactic acid and polypropylene films at relatively low temperatures using ozone instead of water as an oxidizing precursor for diethylzinc. Replacing water with ozone changed both the structure and the chemical composition of films deposited on silicon wafers. ZnO films deposited with ozone contained large grains covered and separated probably by a more amorphous and uniform layer. These thin films were also assumed to contain zinc salts of carboxylic acids. The barrier properties of a 25 nm ZnO thin film deposited with ozone at 100 °C were quite close to those obtained earlier with ALD Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} of similar apparent thickness on similar polymer films. ZnO thin films deposited at low temperature indicated migration of antibacterial agent, while direct contact between ZnO and Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} thin films and bacteria promoted antibacterial activity. - Highlights: • Thin films were grown from diethylzinc also with ozone instead of water at 70 and 100 °C. • ZnO films deposited with diethylzinc and ozone had different structures and chemistries. • Best barrier properties obtained with zinc oxide films close to those obtained with Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} • Ozone as oxygen source provided better barrier properties at 100 °C than water. • Both aluminum and zinc oxide thin films showed antimicrobial activity against E. coli.

  17. Synthesis and characterization of titanium dioxide thin films deposited by laser ablation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Escobar A, L.; Camps C, E.; Falcon B, T.; Carapia M, L.; Haro P, E.; Camacho L, M.A.

    2000-01-01

    In this work are presented the results obtained when TiO 2 thin films were deposited using the laser ablation technique. Thin films were deposited at different substrate temperatures, and different oxygen pressures, with the purpose of studying the influence of this deposit parameters in the structural characteristics of the films obtained. The structural characterization was realized through Raman Spectroscopy and X-ray Diffraction (XRD), the surface morphology of the layers deposited was verified by Scanning Electron Microscopy (Sem). The results show that the films obtained are of TiO 2 in rutile phase, getting this at low substrate temperatures, its morphology shows a soft surface with some spattered particles and good adherence. (Author)

  18. Characterization of CuS nanocrystalline thin films synthesized by chemical bath deposition and dip coating techniques

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chaki, Sunil H.; Deshpande, M.P.; Tailor, Jiten P.

    2014-01-01

    CuS thin films were synthesized by chemical bath deposition and dip coating techniques at ambient temperature. The energy dispersive analysis of X-rays of the thin films confirmed that both the as synthesized thin films are stoichiometric. The X-ray diffraction of the chemical bath deposited and dip coating deposited thin films showed that the films possess hexagonal structure having lattice parameters, a = b = 3.79 A and c = 16.34 A. The crystallite sizes determined from the X-ray diffraction data using Scherrer's formula for the chemical bath deposition and dip coating deposition thin films came out to be nearly 11 nm and 13 nm, respectively. The optical microscopy of the as deposited thin films surfaces showed that the substrates are well covered in both the deposited films. The scanning electron microscopy of the thin films clearly showed that in chemical bath deposited thin films the grain size varies from few μm to nm, while in dip coating deposited films the grain size ranges in nm. The optical bandgap determined from the optical absorbance spectrum analysis showed, chemical bath deposited thin films possess direct bandgap of 2.2 eV and indirect bandgap of 1.8 eV. In the case of dip coating deposited thin films, the direct bandgap is 2.5 eV and indirect bandgap is 1.9 eV. The d.c. electrical resistivity variation with temperature for both the deposited films showed that the resistivity decreases with temperature thus confirming the semiconducting nature. The thermoelectric power variations with temperature and the room temperature Hall Effect study of both the synthesized CuS thin films showed them to be of p-type conductivity. The obtained results are discussed in details. - Highlights: • CuS thin films were synthesized by chemical bath deposition and dip coating techniques. • The films possessed hexagonal structure. • The optical absorption showed that the films had direct and indirect bandgap. • Study of electrical transport properties

  19. Study on helium-charged titanium films deposited by DC-magnetron sputtering

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shi Liqun; Jin Qinhua; Liu Chaozhuo; Xu Shilin; Zhou Zhuying

    2005-01-01

    Helium trapping in the Ti films deposited by DC magnetron sputtering with a He/Ar mixture was studied. He atoms with a surprisingly high concentration (He/Ti atomic ratio is as high as 56%) incorporate evenly in deposited film. The trapped amount of He can be controlled by the helium partial amount. The introduction of the helium with no extra damage (or very low damage) can be realized by choosing suitable deposition conditions. It was also found that because of the formation of nanophase Ti film a relative high He flux for bubble formation is needed and the amount of the retaining He in sputtering Ti films is much higher than that in the coarse-grain Ti films. The nanophase Ti film can accommodate larger concentration of trapped sites to He, which results in a high density and small size of the He bubbles. With increasing He irradiation flux, the grain size of Ti film decreases and the lattice spacing and width of the X-ray diffraction peak increase due to the He introduction, and the film tends to amorphous phase. (authors)

  20. The properties of nanocomposite aluminium-silicon based thin films deposited by filtered arc deposition

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bendavid, A.; Martin, P.J.; Takikawa, H

    2002-12-02

    Thin films of aluminium silicon oxynitride have been deposited on conducting (100) silicon wafers by filtered arc deposition (FAD) under nitrogen and/or oxygen gas flow. The influence of the N{sub 2}/O{sub 2} flow ratio on the crystal structure, optical and mechanical properties has been investigated. The results of X-ray diffraction showed that the film structure comprised of an AlN crystallite with amorphous Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} and SiO{sub x}. The optical properties over the range of 350-800 nm were measured using spectroscopic ellipsometry and found to be strongly dependent on N{sub 2}/O{sub 2} flow ratio. The refractive index values of the films were measured to be in the range of 2.2-1.64 at a wavelength of 670 nm for oxygen flow range of 0-100%. The hardness of the films was found to be strongly dependent on the oxygen content in the film. The hardness range of the films was between 10 and 22 GPa and for the stress between 0.3 and 1.2 GPa.

  1. Growth of different phases and morphological features of MnS thin films by chemical bath deposition: Effect of deposition parameters and annealing

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hannachi, Amira, E-mail: amira.hannachi88@gmail.com; Maghraoui-Meherzi, Hager

    2017-03-15

    Manganese sulfide thin films have been deposited on glass slides by chemical bath deposition (CBD) method. The effects of preparative parameters such as deposition time, bath temperature, concentration of precursors, multi-layer deposition, different source of manganese, different complexing agent and thermal annealing on structural and morphological film properties have been investigated. The prepared thin films have been characterized using the X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX). It exhibit the metastable forms of MnS, the hexagonal γ-MnS wurtzite phase with preferential orientation in the (002) plane or the cubic β-MnS zinc blende with preferential orientation in the (200) plane. Microstructural studies revealed the formation of MnS crystals with different morphologies, such as hexagons, spheres, cubes or flowers like. - Graphical Abstract: We report the preparation of different phases of manganese sulfide thin films (γ, β and α-MnS) by chemical bath deposition method. The effects of deposition parameters such as deposition time and temperature, concentrations of precursors and multi-layer deposition on MnS thin films structure and morphology were investigated. The influence of thermal annealing under nitrogen atmosphere at different temperature on MnS properties was also studied. Different manganese precursors as well as different complexing agent were also used. - Highlights: • γ and β-MnS films were deposited on substrate using the chemical bath deposition. • The effect of deposition parameters on MnS film properties has been investigated. • Multi-layer deposition was also studied to increase film thickness. • The effect of annealing under N{sub 2} at different temperature was investigated.

  2. Effect of protic solvents on CdS thin films prepared by chemical bath deposition

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yao, Pin-Chuan, E-mail: pcyao@mail.dyu.edu.tw; Chen, Chun-Yu

    2015-03-31

    In this study, cadmium sulfide (CdS) thin films are grown on glass substrates by chemical bath deposition (CBD) in an aqueous bath containing 10–20 vol.% alcohol. The roles of ethanol as a protic solvent that substantially improves the quality of films are explored extensively. The deposited films in an alcohol bath are found to be more compact and smoother with smaller CdS grains. The X-ray diffractograms of the samples confirm that all films were polycrystalline with mixed wurtzite (hexagonal) and zinkblende (cubic) phases. Raman spectra indicate that, for a film deposited in an alcohol bath, the position of 1LO is closer to the value for single crystal CdS, indicating that these films have a high degree of crystallinity. The as-deposited CdS thin films in a 10 vol.% alcohol bath were found to have the highest visible transmittance of 81.9%. XPS analysis reveals a stronger signal of C1s for samples deposited in the alcohol baths, indicating that there are more carbonaceous residues on the films with protic solvent than on the films with water. A higher XPS S/Cd atomic ratio for films deposited in an alcohol bath indicates that undesirable surface reactions (leading to sulfur containing compounds other than CdS) occur less frequently over the substrates. - Highlights: • Study of CBD-CdS films grown in an alcohol-containing aqueous bath is reported. • The deposited films in an alcohol bath are more compact with smaller CdS grains. • Raman spectra show that in an alcohol bath, the CdS film has a better crystallinity. • XPS reveals more carbon residues remain on the films deposited using alcohol bath. • In an alcohol bath, the undesirable surface reactions with Cd ions were hindered.

  3. Deposition of nanostructured photocatalytic zinc ferrite films using solution precursor plasma spraying

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dom, Rekha; Sivakumar, G.; Hebalkar, Neha Y.; Joshi, Shrikant V.; Borse, Pramod H.

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► Highly economic solution precursor route capable of producing films/coating even for mass scale production. ► Pure spinel phase ZnFe 2 O 4 porous, immobilized films deposited in single step. ► Parameter optimization yields access to nanostructuring in SPPS method. ► The ecofriendly immobilized ferrite films were active under solar radiation. ► Such magnetic system display advantage w.r.t. recyclability after photocatalyst extraction. -- Abstract: Deposition of pure spinel phase, photocatalytic zinc ferrite films on SS-304 substrates by solution precursor plasma spraying (SPPS) has been demonstrated for the first time. Deposition parameters such as precursor solution pH, concentration, film thickness, plasma power and gun-substrate distance were found to control physico-chemical properties of the film, with respect to their crystallinity, phase purity, and morphology. Alkaline precursor conditions (7 2 O 4 film. Very high/low precursor concentrations yielded mixed phase, less adherent, and highly inhomogeneous thin films. Desired spinel phase was achieved in as-deposited condition under appropriately controlled spray conditions and exhibited a band gap of ∼1.9 eV. The highly porous nature of the films favored its photocatalytic performance as indicated by methylene blue de-coloration under solar radiation. These immobilized films display good potential for visible light photocatalytic applications.

  4. Effect of residual gas on structural, electrical and mechanical properties of niobium films deposited by magnetron sputtering deposition

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Lanruo; Zhong, Yuan; Li, Jinjin; Cao, Wenhui; Zhong, Qing; Wang, Xueshen; Li, Xu

    2018-04-01

    Magnetron sputtering is an important method in the superconducting thin films deposition. The residual gas inside the vacuum chamber will directly affect the quality of the superconducting films. In this paper, niobium films are deposited by magnetron sputtering under different chamber residual gas conditions. The influence of baking and sputtering process on residual gas are studied as well. Surface morphology, electrical and mechanical properties of the films are analysed. The residual gas analysis result before the sputtering process could be regarded as a reference condition to achieve high quality superconducting thin films.

  5. Structural characterization of chemically deposited PbS thin films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fernandez-Lima, F.A.; Gonzalez-Alfaro, Y.; Larramendi, E.M.; Fonseca Filho, H.D.; Maia da Costa, M.E.H.; Freire, F.L.; Prioli, R.; Avillez, R.R. de; Silveira, E.F. da; Calzadilla, O.; Melo, O. de; Pedrero, E.; Hernandez, E.

    2007-01-01

    Polycrystalline thin films of lead sulfide (PbS) grown using substrate colloidal coating chemical bath depositions were characterized by RBS, XPS, AFM and GIXRD techniques. The films were grown on glass substrates previously coated with PbS colloidal particles in a polyvinyl alcohol solution. The PbS films obtained with the inclusion of the polymer showed non-oxygen-containing organic contamination. All samples maintained the Pb:S 1:1 stoichiometry throughout the film. The amount of effective nucleation centers and the mean grain size have being controlled by the substrate colloidal coating. The analysis of the polycrystalline PbS films showed that a preferable (1 0 0) lattice plane orientation parallel to the substrate surface can be obtained using a substrate colloidal coating chemical bath deposition, and the orientation increases when a layer of colloid is initially dried on the substrate

  6. Study of hard diamond-like carbon films deposited in an inductively coupled plasma source

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yu Shiji; Ma Tengcai

    2003-01-01

    Chemical vapor deposition of the hard diamond-like carbon (DLC) films was achieved using an inductively coupled plasma source (ICPS). The microscopy, microhardness, deposition rate and structure characteristic of the DLC films were analyzed. It is shown that the ICPS is suitable for the hard DLC film deposition at relatively low substrate negative bias voltage, and the substrate negative bias voltage greatly affects chemical vapor deposition of the DLC film and its quality

  7. Heat treatment of cathodic arc deposited amorphous hard carbon films

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Anders, S.; Ager, J.W. III; Brown, I.G. [and others

    1997-02-01

    Amorphous hard carbon films of varying sp{sup 2}/sp{sup 3} fractions have been deposited on Si using filtered cathodic are deposition with pulsed biasing. The films were heat treated in air up to 550 C. Raman investigation and nanoindentation were performed to study the modification of the films caused by the heat treatment. It was found that films containing a high sp{sup 3} fraction sustain their hardness for temperatures at least up to 400 C, their structure for temperatures up to 500 C, and show a low thickness loss during heat treatment. Films containing at low sp{sup 3} fraction graphitize during the heat treatment, show changes in structure and hardness, and a considerable thickness loss.

  8. Color combination of conductive polymers for black electrochromism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shin, Haijin; Kim, Yuna; Bhuvana, Thiruvelu; Lee, Jiyea; Yang, Xu; Park, Cheolmin; Kim, Eunkyoung

    2012-01-01

    Conducting polymers that absorb three primary colors, red, green, and blue (RGB), were introduced with a yellow electrochromic polymer (Y) for the preparation of black electrochromic devices. Red poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and blue poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) were coated on one side of the electrode as a cathodically coloring electrochromic (EC) layer, while green poly(aniline-N-butylsulfonate) (PANBS) and yellow EC poly{[1,3-bis(9',9'-dihexylfluoren-20-yl)azulenyl]-alt-[2",7"-(9",9"-dihexylfluorenyl]} (PDHFA) were coated on the opposite electrode to complete a complementary EC device. The yellow PDHFA layer effectively compensated for absorption below 450 nm and above the 600 nm region, which was lacking in the RGB electrode. The resultant RGBY ECD provided a black color near the CIE black with L*, a*, and b* values of 32, -1.1, and 3.7, respectively, covering a broad absorption in the visible range in the colored state. The state of the black EC device was maintained, even after the electricity was turned off for 200 h, showing stable memory effect. © 2011 American Chemical Society

  9. Influence of annealing temperature on microstructure and optical properties of sol-gel derived tungsten oxide films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sun Xilian; Cao Hongtao; Liu Zhimin; Li Jianzhong

    2009-01-01

    Tungsten oxide (WO 3 ) thin films have been extensively studied for their interesting physical properties and a variety of potential applications in electrochromic devices. In order to explore the possibility of using these in electrochromic devices, a preliminary and thorough study of the optical properties of the host materials is an important step. Based on this, the influence of annealing temperature on the structural, surface morphological, optical and electrochromic properties has been investigated in the present work. The host material, WO 3 films, has been prepared from an ethanolic acetylated peroxotungstic acid sol containing 5 wt.% oxalic acid dehydrate (OAD) by sol-gel technique. The monoclinic structure and textured nature change of the films with the temperature increasing have been investigated by X-ray diffraction analysis. The surface morphology evolution of the films has been characterized by SEM. The shift in absorption edge towards the higher wavelength region observed from optical studies may be due to the electron scattering effects and the optical band filling effect that reveals the crystallization of the film. The amorphous film shows better optical modulation (ΔT = 76.9% at λ = 610 nm), fast color-bleach kinetics (t c ∼ 4 s and t b ∼ 9 s) and good reversibility (Q b /Q c = 90%), thereby rendering it suitable for smart window applications.

  10. Ammonia-free chemical bath method for deposition of microcrystalline cadmium selenide films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lokhande, C.D.; Lee, Eun-Ho; Jung, Kwang-Deog; Joo, Oh-Shim

    2005-01-01

    Chemical deposition of cadmium selenide (CdSe) films has been carried out from alkaline aqueous solution containing Cd 2+ and Se 2- ions. In general, the alkaline pH of the CdSe deposition bath has been adjusted by addition of liquid ammonia. However, the use of ammonia in large-scale chemical deposition method represents an environmental problem due to its volatility and toxicity. The volatility of ammonia changes the pH of deposition bath and results into irreproducible film properties. In the present paper, ammonia-free and weak alkaline (pH < 9.0) chemical method for cadmium selenide film has been developed. The cadmium selenide films are microcrystalline (grain size 0.5-0.7 μm) with hexagonal crystal structure. These films are photoactive and therefore, useful in photo conversion of light into electrical power

  11. Optimization of deposition conditions of CdS thin films using response surface methodology

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yücel, Ersin, E-mail: dr.ersinyucel@gmail.com [Department of Physics, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Mustafa Kemal University, 31034 Hatay (Turkey); Güler, Nuray [Department of Physics, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Mustafa Kemal University, 31034 Hatay (Turkey); Yücel, Yasin [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Mustafa Kemal University, 31034 Hatay (Turkey)

    2014-03-15

    Highlights: • Statistical methods used for optimization of CdS deposition parameters. • The morphology of the films was smooth, homogeneous and continuous. • Optimal conditions found as pH 11, stirring speed:361 rpm and deposition time: 55 min. • CdS thin film band gap value was 2.72 eV under the optimum conditions. -- Abstract: Cadmium sulfide (CdS) thin films were prepared on glass substrates by chemical bath deposition (CBD) technique under different pH, stirring speed and deposition time. Response Surface Methodology (RSM) and Central Composite Design (CCD) were used to optimization of deposition parameters of the CdS thin films. RSM and CCD were also used to understand the significance and interaction of the factors affecting the film quality. Variables were determined as pH, stirring speed and deposition time. The band gap was chosen as response in the study. Influences of the variables on the band gap and the film quality were investigated. 5-level-3-factor central composite design was employed to evaluate the effects of the deposition conditions parameters such as pH (10.2–11.8), stirring speed (132–468 rpm) and deposition time (33–67 min) on the band gap of the films. The samples were characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy (UV–vis) measurements. The optimal conditions for the deposition parameters of the CdS thin films have been found to be: pH 11, 361 of stirring speed and 55 min of deposition time. Under the optimal conditions theoretical (predicted) band gap of CdS (2.66 eV) was calculated using optimal coded values from the model and the theoretical value is good agreement with the value (2.72 eV) obtained by verification experiment.

  12. Radio-frequency oxygen-plasma-enhanced pulsed laser deposition of IGZO films

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chia-Man Chou

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available We demonstrate the crystalline structures, optical transmittance, surface and cross-sectional morphologies, chemical compositions, and electrical properties of indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO-based thin films deposited on glass and silicon substrates through pulsed laser deposition (PLD incorporated with radio-frequency (r.f.-generated oxygen plasma. The plasma-enhanced pulsed laser deposition (PEPLD-based IGZO thin films exhibited a c-axis-aligned crystalline (CAAC structure, which was attributed to the increase in Zn-O under high oxygen vapor pressure (150 mTorr. High oxygen vapor pressure (150 mTorr and low r.f. power (10 W are the optimal deposition conditions for fabricating IGZO thin films with improved electrical properties.

  13. Deposition of controllable preferred orientation silicon films on glass by inductively coupled plasma chemical vapor deposition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Junshuai; Wang Jinxiao; Yin Min; Gao Pingqi; He Deyan; Chen Qiang; Li Yali; Shirai, Hajime

    2008-01-01

    An inductively coupled plasma (ICP) system with the adjustable distance between the inductance coil and substrates was designed to effectively utilize the spatial confinement of ICP discharge, and then control the gas-phase transport process. The effects of the gas phase processes on the crystallinity and preferred orientation of silicon films deposited on glass were systematically investigated. The investigation was conducted in the ICP-chemical vapor deposition process with the precursor gas of a SiH 4 /H 2 mixture at a substrate temperature of 350 deg. Highly crystallized silicon films with different preferred orientations, (111) or (220), could be selectively deposited by adjusting the SiH 4 dilution ratio [R=[SiH 4 ]/([SiH 4 ]+[H 2 ])] or total working pressure. When the total working pressure is 20 Pa, the crystallinity of the silicon films increases with the increase of the SiH 4 dilution ratio, while the preferred orientation was changed from (111) to (220). In the case of the fixed SiH 4 dilution (10%), the silicon film with I (220) /I (111) of about 3.5 and Raman crystalline fraction of about 89.6% has been deposited at 29.7 nm/min when the total working pressure was increased to 40 Pa. At the fixed SiH 4 partial pressure of 2 Pa, the film crystallinity decreases and the preferred orientation is always (111) with increasing the H 2 partial pressure from 18 to 58 Pa. Atomic force microscope reveals that the film deposited at a relatively high H 2 partial pressure has a very rough surface caused by the devastating etching of H atoms to the silicon network

  14. Statistical mixture design and multivariate analysis of inkjet printed a-WO3/TiO2/WOX electrochromic films.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wojcik, Pawel Jerzy; Pereira, Luís; Martins, Rodrigo; Fortunato, Elvira

    2014-01-13

    An efficient mathematical strategy in the field of solution processed electrochromic (EC) films is outlined as a combination of an experimental work, modeling, and information extraction from massive computational data via statistical software. Design of Experiment (DOE) was used for statistical multivariate analysis and prediction of mixtures through a multiple regression model, as well as the optimization of a five-component sol-gel precursor subjected to complex constraints. This approach significantly reduces the number of experiments to be realized, from 162 in the full factorial (L=3) and 72 in the extreme vertices (D=2) approach down to only 30 runs, while still maintaining a high accuracy of the analysis. By carrying out a finite number of experiments, the empirical modeling in this study shows reasonably good prediction ability in terms of the overall EC performance. An optimized ink formulation was employed in a prototype of a passive EC matrix fabricated in order to test and trial this optically active material system together with a solid-state electrolyte for the prospective application in EC displays. Coupling of DOE with chromogenic material formulation shows the potential to maximize the capabilities of these systems and ensures increased productivity in many potential solution-processed electrochemical applications.

  15. Growth and characterization of indium tin oxide thin films deposited on PET substrates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Jaehyeong; Jung, Hakkee; Lee, Jongin; Lim, Donggun; Yang, Keajoon; Yi, Junsin; Song, Woo-Chang

    2008-01-01

    Transparent and conductive indium tin oxide (ITO) thin films were deposited onto polyethylene terephthalate (PET) by d.c. magnetron sputtering as the front and back electrical contact for applications in flexible displays and optoelectronic devices. In addition, ITO powder was used for sputter target in order to reduce the cost and time of the film formation processes. As the sputtering power and pressure increased, the electrical conductivity of ITO films decreased. The films were increasingly dark gray colored as the sputtering power increased, resulting in the loss of transmittance of the films. When the pressure during deposition was higher, however, the optical transmittance improved at visible region of light. ITO films deposited onto PET have shown similar optical transmittance and electrical resistivity, in comparison with films onto glass substrate. High quality films with resistivity as low as 2.5 x 10 -3 Ω cm and transmittance over 80% have been obtained on to PET substrate by suitably controlling the deposition parameters

  16. Properties of spray-deposited liquid-phase exfoliated graphene films

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sales, Maria Gabriela C.; Dela Vega, Ma. Shanlene D. C.; Vasquez, Magdaleno R., Jr.

    2018-01-01

    In this study, we demonstrate the feasibility of spray-depositing exfoliated graphene on flexible polyimide (PI) and rigid (soda lime glass) substrates for optoelectronic applications. The water contact angles of the substrates increased by 13% (for PI) and 49% (for glass) when the surfaces are pretreated with hexamethyldisiloxane, which significantly improved the adhesion of the films. Raman spectral analyses confirmed a minimum of 15 and a maximum of 23 layers of exfoliated graphene deposited on the substrates. After deposition, the films were exposed to 13.56 MHz radio-frequency plasma containing an admixture of argon and nitrogen gases. Plasma treatment modified the electrical properties with a response analogous to that of a rectifier. A 39% increase in transmittance in the visible region was also observed especially for glass substrates after plasma treatment without a significant change in film electrical conductivity.

  17. Deposition of thin films by retardation of an isotope separator beam

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Colligon, J.S.; Grant, W.A.; Williams, J.S.; Lawson, R.P.W.

    1976-01-01

    An ion optical lens system capable of retarding and focusing a mass-analysed ion beam, produced in the University of Salford isotope separator, from an energy of 20 keV to 50-60 eV is described. Using this system it is technically feasible to deposit spectroscopically pure ions of all species onto a substrate to produce thin film for devices and junctions. Preliminary investigations of the technique have been carried out using lead and copper ions which were deposited onto silicon single-crystal substrates. These ions were selected because their high mass relative to silicon allowed analyses of the deposited films by low-angle Rutherford backscattering of 2 MeV He ions; the single-crystal silicon substrate enabled the extent of damage due to unretarded neutral particles to be estimated from channelling data. Results for lead films showed that films less than 150 A in thickness were discontinuous and scanning electron microscopy confirmed their 'island' structure. For thicker deposits, of order 600 A, the films were continuous. Results are also presented for copper-lead sandwich layers produced by successive depositions. Channelling experiments indicated that the neutral component was less than 5% of the total ion-beam intensity. Investigations of the spatial distribution of the lead films indicated a non-uniformity which, it is suggested, arises from a fault in the retardation lens design. (author)

  18. Pure and Sn-doped ZnO films produced by pulsed laser deposition

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Holmelund, E.; Schou, Jørgen; Tougaard, S.

    2002-01-01

    A new technique, metronome doping, has been used for doping of films during pulsed laser deposition (PLD). This technique makes it possible to dope continuously during film growth with different concentrations of a dopant in one deposition sequence. Films of pure and doped ZnO have been produced...

  19. Excimer pulsed laser deposition and annealing of YSZ nanometric films on Si substrates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Caricato, A.P.; Barucca, G.; Di Cristoforo, A.; Leggieri, G.; Luches, A.; Majni, G.; Martino, M.; Mengucci, P.

    2005-01-01

    We report experimental results obtained for electrical and structural characteristics of yttria-stabilised zirconia (YSZ) thin films deposited by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) on Si substrates at room temperature. Some samples were submitted to thermal treatments in different ambient atmospheres (vacuum, N 2 and O 2 ) at a moderate temperature. The effects of thermal treatments on the film electrical properties were studied by C-V and I-V measurements. Structural characteristics were obtained by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray reflectivity (XRR) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analyses. The as-deposited film was amorphous with an in-depth non-uniform density. The annealed films became polycrystalline with a more uniform density. The sample annealed in O 2 was uniform over all the thickness. Electrical characterisation showed large hysteresis, high leakage current and positive charges trapped in the oxide in the as-deposited film. Post-deposition annealing, especially in O 2 atmosphere, improved considerably the electrical properties of the films

  20. Atomic-layer-deposited WNxCy thin films as diffusion barrier for copper metallization

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Soo-Hyun; Oh, Su Suk; Kim, Ki-Bum; Kang, Dae-Hwan; Li, Wei-Min; Haukka, Suvi; Tuominen, Marko

    2003-01-01

    The properties of WN x C y films deposited by atomic layer deposition (ALD) using WF 6 , NH 3 , and triethyl boron as source gases were characterized as a diffusion barrier for copper metallization. It is noted that the as-deposited film shows an extremely low resistivity of about 350 μΩ cm with a film density of 15.37 g/cm 3 . The film composition measured from Rutherford backscattering spectrometry shows W, C, and N of ∼48, 32, and 20 at. %, respectively. Transmission electron microscopy analyses show that the as-deposited film is composed of face-centered-cubic phase with a lattice parameter similar to both β-WC 1-x and β-W 2 N with an equiaxed microstructure. The barrier property of this ALD-WN x C y film at a nominal thickness of 12 nm deposited between Cu and Si fails only after annealing at 700 deg. C for 30 min

  1. Fabrication of Antireflection Nanodiamond Particle Film by the Spin Coating Deposition Technique

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chii-Ruey Lin

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Diamond-based antireflective (AR coatings were fabricated using a spin coating of diamond suspension at room temperature as nucleation enhancement procedure and microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition. Various working pressures were used to investigate their effect on the optical characterization of the as-deposited diamond films. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM and atomic forced microscopy (AFM were employed to analyze the surface properties of the diamond films. Raman spectra and transmission electron microscopy (TEM also were used for analysis of the microstructure of the films. The results showed that working pressure had a significant effect on thickness, surface roughness, and wettability of the as-deposited diamond films. Deposited under 35 Torr or working pressure, the film possessed a low surface roughness of 13.8 nm and fine diamond grain sizes of 35 nm. Reflectance measurements of the films also were carried out using UV-Vis spectrometer and revealed a low reflectance value of the diamond films. The achievement demonstrated feasibility of the proposed spin-coating procedure for large scale production and thus opens up a prospect application of diamond film as an AR coating in industrial optoelectronic device.

  2. Fundamental Mechanisms of Roughening and Smoothing During Thin Film Deposition

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Headrick, Randall [Univ. of Vermont, Burlington, VT (United States)

    2016-03-18

    In this research program, we have explored the fundamental limits for thin film deposition in both crystalline and amorphous (i.e. non-crystalline) materials systems. For vacuum-based physical deposition processes such as sputter deposition, the background gas pressure of the inert gas (usually argon) used as the process gas has been found to be a key variable. Both a roughness transition and stress transition as a function of pressure have been linked to a common mechanism involving collisions of energetic particles from the deposition source with the process inert gas. As energetic particles collide with gas molecules in the deposition process they lose their energy rapidly if the pressure (and background gas density) is above a critical value. Both roughness and stress limit important properties of thin films for applications. In the area of epitaxial growth we have also discovered a related effect; there is a critical pressure below which highly crystalline layers grow in a layer-by-layer mode. This effect is also though to be due to energetic particle thermalization and scattering. Several other important effects such as the observation of coalescence dominated growth has been observed. This mode can be likened to the behavior of two-dimensional water droplets on the hood of a car during a rain storm; as the droplets grow and touch each other they tend to coalesce rapidly into new larger circular puddles, and this process proceeds exponentially as larger puddles overtake smaller ones and also merge with other large puddles. This discovery will enable more accurate simulations and modeling of epitaxial growth processes. We have also observed that epitaxial films undergo a roughening transition as a function of thickness, which is attributed to strain induced by the crystalline lattice mismatch with the substrate crystal. In addition, we have studied another physical deposition process called pulsed laser deposition. It differs from sputter deposition due to the

  3. Cobalt Xanthate Thin Film with Chemical Bath Deposition

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    İ. A. Kariper

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Cobalt xanthate thin films (CXTFs were successfully deposited by chemical bath deposition, onto amorphous glass substrates, as well as on p- and n-silicon, indium tin oxide, and poly(methyl methacrylate. The structure of the films was analyzed by far-infrared spectrum (FIR, mid-infrared (MIR spectrum, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM. These films were investigated from their structural, optical, and electrical properties point of view. Electrical properties were measured using four-point method, whereas optical properties were investigated via UV-VIS spectroscopic technique. Uniform distribution of grains was clearly observed from the photographs taken by scanning electron microscope (SEM. The transmittance was about 70–80% (4 hours, 50°C. The optical band gap of the CXTF was graphically estimated to be 3.99–4.02 eV. The resistivity of the films was calculated as 22.47–75.91 Ω·cm on commercial glass depending on film thickness and 44.90–73.10 Ω ·cm on the other substrates. It has been observed that the relative resistivity changed with film thickness. The MIR and FIR spectra of the films were in agreement with the literature analogues. The expected peaks of cobalt xanthate were observed in NMR analysis on glass. The films were dipped in chloroform as organic solvent and were analyzed by NMR.

  4. An UV photochromic memory effect in proton-based WO3 electrochromic devices

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Yong; Lee, S.-H.; Mascarenhas, A.; Deb, S. K.

    2008-01-01

    We report an UV photochromic memory effect on a standard proton-based WO 3 electrochromic device. It exhibits two memory states, associated with the colored and bleached states of the device, respectively. Such an effect can be used to enhance device performance (increasing the dynamic range), re-energize commercial electrochromic devices, and develop memory devices

  5. An UV photochromic memory effect in proton-based WO3 electrochromic devices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Yong; Lee, S.-H.; Mascarenhas, A.; Deb, S. K.

    2008-11-01

    We report an UV photochromic memory effect on a standard proton-based WO3 electrochromic device. It exhibits two memory states, associated with the colored and bleached states of the device, respectively. Such an effect can be used to enhance device performance (increasing the dynamic range), re-energize commercial electrochromic devices, and develop memory devices.

  6. Thermal conductivity of nitride films of Ti, Cr, and W deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jagannadham, Kasichainula

    2015-01-01

    Nitride films of Ti, Cr, and W were deposited using reactive magnetron sputtering from metal targets in argon and nitrogen plasma. TiN films with (200) orientation were achieved on silicon (100) at the substrate temperature of 500 and 600 °C. The films were polycrystalline at lower temperature. An amorphous interface layer was observed between the TiN film and Si wafer deposited at 600 °C. TiN film deposited at 600 °C showed the nitrogen to Ti ratio to be near unity, but films deposited at lower temperature were nitrogen deficient. CrN film with (200) orientation and good stoichiometry was achieved at 600 °C on Si(111) wafer but the film deposited at 500 °C showed cubic CrN and hexagonal Cr 2 N phases with smaller grain size and amorphous back ground in the x-ray diffraction pattern. An amorphous interface layer was not observed in the cubic CrN film on Si(111) deposited at 600 °C. Nitride film of tungsten deposited at 600 °C on Si(100) wafer was nitrogen deficient, contained both cubic W 2 N and hexagonal WN phases with smaller grain size. Nitride films of tungsten deposited at 500 °C were nonstoichiometric and contained cubic W 2 N and unreacted W phases. There was no amorphous phase formed along the interface for the tungsten nitride film deposited at 600 °C on the Si wafer. Thermal conductivity and interface thermal conductance of all the nitride films of Ti, Cr, and W were determined by transient thermoreflectance technique. The thermal conductivity of the films as function of deposition temperature, microstructure, nitrogen stoichiometry and amorphous interaction layer at the interface was determined. Tungsten nitride film containing both cubic and hexagonal phases was found to exhibit much higher thermal conductivity and interface thermal conductance. The amorphous interface layer was found to reduce effective thermal conductivity of TiN and CrN films

  7. Photoelectric conversion and electrochromic properties of lutetium tetrakis(tert-butyl)bisphthalocyaninate

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hu, Andrew Teh; Hu Tenyi; Liu Lungchang

    2003-01-01

    Both photoelectric and electrochromic effects on lutetium tetrakis(tert-butyl)bisphthalocyaninate (Lu(TBPc) 2 ) have been carried out in this study. Lu(TBPc) 2 is known for its electrochromic performance, but its photoelectric effect has not mentioned in the literature. The electrochromic properties of Lu(TBPc) 2 have been measured by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and UV-Vis spectrometer at the same time. It takes less than 1.5 s for the color to change from red to green under 0.9 V. Its cycle life is at least over 500 times. Furthermore, we also investigate its photoelectric conversion properties. Its photoelectric cell exhibits a positive photo-electricity conversion effect with a short-circuit photocurrent (46.4 μA/cm 2 ) under illumination of white light (1.201 mW/cm 2 )

  8. Electrochromic Behaviors of Water-Soluble Polyaniline with Covalently Bonded Acetyl Ferrocene

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiong, Shanxin; Wang, Ru; Li, Shuaishuai; Wu, Bohua; Chu, Jia; Wang, Xiaoqin; Zhang, Runlan; Gong, Ming

    2018-04-01

    A novel ferrocene-containing hybrid electrochromic material was synthesized via copolymerization of aniline with p-phenylenediamine functionalized acetyl ferrocene in the presence of poly (styrene sulfonate) dopant in an aqueous medium, and neat polyaniline (PANI) was prepared for comparison. The polymerization characteristics and the structure of the copolymer were systematically studied by Fourier-transform infrared, meanwhile, their electrochromic properties and electrochemical behaviors were tested by UV-vis spectra, cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). It was found that the strong covalent bond and large conjugated system between PANI and ferrocene enhance the electron transfer rate and electron delocalization in the ferrocene-polyaniline (Fc-PANI) hybrid. In particular, the electrochromic device with Fc-PANI as the active layer shows significant enhancement in optical contrast over the PANI-based device.

  9. Antimony sulfide thin films prepared by laser assisted chemical bath deposition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shaji, S.; Garcia, L.V.; Loredo, S.L.; Krishnan, B.

    2017-01-01

    Highlights: • Antimony sulfide thin films were prepared by normal CBD and laser assisted CBD. • Characterized these films using XRD, XPS, AFM, optical and electrical measurements. • Accelerated growth was observed in the laser assisted CBD process. • These films were photoconductive. - Abstract: Antimony sulfide (Sb_2S_3) thin films were prepared by laser assisted chemical bath deposition (LACBD) technique. These thin films were deposited on glass substrates from a chemical bath containing antimony chloride, acetone and sodium thiosulfate under various conditions of normal chemical bath deposition (CBD) as well as in-situ irradiation of the chemical bath using a continuous laser of 532 nm wavelength. Structure, composition, morphology, optical and electrical properties of the Sb_2S_3 thin films produced by normal CBD and LACBD were analyzed by X-Ray diffraction (XRD), Raman Spectroscopy, Atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), UV–vis spectroscopy and Photoconductivity. The results showed that LACBD is an effective synthesis technique to obtain Sb_2S_3 thin films for optoelectronic applications.

  10. Antimony sulfide thin films prepared by laser assisted chemical bath deposition

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shaji, S., E-mail: sshajis@yahoo.com [Facultad de Ingeniería Mecánica y Eléctrica, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Av. Pedro de Alba s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, San Nicolás de los Garza, Nuevo León, 66455 (Mexico); CIIDIT—Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Apodaca, Nuevo León (Mexico); Garcia, L.V. [Facultad de Ingeniería Mecánica y Eléctrica, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Av. Pedro de Alba s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, San Nicolás de los Garza, Nuevo León, 66455 (Mexico); Loredo, S.L. [Centro de Investigación en Materiales Avanzados (CIMAV), Unidad Monterrey, PIIT, Apodaca, Nuevo León (Mexico); Krishnan, B. [Facultad de Ingeniería Mecánica y Eléctrica, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Av. Pedro de Alba s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, San Nicolás de los Garza, Nuevo León, 66455 (Mexico); CIIDIT—Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Apodaca, Nuevo León (Mexico); and others

    2017-01-30

    Highlights: • Antimony sulfide thin films were prepared by normal CBD and laser assisted CBD. • Characterized these films using XRD, XPS, AFM, optical and electrical measurements. • Accelerated growth was observed in the laser assisted CBD process. • These films were photoconductive. - Abstract: Antimony sulfide (Sb{sub 2}S{sub 3}) thin films were prepared by laser assisted chemical bath deposition (LACBD) technique. These thin films were deposited on glass substrates from a chemical bath containing antimony chloride, acetone and sodium thiosulfate under various conditions of normal chemical bath deposition (CBD) as well as in-situ irradiation of the chemical bath using a continuous laser of 532 nm wavelength. Structure, composition, morphology, optical and electrical properties of the Sb{sub 2}S{sub 3} thin films produced by normal CBD and LACBD were analyzed by X-Ray diffraction (XRD), Raman Spectroscopy, Atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), UV–vis spectroscopy and Photoconductivity. The results showed that LACBD is an effective synthesis technique to obtain Sb{sub 2}S{sub 3} thin films for optoelectronic applications.

  11. Nanostructured Diamond-Like Carbon Films Grown by Off-Axis Pulsed Laser Deposition

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Seong Shan Yap

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Nanostructured diamond-like carbon (DLC films instead of the ultrasmooth film were obtained by pulsed laser ablation of pyrolytic graphite. Deposition was performed at room temperature in vacuum with substrates placed at off-axis position. The configuration utilized high density plasma plume arriving at low effective angle for the formation of nanostructured DLC. Nanostructures with maximum size of 50 nm were deposited as compared to the ultrasmooth DLC films obtained in a conventional deposition. The Raman spectra of the films confirmed that the films were diamond-like/amorphous in nature. Although grown at an angle, ion energy of >35 eV was obtained at the off-axis position. This was proposed to be responsible for subplantation growth of sp3 hybridized carbon. The condensation of energetic clusters and oblique angle deposition correspondingly gave rise to the formation of nanostructured DLC in this study.

  12. Chemical vapor deposition polymerization the growth and properties of parylene thin films

    CERN Document Server

    Fortin, Jeffrey B

    2004-01-01

    Chemical Vapor Deposition Polymerization - The Growth and Properties of Parylene Thin Films is intended to be valuable to both users and researchers of parylene thin films. It should be particularly useful for those setting up and characterizing their first research deposition system. It provides a good picture of the deposition process and equipment, as well as information on system-to-system variations that is important to consider when designing a deposition system or making modifications to an existing one. Also included are methods to characterizae a deposition system's pumping properties as well as monitor the deposition process via mass spectrometry. There are many references that will lead the reader to further information on the topic being discussed. This text should serve as a useful reference source and handbook for scientists and engineers interested in depositing high quality parylene thin films.

  13. Synthesis and characterization of thin films of nitrided amorphous carbon deposited by laser ablation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rebollo P, B.

    2001-01-01

    The objective of this work is the synthesis and characterization of thin films of amorphous carbon (a-C) and thin films of nitrided amorphous carbon (a-C-N) using the laser ablation technique for their deposit. For this purpose, the physical properties of the obtained films were studied as function of diverse parameters of deposit such as: nitrogen pressure, power density, substrate temperature and substrate-target distance. For the characterization of the properties of the deposited thin films the following techniques were used: a) Raman spectroscopy which has demonstrated being a sensitive technique to the sp 2 and sp 3 bonds content, b) Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy which allows to know semi-quantitatively way the presence of the elements which make up the deposited films, c) Spectrophotometry, for obtaining the absorption spectra and subsequently the optical energy gap of the deposited material, d) Ellipsometry for determining the refraction index, e) Scanning Electron Microscopy for studying the surface morphology of thin films and, f) Profilemetry, which allows the determination the thickness of the deposited thin films. (Author)

  14. Microstructure and morphology of SiOx film deposited by APCVD

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang Jiliang; Li Jian; Luo Laima; Wo Yinhua

    2009-01-01

    A kind of silicon rich oxide (SiO x ) film deposited on aluminum substrate by atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition (APCVD) was reported. The morphology and microstructure of the film were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron diffraction (TED). The deposition process is proposed to be a series of nucleation, growth and close stacking of non-uniform SiO x cells, which are stacked up by lots of SiO x laminae. A growth mechanism of the film according to the Stranski-Krastanov model is presented. In the growth process, the SiO x molecules incline to cluster like an island and merge into a layer and, then, form a laminar structure of SiO x cell. High resolution transmission electronic microscopy (TEM) picture shows that the film is basically amorphous with a little micro crystalline zone in it, which is certified by the XRD and TED results. The differences between this SiO x film and the common polycrystalline SiO 2 are also discussed in this paper

  15. Effect of post-deposition implantation and annealing on the properties of PECVD deposited silicon nitride films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shams, Q.A.

    1988-01-01

    Recently it has been shown that memory-quality silicon nitride can be deposited using plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). Nitrogen implantation and post-deposition annealing resulted in improved memory properties of MNOS devices. The primary objective of the work described here is the continuation of the above work. Silicon nitride films were deposited using argon as the carrier gas and evaluated in terms of memory performance as the charge-trapping layer in the metal-nitride-oxide-silicon (MNOS) capacitor structure. The bonding structure of PECVD silicon nitride was modified by annealing in different ambients at temperatures higher than the deposition temperature. Post-deposition ion implantation was used to introduce argon into the films in an attempt to influence the transfer, trapping, and emission of charge during write/erase exercising of the MNOS devices. Results show that the memory performance of PECVD silicon nitride is sensitive to the deposition parameters and post-deposition processing

  16. Pulsed laser deposition of AlMgB14 thin films

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Britson, Jason Curtis [Iowa State Univ., Ames, IA (United States)

    2008-11-18

    Hard, wear-resistant coatings of thin film borides based on AlMgB14 have the potential to be applied industrially to improve the tool life of cutting tools and pump vanes and may account for several million dollars in savings as a result of reduced wear on these parts. Past work with this material has shown that it can have a hardness of up to 45GPa and be fabricated into thin films with a similar hardness using pulsed laser deposition. These films have already been shown to be promising for industrial applications. Cutting tools coated with AlMgB14 used to mill titanium alloys have been shown to substantially reduce the wear on the cutting tool and extend its cutting life. However, little research into the thin film fabrication process using pulsed laser deposition to make AlMgB14 has been conducted. In this work, research was conducted into methods to optimize the deposition parameters for the AlMgB14 films. Processing methods to eliminate large particles on the surface of the AlMgB14 films, produce films that were at least 1m thick, reduce the surface roughness of the films, and improve the adhesion of the thin films were investigated. Use of a femtosecond laser source rather than a nanosecond laser source was found to be effective in eliminating large particles considered detrimental to wear reduction properties from the films. Films produced with the femtosecond laser were also found to be deposited at a rate 100 times faster than those produced with the nanosecond laser. However, films produced with the femtosecond laser developed a relatively high RMS surface roughness around 55nm. Attempts to decrease the surface roughness were largely unsuccessful. Neither increasing the surface temperature of the substrate during deposition nor using a double pulse to ablate the material was found to be extremely successful to reduce the surface roughness. Finally, the adhesion of the thin films to M2 tool steel

  17. Diamond-like carbon films deposited on three-dimensional shape substrate model by liquid electrochemical technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    He, Y.Y.; Zhang, G.F.; Zhao, Y.; Liu, D.D.; Cong, Y.; Buck, V.

    2015-01-01

    Diamond-like carbon (DLC) films were deposited on three-dimensional (3D) shape substrate model by electrolysis of 2-propanol solution at low temperature (60 °C). This 3D shape model was composed of a horizontally aligned stainless steel wafer and vertically aligned stainless steel rods. Morphology and microstructure of the films were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and Raman spectroscopy, respectively. The results suggested there were only differences in film uniformity and thickness for two kinds of samples. The hydrogenated amorphous carbon films deposited on horizontally aligned substrate were smooth and homogeneous. And the film thickness of DLC films gained on the vertical substrates decreased along vertical direction. It is believed that bubble formation could enhance nucleation on the wetted capillary area. This experiment shows that deposition of DLC films by liquid phase deposition on 3D shape conductive substrates is possible. - Highlights: • DLC film is expected to be deposited on complex surface/shape substrate. • DLC film is deposited on 3D shape substrate by liquid electrochemical method. • Horizontal substrate is covered by smooth and homogeneous DLC films. • Film thickness decreases along vertical direction due to boiling effect

  18. Diamond-like carbon films deposited on three-dimensional shape substrate model by liquid electrochemical technique

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    He, Y.Y. [Institute of Nano-photonics, School of Physics and Materials Engineering, Dalian Nationalities University, 116600 Dalian (China); Zhang, G.F. [School of Materials Science and Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, 116024, Dalian China (China); Zhao, Y.; Liu, D.D. [Institute of Nano-photonics, School of Physics and Materials Engineering, Dalian Nationalities University, 116600 Dalian (China); Cong, Y., E-mail: congyan@ciomp.ac.cn [Institute of Nano-photonics, School of Physics and Materials Engineering, Dalian Nationalities University, 116600 Dalian (China); Buck, V. [Thin Film Technology Group, Faculty of Physics, University Duisburg-Essen and CeNIDE, 47057 Duisburg (Germany)

    2015-09-01

    Diamond-like carbon (DLC) films were deposited on three-dimensional (3D) shape substrate model by electrolysis of 2-propanol solution at low temperature (60 °C). This 3D shape model was composed of a horizontally aligned stainless steel wafer and vertically aligned stainless steel rods. Morphology and microstructure of the films were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and Raman spectroscopy, respectively. The results suggested there were only differences in film uniformity and thickness for two kinds of samples. The hydrogenated amorphous carbon films deposited on horizontally aligned substrate were smooth and homogeneous. And the film thickness of DLC films gained on the vertical substrates decreased along vertical direction. It is believed that bubble formation could enhance nucleation on the wetted capillary area. This experiment shows that deposition of DLC films by liquid phase deposition on 3D shape conductive substrates is possible. - Highlights: • DLC film is expected to be deposited on complex surface/shape substrate. • DLC film is deposited on 3D shape substrate by liquid electrochemical method. • Horizontal substrate is covered by smooth and homogeneous DLC films. • Film thickness decreases along vertical direction due to boiling effect.

  19. Underpotential deposition-mediated layer-by-layer growth of thin films

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Jia Xu; Adzic, Radoslav R.

    2015-05-19

    A method of depositing contiguous, conformal submonolayer-to-multilayer thin films with atomic-level control is described. The process involves the use of underpotential deposition of a first element to mediate the growth of a second material by overpotential deposition. Deposition occurs between a potential positive to the bulk deposition potential for the mediating element where a full monolayer of mediating element forms, and a potential which is less than, or only slightly greater than, the bulk deposition potential of the material to be deposited. By cycling the applied voltage between the bulk deposition potential for the mediating element and the material to be deposited, repeated desorption/adsorption of the mediating element during each potential cycle can be used to precisely control film growth on a layer-by-layer basis. This process is especially suitable for the formation of a catalytically active layer on core-shell particles for use in energy conversion devices such as fuel cells.

  20. Tungsten oxide nanowires grown on graphene oxide sheets as high-performance electrochromic material

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chang, Xueting; Sun, Shibin; Dong, Lihua; Hu, Xiong; Yin, Yansheng

    2014-01-01

    Graphical abstract: Electrochromic mechanism of tungsten oxide nanowires-reduced graphene oxide composite. - Highlights: • A novel inorganic-nano-carbon hybrid composite was prepared. • The hybrid composite has sandwich-like structure. • The hybrid composite exhibited high-quality electrohcromic performance. - Abstract: In this work, we report the synthesis of a novel hybrid electrochromic composite through nucleation and growth of ultrathin tungsten oxide nanowires on graphene oxide sheets using a facile solvothermal route. The competition between the growth of tungsten oxide nanowires and the reduction of graphene oxide sheets leads to the formation of sandwich-structured tungsten oxide-reduced graphene oxide composite. Due to the strongly coupled effect between the ultrathin tungsten oxide nanowires and the reduced graphene oxide nanosheets, the novel electrochromic composite exhibited high-quality electrochromic performance with fast color-switching speed, good cyclic stability, and high coloration efficiency. The present tungsten oxide-reduced graphene oxide composite represents a new approach to prepare other inorganic-reduced graphene oxide hybrid materials for electrochemical applications

  1. Covalently Bonded Polyaniline and para-phenylenediamine Functionalized Graphene Oxide: How the Conductive Two-dimensional Nanostructure Influences the Electrochromic Behaviors of Polyaniline

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xiong, Shanxin; Li, Zhufeng; Gong, Ming; Wang, Xiaoqin; Fu, Jialun; Shi, Yujing; Wu, Bohua; Chu, Jia

    2014-01-01

    Graphical abstract: - Abstract: Polyaniline (PANI) was attached onto the reduced graphene oxide (rGO) sheets through copolymerization of aniline with a para-phenylenediamine (PPD) functionalized graphene oxide (GO-PPD) using the poly(styrene sulfonate) (PSS) as the macromolecular dopant agent to produce a water-dispersible electrochromic material. The structures and the morphologies analysis confirm that the final electrochromic materials (rGO-PANI) are the mixture of PANI/PSS and the covalently bonded rGO-PANI (rGO-PANI hybrid). The rGO-PANI hybrid can be found to form a parallel arrangement to the substrate in the spin-coated film. This parallel arrangement of the layered two-dimensional nanostructure of rGO-PANI hybrid may narrow the ion transportation pathways of the exchanged ions, which will result in a high charge transfer resistance and slow switching speed. Meanwhile, with the conductive rGO added, the electrical conductivity of the electrochromic layer will be increased, which will benefit to low charge transfer resistance and high optical contrast. So the conductive two-dimensional nanostructure has a double-face influence on the electrochromic performances of PANI, which include a positive influence on the electrical conductivity and a negative influence on the ion diffusion. The overall influences depend on the loading amount of GO-PPD. With 4 wt.% GO-PPD feeding, the optical contrast was enhanced by 36% from 0.38 for PANI/PSS to 0.52 for rGO-PANI-3, while the coloration time was almost same as that of PANI/PSS and the bleaching time was decreased by ∼20% from 9.1s for PANI/PSS to 7.4s for rGO-PANI-3. The electrochemical tests showed that with the increasing of GO-PPD loading, the peak currents of cyclic voltammetry (CV) curves were increased, and the peak locations shifted to the positive potential for oxidation peak and the negative potential for reduction peak, respectively, which confirmed that the double-face influences of rGO-PANI on the

  2. Pulsed laser deposition of Cu-Sn-S for thin film solar cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ettlinger, Rebecca Bolt; Crovetto, Andrea; Bosco, Edoardo

    Thin films of copper tin sulfide were deposited from a target of the stoichiometry Cu:Sn:S ~1:2:3 using pulsed laser deposition (PLD). Annealing with S powder resulted in films close to the desired Cu2SnS3 stoichiometry although the films remained Sn rich. Xray diffraction showed that the final...... films contained both cubic-phase Cu2SnS3 and orthorhombic-phase SnS...

  3. MgB2 thin films by hybrid physical-chemical vapor deposition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Xi, X.X.; Pogrebnyakov, A.V.; Xu, S.Y.; Chen, K.; Cui, Y.; Maertz, E.C.; Zhuang, C.G.; Li, Qi; Lamborn, D.R.; Redwing, J.M.; Liu, Z.K.; Soukiassian, A.; Schlom, D.G.; Weng, X.J.; Dickey, E.C.; Chen, Y.B.; Tian, W.; Pan, X.Q.; Cybart, S.A.; Dynes, R.C.

    2007-01-01

    Hybrid physical-chemical vapor deposition (HPCVD) has been the most effective technique for depositing MgB 2 thin films. It generates high magnesium vapor pressures and provides a clean environment for the growth of high purity MgB 2 films. The epitaxial pure MgB 2 films grown by HPCVD show higher-than-bulk T c due to tensile strain in the films. The HPCVD films are the cleanest MgB 2 materials reported, allowing basic research, such as on magnetoresistance, that reveals the two-band nature of MgB 2 . The carbon-alloyed HPCVD films demonstrate record-high H c2 values promising for high magnetic field applications. The HPCVD films and multilayers have enabled the fabrication of high quality MgB 2 Josephson junctions

  4. Characterization of transparent silica films deposited on polymeric materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Teshima, K.; Sugimura, H.; Inoue, Y.; Takai, O.

    2002-01-01

    Silica films were synthesized by capacitively coupled RF PECVD using mixtures of organo-silane and oxygen as a source. The chemical bonding states and compositions of the films deposited were evaluated with FTIR and XPS. Film surfaces and cross-sections were observed by SEM. Oxygen transmission rates (OTR) of the films coated on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates were measured by an isopiestic method. (Authors)

  5. The Effect of Film Thickness on the Gas Sensing Properties of Ultra-Thin TiO₂ Films Deposited by Atomic Layer Deposition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilson, Rachel L; Simion, Cristian Eugen; Blackman, Christopher S; Carmalt, Claire J; Stanoiu, Adelina; Di Maggio, Francesco; Covington, James A

    2018-03-01

    Analyte sensitivity for gas sensors based on semiconducting metal oxides should be highly dependent on the film thickness, particularly when that thickness is on the order of the Debye length. This thickness dependence has previously been demonstrated for SnO₂ and inferred for TiO₂. In this paper, TiO₂ thin films have been prepared by Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) using titanium isopropoxide and water as precursors. The deposition process was performed on standard alumina gas sensor platforms and microscope slides (for analysis purposes), at a temperature of 200 °C. The TiO₂ films were exposed to different concentrations of CO, CH₄, NO₂, NH₃ and SO₂ to evaluate their gas sensitivities. These experiments showed that the TiO₂ film thickness played a dominant role within the conduction mechanism and the pattern of response for the electrical resistance towards CH₄ and NH₃ exposure indicated typical n -type semiconducting behavior. The effect of relative humidity on the gas sensitivity has also been demonstrated.

  6. Direct current magnetron sputtering deposition of InN thin films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cai Xingmin; Hao Yanqing; Zhang Dongping; Fan Ping

    2009-01-01

    In this paper, InN thin films were deposited on Si (1 0 0) and K9 glass by reactive direct current magnetron sputtering. The target was In metal with the purity of 99.999% and the gases were Ar (99.999%) and N 2 (99.999%). The properties of InN thin films were studied. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) shows that the film surface is very rough and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) shows that the film contains In, N and very little O. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman scattering reveal that the film mainly contains hexagonal InN. The four-probe measurement shows that InN film is conductive. The transmission measurement demonstrates that the transmission of InN deposited on K9 glass is as low as 0.5% from 400 nm to 800 nm.

  7. Physical vapor deposition of cubic boron nitride thin films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kester, D.J.

    1991-01-01

    Cubic boron nitride was successfully deposited using physical vapor-deposition methods. RF-sputtering, magnetron sputtering, dual-ion-beam deposition, and ion-beam-assisted evaporation were all used. The ion-assisted evaporation, using boron evaporation and bombardment by nitrogen and argon ions, led to successful cubic boron nitride growth over the widest and most controllable range of conditions. It was found that two factors were important for c-BN growth: bombardment of the growing film and the presence of argon. A systematic study of the deposition conditions was carried out. It was found that the value of momentum transferred into the growing from by the bombarding ions was critical. There was a very narrow transition range in which mixed cubic and hexagonal phase films were prepared. Momentum-per-atom value took into account all the variables involved in ion-assisted deposition: deposition rate, ion energy, ion flux, and ion species. No other factor led to the same control of the process. The role of temperature was also studied; it was found that at low temperatures only mixed cubic and hexagonal material are deposited

  8. Optoelectronic properties of cadmium sulfide thin films deposited by thermal evaporation technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ali, N.; Iqbal, M.A.; Hussain, S.T.; Waris, M.; Munair, S.A.

    2011-01-01

    The substrate temperature in depositions of thin films plays a vital role in the characteristics of deposited films. We studied few characteristics of cadmium sulphide thin film deposited at different temperature (150 deg. C- 300 deg. C) on corning 7059 glass substrate. We measured transmittance, absorbance, band gap and reflectance via UV spectroscopy. It was found that the transmittance for 300 nm to 1100 nm was greater than 80%. The resistivity and mobility was calculated by Vander Pauw method which were 10-80 cm and 2-60 cm/sup 2/V/sup -1/S/sup -1/ respectively. The thermoelectric properties of the film were measured by hot and cold probe method which shows the N-type nature of the film. (author)

  9. Photoemission Spectroscopy Characterization of Attempts to Deposit MoO2 Thin Film

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Irfan

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Attempts to deposit molybdenum dioxide (MoO2 thin films have been described. Electronic structure of films, deposited by thermal evaporation of MoO2 powder, had been investigated with ultraviolet photoemission and X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (UPS and XPS. The thermally evaporated films were found to be similar to the thermally evaporated MoO3 films at the early deposition stage. XPS analysis of MoO2 powder reveals presence of +5 and +6 oxidation states in Mo 3d core level along with +4 state. The residue of MoO2 powder indicates substantial reduction in higher oxidation states while keeping +4 oxidation state almost intact. Interface formation between chloroaluminum phthalocyanine (AlPc-Cl and the thermally evaporated film was also investigated.

  10. High quality antireflective ZnS thin films prepared by chemical bath deposition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tec-Yam, S.; Rojas, J.; Rejón, V.; Oliva, A.I.

    2012-01-01

    Zinc sulfide (ZnS) thin films for antireflective applications were deposited on glass substrates by chemical bath deposition (CBD). Chemical analysis of the soluble species permits to predict the optimal pH conditions to obtain high quality ZnS films. For the CBD, the ZnCl 2 , NH 4 NO 3 , and CS(NH 2 ) 2 were fixed components, whereas the KOH concentration was varied from 0.8 to 1.4 M. Groups of samples with deposition times from 60 to 120 min were prepared in a bath with magnetic agitation and heated at 90 °C. ZnS films obtained from optimal KOH concentrations of 0.9 M and 1.0 M exhibited high transparency, homogeneity, adherence, and crystalline. The ZnS films presented a band gap energy of 3.84 eV, an atomic Zn:S stoichiometry ratio of 49:51, a transmittance above 85% in the 300–800 nm wavelength range, and a reflectance below 25% in the UV–Vis range. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed a cubic structure in the (111) orientation for the films. The thickness of the films was tuned between 60 nm and 135 nm by controlling the deposition time and KOH concentration. The incorporation of the CBD-ZnS films into ITO/ZnS/CdS/CdTe and glass/Mo/ZnS heterostructures as antireflective layer confirms their high optical quality. -- Highlights: ► High quality ZnS thin films were prepared by chemical bath deposition (CBD). ► Better CBD-ZnS films were achieved by using 0.9 M-KOH concentration. ► Reduction in the reflectance was obtained for ZnS films used as buffer layers.

  11. Ion-assisted deposition of thin films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Barnett, S.A.; Choi, C.H.; Kaspi, R.; Millunchick, J.M.

    1993-01-01

    Recent work on low-energy ion-assisted deposition of epitaxial films is reviewed. Much of the recent interest in this area has been centered on the use of very low ion energies (∼ 25 eV) and high fluxes (> 1 ion per deposited atom) obtained using novel ion-assisted deposition techniques. These methods have been applied in ultra-high vacuum, allowing the preparation of high-purity device-quality semiconductor materials. The following ion-surface interaction effects during epitaxy are discussed: improvements in crystalline perfection during low temperature epitaxy, ion damage, improved homogeneity and properties in III-V alloys grown within miscibility gaps, and changes in nucleation mechanism during heteroepitaxial growth

  12. Quality of YBCO thin films grown on LAO substrates exposed to the film deposition - film removal processes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Blagoev, B; Nurgaliev, T [Institute of Electronics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 72 Tzarigradsko Chaussee, 1784 Sofia (Bulgaria); Mozhaev, P B [Institute of Physics and Technology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 117218 Moscow (Russian Federation); Sardela, M; Donchev, T [Materials Research Laboratory, University of Illinois, 104 South Goodwin Ave., Urbana, IL 61801 (United States)], E-mail: blago_sb@yahoo.com

    2008-05-01

    The characteristics are investigated of high temperature superconducting YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7} (YBCO) films grown on LaAlO{sub 3} (LAO) substrates being exposed a different number of times to YBCO film deposition and acid-solution-based cleaning procedures. Possible mechanisms of degradation of the substrate surface quality reflecting on the growing YBCO film parameters are discussed and analyzed.

  13. An in-situ chemical reaction deposition of nanosized wurtzite CdS thin films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chu Juan; Jin Zhengguo; Cai Shu; Yang Jingxia; Hong Zhanglian

    2012-01-01

    Nanocrystalline CdS thin films were deposited on glass substrates by an ammonia-free in-situ chemical reaction synthesis technique using cadmium cationic precursor solid films as reaction source and sodium sulfide based solutions as anionic reaction medium. Effects of ethanolamine addition to the cadmium cationic precursor solid films, deposition cycle numbers and annealing treatments in Ar atmosphere on structure, morphology, chemical composition and optical properties of the resultant films were investigated by X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscope, energy dispersive X-ray analysis and UV–Vis spectra measurements. The results show that CdS thin films deposited by the in-situ chemical reaction synthesis have wurtzite structure with (002) plane preferential orientation and crystallite size is in the range of 16 nm–19 nm. The growth of film thickness is almost constant with deposition cycle numbers and about 96 nm per cycle.

  14. Plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition for YBCO film fabrication of superconducting fault-current limiter

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jun, Byung Hyuk; Kim, Chan Joong

    2006-05-15

    Since the high-temperature superconductor of oxide type was founded, many researches and efforts have been performed for finding its application field. The YBCO superconducting film fabricated on economic metal substrate with uniform critical current density is considered as superconducting fault-current limiter (SFCL). There are physical and chemical processes to fabricate superconductor film, and it is understood that the chemical methods are more economic to deposit large area. Among them, chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is a promising deposition method in obtaining film uniformity. To solve the problems due to the high deposition temperature of thermal CVD, plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) is suggested. This report describes the principle and fabrication trend of SFCL, example of YBCO film deposition by PECVD method, and principle of plasma deposition.

  15. Process-structure-property relationships of micron thick gadolinium oxide films deposited by reactive electron beam-physical vapor deposition (EB-PVD)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grave, Daniel A.

    Gadolinium oxide (Gd2O3) is an attractive material for solid state neutron detection due to gadolinium's high thermal neutron capture cross section. Development of neutron detectors based on Gd2 O3 requires sufficiently thick films to ensure neutron absorption. In this dissertation work, the process-structure-property relationships of micron thick Gd2O3 films deposited by reactive electron-beam physical vapor deposition (EB-PVD) were studied. Through a systematic design of experiments, fundamental studies were conducted to determine the effects of processing conditions such as deposition temperature, oxygen flow rate, deposition rate, and substrate material on Gd2O3 film crystallographic phase, texture, morphology, grain size, density, and surface roughness. Films deposited at high rates (> 5 A/s) were examined via x-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy. Quantitative phase volume calculations were performed via a Rietveld refinement technique. All films deposited at high rates were found to be fully monoclinic or mixed cubic/monoclinic phase. Generally, increased deposition temperature and increased oxygen flow resulted in increased cubic phase volume. As film thickness increased, monoclinic phase volume increased. Grazing incidence x-ray diffraction (GIXRD) depth profiling analysis showed that cubic phase was only present under large incidence angle (large penetration depth) measurements, and after a certain point, only monoclinic phase was grown. This was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis with selected area diffraction (SAD). Based on this information, a large compressive stress was hypothesized to cause the formation of the monoclinic phase and this hypothesis was confirmed by demonstrating the existence of a stress induced phase transition. An experiment was designed to introduce compressive stress into the Gd2O 3 films via ion beam assisted deposition (IBAD). This allowed for systematic increase in compressive stress while

  16. Electrochromic fiber-shaped supercapacitors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Xuli; Lin, Huijuan; Deng, Jue; Zhang, Ye; Sun, Xuemei; Chen, Peining; Fang, Xin; Zhang, Zhitao; Guan, Guozhen; Peng, Huisheng

    2014-12-23

    An electrochromic fiber-shaped super-capacitor is developed by winding aligned carbon nanotube/polyaniline composite sheets on an elastic fiber. The fiber-shaped supercapacitors demonstrate rapid and reversible chromatic transitions under different working states, which can be directly observed by the naked eye. They are also stretchable and flexible, and are woven into textiles to display designed signals in addition to storing energy. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  17. Pressure dependence of morphology and phase composition of SiC films deposited by microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition on cemented carbide substrates

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yu Shengwang, E-mail: bkdysw@yahoo.cn; Fan Pengwei; Tang Weizhong; Li Xiaojing; Hu Haolin; Hei Hongjun; Zhang Sikai; Lu Fanxiu

    2011-11-01

    SiC films were deposited on cemented carbide substrates by employing microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition method using tetramethylsilane (Si(CH{sub 3}){sub 4}) diluted in H{sub 2} as the precursor. Scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and scratching technique were used to characterize morphology, composition, phases present and adhesion of the films. Experimental results show that the deposition pressure has great influence on morphologies and phase composition of the films. In sequence, SiC films with a cauliflower-like microstructure, granular films with terrace-featured SiC particles coexisting with Co{sub 2}Si compound and clusters of nanometer SiC nanoplatelets appear as a function of the deposition pressure. In terms of plasma density and substrate temperature, this sequential appearance of microstructures of SiC films was explained. Adhesion tests showed that among the three types of films studied, the films with the terrace-featured SiC particles have relatively higher adhesion. Such knowledge will be of importance when the SiC films are used as interlayer between diamond films and cemented carbide substrates.

  18. Pressure dependence of morphology and phase composition of SiC films deposited by microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition on cemented carbide substrates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yu Shengwang; Fan Pengwei; Tang Weizhong; Li Xiaojing; Hu Haolin; Hei Hongjun; Zhang Sikai; Lu Fanxiu

    2011-01-01

    SiC films were deposited on cemented carbide substrates by employing microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition method using tetramethylsilane (Si(CH 3 ) 4 ) diluted in H 2 as the precursor. Scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction and scratching technique were used to characterize morphology, composition, phases present and adhesion of the films. Experimental results show that the deposition pressure has great influence on morphologies and phase composition of the films. In sequence, SiC films with a cauliflower-like microstructure, granular films with terrace-featured SiC particles coexisting with Co 2 Si compound and clusters of nanometer SiC nanoplatelets appear as a function of the deposition pressure. In terms of plasma density and substrate temperature, this sequential appearance of microstructures of SiC films was explained. Adhesion tests showed that among the three types of films studied, the films with the terrace-featured SiC particles have relatively higher adhesion. Such knowledge will be of importance when the SiC films are used as interlayer between diamond films and cemented carbide substrates.

  19. Microstructure and chemical bonding of DLC films deposited on ACM rubber by PACVD

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Martinez-Martinez, D.; Schenkel, M.; Pei, Y.T.; Sánchez-López, J.C.; Hosson, J.Th.M. De

    2011-01-01

    The microstructure and chemical bonding of DLC films prepared by plasma assisted chemical vapor deposition on acrylic rubber (ACM) are studied in this paper. The temperature variation produced by the ion impingement during plasma cleaning and subsequent film deposition was used to modify the film

  20. Sputter-deposited Mg-Al-O thin films: linking molecular dynamics simulations to experiments

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Georgieva, V; Bogaerts, A; Saraiva, M; Depla, D; Jehanathan, N; Lebelev, O I

    2009-01-01

    Using a molecular dynamics model the crystallinity of Mg x Al y O z thin films with a variation in the stoichiometry of the thin film is studied at operating conditions similar to the experimental operating conditions of a dual magnetron sputter deposition system. The films are deposited on a crystalline or amorphous substrate. The Mg metal content in the film ranged from 100% (i.e. MgO film) to 0% (i.e. Al 2 O 3 film). The radial distribution function and density of the films are calculated. The results are compared with x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy analyses of experimentally deposited thin films by the dual magnetron reactive sputtering process. Both simulation and experimental results show that the structure of the Mg-Al-O film varies from crystalline to amorphous when the Mg concentration decreases. It seems that the crystalline Mg-Al-O films have a MgO structure with Al atoms in between.

  1. Defect studies of ZnO films prepared by pulsed laser deposition on various substrates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Melikhova, O; Čížek, J; Procházka, I; Kužel, R; Novotný, M; Bulír, J; Lancok, J; Anwand, W; Brauer, G; Connolly, J; McCarthy, E; Krishnamurthy, S; Mosnier, J-P

    2013-01-01

    ZnO thin films deposited on various substrates were characterized by slow positron implantation spectroscopy (SPIS) combined with X-ray diffraction (XRD). All films studied exhibit wurtzite structure and crystallite size 20–100 nm. The mosaic spread of crystallites is relatively small for the films grown on single crystalline substrates while it is substantial for the film grown on amorphous substrate. SPIS investigations revealed that ZnO films deposited on single crystalline substrates exhibit significantly higher density of defects than the film deposited on amorphous substrate. This is most probably due to a higher density of misfit dislocations, which compensate for the lattice mismatch between the film and the substrate.

  2. Synthesis of electro-active manganese oxide thin films by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Merritt, Anna R. [Energetics Research Division, Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, China Lake, CA 93555 (United States); Rajagopalan, Ramakrishnan [Department of Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, Dubois, PA 15801 (United States); Materials Research Institute, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802 (United States); Carter, Joshua D. [Energetics Research Division, Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, China Lake, CA 93555 (United States)

    2014-04-01

    The good stability, cyclability and high specific capacitance of manganese oxide (MnO{sub x}) has recently promoted a growing interest in utilizing MnO{sub x} in asymmetric supercapacitor electrodes. Several literature reports have indicated that thin film geometries of MnO{sub x} provide specific capacitances that are much higher than bulk MnO{sub x} powders. Plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) is a versatile technique for the production of metal oxide thin films with high purity and controllable thickness. In this work, MnO{sub x} thin films deposited by PECVD from a methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl precursor are presented and the effect of processing conditions on the quality of MnO{sub x} films is described. The film purity and oxidation state of the MnO{sub x} films were studied by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Preliminary electrochemical testing of MnO{sub x} films deposited on carbon fiber electrodes in aqueous electrolytes indicates that the PECVD synthesized films are electrochemically active. - Highlights: • Plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition of manganese oxide thin films. • Higher plasma power and chamber pressure increase deposition rate. • Manganese oxide thin films are electrochemically active. • Best electrochemical performance observed for pure film with low stress • Lower capacitance observed at higher scan rates despite thin film geometry.

  3. Stripe domains and magnetoresistance in thermally deposited nickel films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sparks, P.D.; Stern, N.P.; Snowden, D.S.; Kappus, B.A.; Checkelsky, J.G.; Harberger, S.S.; Fusello, A.M.; Eckert, J.C.

    2004-01-01

    We report a study of the domain structure and magnetoresistance of thermally deposited nickel films. For films thicker than 17 nm, we observe striped domains with period varying with film thickness as a power law with exponent 0.21±0.02 up to 120 nm thickness. There is a negative magnetoresistance for fields out of the plane

  4. Stripe domains and magnetoresistance in thermally deposited nickel films

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sparks, P. D.; Stern, N. P.; Snowden, D. S.; Kappus, B. A.; Checkelsky, J. G.; Harberger, S. S.; Fusello, A. M.; Eckert, J. C.

    2004-05-01

    We report a study of the domain structure and magnetoresistance of thermally deposited nickel films. For films thicker than 17nm, we observe striped domains with period varying with film thickness as a power law with exponent 0.21+/-0.02 up to 120nm thickness. There is a negative magnetoresistance for fields out of the plane.

  5. Stripe domains and magnetoresistance in thermally deposited nickel films

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sparks, P.D. E-mail: sparks@hmc.edu; Stern, N.P.; Snowden, D.S.; Kappus, B.A.; Checkelsky, J.G.; Harberger, S.S.; Fusello, A.M.; Eckert, J.C

    2004-05-01

    We report a study of the domain structure and magnetoresistance of thermally deposited nickel films. For films thicker than 17 nm, we observe striped domains with period varying with film thickness as a power law with exponent 0.21{+-}0.02 up to 120 nm thickness. There is a negative magnetoresistance for fields out of the plane.

  6. Energy Efficient Electrochromic Windows Incorporating Ionic Liquids

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cheri Boykin; James Finley; Donald Anthony; Julianna Knowles; Richard Markovic; Michael Buchanan; Mary Ann Fuhry; Lisa Perrine

    2008-11-30

    One approach to increasing the energy efficiency of windows is to control the amount of solar radiation transmitted through a window by using electrochromic technology. What is unique about this project is that the electrochromic is based on the reduction/oxidation reactions of cathodic and anodic organic semi-conducting polymers using room temperature ionic liquids as ion transport electrolytes. It is believed that these types of coatings would be a lower cost alternative to traditional all inorganic thin film based electrochromic technologies. Although there are patents1 based on the proposed technology, it has never been reduced to practice and thoroughly evaluated (i.e. durability and performance) in a window application. We demonstrate that by using organic semi-conductive polymers, specific bands of the solar spectrum (specifically visible and near infrared) can be targeted for electrochemical variable transmittance responsiveness. In addition, when the technology is incorporated into an insulating glass unit, the energy parameters such as the solar heat gain coefficient and the light to solar gain ratio are improved over that of a typical insulating glass unit comprised of glass with a low emissivity coating. A minimum of {approx}0.02 quads of energy savings per year with a reduction of carbon emissions for electricity of {approx}320 MKg/yr benefit is achieved over that of a typical insulating glass unit including a double silver low-E coating. Note that these values include a penalty in the heating season. If this penalty is removed (i.e. in southern climates or commercial structures where cooling is predominate year-round) a maximum energy savings of {approx}0.05 quad per year and {approx}801 MKg/yr can be achieved over that of a typical insulating glass unit including a double silver low-E coating. In its current state, the technology is not durable enough for an exterior window application. The primary downfall is that the redox chemistry fails to

  7. Deposition of Ge{sub 23}Sb{sub 7}S{sub 70} chalcogenide glass films by electrospray

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Novak, Spencer, E-mail: spencen@g.clemson.edu [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, COMSET, Clemson University, Clemson, SC (United States); College of Optics and Photonics, CREOL, University of Central FL (United States); Johnston, Danvers E.; Li, Cheng; Deng, Weiwei [Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Central FL (United States); Richardson, Kathleen [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, COMSET, Clemson University, Clemson, SC (United States); College of Optics and Photonics, CREOL, University of Central FL (United States)

    2015-08-03

    Solution-based chalcogenide glass films, traditionally deposited by spin-coating, are attractive for their potential use in chip-based devices operating in the mid-infrared and for ease of nanostructure incorporation. To overcome limitations of spin-coating such as excessive material waste and difficulty for scale-up, this paper introduces electrospray as a film deposition technique for solution-based chalcogenide glasses. Electrospray is shown to produce Ge{sub 23}Sb{sub 7}S{sub 70} films with similar surface quality and optical properties as films deposited by spin-coating. The advantages of electrospray deposition for nanoparticle dispersion, scalable and continuous manufacturing with little material waste, and comparable film quality to spin-coating make electrospray a promising deposition method for practical applications of chalcogenide glass films. - Highlights: • Electrospray film deposition processing of Ge{sub 23}Sb{sub 7}S{sub 70} films was developed. • Traditional spin-coated films were also fabricated in parallel. • Optical properties and surface quality found to be similar between two approaches.

  8. Deposition of Y thin films by nanosecond UV pulsed laser ablation for photocathode application

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lorusso, A.; Anni, M.; Caricato, A.P.; Gontad, F.; Perulli, A.; Taurino, A.; Perrone, A.; Chiadroni, E.

    2016-01-01

    In this work, yttrium (Y) thin films have been deposited on Si (100) substrates by the pulsed laser deposition technique. Ex-situ morphological, structural and optical characterisations of such films have been performed by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffractometry, atomic force microscopy and ellipsometry. Polycrystalline films with a thickness of 1.2 μm, homogenous with a root mean square roughness of about 2 nm, were obtained by optimised laser irradiation conditions. Despite the relatively high thickness, the films resulted very adherent to the substrates. The high quality of such thin films is important to the synthesis of metallic photocathodes based on Y thin film, which could be used as electron sources of high photoemission performance in radio-frequency guns. - Highlights: • Pulsed laser deposition of Yttrium thin films is investigated. • 1.2 μm thick films were deposited with very low RMS roughness. • The Y thin films were very adherent to the Si substrate • Optical characterisation showed a very high absorption coefficient for the films.

  9. Deposition of Y thin films by nanosecond UV pulsed laser ablation for photocathode application

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lorusso, A. [Università del Salento, Dipartimento di Matematica e Fisica “E. De Giorgi”, 73100 Lecce (Italy); Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare-Lecce, 73100 Lecce (Italy); Anni, M. [Università del Salento, Dipartimento di Matematica e Fisica “E. De Giorgi”, 73100 Lecce (Italy); Caricato, A.P. [Università del Salento, Dipartimento di Matematica e Fisica “E. De Giorgi”, 73100 Lecce (Italy); Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare-Lecce, 73100 Lecce (Italy); Gontad, F., E-mail: francisco.gontad@le.infn.it [Università del Salento, Dipartimento di Matematica e Fisica “E. De Giorgi”, 73100 Lecce (Italy); Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare-Lecce, 73100 Lecce (Italy); Perulli, A. [Università del Salento, Dipartimento di Matematica e Fisica “E. De Giorgi”, 73100 Lecce (Italy); Taurino, A. [National Research Council, Institute for Microelectronics & Microsystems, 73100 Lecce (Italy); Perrone, A. [Università del Salento, Dipartimento di Matematica e Fisica “E. De Giorgi”, 73100 Lecce (Italy); Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare-Lecce, 73100 Lecce (Italy); Chiadroni, E. [Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati, Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, 00044 Frascati (Italy)

    2016-03-31

    In this work, yttrium (Y) thin films have been deposited on Si (100) substrates by the pulsed laser deposition technique. Ex-situ morphological, structural and optical characterisations of such films have been performed by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffractometry, atomic force microscopy and ellipsometry. Polycrystalline films with a thickness of 1.2 μm, homogenous with a root mean square roughness of about 2 nm, were obtained by optimised laser irradiation conditions. Despite the relatively high thickness, the films resulted very adherent to the substrates. The high quality of such thin films is important to the synthesis of metallic photocathodes based on Y thin film, which could be used as electron sources of high photoemission performance in radio-frequency guns. - Highlights: • Pulsed laser deposition of Yttrium thin films is investigated. • 1.2 μm thick films were deposited with very low RMS roughness. • The Y thin films were very adherent to the Si substrate • Optical characterisation showed a very high absorption coefficient for the films.

  10. Surface modification of reverse osmosis desalination membranes by thin-film coatings deposited by initiated chemical vapor deposition

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ozaydin-Ince, Gozde, E-mail: gozdeince@sabanciuniv.edu [Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139 (United States); Matin, Asif, E-mail: amatin@mit.edu [Department of Mechanical Engineering, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261 (Saudi Arabia); Khan, Zafarullah, E-mail: zukhan@mit.edu [Department of Mechanical Engineering, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261 (Saudi Arabia); Zaidi, S.M. Javaid, E-mail: zaidismj@kfupm.edu.sa [Department of Mechanical Engineering, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261 (Saudi Arabia); Gleason, Karen K., E-mail: kkgleasn@mit.edu [Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139 (United States)

    2013-07-31

    Thin-film polymeric reverse osmosis membranes, due to their high permeation rates and good salt rejection capabilities, are widely used for seawater desalination. However, these membranes are prone to biofouling, which affects their performance and efficiency. In this work, we report a method to modify the membrane surface without damaging the active layer or significantly affecting the performance of the membrane. Amphiphilic copolymer films of hydrophilic hydroxyethylmethacrylate and hydrophobic perfluorodecylacrylate (PFA) were synthesized and deposited on commercial RO membranes using an initiated chemical vapor deposition technique which is a polymer deposition technique that involves free-radical polymerization initiated by gas-phase radicals. Relevant surface characteristics such as hydrophilicity and roughness could be systematically controlled by varying the polymer chemistry. Increasing the hydrophobic PFA content in the films leads to an increase in the surface roughness and hydrophobicity. Furthermore, the surface morphology studies performed using the atomic force microscopy show that as the thickness of the coating increases average surface roughness increases. Using this knowledge, the coating thickness and chemistry were optimized to achieve high permeate flux and to reduce cell attachment. Results of the static bacterial adhesion tests show that the attachment of bacterial cells is significantly reduced on the coated membranes. - Highlights: • Thin films are deposited on reverse osmosis membranes. • Amphiphilic thin films are resistant to protein attachment. • The permeation performance of the membranes is not affected by the coating. • The thin film coatings delayed the biofouling.

  11. Physical properties of very thin SnS films deposited by thermal evaporation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cheng Shuying; Conibeer, Gavin

    2011-01-01

    SnS films with thicknesses of 20–65 nm have been deposited on glass substrates by thermal evaporation. The physical properties of the films were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman spectroscopy, and ultraviolet–visible-near infrared spectroscopy at room temperature. The results from XRD, XPS and Raman spectroscopy analyses indicate that the deposited films mainly exhibit SnS phase, but they may contain a tiny amount of Sn 2 S 3 . The deposited SnS films are pinhole free, smooth and strongly adherent to the surfaces of the substrates. The color of the SnS films changes from pale yellow to brown with the increase of the film thickness from 20 nm to 65 nm. The very smooth surfaces of the thin films result in their high reflectance. The direct bandgap of the films is between 2.15 eV and 2.28 eV which is much larger than 1.3 eV of bulk SnS, this is deserving to be investigated further.

  12. Optical and mechanical properties of nanocrystalline ZrC thin films grown by pulsed laser deposition

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Craciun, D., E-mail: doina.craciun@inflpr.ro [Laser Department, National Institute for Laser, Plasma, and Radiation Physics, Magurele (Romania); Socol, G. [Laser Department, National Institute for Laser, Plasma, and Radiation Physics, Magurele (Romania); Lambers, E. [Major Analytical Instrumentation Center, College of Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611 (United States); McCumiskey, E.J.; Taylor, C.R. [Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611 (United States); Martin, C. [Ramapo College of New Jersey (United States); Argibay, N. [Materials Science and Engineering Center, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM 87123 (United States); Tanner, D.B. [Physics Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611 (United States); Craciun, V. [Laser Department, National Institute for Laser, Plasma, and Radiation Physics, Magurele (Romania)

    2015-10-15

    Highlights: • Nanocrystalline ZrC thin film were grown on Si by pulsed laser deposition technique. • Structural properties weakly depend on the CH{sub 4} pressure used during deposition. • The optimum deposition pressure for low resistivity is around 2 × 10{sup −5} mbar CH{sub 4}. • ZrC films exhibited friction coefficients around 0.4 and low wear rates. - Abstract: Thin ZrC films (<500 nm) were grown on (100) Si substrates at a substrate temperature of 500 °C by the pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique using a KrF excimer laser under different CH{sub 4} pressures. Glancing incidence X-ray diffraction showed that films were nanocrystalline, while X-ray reflectivity studies found out films were very dense and exhibited a smooth surface morphology. Optical spectroscopy data shows that the films have high reflectivity (>90%) in the infrared region, characteristic of metallic behavior. Nanoindentation results indicated that films deposited under lower CH{sub 4} pressures exhibited slightly higher nanohardness and Young modulus values than films deposited under higher pressures. Tribological characterization revealed that these films exhibited relatively high wear resistance and steady-state friction coefficients on the order of μ = 0.4.

  13. Indium oxide-based transparent conductive films deposited by reactive sputtering using alloy targets

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miyazaki, Yusuke; Maruyama, Eri; Jia, Junjun; Machinaga, Hironobu; Shigesato, Yuzo

    2017-04-01

    High-quality transparent conductive oxide (TCO) films, Sn-doped In2O3 (ITO) and In2O3-ZnO (IZO), were successfully deposited on either synthetic silica or polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates in the “transition region” by reactive dc magnetron sputtering using In-Zn and In-Sn alloy targets, respectively, with a specially designed plasma emission feedback system. The composition, crystallinity, surface morphology, and electrical and optical properties of the films were analyzed. All of the IZO films were amorphous, whereas the ITO films were polycrystalline over a wide range of deposition conditions. The minimum resistivities of the IZO and ITO films deposited on the heated PET substrates at 150 °C were 3.3 × 10-4 and 5.4 × 10-4 Ω·cm, respectively. By applying rf bias to unheated PET substrates, ITO films with a resistivity of 4.4 × 10-4 Ω·cm were deposited at a dc self-bias voltage of -60 V.

  14. Indium sulfide thin films as window layer in chemically deposited solar cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lugo-Loredo, S. [Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, UANL, Fac. de Ciencias Químicas, Av. Universidad S/N Ciudad Universitaria San Nicolás de Los Garza Nuevo León, C.P. 66451 (Mexico); Peña-Méndez, Y., E-mail: yolapm@gmail.com [Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, UANL, Fac. de Ciencias Químicas, Av. Universidad S/N Ciudad Universitaria San Nicolás de Los Garza Nuevo León, C.P. 66451 (Mexico); Calixto-Rodriguez, M. [Universidad Tecnológica Emiliano Zapata del Estado de Morelos, Av. Universidad Tecnológica No. 1, C.P. 62760 Emiliano Zapata, Morelos (Mexico); Messina-Fernández, S. [Universidad Autónoma de Nayarit, Ciudad de la Cultura “Amado Nervo” S/N, C.P. 63190 Tepic, Nayarit (Mexico); Alvarez-Gallegos, A. [Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos, Centro de Investigación en Ingeniería y Ciencias Aplicadas, Av. Universidad 1001, C.P. 62209, Cuernavaca Morelos (Mexico); Vázquez-Dimas, A.; Hernández-García, T. [Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, UANL, Fac. de Ciencias Químicas, Av. Universidad S/N Ciudad Universitaria San Nicolás de Los Garza Nuevo León, C.P. 66451 (Mexico)

    2014-01-01

    Indium sulfide (In{sub 2}S{sub 3}) thin films have been synthesized by chemical bath deposition technique onto glass substrates using In(NO{sub 3}){sub 3} as indium precursor and thioacetamide as sulfur source. X-ray diffraction studies have shown that the crystalline state of the as-prepared and the annealed films is β-In{sub 2}S{sub 3}. Optical band gap values between 2.27 and 2.41 eV were obtained for these films. The In{sub 2}S{sub 3} thin films are photosensitive with an electrical conductivity value in the range of 10{sup −3}–10{sup −7} (Ω cm){sup −1}, depending on the film preparation conditions. We have demonstrated that the In{sub 2}S{sub 3} thin films obtained in this work are suitable candidates to be used as window layer in thin film solar cells. These films were integrated in SnO{sub 2}:F/In{sub 2}S{sub 3}/Sb{sub 2}S{sub 3}/PbS/C–Ag solar cell structures, which showed an open circuit voltage of 630 mV and a short circuit current density of 0.6 mA/cm{sup 2}. - Highlights: • In{sub 2}S{sub 3} thin films were deposited using the Chemical Bath Deposition technique. • A direct energy band gap between 2.41 to 2.27 eV was evaluated for the In{sub 2}S{sub 3} films. • We made chemically deposited solar cells using the In{sub 2}S{sub 3} thin films.

  15. Vacuum deposition and pulsed modification of Ge thin films on Si. Structure and photoluminescence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Batalov, R.I.; Bayazitov, R.M.; Novikov, G.A.; Shustov, V.A.; Bizyaev, D.A.; Gajduk, P.I.; Ivlev, G.D.; Prokop'ev, S.L.

    2013-01-01

    Vacuum deposition of Ge thin films onto Si substrates by magnetron sputtering was studied. During deposition sputtering time and substrate temperature were varied. Nanosecond pulsed annealing of deposited films by powerful laser or ion beams was performed. The dependence of the structure and optical properties of Ge/Si films on parameters of pulsed treatments was investigated. Optimum parameters of deposition and pulsed treatments resulting into light emitting monocrystalline Ge/Si layers are determined. (authors)

  16. Stress and stability of sputter deposited A-15 and bcc crystal structure tungsten thin films

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    O' Keefe, M.J.; Stutz, C.E.

    1997-07-01

    Magnetron sputter deposition was used to fabricate body centered cubic (bcc) and A-15 crystal structure W thin films. Previous work demonstrated that the as-deposited crystal structure of the films was dependent on the deposition parameters and that the formation of a metastable A-15 structure was favored over the thermodynamically stable bcc phase when the films contained a few atomic percent oxygen. However, the A-15 phase was shown to irreversibly transform into the bcc phase between 500 C and 650 C and that a significant decrease in the resistivity of the metallic films was measured after the transformation. The current investigation of 150 nm thick, sputter deposited A-15 and bcc tungsten thin films on silicon wafers consisted of a series of experiments in which the stress, resistivity and crystal structure of the films was measured as a function of temperatures cycles in a Flexus 2900 thin film stress measurement system. The as-deposited film stress was found to be a function of the sputtering pressure and presputter time; under conditions in which the as-deposited stress of the film was {approximately}1.5 GPa compressive delamination of the W film from the substrate was observed. Data from the thermal studies indicated that bcc film stress was not affected by annealing but transformation of the A-15 structure resulted in a large tensile increase in the stress of the film, regardless of the as-deposited stress of the film. In several instances, complete transformation of the A-15 structure into the bcc phase resulted in {ge}1 GPa tensile increase in film stress.

  17. Stress and stability of sputter deposited A-15 and bcc crystal structure tungsten thin films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    O'Keefe, M.J.; Stutz, C.E.

    1997-01-01

    Magnetron sputter deposition was used to fabricate body centered cubic (bcc) and A-15 crystal structure W thin films. Previous work demonstrated that the as-deposited crystal structure of the films was dependent on the deposition parameters and that the formation of a metastable A-15 structure was favored over the thermodynamically stable bcc phase when the films contained a few atomic percent oxygen. However, the A-15 phase was shown to irreversibly transform into the bcc phase between 500 C and 650 C and that a significant decrease in the resistivity of the metallic films was measured after the transformation. The current investigation of 150 nm thick, sputter deposited A-15 and bcc tungsten thin films on silicon wafers consisted of a series of experiments in which the stress, resistivity and crystal structure of the films was measured as a function of temperatures cycles in a Flexus 2900 thin film stress measurement system. The as-deposited film stress was found to be a function of the sputtering pressure and presputter time; under conditions in which the as-deposited stress of the film was approximately1.5 GPa compressive delamination of the W film from the substrate was observed. Data from the thermal studies indicated that bcc film stress was not affected by annealing but transformation of the A-15 structure resulted in a large tensile increase in the stress of the film, regardless of the as-deposited stress of the film. In several instances, complete transformation of the A-15 structure into the bcc phase resulted in ge1 GPa tensile increase in film stress

  18. Deposition of titanium carbide films from mixed carbon and titanium plasma streams

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Delplancke-Ogletree, M.; Monteiro, O.R.

    1997-01-01

    Dual source metal plasma immersion ion implantation and deposition was used to deposit Ti x C y films over a wide range of Ti:C composition. This technique is well adapted for this purpose and allows one to tailor the microstructure and properties of the films. We investigated the variation of the composition, bonding states, and structure as functions of the deposition conditions. Excess carbon and contamination oxygen are incorporated in the TiC lattice interstitially and substitutionally, respectively. The wear mechanism of a stoichiometric TiC film was investigated and compared to that of a diamondlike carbon film. TiC fails by wear and microcrack propagation. copyright 1997 American Vacuum Society

  19. Spectroscopic ellipsometry investigations of optical anisotropy in obliquely deposited hafnia thin films

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tokas, R. B., E-mail: tokasstar@gmail.com; Jena, Shuvendu; Thakur, S.; Sahoo, N. K. [Atomic & Molecular Physics Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay, Mumbai-85 (India); Haque, S. Maidul; Rao, K. Divakar [Photonics & Nanotechnology Section, Atomic & Molecular Physics Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre facility, Visakhapatnam-530012 (India)

    2016-05-23

    In present work, HfO{sub 2} thin films have been deposited at various oblique incidences on Si substrates by electron beam evaporation. These refractory oxide films exhibited anisotropy in refractive index predictably due to special columnar microstructure. Spectroscopic ellipsometry being a powerful tool for optical characterization has been employed to investigate optical anisotropy. It was observed that the film deposited at glancing angle (80°) exhibits the highest optical anisotropy. Further, anisotropy was noticed to decrease with lower values of deposition angles while effective refractive index depicts opposite trend. Variation in refractive index and anisotropy has been explained in light of atomic shadowing during growth of thin films at oblique angles.

  20. High rate deposition of transparent conducting oxide thin films by vacuum arc plasma evaporation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Minami, Tadatsugu; Ida, Satoshi; Miyata, Toshihiro

    2002-01-01

    Transparent conducting oxide (TCO) thin films have been deposited at a high rate above 370 nm/min by vacuum arc plasma evaporation (VAPE) using sintered oxide fragments as the source material. It was found that the deposition rate of TCO films was strongly dependent on the deposition pressure, whereas the obtained electrical properties were relatively independent of the pressure. Resistivities of 5.6x10 -4 and 2.3x10 -4 Ω·cm and an average transmittance above 80% (with substrate included) in the visible range were obtained in Ga-doped ZnO (GZO) thin films deposited at 100 and 350 deg. C, respectively. In addition, a resistivity as low as 1.4x10 -4 Ω·cm and an average transmittance above 80% were also obtained in indium-tin-oxide (ITO) films deposited at 300 deg. C. The deposited TCO films exhibited uniform distributions of resistivity and thickness on large area substrates

  1. High rate deposition of transparent conducting oxide thin films by vacuum arc plasma evaporation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Minami, Tadatsugu; Ida, Satoshi; Miyata, Toshihiro

    2002-09-02

    Transparent conducting oxide (TCO) thin films have been deposited at a high rate above 370 nm/min by vacuum arc plasma evaporation (VAPE) using sintered oxide fragments as the source material. It was found that the deposition rate of TCO films was strongly dependent on the deposition pressure, whereas the obtained electrical properties were relatively independent of the pressure. Resistivities of 5.6x10{sup -4} and 2.3x10{sup -4} {omega}{center_dot}cm and an average transmittance above 80% (with substrate included) in the visible range were obtained in Ga-doped ZnO (GZO) thin films deposited at 100 and 350 deg. C, respectively. In addition, a resistivity as low as 1.4x10{sup -4} {omega}{center_dot}cm and an average transmittance above 80% were also obtained in indium-tin-oxide (ITO) films deposited at 300 deg. C. The deposited TCO films exhibited uniform distributions of resistivity and thickness on large area substrates.

  2. In situ measurement of conductivity during nanocomposite film deposition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Blattmann, Christoph O.; Pratsinis, Sotiris E.

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • Flame-made nanosilver dynamics are elucidated in the gas-phase & on substrates. • The resistance of freshly depositing nanosilver layers is monitored. • Low T g polymers facilitate rapid synthesis of conductive films. • Conductive nanosilver films form on top of or within the polymer depending on MW. - Abstract: Flexible and electrically conductive nanocomposite films are essential for small, portable and even implantable electronic devices. Typically, such film synthesis and conductivity measurement are carried out sequentially. As a result, optimization of filler loading and size/morphology characteristics with respect to film conductivity is rather tedious and costly. Here, freshly-made Ag nanoparticles (nanosilver) are made by scalable flame aerosol technology and directly deposited onto polymeric (polystyrene and poly(methyl methacrylate)) films during which the resistance of the resulting nanocomposite is measured in situ. The formation and gas-phase growth of such flame-made nanosilver, just before incorporation onto the polymer film, is measured by thermophoretic sampling and microscopy. Monitoring the nanocomposite resistance in situ reveals the onset of conductive network formation by the deposited nanosilver growth and sinternecking. The in situ measurement is much faster and more accurate than conventional ex situ four-point resistance measurements since an electrically percolating network is detected upon its formation by the in situ technique. Nevertheless, general resistance trends with respect to filler loading and host polymer composition are consistent for both in situ and ex situ measurements. The time lag for the onset of a conductive network (i.e., percolation) depends linearly on the glass transition temperature (T g ) of the host polymer. This is attributed to the increased nanoparticle-polymer interaction with decreasing T g . Proper selection of the host polymer in combination with in situ resistance monitoring

  3. Superhydrophobic nanostructured ZnO thin films on aluminum alloy substrates by electrophoretic deposition process

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Huang, Ying; Sarkar, D.K., E-mail: dsarkar@uqac.ca; Chen, X-Grant

    2015-02-01

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Fabrication of superhydrophobic ZnO thin films surfaces by electrophoretic deposition process on aluminum substrates. • Effect of bath temperature on the physical and superhydrophobic properties of thin films. • The water contact angle of 155° ± 3 with roll off property has been observed on the film that was grown at bath temperatures of 50 °C. • The activation energy for electrophoretic deposition of SA-functionalized ZnO nanoparticle is calculated to be 0.50 eV. - Abstract: Superhydrophobic thin films have been fabricated on aluminum alloy substrates by electrophoretic deposition (EPD) process using stearic acid (SA) functionalized zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles suspension in alcohols at varying bath temperatures. The deposited thin films have been characterized using both X-ray diffraction (XRD) and infrared (IR) spectroscopy and it is found that the films contain low surface energy zinc stearate and ZnO nanoparticles. It is also observed that the atomic percentage of Zn and O, roughness and water contact angle of the thin films increase with the increase of the deposited bath temperature. Furthermore, the thin film deposited at 50 °C, having a roughness of 4.54 ± 0.23 μm, shows superhydrophobic properties providing a water contact angle of 155 ± 3° with rolling off properties. Also, the activation energy of electrophoretic deposition of stearic-acid-functionalized ZnO nanoparticles is calculated to be 0.5 eV.

  4. Pulsed-laser-deposited YBCO thin films using modified MTG processed targets

    CERN Document Server

    Kim, C H; Kim, I T; Hahn, T S

    1999-01-01

    YBCO thin films were deposited by pulsed laser deposition from targets fabricated using the modified melt-textured growth (MTG) method and the solid-state sintering (SSS) method. All of the films showed c-axis orientations, but the films from the MTG targets had better crystallinity than those from the SSS targets. As the substrate temperature was increased, T sub c and J sub c of the films increased. The films from the MTG targets showed better superconducting properties than those from the SSS targets. From the composition analysis of the targets, the Y-richer vapor species arriving at the substrate from the MTG targets are thought to form a thermodynamically more stable YBCO phase with less cation disorder.

  5. Electrochromic device containing metal oxide nanoparticles and ultraviolet blocking material

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garcia, Guillermo; Koo, Bonil; Gregoratto, Ivano; Basu, Sourav; Rosen, Evelyn; Holt, Jason; Thomsen, Scott

    2017-10-17

    An electrochromic device includes a nanostructured transition metal oxide bronze layer that includes one or more transition metal oxide and one or more dopant. The electrochromic device also includes nanoparticles containing one or more transparent conducting oxide (TCO), a solid state electrolyte, a counter electrode, and at least one protective layer to prevent degradation of the one or more nanostructured transition metal oxide bronze. The nanostructured transition metal oxide bronze selectively modulates transmittance of near-infrared (NIR) and visible radiation as a function of an applied voltage to the device.

  6. Electrochromic Asymmetric Supercapacitor Windows Enable Direct Determination of Energy Status by the Naked Eye.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhong, Ying; Chai, Zhisheng; Liang, Zhimin; Sun, Peng; Xie, Weiguang; Zhao, Chuanxi; Mai, Wenjie

    2017-10-04

    Because of the popularity of smart electronics, multifunctional energy storage devices, especially electrochromic supercapacitors (SCs), have attracted tremendous research interest. Herein, a solid-state electrochromic asymmetric SC (ASC) window is designed and fabricated by introducing WO 3 and polyaniline as the negative and positive electrodes, respectively. The two complementary materials contribute to the outstanding electrochemical and electrochromic performances of the fabricated device. With an operating voltage window of 1.4 V and an areal capacitance of 28.3 mF cm -2 , the electrochromic devices show a high energy density of 7.7 × 10 -3 mW h cm -2 . Meanwhile, they exhibit an obvious and reversible color transition between light green (uncharged state) and dark blue (charged state), with an optical transmittance change between 55 and 12% at a wavelength of 633 nm. Hence, the energy storage level of the ASC is directly related to its color and can be determined by the naked eye, which means it can be incorporated with other energy cells to visual display their energy status. Particularly, a self-powered and color-indicated system is achieved by combining the smart windows with commercial solar cell panels. We believe that the novel electrochromic ASC windows will have great potential application for both smart electronics and smart buildings.

  7. Effect of angle of deposition on micro-roughness parameters and optical properties of HfO{sub 2} thin films deposited by reactive electron beam evaporation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Tokas, R.B., E-mail: tokasstar@gmail.com; Jena, S.; Thakur, S.; Sahoo, N.K.

    2016-06-30

    Oblique angle deposited oxide thin films, in which refractive index profiles can be tailored across depth by tuning their microstructure using varying angle of deposition, have opened up new dimensions in fabrication of optical interference devices. Since surface morphology plays an important role for the qualification of these thin film devices for optical or other applications, it is important to investigate morphological properties of obliquely deposited thin films. In the present work, a set of HfO{sub 2} thin films have been deposited at several oblique angles. Morphological parameters of such thin films viz., correlation length, intrinsic roughness, fractal spectral strength, etc., have been determined through suitable modelling of extended power spectral density measured by atomic force microscopy. It has been found that intrinsic roughness and fractal spectral strength show an interesting behaviour with deposition angle and the same has been discussed in the light of atomic shadowing and re-emission and diffusion of ad-atoms. Further refractive index and thickness of such thin films have been estimated from optical transmission spectra through suitable modelling. Refractive index of such thin film varies from 1.93 to 1.37 as the deposition angle varies from normal to glancing angle (80°). Further, refractive index and grain size depict an opposite trend with deposition angle. This variation has been explained in terms of varying film porosity and column slanting with angle of deposition. - Highlights: • HfO{sub 2} thin films deposited at several oblique angles • Film deposited at 80° exhibits the highest grain size and intrinsic roughness (σ). • Fractal strength and σ depict an interesting trend with angle of deposition. • Refractive index and grain size depict an opposite trend with angle of deposition.

  8. Effect of annealing on electrical properties of plasmatron deposited ZnO films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Joa, Sang Beom; Penkov, Oteksiy V.; Plaksin, Vadim Yu; Mansur, Rakib; Kim, Ji Hun; Lee, Heon Ju

    2009-01-01

    Transparent conductive zinc oxide (ZnO) has been extensively studied in recent several years because they have very interesting properties. Besides this, zinc oxide is non-poisonous, abundant and cheap material. ZnO films are employed in different applications like transparent conductive layers in solar cells, protective coatings and so on. Wide industrial application of the ZnO films requires of development of cheap, effective and scalable technology. Typically used technology like RF sputtering, pyrolysis and metal-organic CVD don't completely satisfy the industrial requirements. In our previous publications the new perspective ZnO deposition technology based DC Arc Plasmatron was described. This technology has several advantages (low cost, high deposition rate, low substrate temperature). Currently, films deposited using this technology has can be used only as protective or insulation coatings because of very high resistance. Applying of plasmatron technology in the microelectronics or solar cell production requires the improvement of electrical properties of the films. This can be achieved by optimization of deposition parameters, using of doping, or by post-deposition treatment such as annealing, or by combination of mentioned. It was shown that proposed technology can be used for the deposition of pure ZnO film with good electrical and optical properties. Proposed technology has several disadvantages which can be overcome in the near-term outlook

  9. New results in pulsed laser deposition of poly-methyl-methacrylate thin films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cristescu, R.; Socol, G.; Mihailescu, I.N.; Popescu, M.; Sava, F.; Ion, E.; Morosanu, C.O.; Stamatin, I.

    2003-01-01

    Thin organic films based on poly-methyl-methacrylate (PMMA) polymer have been obtained by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) on silicon substrates. The films were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and Raman spectroscopy (RS). We observed that the film composition and structure depend on the laser fluence and on the temperature of the substrate during deposition

  10. The Effects of Two Thick Film Deposition Methods on Tin Dioxide Gas Sensor Performance

    OpenAIRE

    Bakrania, Smitesh D.; Wooldridge, Margaret S.

    2009-01-01

    This work demonstrates the variability in performance between SnO2 thick film gas sensors prepared using two types of film deposition methods. SnO2 powders were deposited on sensor platforms with and without the use of binders. Three commonly utilized binder recipes were investigated, and a new binder-less deposition procedure was developed and characterized. The binder recipes yielded sensors with poor film uniformity and poor structural integrity, compared to the binder-less deposition meth...

  11. A review of basic phenomena and techniques for sputter-deposition of high temperature superconducting films

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Auciello, O. (Microelectronics Center of North Carolina, Research Triangle Park, NC (USA) North Carolina State Univ., Raleigh, NC (USA). Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering); Ameen, M.S.; Kingon, A.I.; Lichtenwalner, D.J. (North Carolina State Univ., Raleigh, NC (USA). Dept. of Materials Science and Engineering); Krauss, A.R. (Argonne National Lab., IL (USA))

    1990-01-01

    The processes involved in plasma and ion beam sputter-deposition of high temperature superconducting thin films are critically reviewed. Recent advances in the development of these techniques are discussed in relation to basic physical phenomena, specific to each technique, which must be understood before high quality films can be produced. Control of film composition is a major issue in sputter-deposition of multicomponent materials. Low temperature processing of films is a common goal for each technique, particularly in relation to integrating high temperature superconducting films with the current microelectronics technology. It has been understood for some time that for Y{sub 1}Ba{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7} deposition, the most intensely studied high-{Tc} compound, incorporation of sufficient oxygen into the film during deposition is necessary to produce as-deposited superconducting films at relatively substrate temperatures. Recent results have shown that with the use of suitable buffer layers, high quality Y{sub 1}Ba{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7} sputtered films can be obtained on Si substrates without the need for post-deposition anneal processing. This review is mainly focussed on issues related to sputter-deposition of Y{sub 1}Ba{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7} thin films, although representative results concerning the bismuth and thallium based compounds are included. 143 refs., 11 figs.

  12. Morphology and structural studies of WO{sub 3} films deposited on SrTiO{sub 3} by pulsed laser deposition

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kalhori, Hossein, E-mail: h.kalhori@ph.iut.ac.ir [School of Physics and CRANN, Trinity College, Dublin 2 (Ireland); Department of Physics, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan 84156-8311 (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Porter, Stephen B.; Esmaeily, Amir Sajjad; Coey, Michael [School of Physics and CRANN, Trinity College, Dublin 2 (Ireland); Ranjbar, Mehdi; Salamati, Hadi [Department of Physics, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan 84156-8311 (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

    2016-12-30

    Highlights: • Highly oriented WO{sub 3} stoichiometric films were determined using pulsed laser deposition method. • Effective parameters on thin films including temperature, oxygen partial pressure and laser energy fluency was studied. • A phase transition was observed in WO{sub 3} films at 700 °C from monoclinic to tetragonal. - Abstract: WO{sub 3} films have been grown by pulsed laser deposition on SrTiO{sub 3} (001) substrates. The effects of substrate temperature, oxygen partial pressure and energy fluence of the laser beam on the physical properties of the films were studied. Reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED) patterns during and after growth were used to determine the surface structure and morphology. The chemical composition and crystalline phases were obtained by XPS and XRD respectively. AFM results showed that the roughness and skewness of the films depend on the substrate temperature during deposition. Optimal conditions were determined for the growth of the highly oriented films.

  13. Low-temperature SiON films deposited by plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition method using activated silicon precursor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Suh, Sungin; Kim, Jun-Rae; Kim, Seongkyung; Hwang, Cheol Seong; Kim, Hyeong Joon, E-mail: thinfilm@snu.ac.kr [Department of Materials Science and Engineering with Inter-University Semiconductor Research Center (ISRC), Seoul National University, 599 Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 08826 (Korea, Republic of); Ryu, Seung Wook, E-mail: tazryu78@gmail.com [Department of Electrical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305-2311 (United States); Cho, Seongjae [Department of Electronic Engineering and New Technology Component & Material Research Center (NCMRC), Gachon University, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do 13120 (Korea, Republic of)

    2016-01-15

    It has not been an easy task to deposit SiN at low temperature by conventional plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PE-ALD) since Si organic precursors generally have high activation energy for adsorption of the Si atoms on the Si-N networks. In this work, in order to achieve successful deposition of SiN film at low temperature, the plasma processing steps in the PE-ALD have been modified for easier activation of Si precursors. In this modification, the efficiency of chemisorption of Si precursor has been improved by additional plasma steps after purging of the Si precursor. As the result, the SiN films prepared by the modified PE-ALD processes demonstrated higher purity of Si and N atoms with unwanted impurities such as C and O having below 10 at. % and Si-rich films could be formed consequently. Also, a very high step coverage ratio of 97% was obtained. Furthermore, the process-optimized SiN film showed a permissible charge-trapping capability with a wide memory window of 3.1 V when a capacitor structure was fabricated and measured with an insertion of the SiN film as the charge-trap layer. The modified PE-ALD process using the activated Si precursor would be one of the most practical and promising solutions for SiN deposition with lower thermal budget and higher cost-effectiveness.

  14. Shape memory characteristics of sputter-deposited Ti-Ni thin films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Miyazaki, Shuichi; Ishida, Akira.

    1994-01-01

    Ti-Ni shape memory alloy thin films were deposited using an RF magnetron sputtering apparatus. The as-sputtered films were heat-treated in order to crystallize and memorize. After the heat treatment, the shape memory characteristics have been investigated using DSC and thermomechanical tests. Upon cooling the thin films, the solution-treated films showed a single peak in the DSC curve indicating a single stage transformation occurring from B2 to the martensitic phase, while the age-treated films showed double peaks indicating a two-stage transformation, i.e., from B2 to the R-phase, then to the martensitic phase. A perfect shape memory effect was achieved in these sputter-deposited Ti-Ni thin films in association both with the R-phase and martensitic transformations. Transformation temperatures increased linearly with increasing applied stress. The transformation strain also increased with increasing stress. The shape memory characteristics were strongly affected by heat-treatment conditions. (author)

  15. Deposition of indium tin oxide films on acrylic substrates by radiofrequency magnetron sputtering

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chiou, B.S.; Hsieh, S.T.; Wu, W.F.

    1994-01-01

    Indium tin oxide (ITO) films were deposited onto acrylic substrates by rf magnetron sputtering. Low substrate temperature (< 80 C) and low rf power (< 28 W) were maintained during sputtering to prevent acrylic substrate deformation. The influence of sputtering parameters, such as rf power, target-to-substrate distance, and chamber pressure, on the film deposition rate, the electrical properties, as well as the optical properties of the deposited films was investigated. Both the refractive index and the extinction coefficient were derived. The high reflection at wavelengths greater than 3 μm made these sputtered ITO films applicable to infrared mirrors

  16. Effect of deposition temperature on the structural, morphological and optical band gap of lead selenide thin films synthesized by chemical bath deposition method

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hone, Fekadu Gashaw, E-mail: fekeye@gmail.com [Hawassa University, Department of Physics, Hawassa (Ethiopia); Ampong, Francis Kofi [Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Department of Physics, Kumasi (Ghana)

    2016-11-01

    Lead selenide (PbSe) nanocrystalline thin films have been deposited on silica glass substrates by the chemical bath deposition technique. The samples were deposited at the bath temperatures of 60, 75 and 90 °C respectively and characterized by a variety of techniques. The XRD results revealed that the PbSe thin film deposited at 60 °C was amorphous in nature. Films deposited at higher temperatures exhibited sharp and intense diffraction peaks, indicating an improvement in crystallinety. The deposition temperature also had a strong influence on the preferred orientation of the crystallites as well as other structural parameters such as microstrain and dislocation density. From the SEM study it was observed that film deposited at 90 °C had well defined crystallites, uniformly distributed over the entire surface of the substrate. The EDAX study confirmed that the samples deposited at the higher temperature had a better stoichiometric ratio. The optical band gap varied from 2.26 eV to 1.13 eV with increasing deposition temperature. - Highlights: • The crystallinety of the films improved as the deposition temperature increased. • The deposition temperature strongly influenced the preferred orientations. • Microstrain and dislocation density are decreased linearly with deposition temperature. • Band gap decreased from 2.26 eV to 1.13 eV as the deposition temperature increased.

  17. Superhydrophobic polytetrafluoroethylene thin films with hierarchical roughness deposited using a single step vapor phase technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gupta, Sushant; Arjunan, Arul Chakkaravarthi; Deshpande, Sameer; Seal, Sudipta; Singh, Deepika; Singh, Rajiv K.

    2009-01-01

    Superhydrophobic polytetrafluoroethylene films with hierarchical surface roughness were deposited using pulse electron deposition technique. We were able to modulate roughness of the deposited films by controlling the beam energy and hence the electron penetration depth. The films deposited at higher beam energy showed contact angle as high as 166 o . The scanning electron and atomic force microscope studies revealed clustered growth and two level sub-micron asperities on films deposited at higher energies. Such dual-scale hierarchical roughness and heterogeneities at the water-surface interface was attributed to the observed contact angle and thus its superhydrophobic nature.

  18. Superhydrophobic polytetrafluoroethylene thin films with hierarchical roughness deposited using a single step vapor phase technique

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gupta, Sushant, E-mail: sushant3@ufl.ed [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611 (United States); Arjunan, Arul Chakkaravarthi [Sinmat Incorporated, 2153 SE Hawthorne Road, 129, Gainesville, Florida 32641 (United States); Deshpande, Sameer; Seal, Sudipta [Advanced Material Processing and Analysis Center, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida 32816 (United States); Singh, Deepika [Sinmat Incorporated, 2153 SE Hawthorne Road, 129, Gainesville, Florida 32641 (United States); Singh, Rajiv K. [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611 (United States)

    2009-06-30

    Superhydrophobic polytetrafluoroethylene films with hierarchical surface roughness were deposited using pulse electron deposition technique. We were able to modulate roughness of the deposited films by controlling the beam energy and hence the electron penetration depth. The films deposited at higher beam energy showed contact angle as high as 166{sup o}. The scanning electron and atomic force microscope studies revealed clustered growth and two level sub-micron asperities on films deposited at higher energies. Such dual-scale hierarchical roughness and heterogeneities at the water-surface interface was attributed to the observed contact angle and thus its superhydrophobic nature.

  19. Ultraviolet laser deposition of graphene thin films without catalytic layers

    KAUST Repository

    Sarath Kumar, S. R.; Alshareef, Husam N.

    2013-01-01

    In this letter, the formation of nanostructured graphene by ultraviolet laser ablation of a highly ordered pyrolytic graphite target under optimized conditions is demonstrated, without a catalytic layer, and a model for the growth process is proposed. Previously, graphene film deposition by low-energy laser (2.3 eV) was explained by photo-thermal models, which implied that graphene films cannot be deposited by laser energies higher than the C-C bond energy in highly ordered pyrolytic graphite (3.7 eV). Here, we show that nanostructured graphene films can in fact be deposited using ultraviolet laser (5 eV) directly over different substrates, without a catalytic layer. The formation of graphene is explained by bond-breaking assisted by photoelectronic excitation leading to formation of carbon clusters at the target and annealing out of defects at the substrate.

  20. Ultraviolet laser deposition of graphene thin films without catalytic layers

    KAUST Repository

    Sarath Kumar, S. R.

    2013-01-09

    In this letter, the formation of nanostructured graphene by ultraviolet laser ablation of a highly ordered pyrolytic graphite target under optimized conditions is demonstrated, without a catalytic layer, and a model for the growth process is proposed. Previously, graphene film deposition by low-energy laser (2.3 eV) was explained by photo-thermal models, which implied that graphene films cannot be deposited by laser energies higher than the C-C bond energy in highly ordered pyrolytic graphite (3.7 eV). Here, we show that nanostructured graphene films can in fact be deposited using ultraviolet laser (5 eV) directly over different substrates, without a catalytic layer. The formation of graphene is explained by bond-breaking assisted by photoelectronic excitation leading to formation of carbon clusters at the target and annealing out of defects at the substrate.

  1. Liquid films and droplet deposition in a BWR fuel element

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Damsohn, M.

    2011-01-01

    In the upper part of boiling water reactors (BWR) the flow regime is dominated by a steam-water droplet flow with liquid films on the nuclear fuel rod, the so called (wispy) annular flow regime. The film thickness and liquid flow rate distribution around the fuel rod play an important role especially in regard to so called dryout, which is the main phenomenon limiting the thermal power of a fuel assembly. The deposition of droplets in the liquid film is important, because this process sustains the liquid film and delays dryout. Functional spacers with different vane shapes have been used in recent decades to enhance droplet deposition and thus create more favorable conditions for heat removal. In this thesis the behavior of liquid films and droplet deposition in the annular flow regime in BWR bundles is addressed by experiments in an adiabatic flow at nearly ambient pressure. The experimental setup consists of a vertical channel with the cross-section resembling a pair of neighboring subchannels of a fuel rod bundle. Within this double subchannel an annular flow is established with a gas-water mixture. The impact of functional spacers on the annular flow behavior is studied closely. Parameter variations comprise gas and liquid flow rates, gas density and spacer shape. The setup is instrumented with a newly developed liquid film sensor that measures the electrical conductance between electrodes flush to the wall with high temporal and spatial resolution. Advanced post-processing methods are used to investigate the dynamic behavior of liquid films and droplet deposition. The topic is also assessed numerically by means of single-phase Reynolds-Averaged-Navier-Stokes CFD simulations of the flow in the gas core. For this the commercial code STAR-CCM+ is used coupled with additional models for the liquid film distribution and droplet motion. The results of the experiments show that the liquid film is quite evenly distributed around the circumference of the fuel rods. The

  2. Applications of interface controlled pulsed-laser deposited polymer films in field-effect transistors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adil, Danish; Ukah, Ndubuisi; Guha, Suchi; Gupta, Ram; Ghosh, Kartik

    2010-03-01

    Matrix assisted pulsed laser evaporation, a derivative of pulsed laser deposition (PLD), is an alternative method of depositing polymer and biomaterial films that allows homogeneous film coverage of high molecular weight organic materials for layer-by-layer growth without any laser induced damage. Polyfluorene (PF)-based conjugated polymers have attracted considerable attention in organic field-effect transistors (FETs). A co-polymer of PF (PFB) was deposited as a thin film using matrix assisted PLD employing a KrF excimer laser. Electrical characteristics of FETs fabricated using these PLD grown films were compared to those of FETs using spin-coated films. We show that threshold voltages, on/off ratios, and charge carrier motilities are significantly improved in PLD grown films. This is attributed to an improved dielectric-polymer interface.

  3. Organic Thin Films Deposited by Emulsion-Based, Resonant Infrared, Matrix-Assisted Pulsed Laser Evaporation: Fundamentals and Applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ge, Wangyao

    Thin film deposition techniques are indispensable to the development of modern technologies as thin film based optical coatings, optoelectronic devices, sensors, and biological implants are the building blocks of many complicated technologies, and their performance heavily depends on the applied deposition technique. Particularly, the emergence of novel solution-processed materials, such as soft organic molecules, inorganic compounds and colloidal nanoparticles, facilitates the development of flexible and printed electronics that are inexpensive, light weight, green and smart, and these thin film devices represent future trends for new technologies. One appealing feature of solution-processed materials is that they can be deposited into thin films using solution-processed deposition techniques that are straightforward, inexpensive, high throughput and advantageous to industrialize thin film based devices. However, solution-processed techniques rely on wet deposition, which has limitations in certain applications, such as multi-layered film deposition of similar materials and blended film deposition of dissimilar materials. These limitations cannot be addressed by traditional, vacuum-based deposition techniques because these dry approaches are often too energetic and can degrade soft materials, such as polymers, such that the performance of resulting thin film based devices is compromised. The work presented in this dissertation explores a novel thin film deposition technique, namely emulsion-based, resonant infrared, matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation (RIR-MAPLE), which combines characteristics of wet and dry deposition techniques for solution-processed materials. Previous studies have demonstrated the feasibility of emulsion-based RIR-MAPLE to deposit uniform and continuous organic, nanoparticle and blended films, as well as hetero-structures that otherwise are difficult to achieve. However, fundamental understanding of the growth mechanisms that govern

  4. Deposition of CdTe films under microgravity: Foton M3 mission

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Benz, K.W.; Croell, A. [Freiburger Materialforschungszentrum FMF, Albert-Ludwigs-Universitaet Freiburg (Germany); Zappettini, A.; Calestani, D. [CNR Parma, Instituto Materiali Speciali per Elettronica e Magnetismo IMEM, Fontani Parma (Italy); Dieguez, E. [Universidad Autonoma de Madrid (Spain). Departamento de Fisica de Materiales; Carotenuto, L.; Bassano, E. [Telespazio Napoli, Via Gianturco 31, 80146 Napoli (Italy); Fiederle, M.

    2009-10-15

    Experiments of deposition of CdTe films have been carried out under microgravity in the Russian Foton M3 mission. The influence of gravity has been studied with these experiments and compared to the results of simulations. The measured deposition rate could be confirmed by the theoretical results for lower temperatures. For higher temperatures the measured thickness of the deposited films was larger compared to the theoretical data. (copyright 2009 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

  5. Thermal Vapor Deposition and Characterization of Polymer-Ceramic Nanoparticle Thin Films and Capacitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iwagoshi, Joel A.

    Research on alternative energies has become an area of increased interest due to economic and environmental concerns. Green energy sources, such as ocean, wind, and solar power, are subject to predictable and unpredictable generation intermittencies which cause instability in the electrical grid. This problem could be solved through the use of short term energy storage devices. Capacitors made from composite polymer:nanoparticle thin films have been shown to be an economically viable option. Through thermal vapor deposition, we fabricated dielectric thin films composed of the polymer polyvinylidine fluoride (PVDF) and the ceramic nanoparticle titanium dioxide (TiO2). Fully understanding the deposition process required an investigation of electrode and dielectric film deposition. Film composition can be controlled by the mass ratio of PVDF:TiO2 prior to deposition. An analysis of the relationship between the ratio of PVDF:TiO2 before and after deposition will improve our understanding of this novel deposition method. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy were used to analyze film atomic concentrations. The results indicate a broad distribution of deposited TiO2 concentrations with the highest deposited amount at an initial mass concentration of 17% TiO2. The nanoparticle dispersion throughout the film is analyzed through atomic force microscopy and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. Images from these two techniques confirm uniform TiO2 dispersion with cluster size less than 300 nm. These results, combined with spectroscopic analysis, verify control over the deposition process. Capacitors were fabricated using gold parallel plates with PVDF:TiO 2 dielectrics. These capacitors were analyzed using the atomic force microscope and a capacohmeter. Atomic force microscope images confirm that our gold films are acceptably smooth. Preliminary capacohmeter measurements indicate capacitance values of 6 nF and break down voltages of 2.4 V

  6. Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) using Ag nanoparticle films produced by pulsed laser deposition

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Smyth, C.A., E-mail: smythc2@tcd.ie [School of Physics, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2 (Ireland); Mirza, I.; Lunney, J.G.; McCabe, E.M. [School of Physics, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2 (Ireland)

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Pulsed laser deposition (PLD) produces silver nanoparticle films. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer These films can be used for surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Commercial film shows good SERS reproducibility but poor signal intensity. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer PLD shows a good SERS response coupled with good reproducibility. - Abstract: Thin silver nanoparticle films, of thickness 7 nm, were deposited onto glass microslides using pulsed laser deposition (PLD). The films were then characterised using UV-vis spectroscopy and scanning transmission electron microscopy before Rhodamine 6G was deposited onto them for investigation using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). The sensitivity obtained using SERS was compared to that obtained using a colloidal silver suspension and also to a commercial SERS substrate. The reproducibility of the films is also examined using statistical analysis.

  7. Chemical solution deposition of CaCu 3 Ti 4 O 12 thin film

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    CaCu3Ti4O12 (CCTO) thin film was successfully deposited on boron doped silica substrate by chemical solution deposition and rapid thermal processing. The phase and microstructure of the deposited films were studied as a function of sintering temperature, employing X-ray diffractometry and scanning electron ...

  8. Pulsed laser deposition of SiC thin films at medium substrate temperatures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Katharria, Y.S.; Kumar, Sandeep; Choudhary, R.J.; Prakash, Ram; Singh, F.; Lalla, N.P.; Phase, D.M.; Kanjilal, D.

    2008-01-01

    Systematic studies of thin silicon carbide (SiC) films deposited on Si (100) substrates using pulsed laser deposition technique at room temperature, 370 deg. C and 480 deg. C are carried out. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy showed the formation of SiC bonds in the films at these temperatures along with some graphitic carbon clusters. Fourier transform infrared analysis also confirmed the formation of SiC nanocrystallites in the films. Transmission electron microscopy and electron diffraction were used to study the structural properties of nanocrystallites formed in the films. Surface morphological analysis using atomic force microscopy revealed the growth of smooth films

  9. Roughness evolution in Ga doped ZnO films deposited by pulsed laser deposition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu Yunyan; Cheng Chuanfu; Yang Shanying; Song Hongsheng; Wei Gongxiang; Xue Chengshan; Wang Yongzai

    2011-01-01

    We analyze the morphology evolution of the Ga doped ZnO(GZO) films deposited on quartz substrates by a laser deposition system. The surface morphologies of the film samples grown with different times are measured by the atomic force microscope, and they are analyzed quantitatively by using the image data. In the initial stage of the growth time shorter than 8 min, our analysis shows that the GZO surface morphologies are influenced by such factors as the random fluctuations, the smoothening effects in the deposition, the lateral strain and the substrate. The interface width uw(t) and the lateral correlation length ξ(t) at first decrease with deposition time t. For the growth time larger than 8 min, w(t) and ξ(t) increase with time and it indicates the roughening of the surface and the surface morphology exhibits the fractal characteristics. By fitting data of the roughness w(t) versus deposition time t larger than 4 min to the power-law function, we obtain the growth exponent β is 0.3; and by the height-height correlation functions of the samples to that of the self-affine fractal model, we obtain the value of roughness exponent α about 0.84 for all samples with different growth time t.

  10. Synthesis of conductive semi-transparent silver films deposited by a Pneumatically-Assisted Ultrasonic Spray Pyrolysis Technique

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zaleta-Alejandre, E.; Balderas-Xicoténcatl, R. [Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados-IPN, Departamento de Física, , Apdo. Postal 14-470, Del, Gustavo A. Madero, C.P. 07000, México, D.F. (Mexico); Arrieta, M.L. Pérez [Universidad Autónoma de Zacatecas, Unidad Académica de Física, Calzada Solidaridad esq. Paseo, La Bufa s/n, C.P. 98060, Zacatecas, México (Mexico); Meza-Rocha, A.N.; Rivera-Álvarez, Z. [Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados-IPN, Departamento de Física, , Apdo. Postal 14-470, Del, Gustavo A. Madero, C.P. 07000, México, D.F. (Mexico); Falcony, C., E-mail: cfalcony@fis.cinvestav.mx [Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados-IPN, Departamento de Física, , Apdo. Postal 14-470, Del, Gustavo A. Madero, C.P. 07000, México, D.F. (Mexico)

    2013-10-01

    Highlights: • We deposited metallic silver films without post-deposition annealing. • The spray pyrolysis technique is of low cost and scalable for industrial applications. • We obtained deposition rate of 60 nm min{sup −1} at 300 °C. • The average resistivity was 1E−7 Ω m. • Semi-transparent silver films were obtained at 350 °C and deposition time of 45 s. -- Abstract: The synthesis and characterization of nanostructured silver films deposited on corning glass by a deposition technique called Pneumatically-Assisted Ultrasonic Spray Pyrolysis are reported. Silver nitrate and triethanolamine were used as silver precursor and reducer agent, respectively. The substrate temperatures during deposition were in the range of 300–450 °C and the deposition times from 30 to 240 s. The deposited films are polycrystalline with cubic face-centered structure, and crystalline grain size less than 30 nm. Deposition rates up to 600 Å min{sup −1} were obtained at substrate temperature as low as 300 °C. The electrical, optical, and morphological properties of these films are also reported. Semi-transparent conductive silver films were obtained at 350 °C with a deposition time of 45 s.

  11. Synthesis of conductive semi-transparent silver films deposited by a Pneumatically-Assisted Ultrasonic Spray Pyrolysis Technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zaleta-Alejandre, E.; Balderas-Xicoténcatl, R.; Arrieta, M.L. Pérez; Meza-Rocha, A.N.; Rivera-Álvarez, Z.; Falcony, C.

    2013-01-01

    Highlights: • We deposited metallic silver films without post-deposition annealing. • The spray pyrolysis technique is of low cost and scalable for industrial applications. • We obtained deposition rate of 60 nm min −1 at 300 °C. • The average resistivity was 1E−7 Ω m. • Semi-transparent silver films were obtained at 350 °C and deposition time of 45 s. -- Abstract: The synthesis and characterization of nanostructured silver films deposited on corning glass by a deposition technique called Pneumatically-Assisted Ultrasonic Spray Pyrolysis are reported. Silver nitrate and triethanolamine were used as silver precursor and reducer agent, respectively. The substrate temperatures during deposition were in the range of 300–450 °C and the deposition times from 30 to 240 s. The deposited films are polycrystalline with cubic face-centered structure, and crystalline grain size less than 30 nm. Deposition rates up to 600 Å min −1 were obtained at substrate temperature as low as 300 °C. The electrical, optical, and morphological properties of these films are also reported. Semi-transparent conductive silver films were obtained at 350 °C with a deposition time of 45 s

  12. PREPARATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF IRON SULPHIDE THIN FILMS BY CHEMICAL BATH DEPOSITION METHOD

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anuar Kassim

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available FeS2 thin films have been deposited by using low cost chemical bath deposition technique. The films obtained under deposition parameters such as bath temperature (90 °C, deposition period (90 min, electrolyte concentration (0.15 M and pH of the reactive mixture (pH 2.5. The thin films were characterized using X-ray diffraction and atomic force microscopy in order to study the structural and morphological properties. The band gap energy, transition type and absorption properties were determined using UV-Vis Spectrophotometer. X-ray diffraction displayed a pattern consistent with the formation of an orthorhombic structure, with a strong (110 preferred orientation. Atomic force microscopy image showed the substrate surface is well covered with irregular grains. A direct band gap of 1.85 eV was obtained according to optical absorption studies.   Keywords: Iron sulfide, X-ray diffraction, chemical bath deposition, thin films

  13. Properties and electric characterizations of tetraethyl orthosilicate-based plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition oxide film deposited at 400 °C for through silicon via application

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Su, Meiying; Yu, Daquan; Liu, Yijun; Wan, Lixi; Song, Chongshen; Dai, Fengwei; Xue, Kai; Jing, Xiangmeng; Guidotti, Daniel

    2014-01-01

    The dielectric via liner of through silicon vias was deposited at 400 °C using a tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS)-based plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition process in a via-middle integration scheme. The morphology, conformality and chemical compositions of the liner film were characterized using field emission scanning electron microscopy and Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy. The thermal properties and electrical performance of blanket TEOS films were investigated by high temperature film stress and mercury probe Capacitance–Voltage measurements. The TEOS SiO 2 films show good conformality, excellent densification, low thermal stress, high breakdown voltage and low current leakage. - Highlights: • Tetraethyl orthosilicate-based oxide films were deposited for packaging application. • The oxide films deposited plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) at 400 °C. • The PECVD oxide films exhibit good step coverage. • The 400 °C PECVD oxide films exhibit low thermal stress and current leakage. • The 400 °C PECVD oxide films show high breakdown voltage and acceptable permittivity

  14. Properties and electric characterizations of tetraethyl orthosilicate-based plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition oxide film deposited at 400 °C for through silicon via application

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Su, Meiying, E-mail: sumeiying@ime.ac.cn [Institute of Microelectronics of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029 (China); National Center for Advanced Packaging, Wuxi 214135 (China); Yu, Daquan, E-mail: yudaquan@ime.ac.cn [Institute of Microelectronics of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029 (China); National Center for Advanced Packaging, Wuxi 214135 (China); Jiangsu R and D Center for Internet of Things, Wuxi 214135 (China); Liu, Yijun [Piotech Co. Ltd, Shenyang 110179 (China); Wan, Lixi [Institute of Microelectronics of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029 (China); Song, Chongshen; Dai, Fengwei [Institute of Microelectronics of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029 (China); National Center for Advanced Packaging, Wuxi 214135 (China); Xue, Kai [National Center for Advanced Packaging, Wuxi 214135 (China); Jing, Xiangmeng [Institute of Microelectronics of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029 (China); National Center for Advanced Packaging, Wuxi 214135 (China); Guidotti, Daniel [Institute of Microelectronics of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029 (China)

    2014-01-01

    The dielectric via liner of through silicon vias was deposited at 400 °C using a tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS)-based plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition process in a via-middle integration scheme. The morphology, conformality and chemical compositions of the liner film were characterized using field emission scanning electron microscopy and Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy. The thermal properties and electrical performance of blanket TEOS films were investigated by high temperature film stress and mercury probe Capacitance–Voltage measurements. The TEOS SiO{sub 2} films show good conformality, excellent densification, low thermal stress, high breakdown voltage and low current leakage. - Highlights: • Tetraethyl orthosilicate-based oxide films were deposited for packaging application. • The oxide films deposited plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) at 400 °C. • The PECVD oxide films exhibit good step coverage. • The 400 °C PECVD oxide films exhibit low thermal stress and current leakage. • The 400 °C PECVD oxide films show high breakdown voltage and acceptable permittivity.

  15. Optical materials technology for energy efficiency and solar energy conversion XI: Chromogenics for smart windows; Proceedings of the Meeting, Toulouse, France, May 19, 21, 1992

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hugot-le Goff, A.; Granqvist, C.G.; Lampert, C.M.

    1992-01-01

    The present conference discusses electrochromic tungsten oxide and nickel oxide films, electrochromic smart window devices, and thermochromic and variable light-scattering materials. Attention is given to the structural and physical properties of WO3 films prepared by CVD, the degradation of electrochromic amorphous WO3 films after coloration, the electrochromic mechanism of RF diode-sputtered nickel oxide films, and the optical and electrochemical properties of CeO2 and CeO2-TiO2 coatings. Also discussed are new solid electrolytes for electrochromic smart windows, electrochromic glazing, a smart window using a proton-conducting polymer as an electrolyte, and the electrochromism of colloidal WO3 and IrO2

  16. Deposition of thin films and surface modification by pulsed high energy density plasma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yan Pengxun; Yang Size

    2002-01-01

    The use of pulsed high energy density plasma is a new low temperature plasma technology for material surface treatment and thin film deposition. The authors present detailed theoretical and experimental studies of the production mechanism and physical properties of the pulsed plasma. The basic physics of the pulsed plasma-material interaction has been investigated. Diagnostic measurements show that the pulsed plasma has a high electron temperature of 10-100 eV, density of 10 14 -10 16 cm -3 , translation velocity of ∼10 -7 cm/s and power density of ∼10 4 W/cm 2 . Its use in material surface treatment combines the effects of laser surface treatment, electron beam treatment, shock wave bombardment, ion implantation, sputtering deposition and chemical vapor deposition. The metastable phase and other kinds of compounds can be produced on low temperature substrates. For thin film deposition, a high deposition ratio and strong film to substrate adhesion can be achieved. The thin film deposition and material surface modification by the pulsed plasma and related physical mechanism have been investigated. Thin film c-BN, Ti(CN), TiN, DLC and AlN materials have been produced successfully on various substrates at room temperature. A wide interface layer exists between film and substrate, resulting in strong adhesion. Metal surface properties can be improved greatly by using this kind of treatment

  17. Hydrogen absorption in thin ZnO films prepared by pulsed laser deposition

    OpenAIRE

    Meilkhova, O.; Čížek, J.; Lukáč,, F.; Vlček, M.; Novotný, M.; Bulíř, J.; Lančok, J.; Anwand, W.; Brauer, G.; Connolly, J.; McCarthy, E.; Krishnamurthy, S.; Mosnier, J.-P.

    2013-01-01

    ZnO films with thickness of ~80 nm were grown by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) on MgO (1 0 0) single crystal and amorphous fused silica (FS) substrates. Structural studies of ZnO films and a high quality reference ZnO single crystal were performed by slow positron implantation spectroscopy (SPIS). It was found that ZnO films exhibit significantly higher density of defects than the reference ZnO crystal. Moreover, the ZnO film deposited on MgO substrate exhibits higher concentration of defects...

  18. Deposition of magnetoelectric hexaferrite thin films on substrates of silicon

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zare, Saba; Izadkhah, Hessam; Vittoria, Carmine

    2016-12-15

    Magnetoelectric M-type hexaferrite thin films (SrCo{sub 2}Ti{sub 2}Fe{sub 8}O{sub 19}) were deposited using Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD) technique on Silicon substrate. A conductive oxide layer of Indium-Tin Oxide (ITO) was deposited as a buffer layer with the dual purposes of 1) to reduce lattice mismatch between the film and silicon and 2) to lower applied voltages to observe magnetoelectric effects at room temperature on Silicon based devices. The film exhibited magnetoelectric effects as confirmed by vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) techniques in voltages as low as 0.5 V. Without the oxide conductive layer the required voltages to observe magnetoelectric effects was typically about 1000 times larger. The magnetoelectric thin films were characterized by X-ray diffractometer, scanning electron microscope, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, vibrating sample magnetometer, and ferromagnetic resonance techniques. We measured saturation magnetization of 650 G, and coercive field of about 150 Oe for these thin films. The change in remanence magnetization was measured in the presence of DC voltages and the changes in remanence were in the order of 15% with the application of only 0.5 V (DC voltage). We deduced a magnetoelectric coupling, α, of 1.36×10{sup −9} s m{sup −1} in SrCo{sub 2}Ti{sub 2}Fe{sub 8}O{sub 19} thin films.

  19. Enhanced dielectric properties of ZrO2 thin films prepared in nitrogen ambient by pulsed laser deposition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhu, J; Li, T L; Pan, B; Zhou, L; Liu, Z G

    2003-01-01

    ZrO 2 thin films were fabricated in O 2 ambient and in N 2 ambient by pulsed laser deposition (PLD), respectively. X-ray diffraction revealed that films prepared at 400 deg. C remained amorphous. The dielectric properties of amorphous ZrO 2 films were investigated by measuring the capacitance-frequency characteristics of Pt/ZrO 2 /Pt capacitor structures. The dielectric constant of the films deposited in N 2 ambient was larger than that of the films deposited in O 2 ambient. The dielectric loss was lower for films prepared in N 2 ambient. Atom force microscopy investigation indicated that films deposited in N 2 ambient had smoother surface than films deposited in O 2 ambient. Capacitance-voltage and current-voltage characteristics were studied. The equivalent oxide thickness (EOT) of films with 6.6 nm physical thickness deposited in N 2 ambient is lower than that of films deposited in O 2 ambient. An EOT of 1.38 nm for the film deposited in N 2 ambient was obtained, while the leakage current density was 94.6 mA cm -2 . Therefore, ZrO 2 thins deposited in N 2 ambient have enhanced dielectric properties due to the incorporation of nitrogen which leads to the formation of Zr-doped nitride interfacial layer, and is suggested to be a potential material for alternative high-k (high dielectric constant) gate dielectric applications

  20. Ion beams as a means of deposition and in-situ characterization of thin films and thin film layered structures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Krauss, A.R.; Rangaswamy, M.; Gruen, D.M.; Lin, Y.P.; Schmidt, H.; Liu, Y.L.; Barr, T.; Chang, R.P.H.

    1992-01-01

    Ion beam-surface interactions produce many effects in thin film deposition which are similar to those encountered in plasma deposition processes. However, because of the lower pressures and higher directionality associated with the ion beam process, it is easier to avoid some sources of film contamination and to provide better control of ion energies and fluxes. Additional effects occur in the ion beam process because of the relatively small degree of thermalization resulting from gas phase collisions with both the ion beam and atoms sputtered from the target. These effects may be either beneficial or detrimental to the film properties, depending on the material and deposition conditions. Ion beam deposition is particularly suited to the deposition of multi-component films and layered structures, and can in principle be extended to a complete device fabrication process. However, complex phenomena occur in the deposition of many materials of high technical interest which make it desirable to monitor the film growth at the monolayer level. It is possible to make use of ion-surface interactions to provide a full suite of surface analytical capabilities in one instrument, and this data may be obtained at ambient pressures which are far too high for conventional surface analysis techniques. Such an instrument is under development and its current performance characteristics and anticipated capabilities are described

  1. Glow discharge-deposited amorphous silicon films for low-cost solar cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Grabmaier, J G; Plaettner, R D; Stetter, W [Siemens A.G., Muenchen (Germany, F.R.). Forschungslaboratorien

    1980-01-01

    Due to their high absorption constant, glow discharge-deposited amorphous silicon (a-Si) films are of great interest for low-cost solar cells. Using SiH/sub 4/ and SiX/sub 4//H/sub 2/ (X = Cl or F) gas mixtures in an inductively or capacitively excited reactor, a-Si films with thicknesses up to several micrometers were deposited on substrates of glass, silica and silicon. The optical and electrical properties of the films were determined by measuring the IR absorption spectra, dark conductivity, photoconductivity, and photoluminescence. Hydrogen, chlorine, or fluorine were incorporated in the films in order to passivate dangling bonds in the amorphous network.

  2. Rapid deposition process for zinc oxide film applications in pyroelectric devices

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hsiao, Chun-Ching; Yu, Shih-Yuan

    2012-01-01

    Aerosol deposition (AD) is a rapid process for the deposition of films. Zinc oxide is a low toxicity and environmentally friendly material, and it possesses properties such as semiconductivity, pyroelectricity and piezoelectricity without the poling process. Therefore, AD is used to accelerate the manufacturing process for applications of ZnO films in pyroelectric devices. Increasing the temperature variation rate in pyroelectric films is a useful method for enhancing the responsivity of pyroelectric devices. In the present study, a porous ZnO film possessing the properties of large heat absorption and high temperature variation rate is successfully produced by the AD rapid process and laser annealing for application in pyroelectric devices. (paper)

  3. Nanostructured titanium/diamond-like carbon multilayer films: deposition, characterization, and applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dwivedi, Neeraj; Kumar, Sushil; Malik, Hitendra K

    2011-11-01

    Titanium/diamond-like carbon multilayer (TDML) films were deposited using a hybrid system combining radio frequency (RF)-sputtering and RF-plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) techniques under a varied number of Ti/diamond-like carbon (DLC) bilayers from 1 to 4, at high base pressure of 1 × 10(-3) Torr. The multilayer approach was used to create unique structures such as nanospheres and nanorods in TDML films, which is confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis and explained by a hypothetical model. Surface composition was evaluated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), whereas energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX) and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometer (ToF-SIMS) measurements were performed to investigate the bulk composition. X-ray diffraction (XRD) was used to evaluate the phase and crystallinity of the deposited TDML films. Residual stress in these films was found to be significantly low. These TDML films were found to have excellent nanomechanical properties with maximum hardness of 41.2 GPa. In addition, various nanomechanical parameters were calculated and correlated with each other. Owing to metallic interfacial layer of Ti in multilayer films, the optical properties, electrical properties, and photoluminescence were improved significantly. Due to versatile nanomechanical properties and biocompatibility of DLC and DLC based films, these TDML films may also find applications in biomedical science.

  4. Pulsed-laser deposition and growth studies of Bi3Fe5O12 thin films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lux, Robert; Heinrich, Andreas; Leitenmeier, Stephan; Koerner, Timo; Herbort, Michael; Stritzker, Bernd

    2006-01-01

    Magneto-optical garnets are attractive because of their high Faraday rotation and low optical loss in the near infrared. Therefore their use is generally in nonreciprocal devices, i.e., as optical isolators in optical communication. In this paper we present data concerning the deposition of Bi 3 Fe 5 O 12 (BIG) thin films on (100) and (111) Gd 3 Ga 5 O 12 substrates using pulsed-laser deposition. Laser-induced processes on the surface of the oxide target used for ablation were analyzed and numerous films were deposited. We found the BIG film quality to be strongly affected by oxygen pressure, laser energy density, and the Bi/Fe film ratio, whereas temperature had a minor influence. We also investigated the BIG-film deposition using a target pressed from metallic Bi and Fe powders and found information on the growth behavior of BIG. We report on details of the film deposition and film properties determined by environmental scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive x-ray analysis, Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy, and x-ray diffraction. In addition, we determined the Faraday rotation of the films

  5. Magnetic domains in Co-cluster assembled films deposited by LECBD

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dumas-Bouchiat, F.; Nagaraja, H.S.; Rossignol, F.; Champeaux, C.; Catherinot, A.

    2005-01-01

    Cobalt aggregates prepared using a cluster beam generator have been deposited on Si(100) substrate leading to thin films of randomly assembled Co nanoparticles which exhibit a spherical shape with a mono-dispersed diameter distribution centred around 9nm. Films with thickness ranging from 50 to 550nm are investigated using magnetic force microscopy (MFM) and results show the presence of twisted magnetic domains. An in-plane magnetic field applied during the growth of the layer leads to the formation of magnetic stripe domains but we observe a similar behaviour if an in-plane magnetic field is applied after the deposition. This indicates that probably the magnetic field applied during the film growth does not drive its magnetic structure. Finally, the measured variation of magnetic domain width D reveals a t dependence, where t is the film thickness, and is independent of the magnetic history of the films

  6. Silicon surface passivation using thin HfO2 films by atomic layer deposition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gope, Jhuma; Vandana; Batra, Neha; Panigrahi, Jagannath; Singh, Rajbir; Maurya, K.K.; Srivastava, Ritu; Singh, P.K.

    2015-01-01

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • HfO 2 films using thermal ALD are studied for silicon surface passivation. • As-deposited thin film (∼8 nm) shows better passivation with surface recombination velocity (SRV) <100 cm/s. • Annealing improves passivation quality with SRV ∼20 cm/s for ∼8 nm film. - Abstract: Hafnium oxide (HfO 2 ) is a potential material for equivalent oxide thickness (EOT) scaling in microelectronics; however, its surface passivation properties particularly on silicon are not well explored. This paper reports investigation on passivation properties of thermally deposited thin HfO 2 films by atomic layer deposition system (ALD) on silicon surface. As-deposited pristine film (∼8 nm) shows better passivation with <100 cm/s surface recombination velocity (SRV) vis-à-vis thicker films. Further improvement in passivation quality is achieved with annealing at 400 °C for 10 min where the SRV reduces to ∼20 cm/s. Conductance measurements show that the interface defect density (D it ) increases with film thickness whereas its value decreases after annealing. XRR data corroborate with the observations made by FTIR and SRV data.

  7. Lead-doped electron-beam-deposited Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O superconducting thin films

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Agnihotry, S.A.; Saini, K.K.; Kant, C.; Sharma, C.P.; Ekbote, S.N.; Asthana, P.; Nagpal, K.C.; Chandra, S. (National Physical Lab., New Delhi (India))

    1991-03-20

    Superconducting thin films of the lead-doped Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O system have been prepared on (100) single-crystal SrTiO{sub 3} substrates by an electron beam deposition technique using a single sintered pellet as the evaporation source. As-deposited films are amorphous and non-superconducting; post-deposition annealing at an optimized temperature in air has been found to result in crystalline and superconducting films. The superconducting characteristics of the films have been observed to be sensitive not only to the duration and temperature of post-deposition annealing but also to the lead content and the sintering parameters for the pellet to be used as the evaporation source. A pellet with nominal composition Bi{sub 3}Pb{sub 1}Sr{sub 3}Ca{sub 3}Cu{sub 4}O{sub y} that had been sintered for 200 h zero resistivity Tc{sup 0}=112 K. However, films deposited using such a pellet as the evaporation source had Tc{sup 0} {approx equal} 73-78 K, as had the films deposited from a pellet without any lead. We investigated systematically films deposited from pellets with more lead and sintered for different durations. It is evident from these investigations that pellets with nominal composition Bi{sub 3}Pb{sub 2}Sr{sub 3}Ca{sub 3}Cu{sub 4}O{sub y}, i.e. with an excess of lead, and sintered for about 75 h when used as the evaporation source yield films with Tc{sup 0} {approx equal} 100 K when annealed between 835 and 840deg C for an optimized long duration. The films are characterized by X-ray diffraction and energy-dispersive spectroscopy techniques and have been found to be highly c axis oriented. The effect of lead in promoting a high Tc{sup 0}=110 K phase seems to be similar to that in bulk ceramics. (orig.).

  8. X-ray absorption study of silicon carbide thin film deposited by pulsed laser deposition

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Monaco, G.; Suman, M.; Garoli, D.; Pelizzo, M.G.; Nicolosi, P.

    2011-01-01

    Silicon carbide (SiC) is an important material for several applications ranging from electronics to Extreme UltraViolet (EUV) space optics. Crystalline cubic SiC (3C-SiC) has a wide band gap (near 2.4 eV) and it is a promising material to be used in high frequency and high energetic electronic devices. We have deposited, by means of pulsed laser deposition (PLD), different SiC films on sapphire and silicon substrates both at mild (650 o C) and at room temperature. The resulted films have different structures such as: highly oriented polycrystalline, polycrystalline and amorphous which have been studied by means of X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) near the Si L 2,3 edge and the C K edge using PES (photoemission spectroscopy) for the analysis of the valence bands structure and film composition. The samples obtained by PLD have shown different spectra among the grown films, some of them showing typical 3C-SiC absorption structure, but also the presence of some Si-Si and graphitic bonds.

  9. Deposition of highly (111)-oriented PZT thin films by using metal organic chemical deposition

    CERN Document Server

    Bu, K H; Choi, D K; Seong, W K; Kim, J D

    1999-01-01

    Lead zirconate titanate (PZT) thin films have been grown on Pt/Ta/SiNx/Si substrates by using metal organic chemical vapor deposition with Pb(C sub 2 H sub 5) sub 4 , Zr(O-t-C sub 4 H sub 9) sub 4 , and Ti(O-i-C sub 3 H sub 7) sub 4 as source materials and O sub 2 as an oxidizing gas. The Zr fraction in the thin films was controlled by varying the flow rate of the Zr source material. The crystal structure and the electrical properties were investigated as functions of the composition. X-ray diffraction analysis showed that at a certain range of Zr fraction, highly (111)-oriented PZT thin films with no pyrochlore phases were deposited. On the other hand, at low Zr fractions, there were peaks from Pb-oxide phases. At high Zr fractions, peaks from pyrochlore phase were seen. The films also showed good electrical properties, such as a high dielectric constant of more than 1200 and a low coercive voltage of 1.35 V.

  10. Ellipsometric investigations of pyrolytically deposited thin indium oxide films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Winkler, U.

    1980-01-01

    Ellipsometric measurements have been carried out of thin indium oxide films deposited pyrolytically on glass substrates. It was found that the roughness of the films affected the measuring results. Therefore, only after applying a two-layer model a reasonable interpretation of the measuring results became possible

  11. Solid-State Electrochromic Device Consisting of Amorphous WO3 and Various Thin Oxide Layers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shizukuishi, Makoto; Shimizu, Isamu; Inoue, Eiichi

    1980-11-01

    A mixed oxide containing Cr2O3 was introduced into an amorphous WO3 solid-state electrochromic device (ECD) in order to improve its colour memory effect. The electrochromic characteristics were greatly affected by the chemical constituents of a dielectric layer on the a-WO3 layer. Particularly, long memory effect and low power dissipation were attained in a solid-state ECD consisting of a-WO3 and Cr2O3\\cdotV2O5(50 wt.%). Some electrochromic characteristics of the a-WO3/Cr2O3\\cdotV2O5 ECD and the role of V2O5 were investigated.

  12. Thickness control in electrophoretic deposition of WO3 nanofiber thin films for solar water splitting

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fang, Yuanxing; Lee, Wei Cheat; Canciani, Giacomo E.; Draper, Thomas C.; Al-Bawi, Zainab F.; Bedi, Jasbir S.; Perry, Christopher C.; Chen, Qiao

    2015-01-01

    Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • A novel method combining electrospinning and electrophoretic deposition was established for the creation of nanostructured semiconductor thin films. • The created thin films displayed a high chemical stability with a controllable thickness. • The PEC water splitting performance of the thin films was optimized by fine-tuning the thickness of the films. • A maximum photoconversion efficiency was achieved by 18 μm nanofibrous thin films. - Abstract: Electrophoretic deposition (EPD) of ground electrospun WO 3 nanofibers was applied to create photoanodes with controlled morphology for the application of photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting. The correlations between deposition parameters and film thicknesses were investigated with theoretical models to precisely control the morphology of the nanostructured porous thin film. The photoconversion efficiency was further optimized as a function of film thickness. A maximum photoconversion efficiency of 0.924% from electrospun WO 3 nanofibers that EPD deposited on a substrate was achieved at a film thickness of 18 μm.

  13. Superconducting niobium nitride films deposited by unbalanced magnetron sputtering

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Olaya, J.J. [Departamento de Ingenieria Mecanica y Mecatronica, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Ciudad Universitaria, Carrera 30 Numero 45-03, Bogota (Colombia); Huerta, L. [Instituto de Investigaciones en Materiales, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Circuito exterior s/n, CU Coyoacan, Mexico D.F. 04510 (Mexico); Rodil, S.E. [Instituto de Investigaciones en Materiales, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Circuito exterior s/n, CU Coyoacan, Mexico D.F. 04510 (Mexico)], E-mail: ser42@iim.unam.mx; Escamilla, R. [Instituto de Investigaciones en Materiales, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Circuito exterior s/n, CU Coyoacan, Mexico D.F. 04510 (Mexico)

    2008-10-01

    Niobium nitride (NbN) thin films were deposited under different configurations of the magnetic field using a magnetron sputtering system. The magnetic field configuration varied from balanced to unbalanced leading to different growth conditions and film properties. The aim of the paper was to identify correlations between deposition conditions, film properties and the electrical properties, specially the superconductive critical temperature (T{sub C}). The results suggested that there is a critical deposition condition, having an optimum ion-atom arrival ratio that promotes a well ordered and textured nanocrystalline structure (cubic phase) with the minimum residual stress and only under this condition a high critical temperature (16K) was obtained. Lower T{sub C} values around 12K were obtained for the NbN samples having a lower degree of structural perfection and texture, and a larger fraction of intergranular voids. On the other hand, analysis of valence-band spectra showed that the contribution of the Nb 4d states remained essentially constant while the higher T{sub C} was correlated to a higher contribution of the N 2p states.

  14. Superconducting niobium nitride films deposited by unbalanced magnetron sputtering

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Olaya, J.J.; Huerta, L.; Rodil, S.E.; Escamilla, R.

    2008-01-01

    Niobium nitride (NbN) thin films were deposited under different configurations of the magnetic field using a magnetron sputtering system. The magnetic field configuration varied from balanced to unbalanced leading to different growth conditions and film properties. The aim of the paper was to identify correlations between deposition conditions, film properties and the electrical properties, specially the superconductive critical temperature (T C ). The results suggested that there is a critical deposition condition, having an optimum ion-atom arrival ratio that promotes a well ordered and textured nanocrystalline structure (cubic phase) with the minimum residual stress and only under this condition a high critical temperature (16K) was obtained. Lower T C values around 12K were obtained for the NbN samples having a lower degree of structural perfection and texture, and a larger fraction of intergranular voids. On the other hand, analysis of valence-band spectra showed that the contribution of the Nb 4d states remained essentially constant while the higher T C was correlated to a higher contribution of the N 2p states

  15. Supercritical fluid molecular spray film deposition and powder formation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Richard D.

    1986-01-01

    Solid films are deposited, or fine powders formed, by dissolving a solid material into a supercritical fluid solution at an elevated pressure and then rapidly expanding the solution through a short orifice into a region of relatively low pressure. This produces a molecular spray which is directed against a substrate to deposit a solid thin film thereon, or discharged into a collection chamber to collect a fine powder. Upon expansion and supersonic interaction with background gases in the low pressure region, any clusters of solvent are broken up and the solvent is vaporized and pumped away. Solute concentration in the solution is varied primarily by varying solution pressure to determine, together with flow rate, the rate of deposition and to control in part whether a film or powder is produced and the granularity of each. Solvent clustering and solute nucleation are controlled by manipulating the rate of expansion of the solution and the pressure of the lower pressure region. Solution and low pressure region temperatures are also controlled.

  16. Co-depositing Sn controls the growth of Al films as surfactant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Barna, P. B.; Kovacs, A.; Misjak, F.; Eisenmenger-Sittner, C.; Bangert, H.; Tomastik, C.

    2002-01-01

    The present study investigates the influence of co-deposited Sn on the atomic processes involved in the structure evolution of vapour-deposited Al films. The films were prepared in HV by thermal evaporation from W sources at 1600 C substrate temperature either on Si wafers covered by a thermally grown oxide or on air cleaved mica. By applying the half-shadow technique, pure and Sn-doped Al films could be deposited simultaneously. The samples were investigated by AFM, scanning AES, X-TEM as well as by X-ray diffraction methods. The grain growth of Al is promoted by Sn in all stages of the film formation. Scanning AES measurements prove the existence of a wetting Sn layer both on the surface of Al islands and on the surface of the continuos Al layer. Excess Sn forms islands on the growth surface. The surface of pure Al layers exhibits grain boundary grooves and bunches of growth steps around terraces, while that of the Sn doped layers is more rounded. The substrate-film interface was covered by a thin Sn layer. AES measurements also prove the presence of Sn on the growth surface of Al films even after termination of Sn addition. Results of these experiments indicate that during co-deposition of Al and Sn the impinging Al atoms penetrate the wetting layer and are incorporated into the already existing Al crystals. A model has been developed for describing the growth of Al crystals in the presence Sn. (Authors)

  17. High-rate deposition of photocatalytic TiO2 films by oxygen plasma assist reactive evaporation method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sakai, Tetsuya; Kuniyoshi, Yuji; Aoki, Wataru; Ezoe, Sho; Endo, Tatsuya; Hoshi, Yoichi

    2008-01-01

    High-rate deposition of titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ) film was attempted using oxygen plasma assisted reactive evaporation (OPARE) method. Photocatalytic properties of the film were investigated. During the deposition, the substrate temperature was fixed at 400 deg. C. The film deposition rate can be increased by increasing the supply of titanium atoms to the substrate, although oversupply of the titanium atoms causes oxygen deficiency in the films, which limits the deposition rate. The film structure depends strongly on the supply ratio of oxygen molecules to titanium atoms O 2 /Ti and changes from anatase to rutile structure as the O 2 /Ti supply ratio increased. Consequently, the maximum deposition rates of 77.0 nm min -1 and 145.0 nm min -1 were obtained, respectively, for the anatase and rutile film. Both films deposited at such high rates showed excellent hydrophilicity and organic decomposition performance. Even the film with rutile structure deposited at 145.0 nm min -1 had a contact angle of less than 2.5 deg. by UV irradiation for 5.0 h and an organics-decomposition performance index of 8.9 [μmol l -1 min -1 ] for methylene blue

  18. Diamond-like carbon films deposited by a hybrid ECRCVD system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Guo, C.T.; Dittrich, K.-H.

    2007-01-01

    A novel hybrid technique for diamond-like carbon (DLC) film deposition has been developed. This technique combines the electron cyclotron resonance chemical vapor deposition (ECRCVD) of C 2 H 2 and metallic magnetron sputtering. Here we described how DLC film is used for a variety of applications such as stamper, PCB micro-tools, and threading form-tools by taking advantage of hybrid ECRCVD system. The structure of the DLC films is delineated by a function of bias voltages by Raman spectroscopy. This function includes parameters such as dependence of G peak positions and the intensity ratio (I D /I G ). Atomic force microscope (AFM) examines the root-mean-square (R.M.S.) roughness and the surface morphology. Excellent adhesion and lower friction coefficients of a DLC film were also assessed

  19. Influence of solution deposition rate on properties of V_2O_5 thin films deposited by spray pyrolysis technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abd–Alghafour, N. M.; Ahmed, Naser M.; Hassan, Zai; Mohammad, Sabah M.

    2016-01-01

    Vanadium oxide (V_2O_5) thin films were deposited on glass substrates by using a cost-efficient spray pyrolysis technique. The films were grown at 350° through thermal decomposition of VCl_3 in deionized water with different solution spray rates. The high resolution X-ray diffraction results revealed the formation of nanocrystalline films having orthorhombic structures with preferential orientation along (101) direction. The spray rate influenced the surface morphology and crystallite size of the films. The crystallite size was found to increase whereas the micro-strain was decreased by increasing the spray deposition rates. The increase in crystallite size and decrease in the macrostrain resulted in an improvement in the films’ crystallinity. The UV-Visible spectroscopy analysis indicated that the average transmittance of all films lies in the range 75-80 %. The band gap of V_2O_5 film was decreased from 2.65 to 2.46 eV with increase of the spray deposition rate from 5 ml/min to 10 ml/min. first, second, and third level headings (first level heading).

  20. Nb3Al thin film deposition for low-noise terahertz electronics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dochev, D; Pavolotsky, A B; Belitsky, V; Olofsson, H

    2008-01-01

    Higher energy gap superconducting materials were always interesting for low-noise mixer applications such as superconductor-insulator-superconductor tunnel junctions (SIS) and hot-electron bolometer (HEB) used in sub-millimeter and terahertz parts of electro-magnetic spectrum. Here, we report a novel approach for producing Nb 3 Al thin film by co-sputtering from two confocally arranged Nb and Al dc-magnetrons onto substrate heated up to 830 deg. C. Characterization of the deposited films revealed presence of the A15 phase and measured critical temperature was up to 15.7 K with the transition width 0.2-0.3 K for a 300 nm thick film. We measured the film critical magnetic field and studied influence of annealing on the film properties. We have investigated compositional depth profile of the deposited films by spectroscopy of reflected electrons