Amorphous nano-structured coatings prepared from CVD-composites

The main idea of the work is the development of a cheap and easy method for the manufacture of nanostructured systems based on the Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD). Beginning with a new class of materials for interference optics in the infrared (IR) range of the spectrum, the evaporation of composites of systems germanium-metal chalcogenide (oxide), in particular, of the Ge-ZnS and Ge-Sb2Se3 systems was studied. They evaporate in vacuum congruently, and upon condensation on substrates form nano-structured thin-film coatings. In the first of these systems, the coating has an X-ray amorphous nature: the formation of a nano-dispersed composite in a Ge-ZnS film is confirmed by the absence of characteristic peaks of Ge and ZnS in X-ray diffraction patterns, but the formation of a characteristic halo takes place. At the same time, upon evaporation and condensation of a sample of the Ge-Sb2Se3 system, a glassy structure is formed; this is confirmed by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM), where no crystalline regions were found. The energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy measurements of the coating (about 10 at.% of Ge, 40 at.% of Sb and Se, respectively) indicate a certain deviation from the stoichiometry compared to the initial sample of the system. This may indicate a slightly lower volatility of germanium selenides compared to antimony selenides. The EDX line scans along the cross-section of the coating exhibited strong fluctuations in the concentration of elements, and, consequently, the heterogeneity of the coating in terms of composition. Both coatings have high mechanical strength (group 0). At the same time, their optical properties differ significantly: the refractive indices are 3.00 and 3.66 for the Ge-ZnS and Ge-Sb2Se3 systems, respectively. It is believed that nano-structuring in the above systems is due to the high capability of germanium to amorphize upon condensation on a glass substrate.

Photocatalytic degradation of acetaminophen from water solutions via thin films part I: preparation, characteriation, and analysis of titanium dioxide thin films

The utilization of titanium dioxide (TiO2) photocatalysis for water and air purification is a frequently used method due to TiO2 having properties making it chemically inert, highly cost-effective, abundant, non-toxic, and environmentally-friendly. In an effort to increase the efficiency of the degradation process, an in-depth understanding of the effects of the structure and number of thin film coatings is needed. Transparent, anatase-form titanium dioxide thin films were prepared via the sol-gel method and deposited onto microscopic glass slides using a novel spraying technique, with coatings ranging from 1 to 10. Characterization of the TiO2 thin film coated slides was performed using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) techniques. The contribution shows that the coating technique is efficient in covering important areas of the surface and that it is suitable for a multiple coating layers thin film. The SEM imagines show that the surface of the slides increase coverage as the number of layers increases. This is potentially suitable for a mechanized spraying approach to upscaling the production of thin films for advanced oxidation applications.

Visualization of the gas flows that formed above the thin-film coatings under VUV radiation influence

The plasma focus of a magnetoplasma compressor is a unique source of high-brightness broadband VUV (with photon energy of 5 to 100 electron volt) radiation. When such radiation affects on the surfaces of materials, it is possible to generate rather complex gas-dynamic structures due to the evaporation of the material and ionization of its vapors. A separate task is to study the processes of a gas-dynamic response to the exposure of the specified radiation fluxes on the surface of interference antireflection and reflective multilayers, which are used in modern laser technology, high-power optoelectronics, etc. In this report, we used schlieren photography for studying the features of gas-dynamic structures that arise at irradiation of coatings. Radiation resistant (in the visible and near IR ranges) HfO2/SiO2 and ZrO2/SiO2 multilayer structures (with a total thickness of 140–3700 nanometers and a number of layers of from 2 to 24) were used as prototypes for testing their stability under the VUV exposure.

The Influence of Sample Preparation Techniques on Aluminium Alloy AA2024-T3 Substrates for Sol-Gel Coating

Sol-gel coatings provide environmentally friendly surface protection for metals and can replace toxic pre-treatments such as those based on hexavalent chromium on metal alloys. This project ultimately aims to develop silica-based organic–inorganic sol-gel derived thin film coatings possessing anti-corrosion and anti-fouling properties on aluminium alloy substrates. As with any coating, sample preparation plays a significant role in the performance of a sol-gel coating. Therefore, it was necessary to define a preparation method that combines the removal of contaminants and surface roughening to improve adhesion and reproducibility. Four techniques were investigated: fine abrasive sandpaper cleaning, acetone degreasing only and cleaning with an industrial-available alkaline cleaner for 5 min and 30 min.

Highly Reflective Thin-Film Optimization for Full-Angle Micro-LEDs

Displays composed of micro-light-emitting diodes (micro-LEDs) are regarded as promising next-generation self-luminous screens and have advantages such as high contrast, high brightness, and high color purity. The luminescence of such a display is similar to that of a Lambertian light source. However, owing to reduction in the light source area, traditional secondary optical lenses are not suitable for adjusting the light field types of micro-LEDs and cause problems that limit the application areas. This study presents the primary optical designs of dielectric and metal films to form highly reflective thin-film coatings with low absorption on the light-emitting surfaces of micro-LEDs to optimize light distribution and achieve full-angle utilization. Based on experimental results with the prototype, that have kept low voltage variation rates, low optical losses characteristics, and obtain the full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the light distribution is enhanced to 165° and while the center intensity is reduced to 63% of the original value. Hence, a full-angle micro-LEDs with a highly reflective thin-film coating are realized in this work. Full-angle micro-LEDs offer advantages when applied to commercial advertising displays or plane light source modules that require wide viewing angles.

Thin film coatings material particles creation by pulsed methods in vacuum

Thin film materials particles creation pulsed methods such as magnetron sputtering HiPIMS, pulsed laser deposition PLD, vacuum arc pulsed discharge, high-intensity pulsed ion beam impact HIPIB, as well, were described. It was shown that the stream of material, created by means of an explosion action such as ablation, avalanche paired impacts and microsecond electrical disruption as well creates preconditions for nanocrystalline thin film coating manufacture.

Controlled exposure of CuO thin films through corrosion-protecting, ALD-deposited TiO2 overlayers

Ultra-thin film coatings are used to protect semiconductor photoelectrodes from the harsh chemical environments common to photoelectrochemical energy conversion. These layers add contact transfer resistance to the interface that can result in a reduction of photoelectrochemical energy conversion efficiency of the photoelectrode. Here, we describe the concept of a partial protection layer, which allows for direct chemical access to a small fraction of the semiconductor underlayer for further functionalization by an electrocatalyst. The rest of the interface remains protected by a stable, inert protection layer. CuO is used as a model system for this scheme. Atomic layer deposition (ALD)-prepared TiO2 layers on CuO thin films prepared from electrodeposited Cu2O allow for the control of interfacial morphology to intentionally expose the CuO underlayer. The ALD-TiO2 overlayer shrinks during crystallization, while Cu2O in the underlayer expands during oxidation. As a result, the TiO2 protection layer cracks to expose the oxidized underlying CuO layer, which can be controlled by preceding thermal oxidation. This work demonstrates a potentially promising strategy for the parallel optimization of photoelectrochemical interfaces for chemical stability and high performance.