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Metal Oxide Thin Films (metal + oxide_thin_film)

Distribution by Scientific Domains
Polymers and Materials Science85%

Selected Abstracts

Time,Temperature,Transformation (TTT) Diagrams for Crystallization of Metal Oxide Thin Films

ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 17 2010
Jennifer L. M. Rupp
Abstract Time,temperature,transformation (TTT) diagrams are proposed for the crystallization of amorphous metal oxide thin films and their specific characteristics are discussed in comparison to glass-based materials, such as glass-ceramics and metallic glasses. The films crystallize from amorphous to full crystallinity in the solid state. As an example the crystallization kinetics for a single-phase metal oxide, ceria, and its gadolinia solid solutions are reported made by the precipitation thin-film method spray pyrolysis. The crystallization of an amorphous metal oxide thin film generally follows the Lijschitz,Sletow,Wagner (LSW) Ostwald ripening theory: Below the percolation threshold of 20 vol% single grains crystallize in the amorphous phase and low crystallization rates are measured. In this state no impact of solute on crystallization is measurable. Once the grains form primary clusters above the threshold the solute slows down crystallization (and grain growth) thus shifting the TTT curves of the doped ceria films to longer times and higher temperatures in comparison to undoped ceria. Current views on crystallization of metal oxide thin films, the impact of solute dragging, and primary TTT diagrams are discussed. Finally, examples on how to use these TTT diagrams for better thermokinetic engineering of metal oxide thin films for MEMS are given, for example, for micro-Solid Oxide Fuel Cells and resistive sensors. In these examples the electrical properties depend on the degree of crystallinity and, thereby, on the TTT conditions. [source]

Crystallization and Grain Growth Kinetics for Precipitation-Based Ceramics: A Case Study on Amorphous Ceria Thin Films from Spray Pyrolysis

ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 17 2009
Jennifer L. M. Rupp
Abstract The introductory part reviews the impact of thin film fabrication, precipitation versus vacuum-based methods, on the initial defect state of the material and microstructure evolution to amorphous, biphasic amorphous-nanocrystalline, and fully nanocrystalline metal oxides. In this study, general rules for the kinetics of nucleation, crystallization, and grain growth of a pure single-phase metal oxide thin film made by a precipitation-based technique from a precursor with one single organic solvent are discussed. For this a complete case study on the isothermal and non-isothermal microstructure evolution of dense amorphous ceria thin films fabricated by spray pyrolysis is conducted. A general model is established and comparison of these thin film microstructure evolution to kinetics of classical glass-ceramics or metallic glasses is presented. Knowledge on thermal microstructure evolution of originally amorphous precipitation-based metal oxide thin films allows for their introduction and distinctive microstructure engineering in devices-based on microelectromechanical (MEMS) technology such as solar cells, capacitors, sensors, micro-solid oxide fuel cells, or oxygen separation membranes on Si-chips. [source]

Time,Temperature,Transformation (TTT) Diagrams for Crystallization of Metal Oxide Thin Films

ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 17 2010
Jennifer L. M. Rupp
Abstract Time,temperature,transformation (TTT) diagrams are proposed for the crystallization of amorphous metal oxide thin films and their specific characteristics are discussed in comparison to glass-based materials, such as glass-ceramics and metallic glasses. The films crystallize from amorphous to full crystallinity in the solid state. As an example the crystallization kinetics for a single-phase metal oxide, ceria, and its gadolinia solid solutions are reported made by the precipitation thin-film method spray pyrolysis. The crystallization of an amorphous metal oxide thin film generally follows the Lijschitz,Sletow,Wagner (LSW) Ostwald ripening theory: Below the percolation threshold of 20 vol% single grains crystallize in the amorphous phase and low crystallization rates are measured. In this state no impact of solute on crystallization is measurable. Once the grains form primary clusters above the threshold the solute slows down crystallization (and grain growth) thus shifting the TTT curves of the doped ceria films to longer times and higher temperatures in comparison to undoped ceria. Current views on crystallization of metal oxide thin films, the impact of solute dragging, and primary TTT diagrams are discussed. Finally, examples on how to use these TTT diagrams for better thermokinetic engineering of metal oxide thin films for MEMS are given, for example, for micro-Solid Oxide Fuel Cells and resistive sensors. In these examples the electrical properties depend on the degree of crystallinity and, thereby, on the TTT conditions. [source]

Crystallization and Grain Growth Kinetics for Precipitation-Based Ceramics: A Case Study on Amorphous Ceria Thin Films from Spray Pyrolysis

ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 17 2009
Jennifer L. M. Rupp
Abstract The introductory part reviews the impact of thin film fabrication, precipitation versus vacuum-based methods, on the initial defect state of the material and microstructure evolution to amorphous, biphasic amorphous-nanocrystalline, and fully nanocrystalline metal oxides. In this study, general rules for the kinetics of nucleation, crystallization, and grain growth of a pure single-phase metal oxide thin film made by a precipitation-based technique from a precursor with one single organic solvent are discussed. For this a complete case study on the isothermal and non-isothermal microstructure evolution of dense amorphous ceria thin films fabricated by spray pyrolysis is conducted. A general model is established and comparison of these thin film microstructure evolution to kinetics of classical glass-ceramics or metallic glasses is presented. Knowledge on thermal microstructure evolution of originally amorphous precipitation-based metal oxide thin films allows for their introduction and distinctive microstructure engineering in devices-based on microelectromechanical (MEMS) technology such as solar cells, capacitors, sensors, micro-solid oxide fuel cells, or oxygen separation membranes on Si-chips. [source]

Nanoscale Writing of Transparent Conducting Oxide Features with a Focused Ion Beam

ADVANCED MATERIALS, Issue 6 2009
Norma E. Sosa
Embedded, optically transparent, electrically conducting oxide nanowires, and other patterns are written on highly resistive transparent metal oxide thin films with nanoscale spatial control using focused ion beam implantation. The resulting transparent conducting oxide features are 110-160 nm wide, 7 nm deep, and are theoretically limitless in length, connectivity, and shape. [source]

Nitridation and reoxidation of high- k metal oxide thin films using argon excimer sources

PHYSICA STATUS SOLIDI (A) APPLICATIONS AND MATERIALS SCIENCE, Issue 3 2006
J. J. Yu
Abstract We report for the first time the nitridation and reoxidation of metal oxide films with the active nitrogen and oxygen species produced by argon excimer sources. Preliminary results on 9 nm Ta2O5 films using this method exhibited excellent electrical properties with the leakage current density being up to 3 orders of magnitude lower than the as-deposited films. Breakdown fields were found to be greater than 13 MV/cm. Accumulation capacitance with the nitrided film increased by 25% compared with the as-deposited film. Optical transmittance was as high as 99% in the visible region and more than 74% in the UV region. The refractive index at 632.8 nm was high up to 2.2. The Ar excimer source emitted energetic VUV photons which could break nitrogen triple bonds to produce active nitrogen species and photodissociate O2 to form strong oxidant O3 and highly reactive O (1S) atoms, leading to the nitridation and reoxidation of Ta2O5 without the need for the use of H2O, NH3 and high temperature substrate heating. The nitridation process for a specific film thickness can be optimised by adjusting the VUV irradiation time to achieve increased accumulation capacitance and improved leakage property simultaneously. (© 2006 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source]