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AbstractThis study presents a novel interdisciplinary approach for characterizing the optical properties of nanostructured silver films, combining methodologies from polarized light spectroscopy (PLS) and mobile app-based spectroscopic image detection. Silver nanofilms were deposited using electron beam evaporation (EBE) and subsequently analyzed for their absorbance across the visible light spectrum through PLS spectroscopy. The innovative aspect of this study lies in the validation of PLS spectral data using a mobile application developed with MIT App Inventor, which analyzes the intensity of light beams captured in images taken by a smartphone. The findings indicate that the silver nanofilm exhibits peak absorbance at approximately 400 nm within the violet region, corroborated by the mobile app’s data, which shows the lowest light intensity. However, discrepancies were observed from 500 to 600 nm, likely due to ambient light interferences and inherent optical phenomena such as diffraction, reflection, and refraction. Despite these deviations, the app’s readings closely align with the PLS data, supporting the film’s selective absorption properties. This study demonstrates the potential of this multidisciplinary technique in nanomaterial research, highlighting the application of nanotechnology in material science and the transformative potential of integrating software engineering for in-depth material characterization. These findings open avenues for advancements in both academic and practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The gasochromic properties of WO 3 thin films deposited by electron beam evaporation were investigated, focusing on their structural, morphology and optical changes caused by heat treatment. Moreover, the influence of the thickness and type of catalyst on the gasochromic properties of WO 3 was examined. X-ray diffraction measurements revealed that WO 3 thin films annealed up to 473 K remained amorphous, whereas annealing at 673 K and above, initiated crystallization into a monoclinic structure. Gasochromic behaviour was observed in response to hydrogen exposure, with the most significant changes occurring in films annealed at 673 K with a thin adlayer of palladium catalyst. A gasochromic response of 1.84 was achieved for H 2 concentration as low as 25 ppm. The process of gasochromic colouration was correlated with the changes of free charge carrier concentration calculated based on Drude free electron theory. XPS analysis confirms WO 3 reduction under hydrogen exposure, validating proposed colouration mechanisms. These comprehensive findings offer insights into optimizing gasochromic thin films for various sensing applications. [Display omitted] • Thermal treatment at 673 K enhanced a gasochromic response of WO 3. • Type and thickness of catalyst influenced on gasochromic response of WO 3. • Very high gasochromic response of 1.84 for WO 3 was obtained for 25 ppm of H 2. • Free charge carrier concentration in WO 3 films increased after exposure to H 2. • XPS revealed that tungsten oxidation state decreased upon exposure to H 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growing high-quality Si films at high rates with thicknesses ranging from the few nm- to µm-range while keeping the material consumption at a minimum is important for a wide range of Si-based technologies, spanning from batteries to sensors and solar cells. In this work, we elucidate the effects of electron beam deposition (e-beam) conditions on the growth of ~4 µm thick Si layers on bare and thermally oxidized (001)-oriented Si substrates. All depositions are performed from a stabilized and refillable melt of broken B-doped wafers and recollected using Si-shields during deposition for recycling. We find that increasing the deposition rate from 0.3 to 23 nm/s at a substrate temperature of 1000 °C reduces the roughness, void fraction, and residual stress of epitaxial Si-on-Si layers. For Si-on- S i O 2 , all films are polycrystalline under the same deposition conditions as for Si-on-Si, with a reduction in void fraction and increase in roughness at higher deposition rates. The residual stress for Si-on- S i O 2 is comparable across all deposition rates >1 nm/s. Furthermore, we measure lower resistivities in the films than in the feedstock for Si-on-Si and higher than the feedstock for Si-on- S i O 2 . While the films become microstructurally denser and less defective at higher deposition rates, the resistivity increases for each next deposition step in the case of multi-step depositions from the same feedstock. Time-of-flight scanning secondary mass spectroscopy measurements show that the films have a significantly higher B-concentration than the feedstock, suggesting B-gettering to the melted region and transferring to the Si film upon the e-beam deposition process. This work demonstrates how electron beam evaporation can be used to recollect and recycle waste Si pieces, bringing important insights into how the deposition parameters influence the quality of the deposited polycrystalline as well as epitaxial thin-to-thick films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The undoped and tungsten (W)-doped vanadium dioxide (VO2) thin films were prepared by electron beam evaporation associated with ion-beam-assisted deposition (IAD). The influence of different W-doped contents (3–5%) on the electrical, optical, structural, and thermo-mechanical properties of VO2 thin films was investigated experimentally. Spectral transmittance results showed that with the increase in W-doped contents, the transmittance in the visible light range (400–750 nm) decreases from 60.2% to 53.9%, and the transmittance in the infrared wavelength range (2.5 μm to 5.5 μm) drops from 55.8% to 15.4%. As the W-doped content increases, the residual stress in the VO2 thin film decreases from −0.276 GPa to −0.238 GPa, but the surface roughness increases. For temperature-dependent spectroscopic measurements, heating the VO2 thin films from 30 °C to 100 °C showed the most significant change in transmittance for the 5% W-doped VO2 thin film. When the heating temperature exceeds 55 °C, the optical transmittance drops significantly, and the visible light transmittance drops by about 11%. Finally, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) were used to evaluate the microstructure characteristics of VO2 thin films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study deals with synthesis and characterizations of titanium (Ti) doped zinc oxide (Zn1−xTixO) thin films using an electron beam evaporation technique. The Zn1−xTixO thin films were prepared at different titanium concentrations (x = 0. 00, 0.01, 0.05 and 0.07) and studied the role of Ti concentration on structural, morphological, optical, photoluminescence, magnetic and electrical properties. The Zn1−xTixO thin films were subjected to XRD, SEM, AFM, UV–Vis–NIR, PL, VSM and I–V characterization techniques. From these characterizations it was found that the Zn1−xTixO thin films were in wurtzite hexagonal structure with smooth surface. An increase in optical band gap (3.01 eV – 3.13 eV) and a decrease in crystallite size (25–19 nm) were observed with increase of Ti concentration (x = 0.00 to x = 0.07). The films exhibit luminescence property and clear emission peaks were observed in PL spectra in visible region. From I-V studies, ohmic behavior was observed for the Zn1−xTixO thin films. Magnetic studies were carried out at room temperature and confirmed the paramagnetic nature of the Zn1−xTixO thin films. From the optical transmittance, absorbance spectra of the Zn1−xTixO thin films, the optical parameters such as refractive index, extinction coefficient, energy band gap, Urbach energy, optical conductivity, dispersion parameter, static refractive index, linear and non-linear susceptibility were calculated and explained in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the method of evaporation by pulsed electron beam in vacuum the mesoporous nanopowder of CaF 2 with a specific surface area up to 91.5 m2/g was produced. The effect of annealing in different media and irradiation with a nanosecond electron beam (700 keV) on the evolution of the magnetic, luminescent and textural properties of CaF 2 nanoparticles have been studied. For the first time, a joint effect of the annealing medium and the absorbed dose of a relativistic electron beam irradiation on the specific surface area and magnetization of mesoporous nanopowders of the CaF 2 was discovered, which confirms the defective nature of ferromagnetism at room temperature of CaF 2 nanopowders. The effect of nanopowder surface properties on ferromagnetism at room temperature after annealing in different media is shown, a parameter for assessing this influence is proposed. It was found that annealing and irradiation caused a significant change only in the visible range, of the pulse cathodoluminescence spectra of the CaF 2 nanopowder, with the temperature and medium of the nanopowder pre-annealing as well as the irradiation dose being important. The relationship between luminescent and magnetic properties of nanopowder was shown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve the photocatalytic property of TiO2 thin films, the composite thin films of TiO2/Nd2O3 structure were fabricated by electron-beam physical vapor deposition method, and the photocatalytic property of the fabricated films was experimentally studied in the present work. The XRD and Raman analyses show that the TiO2/Nd2O3 films are mainly hexagonal crystalline phase of Nd2O3. The XPS analysis for the chemical state changes of Ti, O and Nd of the basic elements in the films is confirming the electron flow in the internal electric field which generated in the TiO2/Nd2O3 films. The surface morphology shows the lattice distortion which affects the changes in the energy band structure. Moreover, the formation of n-n homojunctions improved the separation efficiency of electrons and holes, and enhanced the catalytic activity. The photocatalytic performance for the methylene blue target dye shows that the sample with TiO2 thickness of 20–25 nm has better performance, high degradation efficiency and high reaction rate.

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In this paper, a series of ITO thin films with different concentrations of metal Sn doping were prepared by electron beam evaporation technique. X-ray diffractometer, atomic force microscope, UV-Vis-NIR spectrophotometer, four-probe resistivity meter and Z-scan system were used to measure and characterize the physical phase structure, microscopic morphology, optical absorption, square resistance and nonlinear optical properties of ITO films, respectively. The test results show that, with the increase of metal Sn doping concentration from 10% to 30%: the crystalline quality of the ITO film is enhanced; the surface roughness of the film increases and the grain size gradually increases; the plasma absorption is enhanced and the position of the absorption peak is red-shifted and the optical band gap is narrowed; the square resistance of the film continuously reduces; the nonlinear absorption coefficient gradually increases, and the maximum absolute value can be increased to 2.59 × 10-7 cm/ W. The finite-difference fitting results in the time domain show that the variation pattern of electric field intensity of ITO thin film samples with different metal Sn doping concentrations is consistent with the experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gas sensors play a vital role in monitoring environmental pollution for human health, safety, and the detection of various gasses in the environment. Nanostructured metal oxide thin films have been widely used in sensor applications owing to their unique properties. In this study, pure and gold (Au) doped nanostructured tungsten trioxide (WO3) films were deposited on glass substrates by electron beam evaporation at room temperature. The microstructure of the WO3 films changed from nanoflakes to nanorods upon variation of the wt% of Au. The sensing properties of WO3 based nanostructure films were measured using a computer-controlled system. The gas sensing results showed that the Au-doped WO3 films exhibited a higher sensitivity than the undoped films. The 15 wt% Au-doped WO3 nanostructure films showed high sensitivity towards ethanol and the response (sensitivity) value was 89. The response and recovery times for 15 wt% Au-doped WO3 were 8 and 10 s, respectively.

The undoped and tungsten (W)-doped vanadium dioxide (VO2) thin films were prepared by electron beam evaporation associated with ion-beam-assisted deposition (IAD). The influence of different W-doped contents (3–5%) on the electrical, optical, structural, and thermo-mechanical properties of VO2 thin films was investigated experimentally. Spectral transmittance results showed that with the increase in W-doped contents, the transmittance in the visible light range (400–750 nm) decreases from 60.2% to 53.9%, and the transmittance in the infrared wavelength range (2.5 μm to 5.5 μm) drops from 55.8% to 15.4%. As the W-doped content increases, the residual stress in the VO2 thin film decreases from −0.276 GPa to −0.238 GPa, but the surface roughness increases. For temperature-dependent spectroscopic measurements, heating the VO2 thin films from 30 °C to 100 °C showed the most significant change in transmittance for the 5% W-doped VO2 thin film. When the heating temperature exceeds 55 °C, the optical transmittance drops significantly, and the visible light transmittance drops by about 11%. Finally, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) were used to evaluate the microstructure characteristics of VO2 thin films.

SnO2 has attracted much attention due to its low-temperature synthesis (ca. 140 °C), high electron mobility, and low-cost manufacturing. However, lattice mismatch and oxygen vacancies at the SnO2/CsPbI3−xBrx interface generally lead to undesirable nonradiative recombination in optoelectronic devices. The traditional TiO2 used as the electron transport layer (ETL) for all-inorganic perovskite solar cells (PSCs) requires high-temperature sintering and crystallization, which are not suitable for the promising flexible PSCs and tandem solar cells, raising concerns about surface defects and device uniformity. To address these challenges, we present a bilayer ETL consisting of a SnO2 layer using electron beam evaporation and a TiO2 layer through the hydrothermal method, resulting in an enhanced performance of the perovskite solar cell. The bilayer device exhibits an improved power conversion efficiency of 11.48% compared to the single-layer device (8.09%). The average fill factor of the bilayer electron transport layer is approximately 15% higher compared to the single-layer electron transport layer. Through a systematic investigation of the use of ETL for CsPb3−xBrx PSCs on optical and electronic properties, we demonstrate that the SnO2/TiO2 is an efficient bilayer ETL for PSCs as it significantly enhances the charge extraction capability, suppresses carrier recombination at the ETL/perovskite interface, facilitates efficient photogenerated carrier separation and transport, and provides high current density and reduced hysteresis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work presents the results of a study of the influence of an external magnetic field on the surface morphology of three different thin-film magnetic structures were presented: a single-layer Co film, a granular film alloy based on Co and Ag, and a trilayer Co/Gd/Co film. Atomic force microscopy investigations at room temperature revealed a significant influence of the magnetic field on the surface morphology of the films and their structural characteristics (arithmetic mean Ra, root mean square Rq, structural entropy S). After the initial application of the magnetic field (at H = 0.01 T), a decrease in the surface roughness (Ra, Rq) was observed for all systems, which is associated with the destruction of the system of defects in the film samples and the transition of the structure to a new, more stable state. The most substantial reduction in roughness, with Ra decreasing by 19% and Rq by 16 %, was observed in the granulated magnetic films based on Co and Ag. Further increases in the magnetic field practically had no effect on the structural characteristics, which remained constant even after relaxation over 18 hours. In the case of the single-layer Co films, with a subsequent increase in the magnetic field strength to 0.05 T, the values of structural characteristics (Ra, Rq, S) monotonously increased. Further intensification of the magnetic field to 0.1 T almost did not affect Ra, Rq, S. For the trilayer Co/Gd/Co film system, further increasing the magnetic field intensity to 0.1 T led to an increase in the roughness parameters Ra and Rq, due to additional stresses in the upper Co layer. This effect was a result of the lower coercive force in the bottom Co layer compared to the upper Co layer. As a result, the lower Co layer magnetized at lower magnetic fields compared to the upper layer, which further increased the roughness of the film's surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose two single-wavelength notch filters and one dual-wavelength (480 and 620 nm) notch filter to enhance image contrast. The stack structure of the notch filters was designed as (Ta2O5/SiO2)4Ta2O5 in Essential Macleod thin film simulation software. Dual-electron-beam evaporation with ion beam-assisted deposition was used to prepare optical interference filters with different center wavelengths. A multilayer notch filter with a center wavelength of 620 nm was deposited on the front surface of the glass, and then a notch filter with a center wavelength of 480 nm was coated on the rear surface of the same glass. The proposed dual-wavelength (480 and 620 nm) notch filter is a combination of two single-wavelength notch filters coated on a double-sided glass substrate to compensate for residual stress. The transmittance, residual stress, and surface roughness of the proposed notch filter were evaluated using different measuring instruments. The experimental results show that the residual stress of the dual-wavelength notch filter could be reduced to 10.8 MPa by using a double-sided coating technique. The root-mean-square (RMS) surface roughness of the notch filters was measured by using a Linnik microscopic interferometer. The RMS surface roughness was 1.80 for the 620 nm notch filter and 2.09 for the 480 nm notch filter. The image contrast obtained with the three different notch filters was measured using an optical microscope and a CMOS camera. The contrast value could be increased from 0.328 (without a filter) to 0.696 (dual-wavelength notch filter). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gas sensors play a vital role in monitoring environmental pollution for human health, safety, and the detection of various gasses in the environment. Nanostructured metal oxide thin films have been widely used in sensor applications owing to their unique properties. In this study, pure and gold (Au) doped nanostructured tungsten trioxide (WO 3 ) films were deposited on glass substrates by electron beam evaporation at room temperature. The microstructure of the WO 3 films changed from nanoflakes to nanorods upon variation of the wt% of Au. The sensing properties of WO 3 based nanostructure films were measured using a computer-controlled system. The gas sensing results showed that the Au-doped WO 3 films exhibited a higher sensitivity than the undoped films. The 15 wt% Au-doped WO 3 nanostructure films showed high sensitivity towards ethanol and the response (sensitivity) value was 89. The response and recovery times for 15 wt% Au-doped WO 3 were 8 and 10 s, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study reports the fabrication of hafnium oxide (HfO2) thin films on glass and silicon (Si) substrate using electron beam evaporation technique. The deposition of films was carried out in a stepwise approach, in which a run deposited the thickness of ~ 100 nm, and subsequently, the overall thickness was achieved by repeating the deposition process to achieve better quality films. Initially, films were amorphous and were subjected to a thermal treatment process above 400 °C temperature to assess the crystallinity. The structure of these films was analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) indicating crystalline nature of the annealed films. The surface morphology examined using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) revealed a dense microstructure with round-shaped grains with a diameter of 30–50 nm. The average surface roughness of HfO2 films was achieved in the range of 7–9 nm measured using optical profiler. The optical studies having UV–Vis–NIR range indicated high transparency in visible region (average transmission ~ 85%). The film thickness was evaluated using envelope method, and compared with the thickness obtained from cross-sectional SEM and reflectometer results. The surface wettability measurement of the HfO2 thin film was performed using a drop shape analyzer that indicates the hydrophobic nature of 500 nm thin films over glass and Si substrate. The observations showed that the developed single-layer thin film can be a promising choice in optical, anti-reflection, protective, optoelectronics, and so forth, applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structure and physico-chemical properties of copper, produced by the method of electron beam evaporation and condensation in vacuum were studied. A substrate from steel of St3 grade heated to 700 ± 15 °C was used for metal deposition. An intermediate pool from Cu-Zr-Y alloy was applied in the experiments. Evaluation of the properties of condensed copper, compared to cast one, showed a small difference in the values of specific electric resistance, and a certain increase of the level of mechanical characteristics, that is, probably, associated with the differences in its intragranular block structure. A 1.5 times increase of the condensate hardness was found in the case, when the intermediate pool was used, which is related to Zr and Y microalloying. Gravimetric studies of condensed copper corrosion in water revealed a significant influence on this process of such factors as presence of hardness salts in tap water and high specific electric resistance of distilled water. The greatest changes in the sample weight were observed in the first 10 h of corrosion testing, and then process stabilization and monotonic decrease of sample weight took place. In tap water copper is characterized by the highest corrosion resistance, weight losses being two times higher under dynamic testing conditions than this value for static testing. Under dynamic conditions, the medium movement prevents salt deposition, and electric resistance increase becomes slower. Analysis of corrosion polarization diagrams confirmed the slowing down of corrosion processes in tap water, compared to distilled water. Results of measurement of surface electric resistance of the samples before and after testing showed that the initial corrosion period with a relatively fast weight change, is characterized by an abrupt increase of electric resistance of the sample surface, which points to a predominant formation of copper oxide (I); and reduction of the dynamics of electric resistance change in the next testing periods is due to stabilization of the processes of film growth with copper oxide formation (II). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Detection characteristics of elementary tellurium (Te) nanocrystalline thin film for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) gas detection are presented. An electron beam evaporation method (eBE) was used to deposit elementary Te ultrathin nanocrystalline films at room temperature, with the thickness from 10 nm to 40 nm. An intermittent deposition method was employed to regulate the distribution of grains during the whole film deposition process. A type of compact and continuous nanocrystalline film structure was confirmed by x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy analysis. Such a structural feature of thin films is able to provide a continuous grain boundary, which can increase the surface-to-volume ratio and further improve the sensitivity of the sensors. The effects of film thickness and gas concentration with respect to the sensor performance have been evaluated. The sensor presents a ppm (parts per million)-level NO2 detection limit in an atmospheric environment, and the maximum sensitivity is up to 7.926 × 105 ppm−1. In addition, a complete evaluation demonstration system was developed for a NO2 concentration real-time monitor, which provides the possibility for the sensor to be applied to actual environmental monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structure and physico-chemical properties of copper, produced by the method of electron beam evaporation and condensation in vacuum were studied. A substrate from steel of St3 grade heated to 700 ± 15 °С was used for metal deposition. An intermediate pool from Cu–Zr–Y alloy was applied in the experiments. Evaluation of the properties of condensed copper, compared to cast one, showed a small difference in the values of specific electric resistance, and a certain increase of the level of mechanical characteristics, that is, probably, associated with the differences in its intragranular block structure. A 1.5 times increase of the condensate hardness was found in the case, when the intermediate pool was used, which is related to Zr and Y microalloying. Gravimetric studies of condensed copper corrosion in water revealed a significant influence on this process of such factors as presence of hardness salts in tap water and high specific electric resistance of distilled water. The greatest changes in the sample weight were observed in the first 10 hours of corrosion testing, and then process stabilization and monotonic decrease of sample weight took place. In tap water copper is characterized by the highest corrosion resistance, weight losses being two times higher under dynamic testing conditions than this value for static testing. Under dynamic conditions, the medium movement prevents salt deposition, and electric resistance increase becomes slower. Analysis of corrosion polarization diagrams confirmed the slowing down of corrosion processes in tap water, compared to distilled water. Results of measurement of surface electric resistance of the samples before and after testing showed that the initial corrosion period with a relatively fast weight change, is characterized by an abrupt increase of electric resistance of the sample surface, which points to a predominant formation of copper oxide (I); and reduction of the dynamics of electric resistance change in the next testing periods is due to stabilization of the processes of film growth with copper oxide formation (II). Ref. 17, Tabl. 4, Fig. 9. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This letter reports a novel method for fabricating Schottky/ohmic drain for GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs). Without secondary photolithography or secondary metal evaporation, the Schottky/ohmic drain can be obtained by adjusting the direction of the electron beam evaporation. Besides, different metal/semiconductor interfaces can be simultaneously formed at this state, which are beneficial to enhance the shielding effect of the rough ohmic-drain metal morphology and modulate the electric field distribution on the drain side. By using Schottky/ohmic drain technology, the average breakdown voltage calculated from 50 devices each is improved from 895 V (ohmic drain device) to 1205 V for $\text{L}_{\text {GD}} = 18\,\,\mu \text{m}$ , indicating enhanced off-state reliability characteristics for GaN HEMTs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, three amorphous oxide thin films are prepared by an electron beam evaporation combined with ion-assisted deposition technique. With the aid of optical flux mapping method, thin film thickness distribution with good uniformity can be obtained by appropriate coating masks. Three metal oxide single-layer thin films are SiO2, Ta2O5 and Nb2O5, respectively. These thin films were deposited on a substrate holder with a radius of 275 mm that was divided into five different segments. Based on the optical flux mapping method, we can effectively simulate the geometric dimensions of the coating mask and obtain the width of the coating mask at different segments. If the film thickness uniformity is a function of masking area and center angle, it is necessary to determine the thickness distribution of the different segments and use a surface profiler to accurately measure the film thickness. We analyzed the thickness uniformity of three oxide films deposited at five different segments. The experimental measurement results show that the deviation of thickness uniformity is 0.38% for SiO2, 0.36% for Ta2O5, and 0.15% for Nb2O5 thin films, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

V2O5 thin films have made impressive progress in the development of resistive microbolometers. The challenging parameters for microbolometers are the active material selection and the deposition methods. It might be a more promising way to achieve a good performance of the devices. The present work deals with the V2O5 thin films fabricated on soda lime glass substrates by using e-beam evaporation and magnetron sputtering techniques at a substrate temperature of 200 °C. Afterward, samples were annealed at 300 and 400 °C for 1 h to obtain uniform and stoichiometric thin films. X-ray Diffraction (XRD) showed that the thin films deposited by magnetron sputtering were amorphous in nature, even after annealing at elevated temperatures; however, the thin films fabricated by the electron beam evaporation technique show crystalline nature, which was improved by annealing. XRD also revealed various mixed phases of VOx in electron beam-deposited films. Optical properties were determined using UV-Visible spectroscopy, which showed a decrease in transmittance from 81% down to 57% by increasing the annealing temperature. Similarly, the band gap calculated for electron beam evaporated and magnetron sputtered V2O5 thin films was observed in the range of 1.41 to 2.25 eV. Rutherford backscattering (RBS) was performed to determine the thickness and composition of the films. Slight variations have been observed in intended and deposited thicknesses of films fabricated by e-beam and sputtering techniques. Structural properties revealed by Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM) were found to be the uniform, compact and dense surface of the as-deposited and 300 °C annealed samples. However, annealing at 400 °C changed the surface morphology into nanorods in e-beam and plate-like structures in the sputtered film. EDS proved the elemental concentration of vanadium and oxygen in these V2O5 thin films. Electrical properties were investigated using the Hall measurement technique which showed better conductivity of sputtered films than e-beam deposited films. It can be concluded that the cost-effective and reliable microbolometers infrared (IR) sensors can be fabricated using annealed sputtered films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Nanostructured ITO enhances electric field, lowering TFEL threshold voltages. • Light-scattering relief is formed using ALD on the nanostructured ITO film. • Nanostructured ITO films boost TFEL display brightness by over 1.5 times. • The proposed method enables performance enhancement without extra operations. Thin-film electroluminescent (TFEL) displays have found applications in various industries and areas due to their unique advantages, where high brightness, a wide temperature range, and reliability are crucial. However, despite their benefits, they also face certain limitations and challenges. TFEL displays typically demand relatively high operating voltages. Total internal reflection in the multilayered structure can significantly impede light extraction from the display. In this study, we propose an optimization of the TFEL display structure to enhance light extraction efficiency and reduce operating voltage. Nanostructured indium tin oxide films, obtained by electron beam evaporation on a heated substrate, were utilized to amplify the electric field in a phosphor layer and to create a non-regular light-scattering relief that effectively breaks internal reflection conditions within the display structure. As a result, the display brightness at operating voltage increased by more than 1.5 times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the stabilization of Ga-doped Al 2 O 3 (GaAlO) thin films into rhombohedral structure (R 3 ‾ c space group). We used the target material of composition A1 1.5 Ga 0.5 O 3 (bulk) to deposit the films on Alumina (0001) and p-type Si (100) substrates by using the electron beam evaporation technique. X-ray diffraction pattern confirmed the formation of polycrystalline rhombohedral structure for the as-grown films on Alumina substrate, whereas the films grown on Si substrate showed amorphous structure. The post-heat treatment of as-grown films at 550 °C stabilized rhombohedral structure in all the films, irrespective of the substrates. X-ray photoelectron spectra confirmed modification in surface chemical state of the films depending on nature of the substrates. Optical bandgap of the GaAlO films was stabilized in the range of 3.44 eV–4.04 eV, which is substantially reduced in comparison to corundum structured α-Al 2 O 3 having optical band gap in the range of 8–9 eV and α-Ga 2 O 3 having optical band gap of 4.5–5.5 eV. The defect-induced electronic states and substrate induced interfacial diffusion contributed additional energy gap in the range of 1.50–2.92 eV for GaAlO films grown on Si substrate. The development of highly crystalline corundum structured α-(Al, Ga) 2 O 3 alloyed thin films and engineering their band gap energy in a wide range (1.5–4 eV) is useful for applications of semiconductor metal oxides in high power and medium frequency opto-electronic devices. • Development of high quality crystalline Ga doped Al 2 O 3 thin films grown on Alumina and p-type Si substrates. • A simple electron beam evaporation technique has been used to stabilized rhombohedral phase. • GIXRD, Raman spectroscopy, XPS confirmed modified surface chemical state of the films. • The stabilization of optical band gap in the range of 3.44–4.04 eV promises photodetector applications in deep UV range. • Interfacial lattice mismatch for Si substrate introduced extra structural disorder in the films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose an efficient method of growing carbon nanotube (CNT) arrays on a variety of metals using chemical vapor deposition (CVD) assisted by a simple surface treatment of the substrate materials. The main feature of this method is the application of shot blasting with fine alumina shot to create the catalyst support layer that is required for the effective growth of CNTs on the various conductive materials, including the ultrahard metal tungsten. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy shows that the shot blasting forms a noncontinuous layer where alumina nanoparticles are embedded as residue from the blasting media on the treated surfaces. Such a noncontinuous alumina layer can behave as the catalyst support layer, which is normally prepared via sputtering or a vacuum evaporation coating process. The influence of shot size on the characteristics of the nonuniform alumina buffer layer as well as the resultant multiwalled CNT arrays grown via CVD in conjunction with a floating iron catalyst are investigated. The results show that the morphology, crystallinity, and spectral emissivity of CNTs depend on the size of alumina shot used in the shot blasting treatment. The characteristics of the CNTs grown on various metal substrates with a discontinuous and continuous alumina buffer layers are compared with each other. These comparisons indicate that the degrees of hardness and the redox property of the substrates moderately affect the characteristics of CNTs on the discontinuous layer in contrast to the continuous layer.

Ceramic diffusion barrier coatings are inevitable in high temperature aerospace and nuclear applications to protect superalloys from oxidation and hot corrosion. Compositionally graded coating (CGC) of Ni-YSZ with five layers was deposited on an Inconel-690 substrate through electron beam physical vapor deposition (EBPVD) method. After heat treatment, the phase formation and crystallite determination in each layer of the CGC were studied by X-ray diffraction. Pulsed radio frequency glow discharge optical emission spectroscopy (RF-GDOES) showed outward diffusion of Ni towards the surface of the CGC. High resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) studies of the cross-sectional region of the heat-treated coating at 1273 K revealed no secondary phases within the coating as well as at substrate-coating interface. The corrosion behavior of Ni-YSZ coating under 3 M HNO 3 medium showed that the heat-treated CGC of Ni-YSZ exhibited better corrosion resistance due to the formation of NiO than as-deposited Ni-YSZ coating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thin films of lead sulfide (PbS) are being extensively used for the fabrication of optoelectronic devices for commercial and military applications. In the present work, PbS films were fabricated onto a soda lime glass substrate by using an electron beam (e-beam) evaporation technique at a substrate temperature of 300 °C. Samples were annealed in an open atmosphere at a temperature range of 200–450 °C for 2 h. The deposited films were characterized for structural, optical, and electrical properties. Structural properties of PbS have been studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS). The results of XRD showed that the PbS thin film was crystalline in nature at room temperature with cubic crystal structure (galena) and preferential (111) and orientation (022). The morphology of the thin films was studied by FESEM, which also showed uniform and continuous deposition without any peel-off and patches. EDS analysis was performed to confirm the presence of lead and sulfur in as-deposited and annealed films. The thickness of the PbS film was found to be 172 nm, which is slightly greater than the intended thickness of 150 nm, determined by RBS. Ultraviolet-Visible-Near-Infrared (UV-Vis-NIR) spectroscopy revealed the maximum transmittance of ~25% for as-deposited films, with an increase of 74% in annealed films. The band gap of PbS was found in the range of 2.12–2.78 eV for as-deposited and annealed films. Hall measurement confirmed the carriers are p-type in nature. Carrier concentration, mobility of the carriers, conductivity, and sheet resistance are directly determined by Hall-effect measurement. The as-deposited sample showed a conductivity of 5.45 × 10−4 S/m, which gradually reduced to 1.21 × 10−5 S/m due to the composite nature of films (lead sulfide along with lead oxide). Furthermore, the present work also reflects the control of properties by controlling the amount of PbO present in the PbS films which are suitable for various applications (such as IR sensors). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SnO2 has attracted much attention due to its low-temperature synthesis (ca. 140 °C), high electron mobility, and low-cost manufacturing. However, lattice mismatch and oxygen vacancies at the SnO2/CsPbI3−xBrx interface generally lead to undesirable nonradiative recombination in optoelectronic devices. The traditional TiO2 used as the electron transport layer (ETL) for all-inorganic perovskite solar cells (PSCs) requires high-temperature sintering and crystallization, which are not suitable for the promising flexible PSCs and tandem solar cells, raising concerns about surface defects and device uniformity. To address these challenges, we present a bilayer ETL consisting of a SnO2 layer using electron beam evaporation and a TiO2 layer through the hydrothermal method, resulting in an enhanced performance of the perovskite solar cell. The bilayer device exhibits an improved power conversion efficiency of 11.48% compared to the single-layer device (8.09%). The average fill factor of the bilayer electron transport layer is approximately 15% higher compared to the single-layer electron transport layer. Through a systematic investigation of the use of ETL for CsPb3−xBrx PSCs on optical and electronic properties, we demonstrate that the SnO2/TiO2 is an efficient bilayer ETL for PSCs as it significantly enhances the charge extraction capability, suppresses carrier recombination at the ETL/perovskite interface, facilitates efficient photogenerated carrier separation and transport, and provides high current density and reduced hysteresis.

• Intermixing of layers at the interface and exchange of atoms within multilayer stack was not observed. • Formation of metal hydride with stoichiometry TiH 2. • Enhance stability of the system in the presence of pure H 2 gas. • Entrapment of the H atoms by the implanted species. • Ineffectiveness of Fe and Mg ion implantation in the enhancement of H absorption. The effect of implanted 150 keV Fe ion and 100 keV Mg ions on hydrogen (H) absorption by Pd/Ti/V/Pd/Ti multilayer films, prepared on Ti substrate, was investigated using the H profiling analytical technique, energy recoil detection analysis (ERDA). The stability of the multilayer stack system at 550 °C was investigated using Rutherford backscattering spectrometry for the investigation of possible intermixing of layers and X-ray diffraction for crystal structure and any possible new phase formation due to elevated temperatures. SEM was used for surface topography investigation. Ion penetration, distribution, and vacancy distribution inside the system, under investigation, were achieved using the Monte Carlo semi-empirical simulation code, Stopping and Range of Ions in Matter, and found to be 700 and 1055 Å for 150 keV Fe ions and 100 keV Mg ions implantations, respectively. ERDA revealed a maximum H amount of ∼ 4.8 at.% at a depth of ∼ 1.8 µm, with ∼ 2.6 at.% average H content over the probed depth in the non-implanted hydrogenated sample. The average H amount values in the 150 keV Fe ions implanted samples, over a probed depth, were found to be ∼ 1.32, ∼1.19 and ∼ 1.09 at.% in samples implanted up to a fluence of 1 × 1014, 1 × 1015, and 1 × 1016 ions/cm2, respectively, with H content, restricted to the surface and near the surface and constantly decreased into the bulk. The average H amount values, over a probed depth, in the 100 keV Mg ions implanted samples, up to 1 × 1014, 1 × 1015, and 1 × 1016 ions/cm2 fluence, were found to be ∼ 1.26, ∼1.25, and ∼ 1.17 at.%, respectively. These results suggest the entrapment of the H atoms by the implanted species and the ineffectiveness of Fe and Mg ion implantation in the enhancement of H absorption and diffusion in these films; at least at the energies and fluence used in this investigation. No indication of intermixing, suggesting that the system was stable up to 500 °C in an H 2 environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past few decades, several methods concerning optical thin films have been established to facilitate the development of integrated optics. This paper provides a brief depiction of different techniques for implementing optical waveguide thin films that involve chemical, physical, and refractive index modification methods. Recent advances in these fabrication methods are also been presented. Most of the methods developed for the realization of the thin-films are quite efficient, but they are expensive and require sophisticated equipment. The major interest of the scientists is to develop simple and cost-effective methods for mass production of optical thin films resulting in the effective commercialization of the waveguide technology. Our research group is focused on developing a silica-titania optical waveguide platform via the sol-gel dip-coating method and implementing active and passive optical elements via the wet etching method. We are also exploring the possibility of using nanoimprint lithography (NIL) for patterning these films so that the fabrication process is efficient and economical. The recent developments of this platform are discussed. We believe that silica-titania waveguide technology developed via the sol-gel dip-coating method is highly attractive and economical, such that it can be commercialized for applications such as sensing and optical interconnects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inorganic carrier‐selective layers (CSLs), whose conductivity can be effectively tuned by doping, offer low‐cost and stable alternatives for their organic counterparts in perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Herein, a dual‐source electron‐beam co‐evaporation method for the controlled deposition of copper‐doped nickel oxide (Cu:NiO) and tungsten‐doped niobium oxide (W:Nb2O5) as hole and electron transport layers, respectively, is used. The mechanisms for the improved conductivity using dopants are investigated. Owing to the improved conductivity and optimized band alignment of the doped CSLs, the all‐inorganic‐CSLs‐based PSCs achieve a maximum power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 20.47%. Furthermore, a thin titanium buffer layer is inserted between W:Nb2O5 and the silver electrode to prevent halide ingression and improve band alignment. This leads to a further improvement of PCE to 21.32% and long‐term stability (1200 h) after encapsulation. Finally, the large‐scale applicability of the doped CSLs by coevaporation is demonstrated for the device with 1 cm2 area showing a PCE of over 19%. The results demonstrate the potential application of the coevaporated CSLs with controlled doping in PSCs for commercialization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molybdenum disilicide (MoSi2) films were synthesized by heat treatment of a Si/Mo/Si and Mo/Si sample systems at different temperatures in air. The onset temperature of MoSi2 formation started from 350 ℃ and continued to 900 ℃ for both systems. Diffusion of Si into Mo in the Mo/Si system occurs at the same time and MoSi2 forms. MoO3 forms at 350 ℃ and evaporates off the film surface at 500 ℃, leading to a mass loss of Mo in the Mo–Si–O system. An impervious SiOx layer is formed on the film surface at 600 ℃ and higher, preventing further oxidation of the film and facilitating the formation of MoSi within an oxygen-free environment. The Si cover layer in the Si/Mo/Si system prevents the outside O in air diffusing into the film and the Mo evaporating off the film until 900 ℃. The thermally driven diffusion mechanism is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a biochip was fabricated using a light-absorbing layer of a silicon solar element combined with serrated, interdigitated electrodes and used to identify four different types of cancer cells: CE81T esophageal cancer, OE21 esophageal cancer, A549 lung adenocarcinoma, and TSGH-8301 bladder cancer cells. A string of pearls was formed from dielectrophoretic aggregated cancer cells because of the serrated interdigitated electrodes. Thus, cancer cells were identified in different parts, and electron–hole pairs were separated by photo-excited carriers through the light-absorbing layer of the solar element. The concentration catalysis mechanism of GSH and GSSG was used to conduct photocurrent response and identification, which provides the fast, label-free measurement of cancer cells. The total time taken for this analysis was 13 min. Changes in the impedance value and photocurrent response of each cancer cell were linearly related to the number of cells, and the slope of the admittance value was used to distinguish the location of the cancerous lesion, the slope of the photocurrent response, and the severity of the cancerous lesion. The results show that the number of cancerous cells was directly proportional to the admittance value and the photocurrent response for all four different types of cancer cells. Additionally, different types of cancer cells could easily be differentiated using the slope value of the photocurrent response and the admittance value. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photodetectors with considerably high performance working in a wide wavelength range extending from UV to IR are essential for technological applications. The present work primarily focuses on the multilayer structure of Ge/Sn/Al 2 O 3 deposited on Si substrate for visible to short wave infrared (SWIR) broadband photodetector applications. The synthesis of a multilayered structure was carried out using electron beam evaporation. Subsequently, these samples were subjected to rapid thermal annealing (RTA). The crystalline nature of films after RTA was examined using X-ray diffraction, and Raman spectroscopy. Afterward, the photodetector measurements were carried out on the fabricated device. The device structure shows better responsivity, external quantum efficiency, detectivity, and noise equivalent power with varying optical power and voltage. The measured responsivity, external quantum efficiency, and detectivity are 1.07 A/W, 125 %, and 2.1 × 109 Jones, respectively. The results indicated the possibility of using the Ge/Sn/Al 2 O 3 multilayered structure as visible to SWIR photodetector. • Multilayer structure of Ge, Sn, and Al 2 O 3 was synthesized using e-beam evaporation. • Heterostructure photodetector shows broadband photoresponse in UV-to-SWIR region. • Synthesized multilayer photodetector exhibits high responsivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today, the earnest need for earth-abundant and environmentally friendly thermoelectric materials has revealed the importance of semiconductor metal oxides in order to eliminate the barrier towards their wide-ranging use in industrial applications. In the present work, we demonstrate the synthesis of p-type tin oxide thin films on quartz glass and Si substrates by using electron beam evaporation technique followed by rapid thermal annealing process at 200 °C for 20 min in Ar-atmosphere. Annealing-induced structural, electrical, optical and thermoelectric properties of pristine and annealed SnO thin films are primarily studied. The compositional and structural analysis of SnO films are performed by using X-Ray Diffraction, Scanning Electron Microscope as well as Atomic Force Microscope. Moreover, the mechanism of thermoelectric transportation at different measurement temperatures is deeply inspected via thermoelectric measurements. The Seebeck coefficient, carrier concentration and hole mobility in conjunction with the development of thin film nanostructures are discussed, predominantly. The optimal annealing may tune structural, electro-optic and thermoelectric properties of SnO films for the commercial-level maturity of thermoelectric devices for energy applications. • Synthesis of high quality p-type SnO thin films by e-beam evaporation method. • Phase stability can be achieved by optimal annealing of tin oxide thin films. • Electrical resistivity and mobility affects the thermoelectric properties. • Optimal annealing reduces the crystal imperfections and band-tail states in SnO films. • The air-annealing induces the phase transition in SnO x thin films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-mechanical strength and flexible multifunctional composite films with superior electromagnetic interface (EMI) shielding and rapid-response Joule heating are of urgent demand for the development of wearable devices. Herein, we fabricated the aramid nanofibers (ANFs)/bacterial cellulose (BC)/graphene nanosheets (GNs)/nickel nanoparticles (Ni NPs) composite films via vacuum-assisted filtration followed by the electron beam evaporation method. Mechanical properties of ANF/BC composite papers could be tuned by changing the weight ratio of ANFs and BC. Benefiting from the outstanding electrical conductivity of the magnetic Ni NPs, the ANF/BC-3/GNs/Ni-300 composite film (ANF/BC-3 represents that the weight ratio of ANFs to BC is 7:3, and Ni-300 represents that the thickness of Ni is 300 nm) exhibited superior electrical conductivity up to 328 S/cm and displayed superb EMI shielding effectiveness exceeding 50 dB in the whole X band (8–12.4 GHz). Meanwhile, the EMI shielding effectiveness of the film could still be maintained above 40 dB after bending 1000 times by 150° due to the excellent tensile properties of ANF/BC-3 films. Furthermore, the ANF/BC-3/GNs/Ni-300 composite film also showed great Joule heating performance (135 °C at 5 V) with rapid response (<7 s), durability and repeatability (50 cycles), and long-term stability (1800 s) without obvious temperature fluctuation. These results showed that the ANF/BC-3/GNs/Ni-300 composite film could be used in intelligent wearable devices and maintain excellent electromagnetic shielding performances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ZnTe material has an unprecedented role in the fabrication of high efficiency CdTe thin film solar cells and optimization of hydrogen annealing induced physical properties of ZnTe films is next required step. Consequently, in the present work, the impact of Hydrogen annealing temperature on the structural, optical, electrical, topographical, morphological, and compositional properties of ZnTe films is explored. The ZnTe thin films (having 300 nm thickness) are grown via electron-beam evaporation technique on glass and ITO substrates followed by annealing at different temperatures under a Hydrogen atmosphere. The ZnTe films are found to crystallize in cubic phase with (111) predominant peak having crystallite size in the range of 19–28 nm, whereas annealed films demonstrated lower optical transmittance vis-à-vis to pristine films. The PL spectra exhibit two luminescence peaks with a stronger band at ∼351 nm and a weaker band at ∼450 nm. Ohmic behavior of ZnTe films is assured through I–V characteristics, while the AFM images revealed hill-like surface topographies. The FESEM image of pristine films demonstrated a homogeneous surface comprising spherical grains whereas annealed films have spherical, stone, and blisters like morphologies. The EDS patterns assured the Te element richness as well as successful ZnTe films deposition. The observed findings signify that the Hydrogen annealing at different temperatures notably modified the physical properties of ZnTe films. [Display omitted] • Hydrogen annealing induced physical properties of ZnTe films are investigated. • The crystallite size is augmented from 19 to 28 nm for hydrogenated ZnTe films. • The straight lines to I–V characteristics ensure formation of Ohmic contacts. • Direct optical energy band gap is found within range of 2.00–2.51 eV for ZnTe films. • Surface topography revealed hill-like structures with varied surface roughness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• High-quality CsPbBr 3 films are fabricated using single-source electron beam evaporation followed with post-annealing treatment. • High-quality CsPbBr 3 films with good uniformity and crystallinity are achieved by systematic optimization of the annealing parameters. • A device efficiency of 7.81% has been realized for the PSCs with a planar configuration of FTO/c-TiO 2 /CsPbBr 3 /carbon. Due to their superior stability in comparison to organic–inorganic hybrid devices, all-inorganic cesium lead bromide (CsPbBr 3) perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have garnered considerable attention. However, the conventional solution process is limited for the preparing of CsPbBr 3 films due to the limitation of bromide in solution, resulting in uneven film and low coverage. So, the development of viable evaporation deposition strategies is essential for boosting the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of CsPbBr 3 -based PSCs. In this work, high-quality and full-coverage CsPbBr 3 thin films are fabricated using single-source electron beam evaporation followed with post-annealing treatment. Br-rich condition in evaporation process is realized by using the mixture of CsPbBr 3 and Cs 4 PbBr 6 powders as source materials, and the formation of CsPb 2 Br 5 phase is successfully suppressed. Furthermore, the influences of annealing temperature and annealing time on the crystallinity, morphology and optical properties of the films are thoroughly explored. High-quality CsPbBr 3 films with good uniformity and crystallinity are achieved by systematic optimization of the annealing parameters. As a result, a device efficiency of 7.81% with an open circuit voltage (V OC) of 1.43 V has been achieved for the PSCs with a planar structure of FTO/c-TiO 2 /CsPbBr 3 /carbon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the design and fabrication of liquid crystal polymer phase retarder. The liquid crystal polymer was aligned with the inorganic dielectric layer by glancing angle deposition. The retardation was measured by the Soleil–Babinet compensator. The average retardation of liquid crystal polymer retarder was 71 nm with the layer thickness of 385 nm. And the retardation tolerance was 1.4 nm with the nine-point uniformity test. The average transmittance of the phase retarder was 93.2% between 400 and 1200 nm wavelength without antireflective coating on its front and rear surfaces. This study paves a new way to fabricate the larger aperture phase retarders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper gives the results on the features of formation of a microlayered structure of NaCl-Fe composite and the possibility of producing iron nanoparticles of different size on a rotating substrate by EB-PVD method with peripheral position of evaporation material sources relative to the substrate rotation axis. It is shown that the layer thickness is determined by the substrate rotation speed. It is found that Fe nanoparticles are present in NaCl matrix in the form of Fe3O3 oxide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to investigate influences of catalyst buffer layers on the spectral emissivity of carbon nanotube (CNT) grown based on a floating catalyst chemical vapor deposition (FCCVD), we have evaluated the characteristics of CNTs grown on catalyst buffer layers made of aluminium oxide covering metal substrates by using shot blasting (SB) and electron beam evaporation (EB) methods, respectively. The comparisons of the microstructures and characteristics of the CNT carpets have indicated the influences of the morphology of the catalyst layer on the metal substrate. The emissivity, crystallinity, and purity of CNTs depends on the size of alumina particles used in the SB treatment.

In this study, three amorphous oxide thin films are prepared by an electron beam evaporation combined with ion-assisted deposition technique. With the aid of optical flux mapping method, thin film thickness distribution with good uniformity can be obtained by appropriate coating masks. Three metal oxide single-layer thin films are SiO2, Ta2O5 and Nb2O5, respectively. These thin films were deposited on a substrate holder with a radius of 275 mm that was divided into five different segments. Based on the optical flux mapping method, we can effectively simulate the geometric dimensions of the coating mask and obtain the width of the coating mask at different segments. If the film thickness uniformity is a function of masking area and center angle, it is necessary to determine the thickness distribution of the different segments and use a surface profiler to accurately measure the film thickness. We analyzed the thickness uniformity of three oxide films deposited at five different segments. The experimental measurement results show that the deviation of thickness uniformity is 0.38% for SiO2, 0.36% for Ta2O5, and 0.15% for Nb2O5 thin films, respectively.

Thin films of lead sulfide (PbS) are being extensively used for the fabrication of optoelectronic devices for commercial and military applications. In the present work, PbS films were fabricated onto a soda lime glass substrate by using an electron beam (e-beam) evaporation technique at a substrate temperature of 300 °C. Samples were annealed in an open atmosphere at a temperature range of 200–450 °C for 2 h. The deposited films were characterized for structural, optical, and electrical properties. Structural properties of PbS have been studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS). The results of XRD showed that the PbS thin film was crystalline in nature at room temperature with cubic crystal structure (galena) and preferential (111) and orientation (022). The morphology of the thin films was studied by FESEM, which also showed uniform and continuous deposition without any peel-off and patches. EDS analysis was performed to confirm the presence of lead and sulfur in as-deposited and annealed films. The thickness of the PbS film was found to be 172 nm, which is slightly greater than the intended thickness of 150 nm, determined by RBS. Ultraviolet-Visible-Near-Infrared (UV-Vis-NIR) spectroscopy revealed the maximum transmittance of ~25% for as-deposited films, with an increase of 74% in annealed films. The band gap of PbS was found in the range of 2.12–2.78 eV for as-deposited and annealed films. Hall measurement confirmed the carriers are p-type in nature. Carrier concentration, mobility of the carriers, conductivity, and sheet resistance are directly determined by Hall-effect measurement. The as-deposited sample showed a conductivity of 5.45 × 10−4 S/m, which gradually reduced to 1.21 × 10−5 S/m due to the composite nature of films (lead sulfide along with lead oxide). Furthermore, the present work also reflects the control of properties by controlling the amount of PbO present in the PbS films which are suitable for various applications (such as IR sensors).

• High efficiency Sb 2 Se 3 solar cell based on EB-CdS film can be obtained in a low preparation and optimization temperature. • The structural, crystalline, optical, and electrical properties of the EB-CdS film at different substrate temperatures were explored. • 6.71% efficiency has been obtained in the new structure of FTO/EB-CdS/Sb 2 Se 3 /MoO 3 /Au. In our previous work, the detailed crystal structure, optical and electrical properties of evaporated CdS (hexagonal CdS) and chemical bath deposition CdS (cubic CdS) were discussed. The hexagonal CdS film is more suitable as the buffer layer for Sb 2 Se 3 film solar cells compared with its cubic counterpart. However, in our experiments, the influence of high annealing temperature on hexagonal CdS is difficult to control. Moreover, hexagonal CdS is unsuitable for large-area industrial production of Sb 2 Se 3 solar cells. In this study, an electron beam evaporation-prepared CdS buffer layer (hexagonal CdS) with high quality, uniformity and low-temperature treatment was introduced in Sb 2 Se 3 thin film solar cells. The influence of different substrate temperatures during electron beam evaporation on the crystal structure, surface morphologies, and optical properties of CdS and Sb 2 Se 3 films was investigated. The device performance improvement from 3.52% to 5.89% was obtained after the surface roughness of the CdS film and the heterojunction interface were optimised. Lastly, the efficiency of the Sb 2 Se 3 solar cells was obtained to be 6.71% based on the structure of FTO/EB-CdS/Sb 2 Se 3 /MoO 3 /Au. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a thin layer of palladium deposited on the glass substrate and subsequently a thin layer of gold deposited on the surface of the palladium with 188 Å thickness by electron beam evaporation. Then the prepared Au/Pd thin films annealed at 523, 598, 673, 748, 773 and 823 K temperatures for an hour, respectively. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were used to investigate the effect of thermal treatment on structural and morphological properties of the thin surface films, and to evaluate of the mechanical properties of the thin surfaces, Vickers micro hardness analysis (MHV) was used. Results of the XRD and AFM analysis showed that with increasing of the annealing temperature, the size of the formed nanoparticles increase, and their growth takes place in three dimensions. Results of the micro Vickers analysis also showed that the increase of the annealing temperature up to 823 K would increase the hardness of the Au/Pd thin film, thereby improving its mechanical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Designing and preparing lightweight electromagnetic shielding materials at the micron level is crucial for aerospace and military applications. Vertical graphene nanowalls (VGNs) offer high efficiency for electromagnetic shielding due to attributes such as high carrier mobility, porosity, and low density. This study presents the preparation of ultra-thin VGNs/metal stacked films via plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) for VGNs, and combined electron beam evaporation (EBE) with cyclic PECVD for metal layers. The PECVD technique ensures homogeneity and controllable thickness of the VGNs. The experimental results demonstrate that the interface between the VGNs and the metal layer exhibits good interfacial contact, resulting in high carrier mobility. Furthermore, incorporating a metal layer with a thickness ratio of 10 % significantly enhances conductivity by an order of magnitude. The hybrid structures exhibit remarkable electromagnetic shielding effectiveness per unit thickness (∼5300 dB mm−1) evaluated in the X-band range (8–12 GHz). Stacked films as thin as 0.01 mm achieve up to 53.4 dB of electromagnetic shielding. Finite element simulations indicate that the presence of opposing electric fields at the graphene-metal interface contributes to higher ohmic loss. The coupling effect at the interface significantly contributes to the material's excellent electromagnetic shielding effectiveness. [Display omitted] • Ultrathin VGN/metal stacked structures were prepared by alternating EBE/PEVCD. • The addition of a metal layer greatly improved the conductivity of the structure. • The VGN/metal stacks exhibited 53.4 dB of EMI shielding efficiency in the X-band. • The EMI shielding efficiency per unit thickness of the stacks reached 5340 dB·mm−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]