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The high energy density advantage of lithium (Li) metal batteries (LMBs) makes them increasingly desirable; however, problems such as strong reactivity and dendrite growth of Li metal anode limit their practical uses. In this work, a novel Li‐containing glycerol (LiGL) or lithicone protection layer on a 50 μm thick Li metal anode is employed for improving the performance of LMBs. This LiGL layer was accurately deposited via a molecular layer deposition (MLD) process at 150 °C, using lithium tert‐butoxide and glycerol as precursors. The as‐formed LiGL coating layer is highly tunable in its thickness by simply adjusting MLD cycles and shows a good stability and outstanding ionic transport properties. The LiGL layer is found to effectively mitigate side reactions and enhance cycling stability in both symmetric cells and full cells. Specifically, the LMBs with LiGL@Li anode of 400 MLD cycles and LiNi0.6Mn0.2Co0.2O2 cathode enable a capacity retention of ≈87%, much higher than ≈35% of the cells with bare Li after 200 cycles at a charge/discharge current density of 2.1 mA cm−2. This work paves a feasible way for practical LMBs with improved capacity and stability through applying an innovative protection layer on Li metal anodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Next‐generation Li‐ion batteries are expected to exhibit superior energy and power density, along with extended cycle life. Ni‐rich high‐capacity layered nickel manganese cobalt oxide electrode materials (NMC) hold promise in achieving these objectives, despite facing challenges such as capacity fade due to various degradation modes. Crack formation within NMC‐based cathode secondary particles, leading to parasitic reactions and the formation of inactive crystal structures, is a critical degradation mechanism. Mechanical and chemical degradation further deteriorate capacity and lifetime. To mitigate these issues, an artificial cathode electrolyte interphase can be applied to the active material before battery cycling. While atomic layer deposition (ALD) has been extensively explored for active material coatings, molecular layer deposition (MLD) offers a complementary approach. When combined with ALD, MLD enables the deposition of flexible hybrid coatings that can accommodate electrode material volume changes during battery operation. This study focuses on depositing TiO2‐titanium terephthalate thin films on a LiNi0.8Mn0.1Co0.1O2 electrode via ALD‐MLD. The electrochemical evaluation demonstrates favorable lithium‐ion kinetics and reduced electrolyte decomposition. Overall, the films deposited through ALD‐MLD exhibit promising features as flexible and protective coatings for high‐energy lithium‐ion battery electrodes, offering potential contributions to the enhancement of advanced battery technologies and supporting the growth of the EV and stationary battery industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A fluorine-rich inorganic–organic hybrid coating (AlFHQ) is deposited onto Si anodes by MLD. • The interactions the between Li+ and organic groups help construct a mechanically-chemically robust LiF-rich hybrid SEI. • High-efficiency Li+ diffusion dynamics in the SEI is confirmed. • The optimized electrode enables commercial level areal capacity and stable cycling performance. Silicon anodes deliver batteries with energy densities much higher than those based on today's dominant graphite anodes. However, they commonly exhibit huge volume variations and unfavorable interface stability, causing a gradually diminishing capacity on extended cycling. Most Si-based batteries consisting Si/C composites in industry can only use a very limited amount of Si (<30 % by weight). Exploiting molecular layer deposition (MLD) technique, a fluorine-rich flexible inorganic–organic hybrid alucone (AlFHQ) shell is controllably deposited onto Si electrodes. Employing ex situ XPS and AFM, the AlFHQ film presents reversible electrochemical evolutions in terms of composition and morphology. The interactions the between Li+ and −O−2,3,5,6-fluorobenzene functional groups help to construct a mechanically-chemically robust LiF-rich hybrid solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) on Si anode, delivering enhanced interfacial stability and integrity of electrode. An optimized coating thickness (≈5 nm) for interfacial stabilization and Li+ transport kinetics is demonstrated, namely, Si@AlFHQ-20. The reported fluorine-rich hybrid modification technique endows (a), stable cycling of Si anode (≈3.8 mAh cm−2) with an ultrahigh initial Coulombic efficiency (ICE) of 92.3 %; (b), enhanced rate capability of 1468 mAh/g at 2.0 A g−1 and good cycling performance; and (c), overall cell (Si@AlFHQ-20//LiCoO 2 @Al 2 O 3) operational stability for more than 100 cycles under stringent cathode conditions (2.68 mAh cm−2, high cutoff voltage at 4.55 V). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brain-inspired neuromorphic computing systems fueled the emergence of memristor-based artificial synapses, however, conventional silicon-based devices restricted their usage in the wearable field because of their difficulty in bending. To tackle the above challenge, a vertically structured flexible memristor with aluminum-based hydroquinone organic–inorganic hybrid film and Al2O3 as the functional layer, ITO and Pt as the bottom and top electrodes, and PET as the substrate has been developed utilizing molecular/atomic layer deposition to achieve a tradeoff between the resistive transition properties and the flexibility of memristors. The obtained devices combine stable resistive switching behavior and flexibility, showing high switching ratio of 103, better retention (up to 105 s) and endurance properties (up to 104 cycles), and robustness at radius of curvature of 4.5 mm after 104 bending cycles. Furthermore, the presence of multilevel resistive states in these devices ensures that the memristor can emulate synaptic properties such as paired-pulse facilitation, transition from short-term plasticity to long-term plasticity, long-term potentiation and depression, and spike-time-dependent plasticity. The resistive switching mechanism and the role of the bending state on the electrical performance of the device are explored. The fully connected artificial neural network based on the memristor can achieve a recognition accuracy of 90.2% for handwritten digits after training and learning. Flexible memristor will bring feasible advances to the integration of neuromorphic computing and wearable functionality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fabrication of thin films is the most crucial step in introducing promising new materials into practical devices. Among the various materials, metal–organic framework (MOF) thin films have gained widespread attention with the advantage of diverse applications. In this review, two representative vapor‐phase synthetic methods, (1) molecular layer deposition (MLD), (2) chemical vapor deposition (CVD) are addressed as emerging techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high energy density advantage of lithium (Li) metal batteries (LMBs) makes them increasingly desirable; however, problems such as strong reactivity and dendrite growth of Li metal anode limit their practical uses. In this work, a novel Li‐containing glycerol (LiGL) or lithicone protection layer on a 50 μm thick Li metal anode is employed for improving the performance of LMBs. This LiGL layer was accurately deposited via a molecular layer deposition (MLD) process at 150 °C, using lithium tert‐butoxide and glycerol as precursors. The as‐formed LiGL coating layer is highly tunable in its thickness by simply adjusting MLD cycles and shows a good stability and outstanding ionic transport properties. The LiGL layer is found to effectively mitigate side reactions and enhance cycling stability in both symmetric cells and full cells. Specifically, the LMBs with LiGL@Li anode of 400 MLD cycles and LiNi0.6Mn0.2Co0.2O2 cathode enable a capacity retention of ≈87%, much higher than ≈35% of the cells with bare Li after 200 cycles at a charge/discharge current density of 2.1 mA cm−2. This work paves a feasible way for practical LMBs with improved capacity and stability through applying an innovative protection layer on Li metal anodes.

Nanoscale hybrid inorganic–organic multilayers are attractive for accessing emergent phenomena and properties through superposition of nanomolecularly-induced interface effects for diverse applications. Here, we demonstrate the effects of interfacial molecular nanolayers (MNLs) of organo-diphosphonates on the growth and stability of titania nanolayers during the synthesis of titania/MNL multilayers by sequential atomic layer deposition and single-cycle molecular layer deposition. Interfacial organo-diphosphonate MNLs result in ∼20–40% slower growth of amorphous titania nanolayers and inhibit anatase nanocrystal formation from them when compared to amorphous titania grown without MNLs. Both these effects are more pronounced in multilayers with aliphatic backbone-MNLs and likely related to impurity incorporation and incomplete reduction of the titania precursor indicated by our spectroscopic analyses. In contrast, both MNLs result in two-fold higher titania nanolayer roughness, suggesting that roughening is primarily due to MNL bonding chemistry. Such MNL-induced effects on inorganic nanolayer growth rate, roughening, and stability are germane to realizing high-interface-fraction hybrid nanolaminate multilayers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivated by the drawbacks of solution phase processing, an all‐dry resist formation process is presented that utilizes amorphous zinc‐imidazolate (aZnMIm) films deposited by atomic/molecular layer deposition (ALD/MLD), patterned with electron beam lithography (EBL), and developed by novel low temperature (120 °C) gas phase etching using 1,1,1,5,5,5‐hexafluoroacetylacetone (hfacH) to achieve well‐resolved 22 nm lines with a pitch of 30 nm. The effects of electron beam irradiation on the chemical structure and hfacH etch resistance of aZnMIm films are investigated, and it is found that electron irradiation degrades the 2‐methylimidazolate ligands and transforms aZnMIm into a more dense material that is resistant to etching by hfacH and has a C:N:Zn ratio effectively identical to that of unmodified aZnMIm. These findings showcase the potential for aZnMIm films to function in a dry resist technology. Sensitivity, contrast, and critical dimensions of the patterns are determined to be 37 mC cm−2, 0.87, and 29 nm, respectively, for aZnMIm deposited on silicon substrates and patterned at 30 keV. This work introduces a new direction for solvent‐free resist processing, offering the prospect of scalable, high‐resolution patterning techniques for advanced semiconductor fabrication processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Chemically modified silica is widely used as a reinforcing filler in elastomers. The modification is generally done in situ while preparing the rubber. However, in order to increase the efficiency and facilitate the mixing process, the silica can be pre-treated by a 2-step molecular layer deposition. The precursors for the modification are 3-mercaptopropyl-triethoxysilane (MPTES) and octanoyl chloride (OC) to react with MPTES and form a blocked silane. The precipitated silica nanofiller was successfully treated with MPTES and showed a self-limiting behavior: saturation occurred at 2.7%. Furthermore, DRIFTS (diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy) analysis confirmed the successful deposition of MPTES on the silica surface by showing the -SH peak that appeared after the reaction of MPTES and silica. In the second step, OC was introduced to form a thioester on the surface of the MPTES-treated silica, controlling the reactivity of the mercapto group from MPTES by blocking it to prevent a negative influence on the processing behavior of the rubber. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analytical results confirmed the deposition of the blocked mercapto silane on the silica. TGA results demonstrated the self-limiting behavior of OC, and DRIFTS and XPS proved the thioester formation. A thioester peak after the 2nd reaction step with OC appeared. At the same time, the disappearance of the -SH signal from the MPTES was observed, indicating the formation of the blocked mercapto silane structure. Transmission electron microscopy results showed that the treated silica has a well-distributed carbon and sulfur deposition after MPTES/OC treatment.

Polysulfone (PSF) is one of the most used polymers for water treatment membranes, but its intrinsic hydrophobicity can be detrimental to the membranes' performances. By modifying a membrane's surface, it is possible to adapt its physicochemical properties and thus tune the membrane's hydrophilicity or porosity, which can achieve improved permeability and antifouling efficiency. Atomic layer deposition (ALD) stands as a distinctive technology offering exceedingly even and uniform layers of coatings, like oxides that cover the surfaces of objects with three-dimensional (3D) shapes, porous structures, and particles. In the context of this study, the focus was on titanium dioxide (TiO2), zinc oxide (ZnO), and alumina (Al2O3), which were deposited on polysulfone hollow fiber (HF) membranes via ALD using TiCl4, diethyl zinc (DEZ), and trimethylamine (TMA), respectively, and H2O as precursors. The morphology and mechanical properties of membranes were changed without damaging their performances. The deposition was confirmed mainly by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). All depositions offered great performances with a maintained permeability and BSA retention and a 20 to 40° lower water contact angle (WCA) than the raw PSF HF membrane. The deposition of TiO2 offered the best results, showing an enhancement of 50% for the water permeability and 20% for the fouling resistance of the PSF HF membranes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the vapor deposition of zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) has gained high attraction due to its good scalability, conformality, and thickness control. The present study provides new fundamental insights regarding the vapor deposition of ZIF-8 from zinc oxide (ZnO). During synthesis, ZnO thin films with different percentages of open porosity (14.5%–24%) were subjected to a 2-methylimidazole vapor for different conversion times (20 min–24 h). For the first time, the impact of the porosity of ZnO thin films onto the converted ZIF-8 is investigated. Grazing incidence X-ray diffraction reveals randomly oriented crystallites of ZIF-8, which already appear after 20 min of conversion. The thickness, roughness, and average particle height of the ZIF-8 layers increase with the conversion time, reaching values up to (172 ± 20) nm, (29 ± 3) nm, and (113 ± 8) nm, respectively, for ZIF-8 obtained from ZnO with 14.5% open porosity. At long conversion times (i.e., 24 h), the results hint at greater precursor porosities resulting in lower thicknesses of ZIF-8, as the thickness, roughness, and average particle height for ZIF-8 obtained from 24%-porous ZnO show values of (132 ± 20) nm, (25 ± 3) nm and (80 ± 8) nm, respectively. Additionally, the potential of the ZIF-8 layers as a photocatalyst for the degradation of the organic dye methylene blue was studied. The ZIF-8 enhances the degradation by approximately 8% when compared to degradation without a photocatalyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium metal anodes suffer from low Coulombic efficiency and dendritic growth owing to an unstable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI), which limit the practical applications of lithium metal anodes. Here, zincone (ZnHQ) is conformally fabricated on 3D copper nanowires (CuNWs) via a molecular layer deposition (MLD) technology. Upon polarization, the terminal oxygen of ZnHQ serves as a strong nucleophilic agent to attack Li bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide, yielding a LiF‐rich SEI. This SEI facilitates the Li transport, shuts off the electron conduction, and inhibits the growth of lithium dendrites. In addition, the zinc atoms of ZnHQ induce favorable Li deposition owing to their lithiophilicity. These advantages enabled by MLD make the ZnHQ‐modified CuNW (CuNW@ZnHQ) an ideal Li metal anode, which demonstrates excellent cyclability. A symmetrical cell of CuNW@ZnHQ shows high cycling stability for more than 7000 h at the current density of 1 mA cm−2. When pairing with a Ni/Co/Mn ternary oxide cathode (NCM523), the resultant CuNW@ZnHQ||NCM full cell is cycled for 1000 cycles with a 90% capacity retention at an areal capacity of 3.2 mAh cm−2. The MLD technology brings new opportunities for next‐generation high‐energy Li metal batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the deposition of pyrrone thin film materials by molecular layer deposition (MLD) is reported for the first time using pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA) and 3,3'‐diaminobenzidine (DAB) as monomers, and ozone as a promoting precursor. Besides ozone, the effect of water, hydrogen peroxide, and oxygen is also tested to promote the growth of MLD thin films. Ozone as a strong oxidant is the best reactant in this process. Two precursor pulsing sequences are tested and both result in pyrrone films. With the DAB+O3+PMDA sequence, growth per cycle (GPC) of 1.2 Å is obtained at 250–300 °C, whereas with the DAB+PMDA+O3 sequence, GPC of 1.5 Å is obtained. When only DAB and O3 are used, indamine films with GPC of 1.0 Å are obtained. The films are characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy. Chemical, thermal, and electrical properties of the films are also investigated. The films are stable in acidic and basic solutions and organic solvents, and they withstand 300 °C when annealed in air. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In this paper, the deposition of pyrrone thin film materials by molecular layer deposition (MLD) is reported for the first time using pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA) and 3,3'‐diaminobenzidine (DAB) as monomers, and ozone as a promoting precursor. Besides ozone, the effect of water, hydrogen peroxide, and oxygen is also tested to promote the growth of MLD thin films. Ozone as a strong oxidant is the best reactant in this process. Two precursor pulsing sequences are tested and both result in pyrrone films. With the DAB+O3+PMDA sequence, growth per cycle (GPC) of 1.2 Å is obtained at 250–300 °C, whereas with the DAB+PMDA+O3 sequence, GPC of 1.5 Å is obtained. When only DAB and O3 are used, indamine films with GPC of 1.0 Å are obtained. The films are characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy. Chemical, thermal, and electrical properties of the films are also investigated. The films are stable in acidic and basic solutions and organic solvents, and they withstand 300 °C when annealed in air.

As one of the most promising candidates for next‐generation high‐energy storage systems, all‐solid‐state lithium batteries (ASSLBs) including the bulk‐type and thin‐film‐type configurations have attracted great attention currently. The rational construction of the electrodes and electrolytes, as well as well‐controlled interface modification, are indispensable for realizing the practical application of ASSLBs. In recent decades, atomic layer deposition (ALD) and molecular layer deposition techniques (MLD) have been widely applied as powerful tools to achieve the accurate control of atomic/molecular thickness and composition adjustment of the thin protective layers or electrodes. Owing to the unique features, ALD/MLD techniques show great potential in manipulation of interfacial properties and constructing novel electrode structures in the research of ASSLBs. In this review, we highlight the recent progress in the developments and applications of ALD/MLD techniques in ASSLBs, including the interface modification for both cathodes and lithium metal anodes in bulk‐type ASSLBs, and the preparation of electrodes and solid electrolytes in thin‐film type batteries. In addition, an overview of the existing challenges and the application prospects of ALD/MLD in ASSLBs are also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium metal (Li) is commonly regarded as the "holy grail" of rechargeable batteries and can serve as anodes for constituting various high-energy lithium metal batteries (LMBs). However, it suffers from two notorious issues: (1) continuous formation of inhomogeneous solid electrolyte interphase and (2) Li dendritic growth. In this study, we developed a novel polymeric lithicone via a new molecular layer deposition (MLD) process, using lithium tert -butoxide (LTB) and hydroquinone (HQ) as precursors. We revealed that such an MLD process enabled the resultant LiHQ to grow linearly in a highly controllable and cyclic mode at a growth rate of 4 Å cycle−1. Furthermore, its low process deposition temperature of 150 °C made it possible to practice high-quality coatings over Li anodes directly. We demonstrated that, very compellingly, this LiHQ coating could protect Li anodes from corrosion and dendritic growth. As a consequence, this LiHQ coating has enabled Li||Li symmetric cells an extremely long cyclability up to 8000 Li-plating/stripping cycles without failure. More excitingly, we demonstrated that, coupled with LiNi 0.8 Mn 0.1 Co 0.1 O 2 (NMC811) cathodes, the LiHQ-modified Li anodes could help the resultant Li||NMC811 realize a much better capacity retention and much longer cyclability. Thus, this study represents a strategic route for developing commercializeable LMBs. [Display omitted] • Molecular layer deposition is used for developing a novel polymeric lithium-containing hydroquinone. • This polymeric lithicone is electronically insulating and ionically conductive. • This lithicone coating can well protect lithium metal from corrosion and lithium dendritic growth. • This study paves a new pathway for tackling the issues of lithium metal anodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Semiconductor devices have become smaller, more complicated, and structuralized in three dimensions. Area selective deposition is one of the promising bottom‐up process techniques for self‐alignment or improved overlay to achieve errorless alignment. The surface chemistry is crucial to adjust precursor adsorption. In this research, graphitic carbon fabricated by molecular layer deposition is utilized for inhibiting precursor adsorption. An indicone film, which has an indium‐based metalcone structure, is fabricated using bis(trimethysily)‐amidodiethylindium and hydroquinone. The structure of the indicone film is reconstructed to graphitic carbon with a small oxygen content on the surface by a thermal annealing process. The atomic structures of as‐dep and thermally‐annealed indicone films are analyzed. The organic structure is transformed to graphitic carbon above an annealing temperature of 450 °C, where indium is completely removed with annealing temperatures above 600 °C. The thermally‐annealed indicone is used for deactivating film growth, which can delay 60 cycles of ZnO growth (equivalent to a thickness of ≈11 nm). In addition, to energetically demonstrate precursor adsorption on graphitic carbon, the density functional theory is utilized. Finally, ZnO as a blocking layer is selectively deposited on a grated line pattern to interconnect the SiO2 line pattern by transferring a hard mask. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optimizing the interactions between the matrix and reinforcement components is key to attaining high-performance composite materials. Yet, balancing the reinforcing–matrix phase interactions for synthetic composites remains a great challenge. Here, a combined methodology using molecular and atomic layer deposition (M/ALD) is demonstrated for tailoring carbon nanotube (CNT) interfacial interactions, yielding high-performance-reinforced polymer composites. CNT mats are used as a model system to systematically study the molecular details as they do not involve powder processing and other aspects which obscure the understanding of molecular level effects. Noncovalent attachment of the M/ALD layer at the interface allows good wetting of the CNTs, provides an effective means for stress dissipation without compromising the CNTs' Csp2–Csp2 network which remains intact, while introducing amine functionalities to facilitate the cross-linking polymer matrix (epoxy). M/ALD-modified CNT mat–epoxy composites showed an increase in the maximal tensile strength and toughness of up to 32 and 247%, respectively. These findings may pave the way to systematically develop high CNT loading composites as well as other nano-reinforced composite systems showing both high strength and toughness as well as numerous other desirable properties related to nanomaterial composites in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porous zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films were synthesized via the calcination of molecular layer-deposited (MLD) "zincone" layers. The effect of the MLD process temperature (110 °C, 125 °C) and of the calcination temperature (340 °C, 400 °C, 500 °C) on the chemical, morphological, and crystallographic properties of the resulting ZnO was thoroughly investigated. Spectroscopic ellipsometry reveals that the thickness of the calcinated layers depends on the MLD temperature, resulting in 38–43% and 52–56% of remaining thickness for the 110 °C and 125 °C samples, respectively. Ellipsometric porosimetry shows that the open porosity of the ZnO thin films depends on the calcination temperature as well as on the MLD process temperature. The maximum open porosity of ZnO derived from zincone deposited at 110 °C ranges from 14.5% to 24%, rising with increasing calcination temperature. Compared with the 110 °C samples, the ZnO obtained from 125 °C zincone yields a higher porosity for low calcination temperatures, namely 18% for calcination at 340 °C; and up to 24% for calcination at 500 °C. Additionally, the porous ZnO thin films were subjected to piezoelectric measurements. The piezoelectric coefficient, d33, was determined to be 2.8 pC/N, demonstrating the potential of the porous ZnO as an, e.g., piezoelectric sensor or energy harvester. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alkali metals (lithium, sodium, and potassium) are promising as anodes in emerging rechargeable batteries, ascribed to their high capacity or abundance. Two commonly experienced issues, however, have hindered them from commercialization: the dendritic growth of alkali metals during plating and the formation of solid electrolyte interphase due to contact with liquid electrolytes. Many technical strategies have been developed for addressing these two issues in the past decades. Among them, atomic and molecular layer deposition (ALD and MLD) have been drawing more and more efforts, owing to a series of their unique capabilities. ALD and MLD enable a variety of inorganic, organic, and even inorganic-organic hybrid materials, featuring accurate nanoscale controllability, low process temperature, and extremely uniform and conformal coverage. Consequently, ALD and MLD have paved a novel route for tackling the issues of alkali metal anodes. In this review, we have made a thorough survey on surface coatings via ALD and MLD, and comparatively analyzed their effects on improving the safety and stability of alkali metal anodes. We expect that this article will help boost more efforts in exploring advanced surface coatings via ALD and MLD to successfully mitigate the issues of alkali metal anodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polysulfone (PSF) is one of the most used polymers for water treatment membranes, but its intrinsic hydrophobicity can be detrimental to the membranes’ performances. By modifying a membrane’s surface, it is possible to adapt its physicochemical properties and thus tune the membrane’s hydrophilicity or porosity, which can achieve improved permeability and antifouling efficiency. Atomic layer deposition (ALD) stands as a distinctive technology offering exceedingly even and uniform layers of coatings, like oxides that cover the surfaces of objects with three-dimensional (3D) shapes, porous structures, and particles. In the context of this study, the focus was on titanium dioxide (TiO2), zinc oxide (ZnO), and alumina (Al2O3), which were deposited on polysulfone hollow fiber (HF) membranes via ALD using TiCl4, diethyl zinc (DEZ), and trimethylamine (TMA), respectively, and H2O as precursors. The morphology and mechanical properties of membranes were changed without damaging their performances. The deposition was confirmed mainly by energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). All depositions offered great performances with a maintained permeability and BSA retention and a 20 to 40° lower water contact angle (WCA) than the raw PSF HF membrane. The deposition of TiO2 offered the best results, showing an enhancement of 50% for the water permeability and 20% for the fouling resistance of the PSF HF membranes.

This study directly compares the mechanical behavior of novel molecular layer deposition (MLD) and analogous interfacial polymerization (IP) polyamide thin films in environments relevant to reverse osmosis (RO) membrane operation. The elastic modulus of the films was determined using atomic force microscopy (AFM) in dry, hydrated, and chlorinated states. Surface roughness characteristics were also obtained given their potential influence on AFM modulus measurements. The much smoother MLD films demonstrated a statistically higher modulus in all states as compared to their IP counterparts. The MLD films maintained a modulus ∼3X and ∼5X greater than that of IP films after hydration and chlorination, respectively. Such differences in behavior may be due to the higher density and correspondingly lower void content of the MLD films. Results from this study provide a rationale for future development of MLD for fabrication of polyamide films for incorporation in RO membranes. [Display omitted] • Novel polyamide thin films were fabricated by molecular layer deposition (MLD). • Physical and mechanical characteristics of MLD films were compared to interfacially polymerized (IP) films of similar thickness. • Elastic modulus and RMS roughness were measured using atomic force microscopy. • Modulus was measured in dry, hydrated, and chlorinated conditions. • MLD films were much smoother and had a statistically greater modulus as compared to IP films in all conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Permeable, selective, and stable polymeric membranes are essential for efficient molecular separation in organic solvents. Polymers of intrinsic microporosity (PIMs) with rigid and twisted chain structures offer abundant pores for high solvent permeability and are emerging as an ideal membrane material. However, guaranteeing high separation selectivity and stability is challenging owing to the wide pore size distribution and low swelling resistance in organic solvents. In this work, we developed intrinsically ultramicroporous polyamides (PAs) with cardo-pendant groups to create crosslinking, ultrathin, and defect-free nanofilms for organic solvent nanofiltration. The molecular simulation confirmed the pivotal role of cardo-pendant group structures in the amine monomers and exhibited their effect in creating pore channel structures within the PAs. Distinctive rigid fluorenyl-based cardo-pendant groups were introduced in amine monomers to finely tailor the packing of PA chains for high ultramicroporosity and a finely tuned pore size. We further achieved the growth of such PAs using a cyclic deposition strategy, in-situ generating highly crosslinking nanofilms with an ultralow thickness of 23–36 nm without structure relaxation. As such, the typically-designed PA membranes demonstrated high and stable solvent permeance (e.g., 18 L m−2 h−1 bar−1 for methanol) and high solute rejection (up to 95 % rejection of 306 Da Azure I), which is superior to its counterparts and current PIM membranes, presenting a new perspective for efficient organic solvent nanofiltration. [Display omitted] • Three polyamides with porous structures were designed for OSN membranes. • Cardo pendant groups led to tailored pore structure and higher porosity. • Solvent permeation was improved while maintaining similar rejection precision. • Molecular simulation-assisted structure design accelerated membrane exploitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Innovatively combining functions of the transparent electrode and encapsulation layer by cutting-edge hybrid superlattice structure of ZnO and self-assembled monolayers. • Exceptional electrical conductivity achieved through optimal amorphous/crystalline phase-composite engineering in the ZnO nanolayers. • Effective moisture barrier enhancement under harsh environment condition by the coupling of periodic organic layers. Transparent electrodes and passivation layers find extensive application in optoelectronic devices such as light-emitting diodes, solar cell. Integrating transparent conductive and gas diffusion barrier layers into a unified component holds promise for enhancing device performance and cost-effectiveness. However, research on these dual-function materials remains relatively scarce. Here, we introduce an innovative hybrid superlattice composed of ZnO and self-assembled monolayers, designed to function simultaneously as transparent conductive and gas diffusion barrier. Fabricated using low-temperature atomic layer deposition and molecular layer deposition techniques, the hybrid superlattice exhibited robust electric conductivity (surpassing 1400 S cm-1), exceptional moisture barrier characteristics (water vapor transmission rate < 4 × 10-7 g m-2 day-1), and remarkable flexibility. We systematically investigated the significant electrical improvement, attributing it to the formation of a well-defined amorphous/crystalline phase-composite structure in the ZnO nanolayer. Moreover, the organic layers in the superlattice enhance resilience against environmental degradation and mechanical deformation by forming a multilayered structure that effectively decouples defects in the underlying layers. These compelling features position the hybrid superlattice as a promising candidate for transparent conductive gas diffusion barriers, with diverse applications in emerging optoelectronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The deposition of polybenzimidazole (PBI)‐like thin films by molecular layer deposition is reported here for the first time using isophthalic acid (IPA) and 3,3′‐diaminobenzidine (DAB) as monomers and trimethylaluminum (TMA) as a linker precursor. Two precursor pulsing sequences are tested, the ABCB (TMA + IPA + DAB + IPA) and ABC (TMA + IPA + DAB) type MLD processes result in different types of PBI‐like films. With the ABCB sequence thin film growth per cycle (GPC) of 6.0 Å is obtained at 225–280 °C, whereas GPC of 7.0 Å is obtained with the ABC sequence. Films are characterized in detail by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, time‐of‐flight elastic recoil detection analysis, and atomic force microscopy. The films have good thermal stability and withstand annealing at 400 °C in both air and nitrogen. PBI nanostructures are prepared by depositing PBI‐like film on electroblown polyvinylpyrrolidone fibers and removing the template fibers by annealing or dissolution into ethanol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable processes for purifying water, capturing carbon, producing biofuels, operating fuel cells, and performing energy-efficient industrial separations will require next-generation membranes. Solvent-less fabrication for membranes not only eliminates potential environmental issues with organic solvents, but also solves the swelling problems that occur with delicate polymer substrates. Furthermore, the activation procedures often required for synthesizing microporous materials such as metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) can be reduced when solvent-less vapor-phase approaches are employed. This perspective covers several vacuum deposition processes, including initiated chemical vapor deposition (iCVD), initiated plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (iPECVD), solvent-less vapor deposition followed by in situ polymerization (SLIP), atomic layer deposition (ALD), and molecular layer deposition (MLD). These solvent-less vapor-phase methods are powerful in creating ultrathin selective layers for thin-film composite membranes and advantageous in conformally coating nanoscale pores for the precise modification of pore size and internal functionalities. The resulting membranes have shown promising performance for gas separation, nanofiltration, desalination, and water/oil separation. Further development of novel membrane materials and the scaling up of high-throughput reactors for solvent-less vapor-phase processes are necessary in order to make a real impact on the chemical industry in the future.

Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) battery is a promising high energy storage candidate in electric vehicles. However, the commonly employed ether based electrolyte does not enable to realize safe high-temperature Li-S batteries due to the low boiling and flash temperatures. Traditional carbonate based electrolyte obtains safe physical properties at high temperature but does not complete reversible electrochemical reaction for most Li-S batteries. Here we realize safe high temperature Li-S batteries on universal carbon-sulfur electrodes by molecular layer deposited (MLD) alucone coating. Sulfur cathodes with MLD coating complete the reversible electrochemical process in carbonate electrolyte and exhibit a safe and ultrastable cycle life at high temperature, which promise practicable Li-S batteries for electric vehicles and other large-scale energy storage systems.

To address the inherent brittleness of conventional transparent conductive oxides, researchers have focused on enhancing their flexibility. This is achieved by incorporating organic films to construct organic-inorganic hybrid layer-by-layer nanostructures, where the interlayer thickness and interface play pivotal roles in determining the properties. These factors are contingent on the type of material, processing conditions, and specific application requirements, making it essential to select the appropriate conditions. In this study, ZnO-zincone nanolaminate thin films were fabricated using atomic layer deposition and molecular layer deposition in various structural configurations. Transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy were used to conduct a thorough analysis of the thin-film growth and structural transformations resulting from the deposition conditions. Furthermore, the influence of structural differences at the interfaces on the mechanical properties of the films was investigated by employing both tensile and compression-bending fatigue tests. This comprehensive examination reveals noteworthy variations in the mechanical responses of the films. Thin films characterized by internal porosity and an intermixed amorphous structure demonstrated enhanced compressive toughness, whereas rigid organic layers improved flexibility. These findings offer valuable insights into the development of flexible, transparent multilayer films.

Extracting the theoretically high capacity of LiCoO2 (LCO) is desirable for enhancing the energy density of currently used lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) for portable devices. The bottleneck for exhibiting the high capacity is associated with the limited cut‐off positive voltages beyond which degradation of electrode/electrolyte takes place. In this work, we apply hybrid organic‐inorganic alucone thin film grown directly on LCO by a molecular layer deposition (MLD) method, using sequential exposure to Al‐based and organic‐based precursors. The alucone thin films enabled the high voltage operation of the LCO cathode (>4.5 V), acting as a protection layer. Electrochemical studies proved that alucone coated LCO show enhanced electrochemical performances with improved cycling stability and enhanced specific capacity, relative to uncoated LCO. Amongst the studied films, 10 nm ethylene glycol/Al coated LCO have shown the best results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Graphene-based materials with porous microstructure have attracted immense attentions due to their wide application in microwave absorption. However, constructing magnetic film with both porous microstructure and uniform pore size by using traditional methods still remains a challenge. To overcome this problem, we reported a facile strategy of molecular layer deposition (MLD) for successfully fabrication of the hybrid-architecture of porous graphene foams and nitrogen-doped porous Fe 2 O 3 films. The surfaces of porous graphene foams are uniformly covered by porous Fe 2 O 3 films without aggregation and the pore structures are widely distributed. The porous graphene-based composites exhibit remarkably enhanced microwave absorption performance compared to the pristine graphene foams. The minimum reflection loss value is increased by approximately 8 times, reaching −64.36 dB with a thickness of only 2.18 mm. More importantly, the absorption property can be precisely modulated by tuning the MLD cycle numbers and effective absorption bandwidth covers 3.04–18.0 GHz by adjusting the thickness from 1.0 to 5.0 mm. This work provides new insights for exploring novel and high-performance graphene-based microwave absorbents and offers a new idea to rationally design three-dimensional composites with porous magnetic films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porous zinc oxide (ZnO) thin films were synthesized via the calcination of molecular layer-deposited (MLD) “zincone” layers. The effect of the MLD process temperature (110 °C, 125 °C) and of the calcination temperature (340 °C, 400 °C, 500 °C) on the chemical, morphological, and crystallographic properties of the resulting ZnO was thoroughly investigated. Spectroscopic ellipsometry reveals that the thickness of the calcinated layers depends on the MLD temperature, resulting in 38–43% and 52–56% of remaining thickness for the 110 °C and 125 °C samples, respectively. Ellipsometric porosimetry shows that the open porosity of the ZnO thin films depends on the calcination temperature as well as on the MLD process temperature. The maximum open porosity of ZnO derived from zincone deposited at 110 °C ranges from 14.5% to 24%, rising with increasing calcination temperature. Compared with the 110 °C samples, the ZnO obtained from 125 °C zincone yields a higher porosity for low calcination temperatures, namely 18% for calcination at 340 °C; and up to 24% for calcination at 500 °C. Additionally, the porous ZnO thin films were subjected to piezoelectric measurements. The piezoelectric coefficient, d33, was determined to be 2.8 pC/N, demonstrating the potential of the porous ZnO as an, e.g., piezoelectric sensor or energy harvester.

Alkali metals (lithium, sodium, and potassium) are promising as anodes in emerging rechargeable batteries, ascribed to their high capacity or abundance. Two commonly experienced issues, however, have hindered them from commercialization: the dendritic growth of alkali metals during plating and the formation of solid electrolyte interphase due to contact with liquid electrolytes. Many technical strategies have been developed for addressing these two issues in the past decades. Among them, atomic and molecular layer deposition (ALD and MLD) have been drawing more and more efforts, owing to a series of their unique capabilities. ALD and MLD enable a variety of inorganic, organic, and even inorganic-organic hybrid materials, featuring accurate nanoscale controllability, low process temperature, and extremely uniform and conformal coverage. Consequently, ALD and MLD have paved a novel route for tackling the issues of alkali metal anodes. In this review, we have made a thorough survey on surface coatings via ALD and MLD, and comparatively analyzed their effects on improving the safety and stability of alkali metal anodes. We expect that this article will help boost more efforts in exploring advanced surface coatings via ALD and MLD to successfully mitigate the issues of alkali metal anodes.

Molecular layer deposition (MLD) of thin polyamide films was performed using 1,3,5-benzenetricarbonyltrichloride (trimesoyl chloride, TMC) and 1,2-ethylenediamine (EDA) as precursors at a temperature of 120°С. The growth rate at this temperature was 1.85 nm/cycle. In situ quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) study was used to determine the film growth behavior. QCM signal showed linear film growth with an increasing number of MLD cycles. Pyrolysis of MLD polyamide films on Si(111) was conducted at temperatures of 1100 and 1300°С and a pressure of 10−7 Torr. Thin heteroepitaxial films of β-SiC (3C–SiC) on the Si(111) were obtained as a result of a solid-phase reaction between Si and C at 1300°С. A variety of high-resolution spectroscopic techniques were used to determine the elemental composition and crystal structure of organic and ceramic films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new atomic/molecular layer deposition processes for depositing crystalline metal‐organic thin films, built from 1,4‐benzenedisulfonate (BDS) as the organic linker and Cu or Li as the metal node, are reported. The processes yield in‐situ crystalline but hydrated Cu‐BDS and Li‐BDS films; in the former case, the crystal structure is of a previously known metal‐organic‐framework‐like structure, while in the latter case not known from previous studies. Both hydrated materials can be readily dried to obtain the crystalline unhydrated phases. The stability and the ionic conductivity of the unhydrated Li‐BDS films were characterized to assess their applicability as a thin film solid polymer Li‐ion conductor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • CMP films were successfully prepared in-situ on porous substrates using MLD. • CMP films could be produced with a highly controllable structure through MLD. • Changing deposition cycles allowed for precise tuning of the perm-selectivity of CMP membranes. • Low deposition temperature enabled deposition of extensive CMP films on polymeric substrates. Conjugated microporous polymers (CMPs) have great potential in membrane separation for their intrinsic microporosity and outstanding stability. Unfortunately, most CMPs are insoluble and infusible, thus it is very challenging to prepare CMPs membranes through conventional strategies. Herein, we report the molecular layer deposition (MLD) strategy to synthesize CMP thin films and their outstanding molecular sieving performances as nanofiltration membranes. Thanks to the gas-phase self-limiting reactions between volatile monomers during MLD, defect-free and large-area CMP thin films are deposited on porous substrates. The thickness of the CMP films is precisely tuned by the repeating MLD cycle numbers, and 100 MLD cycles result in a CMP thin film with the thickness of ∼ 70 nm. The as-prepared composite membranes with the deposited MLD thin films as the selective layers exhibit superior molecular sieving properties with a permeance up to 134 L m-2h−1 bar−1, outperforming other CMP membranes. In addition, the perm-selectivity of CMP membranes can be easily tuned by changing MLD cycle numbers. We further demonstrate that, by optimizing the deposition process including selecting proper precursors, CMP thin films can be successfully MLD-deposited onto temperature-sensitive polymeric substrates with the size as large as 10 cm × 10 cm. This work shows the feasibility and great potential of MLD synthesis of CMP thin films, which opens new avenues not only for the synthesis of CMPs with highly controllable thickness, but also for the preparation of advanced membranes for diverse applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The design of multifunctional thin films holds the key to manipulate the surface and interface structure of the electrode and electrolyte in rechargeable batteries and achieve desirable performance for various applications. Molecular layer deposition (MLD) is an emerging thin-film technique with exclusive advantages of depositing hybrid organic-inorganic materials at a nanoscale level and with well tunable and unique properties that conventional thin films might not have. Herein, we provide a timely mini-review on the most recent progress in the surface chemistry and MLD process of novel hybrid organic-inorganic thin films and their applications as the anode, cathode, and solid electrolytes in lithium-ion batteries. Perspectives for future research in designing new MLD process and precursors, enriching MLD material library, and expanding their potential applications in other energy storage systems, are discussed at the end.

We present a comparative analysis of cathodoluminescence (CL) and electroluminescence (EL) spectra measured on Si–SiO2 and Si–Ta2O5 structures with various thicknesses of insulator layers. Spectral distribution of luminescence depends on how the insulator layer was formed, its thickness and type of excitation. The analysis indicates that CL and EL spectra of Si–SiO2 structures, grown by thermal oxidation of silicon in “dry” oxygen, are almost identical in spectral composition. Based on the dependence of intensity of the luminescence band with a maximum at energy of 2.2 eV, it was concluded that the corresponding luminescence centers are uniformly distributed over the oxide layer thickness in the range of 30–200 nm. It is assumed that these luminescence centers are oxygen vacancies formed during the thermal oxidation of silicon. In the case of Ta2O5 layers on silicon, the presence of defects (luminescence centers) in the oxide layer leads to the formation of a set of energy levels in the band gap of the Ta2O5 layers obtained by ALD. They appear in the luminescence spectra regardless of the excitation method.

Calcination of hybrid organic–inorganic Titanium-Ethylene Glycol (Ti-EG) thin films yield non-stoichiometric titania with deep valence band maximum (VBM) with down-shift of up to 450 meV relative to stoichiometric TiO2. We previously reported the enhanced photocatalytic (PC) reactivity of these materials by demonstrating direct photocatalytic production of H2O2 and high degradation rates of organic molecules (Ishchuk et al. in ACS Nano 6:7263–7269, 2012; Kaynan et al. in J Mater Chem A 2:13822–13826, 2014; Sarkar et al. in J Phys Chem C 120:3853–3862, 2016). Here we show that the down shift in VBM is related to strain effects at the metal oxide thin film originating from the calcination process. The deep VBM position, namely high oxidative potential of photogenerated holes allows the study of PC degradation reactions of challenging targets such as Benzoic Acids (BAs) in water and porphyrin monolayers. Systematic study of these systems as probe molecules provide insights regarding the electronic details, including the molecular details, such as ionization potentials, molecular dipoles, and charge densities at the molecular side, and molecule-oxide interactions in determining the overall PC process. The analyses provide insights regarding (i) the role of strain in attaining deep VB titania and, (ii) specific insights regarding PC degradation of relatively robust, high oxidation potential materials on metal oxide (MO) thin film catalysts. Deep-VB oxide materials may pave the way for attaining a promising strategy for extending the use of light energy for removal of organic pollutants and for photocatalysis in general. Specifically, deep VB titania is found to be effective in handling BAs, which is highly challenging due to their chemical robustness, high bio-recalcitrance, and high oxidation potentials making these compounds difficult to degrade by oxidative paths. This combination of properties leads to broad impact on water reservoirs in extensive areas. Therefore, there is an on-going drive to set strategies that utilize nontoxic materials with high degradation activities towards aromatic carboxylic acids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Coke and sinter-stable porous alucone coated Ni/SiO 2 catalyst for dry reforming of methane. • No formation of filamentous carbon under dry reforming conditions. • Molecular layer deposition of porous alucone layers. The dry reforming of methane (DRM) has been proposed as an efficient way to convert two greenhouse gases, namely CO 2 and CH 4 to syngas. However, most catalysts reported in the literature suffer from strong deactivation during the reforming reaction. The deactivation is caused by strong sintering of catalytically active nanoparticles and the formation of filamentous carbon. Herein a new synthesis procedure based on molecular layer deposition (MLD) is established to stabilize DRM catalysts under reaction conditions. Deactivation of a Ni/SiO 2 reference catalyst was prevented by forming a defined porous net-like over-layer, which prevents the sintering and detachment of Ni nanoparticles by filamentous carbon. The MLD approach was further compared to the formation of an overlayer by atomic layer deposition (ALD), demonstrating the advantages of MLD forming hybrid organic-inorganic alucone layers over classical alumina ALD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanostructured materials (NMs) are the materials with a microscopic structure of 1–100 nanometers. NMs can outperform their bulk counterparts, due to their reduced sizes. In terms of dimensionality, NMs can be classified into zero-dimension (0D), 1D, 2D, and 3D. Atomic and molecular layer deposition (i.e., ALD and MLD) are two unique techniques for fabricating and designing novel NMs, featuring their unique capabilities for material growth with excellent uniformity, unrivaled conformal coverage, and precise controllability at low temperature. As a result, a large variety of NMs by ALD and MLD have found applications in a wide range of areas. In this work, we focus on summarizing the strategies of ALD and MLD for various NMs and exemplify their applications in surface engineering and new energies.

All‐solid‐state metal batteries (ASSMBs) are attracting much attention due to their cost effectiveness, enhanced safety, room‐temperature performance and high theoretical specific capacity. However, the alkali metal anodes (such as Li and Na) are active enough to react with most solid‐state electrolytes (SSEs), leading to detrimental reactions at the metal–SSE interface. In this work, a molecular layer deposition (MLD) alucone film is employed to stabilize the active Na anode/electrolyte interface in the ASSMBs, limiting the decomposition of the sulfide‐based electrolytes (Na3SbS4 and Na3PS4) and Na dendrite growth. Such a strategy effectively improves the room‐temperature full battery performance as well as cycling stability for over 475 h in Na–Na symmetric cells. The modified interface is further characterized by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) depth profiling, which provides spatially resolved evidence of the synergistic effect between the dendrite‐suppressed sodiated alucone and the insulating unsodiated alucone. The coupled layers reinforce the protection of the Na metal/electrolyte interface. Therefore, alucone is identified as an effective and bifunctional coating material for the enhancement of the metal/electrolyte interfacial stability, paving the way for rapid development and wide application of high‐energy ASSMBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sodium ion batteries are a promising next‐generation energy storage device for large‐scale applications. However, the high voltage P2–O2 phase transition (>4.25 V vs Na/Na+) and metal dissolution of P2 layered cathodes into the electrolyte result in severe capacity fading, which is a major setback to fabricate high energy devices. Hence, it is essential to design an appropriate strategy to enhance interfacial behaviors to obtain safe and stable high voltage sodium ion batteries. Herein, an ultrathin alucone layer deposited through molecular layer deposition (MLD) is employed to stabilize the structure of a P2‐type layered cathode cycled at a high cut‐off voltage (>4.45 V) for the first time. The alucone coated P2‐type Na0.66Mn0.9Mg0.1O2 (NMM) cathode exhibits an 86% capacity retention after 100 cycles between 2 and 4.5 V at 1 C, demonstrating substantial improvement compared to pristine (65%) and Al2O3‐coated (71%) NMM cathodes. Furthermore, the mechanically robust and conductive nature of the organometallic thin film enhances the rate capability relative to the pristine NMM electrode. This work reveals that the MLD of alucone on cathodes is a promising approach to improve the cycle stability of sodium ion batteries at high cut‐off voltages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methyl‐terminated alucone films are prepared as a nucleation inducer by molecular layer deposition (MLD), increasing the surface free energy (SFE) to help the nucleation of Au electrodes. By controlling the surface groups of MLD alucone, the SFE of the films reach 93.8 dyne cm−1, which is significantly larger than the 75.94 dyne cm−1 of commonly used wetting layer ZnS. As a result, Au films deposited on this novel nucleation inducer show a layered growth at a thickness of 5 nm, and thus exhibit high photoelectric performance and a bending life of more than 1500 times. When this high‐performance electrode is applied in organic optoelectronic devices, current efficiency enhancement of 24.4% and 12.7% are achieved in organic light‐emitting devices (OLEDs) and flexible perovskite light‐emitting devices (PLEDs), respectively. Also, the flexible PLED maintains 96.4% of the initial luminance after 1000 bends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The possibility of using electroluminescence to study Si–Ta2O5 and Si–SiO2–Ta2O5 structures and obtain information on the electronic structure of the Ta2O5 layer and on the properties of the SiO2–Ta2O5 interface is shows. A model of the electronic structure of the Ta2O5 layer formed by molecular layer deposition is proposed, which explains the spectral distribution of luminescence independently of the method of its excitation. It is shown that the formation of a Ta2O5 layer on the surface of thermally oxidized silicon is accompanied by transformation in the near-surface SiO2 layer and by quenching of the luminescence band in the spectral region of 650 nm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of precursors on the growth of organic films has been studied intensively, but research on their binding energy‐dependent growth behaviors and surface properties has remained an undeveloped field. Herein, we conducted molecular layer deposition of zincone films on two metal oxide substrates, SiO2 and Al2O3, and investigated the binding energy‐dependent growth behaviors and surface properties of the films experimentally. We also performed density functional theory calculations to determine the molecular geometries and surface binding energies of the films on each substrate. We established that the growth and surface characteristics of the films in the initial stages of deposition were strongly influenced by their surface binding energies, which depended on the substrate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this letter, biologic synaptic functions of organic-inorganic hybrid memristors using novel Ti-based maleic acid (Ti-MA)/TiO2 ultrathin films have been demonstrated. The memristive functional layer consists of 4-nm Ti-MA and 4-nm TiO2, which was fabricated at 160° C by molecular layer deposition (MLD)/atomic layer deposition (ALD), respectively. A typical bipolar resistive switching characteristic has been confirmed in the TaN/Ti-MA/TiO2/Pt bilayer memristors with the space charge limited current model. Using different electrical pulse modules, several important biologic synaptic functions such as nonlinear transmission characteristics, short-/long-term plasticity, paired-pulse facilitation, and spike-timing-dependent plasticity have been achieved. The organic-inorganic hybrid memristors of ultrathin bilayer Ti-MA/TiO2 derived by low temperature MLD/ALD are attractive for neuromorphic simulation and flexible neuroscience applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]