Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
5.8
3.1
Journals
Materials
Special Issues
Atomic Layer Deposition: From Thin Films to Nanostructured Materials
materials-logo
Submit to Materials Review for Materials Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

► Journal Menu

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser
share announcement

Atomic Layer Deposition: From Thin Films to Nanostructured Materials

A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Thin Films and Interfaces".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 February 2024) | Viewed by 6350

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Mikhael Bechelany

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
European Institute of Membranes (IEM), University of Montpellier, 34090 Montpellier, France
Interests: atomic layer deposition; photocatalysis; electrospinning; nanomaterials; sensors; thin films
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Atomic layer deposition (ALD) is an ultrathin film deposition method. This technique allows the deposition of various materials (oxides, nitrides, metals, etc.) with a thickness control at the nanometric scale, as well as excellent uniformity and conformality.

The aim of this Special Issue is to assemble high-quality contributions on the deposition of thin films as well as the synthesis and modification of nanostructures using ALD. It will deal with the design of new thin films and nanostructures by tuning their morphology, geometry, crystallinity, and interfaces. The relation between these parameters and the physical–chemical properties will also be investigated. New applications in different fields, such as health, the environment, renewable energy, microelectronics, etc., will be also explored.

Relevant contributions related to prospective materials’ design, original materials’ properties, and innovative characterization techniques will also be considered.

Dr. Mikhael Bechelany
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Materials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • thin film
  • nanomaterial
  • interface
  • nanostructured material
  • porous materials
  • energy
  • health
  • environment
  • membrane

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (5 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

11 pages, 2166 KiB  
Article
Peculiarities of Electric and Dielectric Behavior of Ni- or Fe-Doped ZnO Thin Films Deposited by Atomic Layer Deposition
by Albena Paskaleva, Dencho Spassov, Blagoy Blagoev and Penka Terziyska
Materials 2024, 17(14), 3546; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17143546 - 18 Jul 2024
Viewed by 787
Abstract
The physical properties of ZnO can be tuned efficiently and controllably by doping with the proper element. Doping of ZnO thin films with 3D transition metals that have unpaired electron spins (e.g., Fe, Co, Ni, etc.) is of particular interest as it may [...] Read more.
The physical properties of ZnO can be tuned efficiently and controllably by doping with the proper element. Doping of ZnO thin films with 3D transition metals that have unpaired electron spins (e.g., Fe, Co, Ni, etc.) is of particular interest as it may enable magnetic phenomena in the layers. Atomic layer deposition (ALD) is the most advanced technique, which ensures high accuracy throughout the deposition process, producing uniform films with controllable composition and thickness, forming smooth and sharp interfaces. In this work, ALD was used to prepare Ni- or Fe-doped ZnO thin films. The dielectric and electrical properties of the films were studied by measuring the standard current–voltage (I–V), capacitance–voltage (C–V), and capacitance–frequency (C–f) characteristics at different temperatures. Spectral ellipsometry was used to assess the optical bandgap of the layers. We established that the dopant strongly affects the electric and dielectric behavior of the layers. The results provide evidence that different polarization mechanisms dominate the dielectric response of Ni- and Fe-doped films. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Atomic Layer Deposition: From Thin Films to Nanostructured Materials)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

11 pages, 7444 KiB  
Article
Zinc Oxide Nanostructure Deposition into Sub-5 nm Vertical Mesopores in Silica Hard Templates by Atomic Layer Deposition
by Tauqir Nasir, Yisong Han, Chris Blackman, Richard Beanland and Andrew L. Hector
Materials 2024, 17(10), 2272; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17102272 - 11 May 2024
Viewed by 793
Abstract
Nanostructures synthesised by hard-templating assisted methods are advantageous as they retain the size and morphology of the host templates which are vital characteristics for their intended applications. A number of techniques have been employed to deposit materials inside porous templates, such as electrodeposition, [...] Read more.
Nanostructures synthesised by hard-templating assisted methods are advantageous as they retain the size and morphology of the host templates which are vital characteristics for their intended applications. A number of techniques have been employed to deposit materials inside porous templates, such as electrodeposition, vapour deposition, lithography, melt and solution filling, but most of these efforts have been applied with pore sizes higher in the mesoporous regime or even larger. Here, we explore atomic layer deposition (ALD) as a method for nanostructure deposition into mesoporous hard templates consisting of mesoporous silica films with sub-5 nm pore diameters. The zinc oxide deposited into the films was characterised by small-angle X-ray scattering, X-ray diffraction and energy-dispersive X-ray analysis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Atomic Layer Deposition: From Thin Films to Nanostructured Materials)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

14 pages, 4624 KiB  
Article
Emerging Non-Noble-Metal Atomic Layer Deposited Copper as Seeds for Electroless Copper Deposition
by Zihong Gao, Chengli Zhang, Qiang Wang, Guanglong Xu, Guoyou Gan and Hongliang Zhang
Materials 2024, 17(7), 1620; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17071620 - 2 Apr 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1381
Abstract
Copper metal catalyst seeds have recently triggered much research interest for the development of low-cost and high-performance metallic catalysts with industrial applications. Herein, we present metallic Cu catalyst seeds deposited by an atomic layer deposition method on polymer substrates. The atomic layer deposited [...] Read more.
Copper metal catalyst seeds have recently triggered much research interest for the development of low-cost and high-performance metallic catalysts with industrial applications. Herein, we present metallic Cu catalyst seeds deposited by an atomic layer deposition method on polymer substrates. The atomic layer deposited Cu (ALD-Cu) can ideally substitute noble metals Ag, Au, and Pd to catalyze Cu electroless deposition. The optimized deposition temperature and growth cycles of an ALD-Cu catalyzed seed layer have been obtained to achieve a flexible printed circuit (FPC) with a high performance electroless plating deposited Cu (ELD-Cu) film. The ELD-Cu films on the ALD-Cu catalyst seeds grown display a uniform and dense deposition with a low resistivity of 1.74 μΩ·cm, even in the through via and trench of substates. Furthermore, the ALD-Cu-catalyzed ELD-Cu circuits and LED devices fabricated on treated PI also demonstrate excellent conductive and mechanical features. The remarkable conductive and mechanical characteristics of the ALD-Cu seed catalyzed ELD-Cu process demonstrate its tremendous potential in high-density integrated FPC applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Atomic Layer Deposition: From Thin Films to Nanostructured Materials)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

14 pages, 2579 KiB  
Article
Optical and Electrochemical Properties of a Nanostructured ZnO Thin Layer Deposited on a Nanoporous Alumina Structure via Atomic Layer Deposition
by Ana L. Cuevas, Antonia Dominguez, Javier Zamudio-García, Victor Vega, Ana Silvia González, David Marrero-López, Victor M. Prida and Juana Benavente
Materials 2024, 17(6), 1412; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17061412 - 20 Mar 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1108
Abstract
This study explores the optical and electrochemical properties of a ZnO coating layer deposited on a nanoporous alumina structure (NPAS) for potential multifunctional applications. The NPAS, synthesized through an electrochemical anodization process, displays well-defined nanochannels with a high aspect ratio (~3000). The ZnO [...] Read more.
This study explores the optical and electrochemical properties of a ZnO coating layer deposited on a nanoporous alumina structure (NPAS) for potential multifunctional applications. The NPAS, synthesized through an electrochemical anodization process, displays well-defined nanochannels with a high aspect ratio (~3000). The ZnO coating, achieved via atomic layer deposition, enables the tuning of the pore diameter and porosity of the NPAS, thereby influencing both the optical and electrochemical interfacial properties. A comprehensive characterization using photoluminescence, spectroscopy ellipsometry and impedance spectroscopy (with the sample in contact with NaCl solutions) provides insights into optical and electrochemical parameters, including the refractive index, absorption coefficient, and electrolyte–ZnO/NPAS interface processes. This research demonstrates potential for tailoring the optical and interfacial properties of nanoporous structures by selecting appropriate coating materials, thus opening avenues for their utilization in various technological applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Atomic Layer Deposition: From Thin Films to Nanostructured Materials)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 3633 KiB  
Article
A Novel Approach to Obtaining Metal Oxide HAR Nanostructures by Electrospinning and ALD
by Blagoy S. Blagoev, Borislava Georgieva, Kirilka Starbova, Nikolay Starbov, Ivalina Avramova, Krastyo Buchkov, Peter Tzvetkov, Rumen Stoykov, Penka Terziyska, Damyan Delibaltov, Vladimir Mehandzhiev and Albena Paskaleva
Materials 2023, 16(23), 7489; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16237489 - 3 Dec 2023
Viewed by 1281
Abstract
In this work, a novel approach is suggested to grow bilayer fibers by combining electrospinning and atomic layer deposition (ALD). Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fibers are obtained by electrospinning and subsequently covered with thin Al2O3 deposited at a low temperature by [...] Read more.
In this work, a novel approach is suggested to grow bilayer fibers by combining electrospinning and atomic layer deposition (ALD). Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fibers are obtained by electrospinning and subsequently covered with thin Al2O3 deposited at a low temperature by ALD. To burn the PVA core, the fibrous structures are subjected to high-temperature annealing. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis of the PVA mat is performed to establish the proper annealing regime for burning off the PVA core and obtaining hollow fibers. The hollow fibers thus formed are covered with a ZnO layer deposited by ALD at a higher temperature within the ALD window of ZnO. This procedure allows us to prepare ZnO films with better crystallinity and stoichiometry. Different characterization methods—SEM, ellipsometry, XRD, and XPS—are performed at each step to investigate the processes in detail. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Atomic Layer Deposition: From Thin Films to Nanostructured Materials)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-5
Back to TopTop