{"title":"One- and two-dimensional flexible gratings by film wrinkling on plasma oxidized polydimethylsiloxane surfaces","authors":"Yanchao Mu, Yongqi Zhang, Kaining Yang, Senjiang Yu","doi":"10.1016/j.tsf.2025.140697","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tsf.2025.140697","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>As an elementary and indispensable component in flexible electronics, flexible grating has received a great deal of attention in the past decades. However, achieving high-precision flexible gratings with complex but controllable surface micro/nano structures by facile techniques is still a great challenge. Here we report on one- and two-dimensional flexible gratings by mechanical strain-driven film wrinkling on oxygen plasma treated polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) surfaces. The wrinkle wavelength and amplitude are well controllable by changing oxygen plasma treatment time, prepolymer-to-crosslinker ratio of PDMS, and exerted strain value. The wrinkle morphologies are regulated by the uniaxial or biaxial strains and the loading history (simultaneous or sequential loading of biaxial strains). The diffraction patterns of light are strongly dependent on the wrinkle morphology and dimension, and demonstrate an excellent reversibility and stability under cyclic mechanical strain. This work provides a facile technique to prepare flexible tunable gratings by using plasma oxidization and mechanical loading.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23182,"journal":{"name":"Thin Solid Films","volume":"823 ","pages":"Article 140697"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144072518","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Thin Solid FilmsPub Date : 2025-05-06DOI: 10.1016/j.tsf.2025.140696
Qiya Zhang, Zhong Zhang, Hangjian Ni, Qiushi Huang, Zhanshan Wang
{"title":"Interfacial width and asymmetry evolution in Ni/Ti periodic multilayers with varying Ni thickness and neutron supermirrors with m = 3","authors":"Qiya Zhang, Zhong Zhang, Hangjian Ni, Qiushi Huang, Zhanshan Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.tsf.2025.140696","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tsf.2025.140696","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Slow neutron beams are a powerful tool for scientific exploration. Despite the construction of large-scale neutron beam facilities, the intensity and brilliance of neutron sources remain significantly lower than X-rays produced by synchrotron radiation. High-performance Ni/Ti supermirrors are crucial for efficient neutron beam transport with minimal losses. In this work, the interface widths of [Ni(<em>d</em> nm)/Ti(6 nm)]<em><sub>N</sub></em> periodic multilayers and an <em>m</em> = 3 Ni/Ti neutron supermirror, fabricated by reactive magnetron sputtering, were systematically investigated as key determinants of reflectivity. All the periodic multilayers were characterized by Grazing Incidence X-ray Reflectivity (GIXRR) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD), the experimental data were fitted by IMD software to estimate the real structure and interface width. The <em>m</em> = 3 neutron supermirrors were characterized by High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscope (HRTEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX), and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). Measurement results indicate that interface roughness increases with increasing layer thickness in periodic multilayers and supermirrors. Furthermore, interfacial diffusion exhibits asymmetry, with thicker interlayers forming at Ti-on-Ni interfaces than at Ni-on-Ti interfaces. N, originating from the reactive gas mixture, exhibits preferential segregation at Ti-on-Ni interfaces, resulting in higher N concentrations compared to Ni-on-Ti interfaces.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23182,"journal":{"name":"Thin Solid Films","volume":"822 ","pages":"Article 140696"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143922906","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Operando hall measurements on tin doped indium oxide thin films: A different approach to gain insight into the mechanism of interaction of oxygen or hydrogen at different temperatures","authors":"Lakshmigandhan Ilango , Sree Rama Murthy Anupindi , Prabhu Ethirajulu , Gnanasekar Immanuel Kovilpillai , Jayaraman Venkataraman","doi":"10.1016/j.tsf.2025.140695","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tsf.2025.140695","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Hall voltage measurement is a unique tool to quantify the charge carrier density (<span><math><mi>n</mi></math></span>) and charge carrier mobility (<em>μ</em>) in conducting/semiconducting materials. Understanding the interaction of gases with oxide surfaces plays a crucial role in applications such as sensing, catalysis, energy storage, etc. In particular, studies of Hall transverse voltage on tin in indium oxide (ITO) films from 300 K to 648 K indicated ionosorption of oxygen above 548 K. The interaction with hydrogen is found to be temperature-dependent, with a common effect of decreasing resistivity (<em>ρ</em>). At 598 K, <span><math><mi>n</mi></math></span> increases due to the pumping back of oxygen-trapped electrons to the conduction band during interaction with H<sub>2</sub> from 3.5 × 10<sup>20</sup> cm<sup>-3</sup> (in air) to 6.1 × 10<sup>20</sup> cm<sup>-3</sup> (in 1250 ppm of H<sub>2</sub>) whereas, at 473 K the increase in <em>μ</em> is more dominant from 5.4 cm<sup>2</sup>V<sup>-1</sup>s<sup>-1</sup> (in air) to 24.7 cm<sup>2</sup>V<sup>-1</sup>s<sup>-1</sup> (in 5000 ppm of H<sub>2</sub>) over decrease in<span><math><mrow><mspace></mspace><mi>n</mi></mrow></math></span>. This study presents the temperature-dependent behavior of charge carrier characteristics during gas-surface interactions.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23182,"journal":{"name":"Thin Solid Films","volume":"822 ","pages":"Article 140695"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143916334","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Thin Solid FilmsPub Date : 2025-05-02DOI: 10.1016/j.tsf.2025.140694
Tianyu Sun , Chao Yang , Lan Wang , Dan Dong , Juan Hao , Yongpeng Qiao , Bailing Jiang
{"title":"Effects of Cr content on the microstructure of the Cr/A-c coatings and resultant corrosion and electric conductivity","authors":"Tianyu Sun , Chao Yang , Lan Wang , Dan Dong , Juan Hao , Yongpeng Qiao , Bailing Jiang","doi":"10.1016/j.tsf.2025.140694","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tsf.2025.140694","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this study, chromium/amorphous carbon (Cr/A-c) coatings with varying Cr doping concentrations were deposited using a magnetron sputtering system equipped with a high-frequency oscillating pulsed electric field. The effects of Cr content on the microstructure, electrical conductivity, and corrosion resistance of the Cr/A-c coatings were systematically investigated. The experimental results revealed that the surface morphology of the Cr/A-c coatings became progressively smoother, with a significant refinement of cluster particles, as the Cr target current increased. Microstructure analysis demonstrated that the coatings consisted of Cr nanocrystals and chromium carbides uniformly dispersed within an amorphous carbon matrix containing both C-sp<sup>2</sup> and C-sp<sup>3</sup> hybridized carbon. With increasing Cr target current, the atomic percentage of Cr in the coatings showed a gradual rise, resulting in a higher density of Cr nanocrystals and chromium carbides. This microstructural evolution led to enhanced electrical conductivity and improved corrosion resistance of the coatings. Optimal performance was achieved at a Cr target current of 0.65 A, where the coating exhibited superior electrical and anti-corrosion properties. Specifically, the interfacial contact resistance (ICR) measured 2.4 mΩ⋅cm<sup>2</sup> and 1.9 mΩ⋅cm<sup>2</sup> under compressive pressure of 1.2 × 10<sup>6</sup> Pa and 1.5 × 10<sup>6</sup> Pa, respectively, while the corrosion current density reached an exceptionally low value of 1.2 × 10<sup>-6</sup> A/cm<sup>2</sup>.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23182,"journal":{"name":"Thin Solid Films","volume":"822 ","pages":"Article 140694"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143916266","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Thin Solid FilmsPub Date : 2025-04-30DOI: 10.1016/j.tsf.2025.140687
Jagoda Pasikowska, Emmanuel Chery
{"title":"Extraction of individual water related species contribution to the global diffusion coefficient of moisture in silicon dioxide through Fourier transform infrared OH band spectral deconvolution","authors":"Jagoda Pasikowska, Emmanuel Chery","doi":"10.1016/j.tsf.2025.140687","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tsf.2025.140687","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The moisture uptake kinetics and mechanisms were studied in a plasma-enhenced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) silicon dioxide film using Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) characterizations. The increase of absorbance in the OH stretching region, resulting from the exposure to moisture, was monitored and modeled using Fick’s diffusion law, yielding an apparent diffusion coefficient of 1.4 <span><math><mo>±</mo></math></span> 0.2 <span><math><mo>×</mo></math></span> 10<sup>−14</sup> cm<span><math><msup><mrow></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup></math></span>/s. Deconvolutions of the spectrum were performed assuming mixed Gaussian-Lorentzian models to highlight the contribution of the different OH species in the moisture ingress process. The findings support a diffusion process through multiple pathways where physiosorbed and chemisorbed water concurrently exist.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23182,"journal":{"name":"Thin Solid Films","volume":"822 ","pages":"Article 140687"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143907634","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"On the morphology of buckling structures in a controlled-thickness gradient: Finite element method and experimental studies","authors":"Mohamed Chargaoui , Guillaume Parry , Christophe Coupeau","doi":"10.1016/j.tsf.2025.140693","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tsf.2025.140693","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We investigated straight-sided and telephone cord buckles on stressed nickel thin films deposited by ion beam sputtering on polycarbonate substrate and exhibiting a controlled thickness gradient. It is experimentally observed that the height of the straight-sided buckles aligned parallel to the thickness gradient decreases as the film thickness increases. When these buckles are oriented perpendicular to the gradient, they result in an asymmetrical profile with a maximum deflection shifted towards the thinner part of the film. Additionally, we explore the characteristics of telephone cord buckles, showing that their wavelength decreases as the local film thickness decreases. Finite elements method simulations were performed to systematically explore the influence of various thickness gradients on buckles. The numerical results are presented, compared to the experimental results and discussed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23182,"journal":{"name":"Thin Solid Films","volume":"821 ","pages":"Article 140693"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143898713","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Investigating effects of gamma rays on physical properties of copper zinc tin sulfide thin films prepared using sol-gel spin coating method","authors":"Jalil Bakhshi Sara , Tavakkol Tohidi , Jafar Poursamad Bonab , Mahdi Taghavi","doi":"10.1016/j.tsf.2025.140692","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tsf.2025.140692","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this study, the sol-gel spin coating method is used to deposit copper zinc tin sulfide thin films on glass substrates. The effects of gamma radiation on the structural, optical, and electrical properties of these films are then investigated. According to X-ray diffraction patterns, the copper zinc tin sulfide films have a kesterite structure with preferential orientations along the (112) direction, both before and after gamma irradiation. Scanning electron microscopy analysis reveals a homogeneous and compact surface morphology devoid of any cracks. The variation of the bandgap is estimated to be 2.1 eV for the non-irradiated and 1.9 eV for the irradiated samples, which indicates the absorbing properties of copper zinc tin sulfide compound and its suitability for solar cell applications. It is observed that the electric current has an increasing trend with an increase in gamma dose. The relationship between electric current and gamma dose shows the monotonicity, which is a significant factor in dosimetry.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23182,"journal":{"name":"Thin Solid Films","volume":"821 ","pages":"Article 140692"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143898885","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Thin Solid FilmsPub Date : 2025-04-28DOI: 10.1016/j.tsf.2025.140691
Tomasz Rerek , Aleksandra Olszewska , Malgorzata Sypniewska , Katarzyna Jurek , Marek Trzcinski , Lukasz Skowronski
{"title":"Microstructure and optoelectronic properties of Au, Sn, Au-Sn thin films near the percolation threshold","authors":"Tomasz Rerek , Aleksandra Olszewska , Malgorzata Sypniewska , Katarzyna Jurek , Marek Trzcinski , Lukasz Skowronski","doi":"10.1016/j.tsf.2025.140691","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tsf.2025.140691","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The nanolayers of gold, tin, and gold-tin alloy of nominal thickness 2.5 nm, 5.0 nm and 10.0 nm have been deposited using the thermal evaporation method on the silicon substrate. The surface topography of the produced thin films was carefully studied by means of the atomic force microscopy technique, composition was investigated using the x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and their optical properties were examined using the spectroscopic ellipsometry method. All of the produced films exhibit nanogranular structure. The surface topography and optical properties of the layers strongly depend on the thickness and the deposition rate. The thin films of AuSn alloys are composed of Au, Sn and AuSn grains, wherein the layer composition becomes more and more uniform for the thickest one.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23182,"journal":{"name":"Thin Solid Films","volume":"821 ","pages":"Article 140691"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143898714","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Thin Solid FilmsPub Date : 2025-04-28DOI: 10.1016/j.tsf.2025.140678
D.E. Martínez-Lara, R. González-Campuzano, D. Mendoza
{"title":"Quantum confinement effect in thin bismuth films: In search of the critical thickness for the semimetal–semiconductor transition","authors":"D.E. Martínez-Lara, R. González-Campuzano, D. Mendoza","doi":"10.1016/j.tsf.2025.140678","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tsf.2025.140678","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We report in situ electrical resistance measurements as a function of the thickness in bismuth films continuously deposited by thermal evaporation employing an effusion cell. The electrical resistance curve exhibits distinct physical behaviors corresponding to two distinct thickness regimes: for small thickness, the electrical resistance significantly decreases while increasing thickness; comparatively, for larger thicknesses, the change in electrical resistance as a function of thickness is considerably less evident. The overall behavior is explained in terms of a semiconductor to semimetallic transition produced by a quantum confinement effect. The theoretical model developed by Sandomirskii to explain the quantum confinement effect in bismuth fits well with the experimental results for small thicknesses, indicating a semiconductor gap opening at a critical thickness. A critical thickness of around 25 nm is found to fit the corresponding models to the experimental data.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23182,"journal":{"name":"Thin Solid Films","volume":"821 ","pages":"Article 140678"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143888095","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Thin Solid FilmsPub Date : 2025-04-24DOI: 10.1016/j.tsf.2025.140688
K.R. Dorman , N. Bianco , R. Kothari , C. Sobczak , S. Desai , J.O. Custer , S. Addamane , M. Jain , C. Harris , P.G. Kotula , A. Hinojos , M.A. Rodriguez , B.L. Boyce , R. Dingreville , D.P. Adams
{"title":"High-throughput multimodal exploration of a nanocrystalline Cu-Ag library","authors":"K.R. Dorman , N. Bianco , R. Kothari , C. Sobczak , S. Desai , J.O. Custer , S. Addamane , M. Jain , C. Harris , P.G. Kotula , A. Hinojos , M.A. Rodriguez , B.L. Boyce , R. Dingreville , D.P. Adams","doi":"10.1016/j.tsf.2025.140688","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tsf.2025.140688","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Sputter-deposited, nanocrystalline Cu-Ag thin films produced across a broad compositional and deposition-parameter space were evaluated to unravel the process-structure-property relationships important for creating hard, conductive electrical contacts and coatings. Combinatorial deposition involving pulsed direct current magnetron sputtering of elemental targets enabled swift examination of nearly the full range of alloy compositions and a relevant portion of deposition atomistics. Several high-throughput characterization modalities were employed to evaluate the chemistry, structure, and properties of the films. The resultant hardness, modulus, film density, crystal texture, and resistivity were analyzed in terms of key deposition characteristics (incident atom kinetic energy and incidence angle) predicted by binary-collision, kinematic Monte Carlo simulations. The study revealed improved hardness, parabolic resistivity dependence on composition, and compositional and process dependencies of film tarnishing. The results are discussed in the context of variations in microstructure and film density. Transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction demonstrate several forms of compositional variation including solute segregation to grain boundaries as well as periodic, intragranular compositional modulations. Annealing of a Cu-rich alloy film exhibiting grain boundary segregation showed that this as-deposited, compositional variation is not stable above 100 °C. The Cu-Ag system is shown to have potential for hard, conductive, tarnish-resistant and room temperature-stable nanocrystalline thin films across the composition space.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23182,"journal":{"name":"Thin Solid Films","volume":"822 ","pages":"Article 140688"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143916265","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}