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Editorial

Synthesis and Modification of Nanostructured Thin Films

by
Ion N. Mihailescu
Lasers Department, Laser-Surface-Plasma Interactions Laboratory, National Institute for Lasers, Plasma, and Radiation Physics (INFLPR), Strada Atomistilor, nr. 409, P.O. Box MG-36, RO-077125 Magurele, Ilfov, Romania
Nanomaterials 2019, 9(10), 1427; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano9101427
Submission received: 25 September 2019 / Accepted: 4 October 2019 / Published: 9 October 2019
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Synthesis and Modification of Nanostructured Thin Films)
The idea of nanomaterials, nanoscience, and nanotechnologies was formulated by Richard Feynman in 1959 in his famous lecture “There’s Plenty of Room at the Bottom”. He said that “The principles of physics, as far as I can see, do not speak against the possibility of maneuvering things atom by atom”.
Since then, a nanomaterials “revolution” followed, confirming their superior properties, as e.g., toughness, strength, hardness, resistance to corrosion and wear, and various thermal, magnetic, and optical features. In this context, the fabrication and characterization of thin films remains the main cornerstone of nanotechnologies.
As a rule, films are deposited onto solid surfaces to obtain better properties. A thin film is basically defined as a low-dimension material fabricated by assembling atomic/molecular/ionic species with a final thickness in the nm range. Nano-thin films can be essentially synthesized from any kind of material, which opens the way to vast application domains.
This Special Issue on “Synthesis and Modification of Nanostructured Thin Films” contains contributions about thin film synthesis, modification, and characterization for potential applications in leading domains. This collection of 18 research papers represents 136 authors from 12 countries, and is devoted to advanced topics in both the synthesis (13) as well as the modification (5) of nanostructured thin films. In particular, the thickness of films ranges from a few up to 250 nm.
The major compounds of key interest were studied, including AlGaN [1], Cu NWs [2], photonic crystal fibers [3], LiNbO3 [4], Au nanoparticles [5], Al2O3/Tm2O3 [6], Ge-DLC [7], Mo/Ti [8], ZnTe:Cu [9], Ge–Sb–Te [10], noble metal nanoparticles [11], collagen/Zn2+-substituted calcium phosphates [12], TiO2 [13], Si-DLC [14], SHG in ZnO nanofilms [15], Cu2MgxZn1−xSnS4 [16], ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) matrices [17], and LIPSS [18].
In the opinion of this Editor, the main characteristic of this selection is the quite large range of applications, which extends from nanobiomedicine to solar cells.
Finally, one should stress upon the original character of all contributions, which will serve as active vectors in the years to come for the further dynamic development of new nanostructured thin film systems.

Funding

This research received no external funding.

Acknowledgments

INM kindly thank Core Programme—Contract 16N/2019 for the permanent support of his work. A special thanks to all the authors for submitting their studies to the present Special Issue and for its successful completion. INM also acknowledges the Nanomaterials reviewers for enhancing the quality and impact of all submitted papers.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interests.

References

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  2. Mock, J.; Bobinger, M.; Bogner, C.; Luigi, P.; Becherer, M. Aqueous Synthesis, Degradation, and Encapsulation of Copper Nanowires for Transparent Electrodes. Nanomaterials 2018, 8, 767. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
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  6. Liu, Y.; Ouyang, Z.; Yang, L.; Yang, Y.; Sun, J. Blue Electroluminescent Al2O3/Tm2O3 Nanolaminate Films Fabricated by Atomic Layer Deposition on Silicon. Nanomaterials 2019, 9, 413. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
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  10. Bulai, G.; Pompilian, O.; Gurlui, S.; Nemec, P.; Nazabal, V.; Cimpoesu, N.; Chazallon, B.; Focsa, C. Ge-Sb-Te Chalcogenide Thin Films Deposited by Nanosecond, Picosecond, and Femtosecond Laser Ablation. Nanomaterials 2019, 9, 676. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
  11. Tommasini, M.; Zanchi, C.; Lucotti, A.; Bombelli, A.; Villa, N.S.; Casazza, M.; Ciusani, E.; de Grazia, U.; Santoro, M.; Fazio, E.; et al. Laser-Synthesized SERS Substrates as Sensors toward Therapeutic Drug Monitoring. Nanomaterials 2019, 9, 677. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
  12. Neacsu, I.A.; Arsenie, L.V.; Trusca, R.; Ardelean, I.L.; Mihailescu, N.; Mihailescu, I.N.; Ristoscu, C.; Bleotu, C.; Ficai, A.; Andronescu, E. Biomimetic Collagen/Zn2+-Substituted Calcium Phosphate Composite Coatings on Titanium Substrates as Prospective Bioactive Layer for Implants: A Comparative Study Spin Coating vs. MAPLE. Nanomaterials 2019, 9, 692. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
  13. Lungu, J.; Socol, G.; Stan, G.E.; Ştefan, N.; Luculescu, C.; Georgescu, A.; Popescu-Pelin, G.; Prodan, G.; Gîrţu, M.A.; Mihăilescu, I.N. Pulsed Laser Fabrication of TiO2 Buffer Layers for Dye Sensitized Solar Cells. Nanomaterials 2019, 9, 746. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
  14. Bociaga, D.; Sobczyk-Guzenda, A.; Komorowski, P.; Balcerzak, J.; Jastrzebski, K.; Przybyszewska, K.; Kaczmarek, A. Surface Characteristics and Biological Evaluation of Si-DLC Coatings Fabricated Using Magnetron Sputtering Method on Ti6Al7Nb Substrate. Nanomaterials 2019, 9, 812. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
  15. Long, H.; Habeeb, A.A.; Kinyua, D.M.; Wang, K.; Wang, B.; Lu, P. Influences of Ga Doping on Crystal Structure and Polarimetric Pattern of SHG in ZnO Nanofilms. Nanomaterials 2019, 9, 905. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
  16. Sui, Y.; Zhang, Y.; Jiang, D.; He, W.; Wang, Z.; Wang, F.; Yao, B.; Lili, Y. Investigation of Optimum Mg Doping Content and Annealing Parameters of Cu2MgxZn1−xSnS4 Thin Films for Solar Cells. Nanomaterials 2019, 9, 955. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
  17. Mariotti, G.; Vannozzi, L. Fabrication, Characterization, and Properties of Poly (Ethylene-Co-Vinyl Acetate) Composite Thin Films Doped with Piezoelectric Nanofillers. Nanomaterials 2019, 9, 1182. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
  18. Alves-Lopes, I.; Almeida, A.; Oliveira, V.; Vilar, R. Influence of Femtosecond Laser Surface Nanotexturing on the Friction Behavior of Silicon Sliding Against PTFE. Nanomaterials 2019, 9, 1237. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]

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MDPI and ACS Style

Mihailescu, I.N. Synthesis and Modification of Nanostructured Thin Films. Nanomaterials 2019, 9, 1427. https://doi.org/10.3390/nano9101427

AMA Style

Mihailescu IN. Synthesis and Modification of Nanostructured Thin Films. Nanomaterials. 2019; 9(10):1427. https://doi.org/10.3390/nano9101427

Chicago/Turabian Style

Mihailescu, Ion N. 2019. "Synthesis and Modification of Nanostructured Thin Films" Nanomaterials 9, no. 10: 1427. https://doi.org/10.3390/nano9101427

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