Emerging Applications of Advanced Thin Films
A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Materials Science and Engineering".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 March 2026 | Viewed by 10
Special Issue Editor
Interests: materials science; applied chemistry; nanotechnology; cool roof materials; nonlinear optical polymers; nanocomposite sensors; thin films sputtering deposition; FT-IR and microRaman vibrational analysis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Advanced thin films serve as foundational components in modern technologies, including microelectronics, photovoltaics, sensors, and biomedical systems. Often described as the “skin” of a material, thin films form the critical interface with the environment, tasked with protecting underlying substrates while enabling or enhancing specific electrical, optical, mechanical, or chemical functionalities. They must also adapt responsively to external stimuli such as temperature, humidity, light, or chemical exposure.
Meeting these multifunctional demands poses significant challenges. Precise control of thickness, composition, adhesion, and uniformity—especially over large areas—is essential, alongside ensuring durability and stability under operational stresses. The film must also exhibit durability and stability under operational stresses. Controlling interfacial quality and minimizing defects are crucial for reliable performance.
A variety of deposition and surface modification techniques are at the forefront of addressing these needs. Methods such as sputtering, spray coating, and plasma treatments offer versatile and scalable routes to produce films with tailored functionalities. Alongside these, atomic layer deposition (ALD), molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), and pulsed laser deposition (PLD) continue to advance in precision and complexity. Emerging trends focus on integrating 2D materials, developing eco-friendly processes, and leveraging machine learning to accelerate material discovery.
As intelligent, multifunctional skins, advanced thin films are becoming indispensable to the performance and innovation of next-generation devices and materials.
Dr. Anna Castaldo
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- advanced thin films
- materials and devices
- thin films applications
- multifunctional skins
- foundational components
- deposition
- surface techniques
- coatings
- self-cleaning materials
- auxetic films
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