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Advanced Coating Technology by Physical Vapor Deposition and Applications
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Advanced Coating Technology by Physical Vapor Deposition and Applications

A special issue of Coatings (ISSN 2079-6412). This special issue belongs to the section "Surface Characterization, Deposition and Modification".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 September 2025) | Viewed by 24660

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Chuen-Lin Tien

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Electrical Engineering, Feng Chia University, Taichung 40724, Taiwan
Interests: optical design; optical thin film; residual stress; optical interferometry; fiber-optic sensors
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Physical vapor deposition (PVD) is a widely used technique used for the preparation of thin films and surface coatings. PVD has been widely used in industry and combined with different methods to produce film components with excellent performance. Uniform PVD coatings provide hard surfaces that can be applied to a variety of materials and substrates. The PVD process can also be used to form multilayer coatings, composite coatings, oblique coatings, and unique structures. The PVD multilayered film structure is beneficial for improving oxidation resistance, enhancing mechanical properties, reducing internal stress, inhibiting crack propagation, and improving fracture toughness. We sincerely invite you to contribute your original papers to this Special Issue. The topics of interest include (but are not limited to) the following topics:

  • Thin film coating techniques;
  • Characterization of thin films for micro-components;
  • Advanced sputtering coatings;
  • -Multilayer thin film preparation and applications;
  • Novel PVD coating techniques;
  • Optical interference coatings;
  • Mechanical stress in thin films and coatings;
  • Simulation and modeling in PVD processes.

Prof. Dr. Chuen-Lin Tien
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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. Coatings is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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

  • physical vapor deposition
  • coating technology
  • thin film
  • multilayer coatings
  • optical interference coatings
  • sputtering
  • evaporation

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (10 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research

5 pages, 214 KB  
Editorial
Special Issue “Advanced Coating Technology by Physical Vapor Deposition and Applications”
by Chuen-Lin Tien
Coatings 2023, 13(2), 467; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings13020467 - 18 Feb 2023
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 6493
Abstract
Coating technology covers a wide range of fields [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Coating Technology by Physical Vapor Deposition and Applications)

Research

Jump to: Editorial

20 pages, 1423 KB  
Article
Automatic Detection and Classification of Microscopic Defects in Optical Thin-Film Coatings Based on Deep Learning
by Chuen-Lin Tien, Hsiang-Hsun Tsai, Hsi-Fu Shih and Chia-Chun Yen
Coatings 2025, 15(12), 1390; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings15121390 - 27 Nov 2025
Viewed by 323
Abstract
This study presents an effective method for detecting and classifying microscopic defects in optical thin films, aiming to enhance quality control in thin-film manufacturing. The proposed system utilizes thin-film surface defect images captured by an imaging microscope. It combines image preprocessing techniques, such [...] Read more.
This study presents an effective method for detecting and classifying microscopic defects in optical thin films, aiming to enhance quality control in thin-film manufacturing. The proposed system utilizes thin-film surface defect images captured by an imaging microscope. It combines image preprocessing techniques, such as translation, scaling, and mirroring, to expand the dataset, thereby generating a rich and representative set of defect images. All images are manually labeled by experts to ensure high-quality annotations and to optimize training efficiency. The YOLOv7 object detection framework is employed for model training and optimization. Model performance is rigorously evaluated using metrics such as the confusion matrix and mean average precision (mAP). The trained model achieved an accuracy of 87.3% on the test dataset, demonstrating both high detection accuracy and practical applicability. This method offers significant potential for automating microscopic defect detection, thus improving the efficiency of film quality inspection and contributing to better production yield in optical thin-film processes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Coating Technology by Physical Vapor Deposition and Applications)
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14 pages, 1914 KB  
Article
Microstructure Regulation and Optoelectronic Performance Optimization of Flexible CPI-Based ITO Thin Films Under Low-Temperature Heat Treatment Process
by Hanyan Zhang, Ruohe Yao, Weijing Wu and Yi Shen
Coatings 2025, 15(11), 1352; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings15111352 - 19 Nov 2025
Viewed by 261
Abstract
Addressing the urgent need for low-temperature processes in the manufacturing of flexible vehicle-mounted touch display devices, this study investigates the process–structure–performance relationships of indium tin oxide (ITO) thin films prepared by DC magnetron sputtering on transparent polyimide (CPI) substrates. A synergistic strategy of [...] Read more.
Addressing the urgent need for low-temperature processes in the manufacturing of flexible vehicle-mounted touch display devices, this study investigates the process–structure–performance relationships of indium tin oxide (ITO) thin films prepared by DC magnetron sputtering on transparent polyimide (CPI) substrates. A synergistic strategy of “low-temperature deposition (110 °C)–230 °C atmospheric annealing” was employed. The optimal sample exhibited excellent comprehensive performance: a resistivity as low as 203 μΩ·cm, an average visible light transmittance of 89.2%, a surface roughness of 0.76 nm, and the ability to endure 100,000 bending cycles at a radius of R = 5 mm with a sheet resistance change rate of less than 10%. Microstructural and chemical state analyses revealed that this process facilitates the complete oxidation of Sn2+ to Sn4+ (Sn4+/Sn2+ ratio of 8.2:1) and the controlled formation of oxygen vacancies (O_L/O_V ratio of 6.5:1), leading to a synergistic improvement in carrier concentration (8.7 × 1020 cm−3) and mobility (35.2 cm2/V·s). This work elucidates the crystallization kinetics and doping mechanisms under low-temperature conditions, providing a viable low-temperature technical pathway for the fabrication of high-performance transparent electrodes in flexible electronics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Coating Technology by Physical Vapor Deposition and Applications)
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13 pages, 2608 KB  
Article
Antibacterial Efficacy and Biocompatibility of HiPIMS-Ag Films for Prosthetic Application
by Ping-Yen Hsieh, Shu-Ting Li, Ying-Hung Chen, Hsi-Kai Tsou, Ming-Che Wu and Ju-Liang He
Coatings 2025, 15(11), 1286; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings15111286 - 3 Nov 2025
Viewed by 426
Abstract
Implant-associated infections (IAIs) remain a major cause of orthopedic implant failure, motivating the development of surface coatings that deliver durable antibacterial activity without compromising host compatibility. Here, we deposit silver (Ag) thin films onto commercially pure titanium (Ti) using high power impulse magnetron [...] Read more.
Implant-associated infections (IAIs) remain a major cause of orthopedic implant failure, motivating the development of surface coatings that deliver durable antibacterial activity without compromising host compatibility. Here, we deposit silver (Ag) thin films onto commercially pure titanium (Ti) using high power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) and assess their antibacterial performance and osteoblast cytocompatibility. Film formation, morphology and crystallinity were characterized by electron microscopy and X-ray diffractometry, while interfacial integrity was probed using ASTM D3359 cross-cut and VDI 3198 Rockwell-C indentation. Antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus was quantified by culture-based enumeration, and Ag+ release was measured by ICP-MS. HiPIMS enabled rapid formation of dense, continuous and crystalline Ag films with excellent adhesion. Even ultrathin coatings (~7 nm) produced strong antibacterial effects (activity value > 2.0) while releasing controllable trace Ag+ (ultimately 0.43 ppb/day), and osteoblast assays indicated no cytotoxicity under the tested conditions. The results show that HiPIMS-Ag achieves a favorable balance between antimicrobial efficacy and biocompatibility at low thickness, supporting its use as a robust antibacterial surface for Ti implants and providing a foundation for translation to device level and in vivo studies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Coating Technology by Physical Vapor Deposition and Applications)
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19 pages, 14017 KB  
Article
Multi-Step Simulations of Ionized Metal Physical Vapor Deposition to Enhance the Plasma Formation Uniformity
by Cheongbin Cheon, Min Young Hur, Ho Jun Kim and Hae June Lee
Coatings 2025, 15(1), 11; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings15010011 - 25 Dec 2024
Viewed by 1814
Abstract
Ionized metal physical vapor deposition (IMPVD), which is operated at a very low pressure to take advantage of the metal sputtering effect on the target surface, has unique properties compared with conventional DC magnetron sputtering. In this study, we investigated the effect of [...] Read more.
Ionized metal physical vapor deposition (IMPVD), which is operated at a very low pressure to take advantage of the metal sputtering effect on the target surface, has unique properties compared with conventional DC magnetron sputtering. In this study, we investigated the effect of the rotating magnetic field on the plasma formation of IMPVD to enhance the deposition uniformity. This was accomplished through a multi-step simulation, which enabled plasma analysis, sputtered particle and chemical reaction analysis, and deposition profile analysis. A two-dimensional particle-in-cell Monte Carlo simulation utilizes the exact cross-section data of the Cu ion collisions and calculates the particle trajectories under specific magnetic field profiles. This new methodology gives guidance for the design of the magnetic field profiles of IMPVD and an understanding of the physical mechanism. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Coating Technology by Physical Vapor Deposition and Applications)
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13 pages, 4907 KB  
Article
Tribological Comparison of Coatings Produced by PVD Sputtering for Application on Combustion Piston Rings
by Ney Francisco Ferreira, Filipe Fernandes, Patric Daniel Neis, Jean Carlos Poletto, Talha Bin Yaqub, Albano Cavaleiro, Luis Vilhena and Amilcar Ramalho
Coatings 2024, 14(9), 1109; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings14091109 - 2 Sep 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2336
Abstract
This article compares the tribological performance of coatings produced by PVD sputtering. Transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) coatings doped with carbon (WSC and MoSeC) and nitrogen (WSN and MoSeN) and a conventional diamond-like carbon (DLC) coating are compared. The tribological evaluation was oriented towards [...] Read more.
This article compares the tribological performance of coatings produced by PVD sputtering. Transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) coatings doped with carbon (WSC and MoSeC) and nitrogen (WSN and MoSeN) and a conventional diamond-like carbon (DLC) coating are compared. The tribological evaluation was oriented towards the use of coatings on piston rings. Block-on-ring tests in a condition lubricated with an additive-free polyalphaolefin (PAO 8) and at temperatures of 30, 60, and 100 °C were carried out to evaluate the coatings in boundary lubrication conditions. A load scanner test was used to evaluate dry friction and scuffing propensity. In addition to WSN, all other TMD coatings (WSC, MoSeC, and MoSeN) exhibited lower friction than DLC in dry and lubricated conditions. The study reveals that WSC, among TMD coatings, offers promising results, with significantly lower friction levels than DLC, while demonstrating reduced wear and a lower risk of metal adhesion. These findings suggest that WSC may be a viable alternative to DLC in piston rings, with potential benefits for reducing fuel consumption and increasing engine durability. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Coating Technology by Physical Vapor Deposition and Applications)
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19 pages, 21066 KB  
Article
The Influence of Bias Voltage and Gas Pressure on Edge Covering during the Arc-PVD Deposition of Hard Coatings
by Otmar Zimmer, Tim Krülle and Thomas Litterst
Coatings 2024, 14(6), 732; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings14060732 - 7 Jun 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2154
Abstract
The edge area is especially essential for cutting tools, since this is the contact zone between the work piece and the tool. Hard coatings (PVD or CVD coatings) can protect the edge against wear and they are commonly used. The geometries of the [...] Read more.
The edge area is especially essential for cutting tools, since this is the contact zone between the work piece and the tool. Hard coatings (PVD or CVD coatings) can protect the edge against wear and they are commonly used. The geometries of the cutting edges change during the coating process, with the edge radius increasing. Therefore, the film thickness is limited and the initial radius of the uncoated tool must be smaller than the target radius of the coated edge. A new coating process based on vacuum arc PVD was developed to overcome this limitation. The film growth at the edges can be properly controlled by means of selected coating materials and process conditions. Thus, it is possible to grow edges sharper than the initial edge geometry. Different substrates were coated with different coating systems. Parameters such as the bias voltage, coating pressure, and initial radius were varied within this work. It was found that the application of a bias voltage is crucial for the generation of sharp edges. It was also found that the edge sharpening caused by coatings works best on samples with an initial radius of around 15 µm. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Coating Technology by Physical Vapor Deposition and Applications)
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14 pages, 3669 KB  
Article
Optical Interference Filters Combined with Thin Film Residual Stress Compensation for Image Contrast Enhancement
by Chuen-Lin Tien, Shu-Hui Su, Ching-Ying Cheng, Yuan-Ming Chang and Dong-Han Mo
Coatings 2023, 13(5), 857; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings13050857 - 30 Apr 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3268
Abstract
We propose two single-wavelength notch filters and one dual-wavelength (480 and 620 nm) notch filter to enhance image contrast. The stack structure of the notch filters was designed as (Ta2O5/SiO2)4Ta2O5 in Essential [...] Read more.
We propose two single-wavelength notch filters and one dual-wavelength (480 and 620 nm) notch filter to enhance image contrast. The stack structure of the notch filters was designed as (Ta2O5/SiO2)4Ta2O5 in Essential Macleod thin film simulation software. Dual-electron-beam evaporation with ion beam-assisted deposition was used to prepare optical interference filters with different center wavelengths. A multilayer notch filter with a center wavelength of 620 nm was deposited on the front surface of the glass, and then a notch filter with a center wavelength of 480 nm was coated on the rear surface of the same glass. The proposed dual-wavelength (480 and 620 nm) notch filter is a combination of two single-wavelength notch filters coated on a double-sided glass substrate to compensate for residual stress. The transmittance, residual stress, and surface roughness of the proposed notch filter were evaluated using different measuring instruments. The experimental results show that the residual stress of the dual-wavelength notch filter could be reduced to 10.8 MPa by using a double-sided coating technique. The root-mean-square (RMS) surface roughness of the notch filters was measured by using a Linnik microscopic interferometer. The RMS surface roughness was 1.80 for the 620 nm notch filter and 2.09 for the 480 nm notch filter. The image contrast obtained with the three different notch filters was measured using an optical microscope and a CMOS camera. The contrast value could be increased from 0.328 (without a filter) to 0.696 (dual-wavelength notch filter). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Coating Technology by Physical Vapor Deposition and Applications)
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16 pages, 5290 KB  
Article
Effect of Gradient Multilayer Design on Tribological Performance of TiN/TiSiN Coatings Prepared by Cathodic Arc Ion Plating
by Rong Tu, Jiao Jiao, Mingquan Jiang, Mai Yang, Baifeng Ji, Tenghua Gao, Qizhong Li, Song Zhang and Lianmeng Zhang
Coatings 2023, 13(5), 836; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings13050836 - 26 Apr 2023
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3197
Abstract
Hard coatings, such as transition metal nitrides, have been widely applied to improve the mechanical properties and tribological performance of cutting tools. The coatings in various multilayered or gradient structures have been designed to meet the demands of more severe service environments and [...] Read more.
Hard coatings, such as transition metal nitrides, have been widely applied to improve the mechanical properties and tribological performance of cutting tools. The coatings in various multilayered or gradient structures have been designed to meet the demands of more severe service environments and more precise processing requirements. In this work, TiN/TiSiN coatings in several gradient and multilayered structures were deposited on cemented carbides by cathodic arc ion plating using Ti and TiSi alloy targets. The modulation period (Λ) of the multilayer gradually varies with thickness, ranging from 6 to 46 nm. The gradient multilayer coatings consist of a nanocrystalline-amorphous composite with compact growth. The coating with a modulation period first increasing and then decreasing has the highest hardness of 38 GPa, and the maximum residual compressive stress of −2.71 GPa, as well as the minimum coefficient of friction (COF) and wear rate. Gradient and multilayer structures moderate the brittleness caused by the presence of amorphous SiNx phase and optimize the mechanical properties and tribological performances of the coatings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Coating Technology by Physical Vapor Deposition and Applications)
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9 pages, 4431 KB  
Article
Direct Current Reactive Sputtering Deposition and Plasma Annealing of an Epitaxial TiHfN Film on Si (001)
by Ping-Hsun Wu, Kun-An Chiu, Fu-Han Shih, Yu-Siang Fang, Thi-Hien Do, Wei-Chun Chen and Li Chang
Coatings 2023, 13(1), 183; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings13010183 - 14 Jan 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2384
Abstract
Deposition of a heteroepitaxial TiHfN film with a growth rate of about 1 μm/h was successfully achieved on a Si (001) substrate at a temperature above 700 °C by direct current magnetron reactive sputtering of a Ti0.6Hf0.4 (in atomic fraction) [...] Read more.
Deposition of a heteroepitaxial TiHfN film with a growth rate of about 1 μm/h was successfully achieved on a Si (001) substrate at a temperature above 700 °C by direct current magnetron reactive sputtering of a Ti0.6Hf0.4 (in atomic fraction) target with an Ar/N2 gas mixture. Annealing of the as-deposited TiHfN/Si sample at a temperature above 1000 °C using microwave plasma with H2/N2 gas was performed to further improve the TiHfN film’s quality. X-ray diffraction results show that the heteroepitaxial TiHfN film on Si exhibits a cube-on-cube relationship as {001}TiHfN//{001}Si and <110>TiHfN//<110>Si. X-ray rocking curve measurements show that the full width at half maximum of (200)TiHfN is 1.36° for the as-deposited TiHfN film, while it is significantly reduced to 0.53° after microwave plasma annealing. The surface morphologies of the as-deposited and annealed TiHfN films are smooth, with a surface roughness of around ~2 nm. Cross-sectional scanning/transmission electron microscopy (S/TEM) shows a reduction in defects in the annealed film, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy shows that the film composition remains unchanged. Additionally, S/TEM examinations with atomic resolution illustrate domain matching epitaxy (DME) between TiHfN and Si at the interface. The TiHfN films have good electrical conducting properties with resistivities of 40–45 μΩ·cm. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Coating Technology by Physical Vapor Deposition and Applications)
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