Recent Advances in Magnetron Sputtering for Functional Films and Coatings
A special issue of Coatings (ISSN 2079-6412). This special issue belongs to the section "Surface Characterization, Deposition and Modification".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 April 2026 | Viewed by 718
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Transparent and chromogenic coatings are key enablers in a wide range of applications, including smart windows, optoelectronic devices, energy-saving systems, and high-performance sensors. With recent advances in deposition techniques such as magnetron sputtering and chemical vapor deposition (CVD), functional films such as transparent conductive oxides (TCOs), diamond-based coatings, and chromogenic materials (thermochromic, electrochromic, and photochromic) have drawn increasing interest for their tunable electrical, optical, and thermal properties.
This Special Issue aims to bring together recent research efforts focused on the design, synthesis, and application of transparent and chromogenic thin films. Emphasis will be placed on the correlation between deposition parameters, material structure, and functional properties, with particular interest in systems enabling dynamic modulation and high-temperature durability.
Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following areas:
- Magnetron sputtered TCOs and doped oxide coatings;
- Diamond films synthesized by MPCVD or other techniques for optical/electronic functions;
- Thermochromic, electrochromic, and photochromic oxide films;
- Multilayer structures enabling active modulation of transmittance or conductivity;
- Plasma-enhanced or hybrid deposition processes;
- In-situ diagnostics and post-annealing strategies for phase tuning;
- Durability, stability, and switching kinetics of chromogenic films;
- Coatings for energy-efficient, high-transparency applications;
- Device integration of smart optical films.
We welcome contributions addressing fundamental studies, process development, or application-focused results in these areas. Both experimental and theoretical works are encouraged.
Dr. Seohan Kim
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
- transparent conductive oxides
- thermochromic thin film
- photochromic thin film
- magnetron sputtering
- physical vapor deposition
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