Research and Applications of Metal Oxide Thin Films

A special issue of Crystals (ISSN 2073-4352). This special issue belongs to the section "Inorganic Crystalline Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2023) | Viewed by 3602

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Karmaveer Hire College, Shivaji University, Kolhapur, India
Interests: metal oxides; gas sensor; solar cells; bio-interface

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Thin film technology is a vital element of sustained technical advances in the fields of photonics, optoelectronic, and magnetic devices. Recently, it is widely utilized in the field of integrated circuits, semiconductor devices, rectifiers, transistors, light emitting diodes, photovoltaic devices, photoconductors, electrochemical devices, sensors, micro- electromechanical systems, wireless communications, telecommunications, magnetic devices, lithography, and cutting technologies. The advances in deposition techniques and characterization tools have further improved thin film technology, enabling the deposition of complex structures with the possibilities of even miniaturization of the electronic devices. In this scenario, the metal oxides-based thin film technology is ubiquitous in modern-day electronics, with applications from energy to human–machine interfaces. Owing to their inherent stability, electronic conductivity and ease of preparation, metal oxide thin films are widely used and receive much attention from scientific community. Here, we are taking a further step to amass the recent advances in metal oxide thin films by leading scientists across the world working in this area.  

The prime aim of this Special Issue is to assemble reports about recent advances in the field of metal oxide thin films and their wide applicability. This Issue will offer glimpses of the research based on the preparation of metal oxides thin films by using variety of physical and chemical techniques. The scope of submission topics includes, but is not limited to, the following: the synthesis of metal oxide thin films; their optimization, hybridization, functioning, doping; the structure of thin films’ physical and chemical characteristics; and thin films’ applicability in various sectors including nanotechnology, electronic devices, catalysis, sensors, coating, solar cells and many more. Any topic related to metal oxide thin film deposition, characterization and applications is welcome.

Dr. Sharadrao Anandarao Vanalakar
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • metal oxides
  • thin films
  • synthesis
  • characterization
  • nanostructure
  • opto-electronics
  • sensor
  • catalysis

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

9 pages, 1831 KiB  
Article
Influence of X Cation Covalence in the Formation of Ni-O-X Mixed Oxides by Reactive Ion Beam Mixing of Ni/X Interfaces
by Antonio Arranz and Carlos Palacio
Crystals 2023, 13(2), 345; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst13020345 - 17 Feb 2023
Viewed by 1250
Abstract
The reaction of the Ni/X interfaces (X = Si or Cr) with O2+ ions at low energy (3 keV) was studied using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and factor analysis (FA). It was found that low ion doses lead to the formation [...] Read more.
The reaction of the Ni/X interfaces (X = Si or Cr) with O2+ ions at low energy (3 keV) was studied using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and factor analysis (FA). It was found that low ion doses lead to the formation of a NiO thin film on the surface that was progressively transformed into a Ni-O-X mixed oxide with increasing the ion dose. The degree of transformation of NiO into Ni-O-X depended on the covalence of the X cation, indicating that the reaction was influenced by chemical driving forces. For strong covalent cations (Si and Al), NiO was completely transformed into Ni-O-X at ion doses above 1.8 × 1017 ions/cm2, whereas for ionic cations (Cr) the transformation was incomplete. The ionicity of Ni atoms in the Ni-O-X mixed oxide increased with the increase in the covalence of X cation, and the features of the Ni 2p core level, characteristic of bulk NiO which were attributed to non-local screening, disappeared. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research and Applications of Metal Oxide Thin Films)
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13 pages, 4659 KiB  
Article
Development of Luminescent Nd-Doped LaNbO Compound Thin Film Growth by Magnetron Sputtering for the Improvement of Solar Cells
by Eduardo Salas-Colera, Miguel Tardío, Elisa García-Tabarés, Belén Perea, Miguel L. Crespillo, Juan Enrique Muñoz-Santiuste and Beatriz Galiana
Crystals 2023, 13(2), 159; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst13020159 - 17 Jan 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1693
Abstract
Nd3+-doped LaNbO phosphor thin films were prepared by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering on Si substrates. The effects of a 1% Nd-doping concentration, after annealing at 1200 °C for 12 h, on the light-emitting properties of the sputtered thin films were characterized via [...] Read more.
Nd3+-doped LaNbO phosphor thin films were prepared by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering on Si substrates. The effects of a 1% Nd-doping concentration, after annealing at 1200 °C for 12 h, on the light-emitting properties of the sputtered thin films were characterized via several experimental techniques and deeply discussed. Photoluminescence characterization showed strong emission peaks typical of Nd3+ centers at 880 nm and 1060 nm when a 325 nm wavelength laser source was applied. Similar responses were detected in Nd3+-doped La3NbO7 powder samples fabricated by the solid-state reaction method. The coexistence of two phases (LaNbO4 and La3NbO7) in the thin films with higher nominal thickness was clearly identified based on different structural analyses. The promising results open the possibility for developing phosphor substrates as a preliminary step for the improvement of solar cells based on photon recycling mechanisms. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research and Applications of Metal Oxide Thin Films)
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