Pub Date : 2025-12-10DOI: 10.1016/j.tsf.2025.140840
A. Farhadizadeh , Y. Wei , M. Odén
This study reports the structural, morphological, mechanical, and electrical properties of Cr-Nb-N films deposited on MgO (001) and c-plane sapphire substrates by dc magnetron sputtering. The films were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, nanoindentation, and electrical resistivity measurements. High-quality epitaxial Cr and CrN films were obtained, and the effects of Nb and N incorporation were systematically analyzed. Cr films on MgO remained epitaxial with increased hardness and electric resistivity when the Nb content was increased to 12%, while a high Nb content (40 at%) resulted in a nanocrystalline film. Adding nitrogen to such nanocrystalline Cr–Nb alloys yielded a phase mixture of metallic and ternary nitrides, which enhanced the hardness up to 26 GPa and resulted in a large variation in the electrical behavior. Additions of Nb into epitaxial CrN resulted in a linear lattice expansion while decreasing the electrical resistivity of CrN by two orders of magnitude. These findings demonstrate that precise control of Nb and nitrogen enables tunable structural, mechanical, and electrical properties in Cr-Nb-N films.
{"title":"Compositional effects on the structural, mechanical, and electrical properties of Cr–Nb–N thin films","authors":"A. Farhadizadeh , Y. Wei , M. Odén","doi":"10.1016/j.tsf.2025.140840","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tsf.2025.140840","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study reports the structural, morphological, mechanical, and electrical properties of Cr-Nb-N films deposited on MgO (001) and c-plane sapphire substrates by dc magnetron sputtering. The films were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, nanoindentation, and electrical resistivity measurements. High-quality epitaxial Cr and CrN films were obtained, and the effects of Nb and N incorporation were systematically analyzed. Cr films on MgO remained epitaxial with increased hardness and electric resistivity when the Nb content was increased to 12%, while a high Nb content (40 at%) resulted in a nanocrystalline film. Adding nitrogen to such nanocrystalline Cr–Nb alloys yielded a phase mixture of metallic and ternary nitrides, which enhanced the hardness up to 26 GPa and resulted in a large variation in the electrical behavior. Additions of Nb into epitaxial CrN resulted in a linear lattice expansion while decreasing the electrical resistivity of CrN by two orders of magnitude. These findings demonstrate that precise control of Nb and nitrogen enables tunable structural, mechanical, and electrical properties in Cr-Nb-N films.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23182,"journal":{"name":"Thin Solid Films","volume":"833 ","pages":"Article 140840"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145737381","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
GaAs0.97Sb0.03 and Al0.3Ga0.7As0.97Sb0.03 epitaxial layers were grown on GaAs (001) substrates by molecular beam epitaxy at temperatures as low as 150 °C or 200 °C. The grown samples were then subjected to thermal treatment within a temperature range of 400–600 °C. The microstructure evolution of the samples upon annealing was examined using transmission electron microscopy. The results indicated that the second phase AsSb nanoparticles formed within the epitaxial layers as a result of thermal treatment have rhombohedral lattice of space group inherent in bulk As and Sb. However, the fine AsSb particles, measuring less than approximately 10 nm, were discovered to adopt an abnormal, symmetry-incompatible orientation in respect to the zinc-blende GaAs0.97Sb0.03 semiconductor matrix. Furthermore, an increase in the particle size over 10 nm was found to be accompanied by reorientation of the particles towards the ordinary, symmetry-compatible orientation relationships. This reorientation is believed to be driven by minimization of the particle-matrix lattice mismatch stress and to occur through atom migration.
{"title":"Peculiar orientation relationships of metallic AsSb nanoparticles embedded in low temperature molecular beam epitaxy grown GaAsSb","authors":"L.A. Snigirev , A.V. Myasoedov , N.A. Bert , V.V. Preobrazhenskii , M.A. Putyato , B.R. Semyagin , V.V. Chaldyshev","doi":"10.1016/j.tsf.2025.140838","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tsf.2025.140838","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>GaAs<sub>0.97</sub>Sb<sub>0.03</sub> and Al<sub>0.3</sub>Ga<sub>0.7</sub>As<sub>0.97</sub>Sb<sub>0.03</sub> epitaxial layers were grown on GaAs (001) substrates by molecular beam epitaxy at temperatures as low as 150 °C or 200 °C. The grown samples were then subjected to thermal treatment within a temperature range of 400–600 °C. The microstructure evolution of the samples upon annealing was examined using transmission electron microscopy. The results indicated that the second phase AsSb nanoparticles formed within the epitaxial layers as a result of thermal treatment have rhombohedral lattice of <span><math><mrow><mi>R</mi><mover><mn>3</mn><mo>¯</mo></mover><mi>m</mi></mrow></math></span> space group inherent in bulk As and Sb. However, the fine AsSb particles, measuring less than approximately 10 nm, were discovered to adopt an abnormal, symmetry-incompatible orientation in respect to the zinc-blende GaAs<sub>0.97</sub>Sb<sub>0.03</sub> semiconductor matrix. Furthermore, an increase in the particle size over 10 nm was found to be accompanied by reorientation of the particles towards the ordinary, symmetry-compatible orientation relationships. This reorientation is believed to be driven by minimization of the particle-matrix lattice mismatch stress and to occur through atom migration.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23182,"journal":{"name":"Thin Solid Films","volume":"833 ","pages":"Article 140838"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145737380","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The paper presents data on the structural features, including defects features, of thin CdTe films grown by high-vacuum thermal sputtering on Al2O3 (0001), Si (111) substrates, fluorine tin oxide and indium tin oxide layers on silicate glasses, and amorphous silicate glass under different temperature conditions. The results demonstrate that the kinetic features of sputtering processes lead excess Cd formation with increasing substrate temperature what could be related to an increase of desorption rates of Cd and Te atoms. This leads to a violation of stoichiometry and the formation of Te precipitates covered with a TeO2 layer due to the presence of free Te regions, which has been demonstrated using X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, diffraction of electrons and Raman spectroscopy. It is shown for the first time that increasing the substrate temperature to 500 °C leads not only to a decrease in the film growth rate due to an increase in the desorption rates of the sputtered atoms, but also to the formation of a highly oriented thin CdTe film with a sphalerite structure on an amorphous substrate.
{"title":"Polymorphism and defect structure of CdTe thin films grown on different substrates by thermal sputtering","authors":"I.S. Volchkov , I.O. Koshelev , D.R. Khairetdinova , P.V. Reznikova , D.N. Khmelenin , A.V. Butashin , V.M. Kanevsky","doi":"10.1016/j.tsf.2025.140835","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tsf.2025.140835","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The paper presents data on the structural features, including defects features, of thin CdTe films grown by high-vacuum thermal sputtering on Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> (0001), Si (111) substrates, fluorine tin oxide and indium tin oxide layers on silicate glasses, and amorphous silicate glass under different temperature conditions. The results demonstrate that the kinetic features of sputtering processes lead excess Cd formation with increasing substrate temperature what could be related to an increase of desorption rates of Cd and Te atoms. This leads to a violation of stoichiometry and the formation of Te precipitates covered with a TeO<sub>2</sub> layer due to the presence of free Te regions, which has been demonstrated using X-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, diffraction of electrons and Raman spectroscopy. It is shown for the first time that increasing the substrate temperature to 500 °C leads not only to a decrease in the film growth rate due to an increase in the desorption rates of the sputtered atoms, but also to the formation of a highly oriented thin CdTe film with a sphalerite structure on an amorphous substrate.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23182,"journal":{"name":"Thin Solid Films","volume":"833 ","pages":"Article 140835"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145737379","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-04DOI: 10.1016/j.tsf.2025.140836
Edgar Chaslin, Jade Clément, Quentin Simon, Alejandro Borroto, Mohamed Himdi, Xavier Castel
Optimizing the growth of BaTiO3 thin films is essential for operating their ferroelectric and dielectric properties for embedded microelectronic applications. The present study investigates in a combinatorial-like approach the deposition of BaTiO3 thin films by radiofrequency magnetron sputtering on SiO2/Si substrates under various working pressures (1 to 6 Pa) and target-substrate distances (7.5 to 9.2 cm). X-ray diffraction (XRD), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and Rutherford Backscattering Spectroscopy (RBS) characterizations were used to establish the relationships between the sputtering deposition parameters and the resulting deposition rates, crystalline quality, surface roughness, and stoichiometry of the BaTiO3 thin films. Low pressures and short distances lead to high kinetic growth of amorphous Ba-deficient films. Increasing working pressure target-substrate distance values above 0.30 Pa.m enables to attain the stoichiometric Ba/Ti ratio. This result is related to both Ba and Ti species thermalization into the plasma leading to improve the chemical composition of the films. Furthermore, crystalline quality of the BaTiO3 films is improved by reducing the deposition rate through working pressure and target-substrate distance adjustment. These results can provide valuable roadmaps to set BaTiO3 sputtering parameters for high-quality thin films deposition based on the stoichiometry balance and deposition kinetics, that can be further extended to other perovskite compounds.
{"title":"Tailoring the composition and deposition kinetics of RF-sputtered BaTiO3 thin films through working pressure and target-substrate distance adjustments","authors":"Edgar Chaslin, Jade Clément, Quentin Simon, Alejandro Borroto, Mohamed Himdi, Xavier Castel","doi":"10.1016/j.tsf.2025.140836","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tsf.2025.140836","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Optimizing the growth of BaTiO<sub>3</sub> thin films is essential for operating their ferroelectric and dielectric properties for embedded microelectronic applications. The present study investigates in a combinatorial-like approach the deposition of BaTiO<sub>3</sub> thin films by radiofrequency magnetron sputtering on SiO<sub>2</sub>/Si substrates under various working pressures (1 to 6 Pa) and target-substrate distances (7.5 to 9.2 cm). X-ray diffraction (XRD), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and Rutherford Backscattering Spectroscopy (RBS) characterizations were used to establish the relationships between the sputtering deposition parameters and the resulting deposition rates, crystalline quality, surface roughness, and stoichiometry of the BaTiO<sub>3</sub> thin films. Low pressures and short distances lead to high kinetic growth of amorphous Ba-deficient films. Increasing working pressure <span><math><mo>×</mo></math></span> target-substrate distance values above 0.30 Pa.m enables to attain the stoichiometric Ba/Ti ratio. This result is related to both Ba and Ti species thermalization into the plasma leading to improve the chemical composition of the films. Furthermore, crystalline quality of the BaTiO<sub>3</sub> films is improved by reducing the deposition rate through working pressure and target-substrate distance adjustment. These results can provide valuable roadmaps to set BaTiO<sub>3</sub> sputtering parameters for high-quality thin films deposition based on the stoichiometry balance and deposition kinetics, that can be further extended to other perovskite compounds.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23182,"journal":{"name":"Thin Solid Films","volume":"833 ","pages":"Article 140836"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145737382","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-12-04DOI: 10.1016/j.tsf.2025.140837
S. Valimohammadi , S.M. Hamidi , L. Rajaee
This study presents the development of a ternary heterojunction nanostructure for visible-light detection at 532 nm. Silicon nanowires (SiNWs) were grown using the metal-assisted chemical etching (MACE) method. The structure incorporates gold nanoparticles (Au NPs), synthesized via laser ablation (a fixed amount of S0: 1500 µL), which were combined with varying concentrations of chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) (S1: 1000 µL, S2: 1500 µL, S3: 2000 µL). Characterization techniques included SEM and AFM to confirm SiNWs morphology, UV–Vis spectroscopy to examine the optical properties of the Au/Chl-a combination, and current-voltage (I-V) measurements to evaluate the enhanced photodetector performance. Key findings demonstrated that plasmon-exciton dipole interactions effectively increase electron-hole pair separation via the formation of plexcitons. Furthermore, thermoplasmonic heating raised the temperature of the optimal sample (SiNWs@S2) to 51.6 °C (compared to the baseline SiNWs@S0 temperature of 40.7 °C), representing a 26.78 % improvement. This system shows promising potential for high-performance optical sensing applications.
{"title":"Thermoplasmonic enhanced detection efficiency by gold nanoparticles/ chlorophyll heterojunction on silicon nanowires","authors":"S. Valimohammadi , S.M. Hamidi , L. Rajaee","doi":"10.1016/j.tsf.2025.140837","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tsf.2025.140837","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study presents the development of a ternary heterojunction nanostructure for visible-light detection at 532 nm. Silicon nanowires (SiNWs) were grown using the metal-assisted chemical etching (MACE) method. The structure incorporates gold nanoparticles (Au NPs), synthesized via laser ablation (a fixed amount of S<sub>0</sub>: 1500 µL), which were combined with varying concentrations of chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) (S<sub>1</sub>: 1000 µL, S<sub>2</sub>: 1500 µL, S<sub>3</sub>: 2000 µL). Characterization techniques included SEM and AFM to confirm SiNWs morphology, UV–Vis spectroscopy to examine the optical properties of the Au/Chl-a combination, and current-voltage (I-V) measurements to evaluate the enhanced photodetector performance. Key findings demonstrated that plasmon-exciton dipole interactions effectively increase electron-hole pair separation via the formation of plexcitons. Furthermore, thermoplasmonic heating raised the temperature of the optimal sample (SiNWs@S<sub>2</sub>) to 51.6 °C (compared to the baseline SiNWs@S<sub>0</sub> temperature of 40.7 °C), representing a 26.78 % improvement. This system shows promising potential for high-performance optical sensing applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23182,"journal":{"name":"Thin Solid Films","volume":"833 ","pages":"Article 140837"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145737383","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Indium tin oxide (In2O3:Sn, ITO) films deposited on rigid polycarbonate (PC) substrates exhibit susceptibility to microcracking under mechanical loading and thermal cycling conditions, compromising the mechanical durability of aerospace transparencies. To address this issue, this study systematically investigated the influence of annealing on tensile cracking behavior and crack resistance of 500 nm ITO films on PC substrates. ITO films were subjected to annealing temperatures of 80 °C to 130 °C for 1 h. In situ electrical resistance test under uniaxial tension was employed to characterize the conductive failure strain (εc), a key indicator of crack initiation resistance. The results revealed that εc demonstrate a non-monotonic relationship with increasing annealing temperature, with a peak εc of 1.01 ± 0.01 % achieved at 120 °C. This temperature-dependent behavior of εc is principally governed by the competing effects of thermal compressive stress (resulting from the coefficient of thermal expansion mismatch) and intrinsic tensile stress (associated with microstructural evolution). Furthermore, fracture toughness evaluation through the energy release rate method revealed maximum critical energy release rate values for 120 °C-annealed specimens, indicating optimal crack propagation resistance at this annealing condition.
{"title":"Annealing temperature dependence of tensile cracking of indium tin oxide films on polycarbonate substrates","authors":"Jiali Zhou , Wenqiao Zhang , Yuandong Chen , Xianhua Huan , Youxiu Wei , Xuan Zhang , Xiaofeng Zhang , Yue Yan","doi":"10.1016/j.tsf.2025.140834","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tsf.2025.140834","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Indium tin oxide (In<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>:Sn, ITO) films deposited on rigid polycarbonate (PC) substrates exhibit susceptibility to microcracking under mechanical loading and thermal cycling conditions, compromising the mechanical durability of aerospace transparencies. To address this issue, this study systematically investigated the influence of annealing on tensile cracking behavior and crack resistance of 500 nm ITO films on PC substrates. ITO films were subjected to annealing temperatures of 80 °C to 130 °C for 1 h. In situ electrical resistance test under uniaxial tension was employed to characterize the conductive failure strain (<em>ε</em><sub>c</sub>), a key indicator of crack initiation resistance. The results revealed that <em>ε</em><sub>c</sub> demonstrate a non-monotonic relationship with increasing annealing temperature, with a peak <em>ε</em><sub>c</sub> of 1.01 ± 0.01 % achieved at 120 °C. This temperature-dependent behavior of <em>ε</em><sub>c</sub> is principally governed by the competing effects of thermal compressive stress (resulting from the coefficient of thermal expansion mismatch) and intrinsic tensile stress (associated with microstructural evolution). Furthermore, fracture toughness evaluation through the energy release rate method revealed maximum critical energy release rate values for 120 °C-annealed specimens, indicating optimal crack propagation resistance at this annealing condition.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23182,"journal":{"name":"Thin Solid Films","volume":"833 ","pages":"Article 140834"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-12-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145682787","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
We investigated the interactions between a mixed Langmuir monolayer of organo-modified nanoclays and nanodiamonds surface-modified with stearyl chains. In the organo-modified nanoclay, the montmorillonite surface was chemically modified with a long-chain quaternary ammonium salt. The organo-diamond surfaces were anionically modified with stearic acid. The modified chains, dimethyl distearyl ammonium chloride, and stearic acid exhibited ideal mixing in a mixed monolayer. Nonetheless, the organo-modified nanoclay and the organo-modified nanodiamond were phase-separated systems in the mixed monolayer. The surface morphology confirmed the independent aggregate morphology of each modified nanoparticle and the maintenance of two-dimensional order between the modified chains. However, the layered regularity of the multilayers was lost. From the results of this study, even if the interactions between the modified chains were compatible, there were cases in which the mixed monolayer became a phase-separated system because of the effect of the size and shape of the nanoparticles bound as hydrophilic groups. This study established a methodology for the miscibility of Langmuir monolayers that combines mesoscopic evaluation using two-dimensional state curves with comparative microscopic morphological evaluation. It also provides a means of establishing a method for patterned morphology control by evaluating the interactions between the modified chain moieties and the nanoparticles.
{"title":"Formation of mixed monolayers of organo-modified inorganic nanoparticles with miscible modified chains and interactions between their components","authors":"Ryoma Nakada , Tsubasa Takiguchi , Atsuhiro Fujimori","doi":"10.1016/j.tsf.2025.140833","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tsf.2025.140833","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>We investigated the interactions between a mixed Langmuir monolayer of organo-modified nanoclays and nanodiamonds surface-modified with stearyl chains. In the organo-modified nanoclay, the montmorillonite surface was chemically modified with a long-chain quaternary ammonium salt. The organo-diamond surfaces were anionically modified with stearic acid. The modified chains, dimethyl distearyl ammonium chloride, and stearic acid exhibited ideal mixing in a mixed monolayer. Nonetheless, the organo-modified nanoclay and the organo-modified nanodiamond were phase-separated systems in the mixed monolayer. The surface morphology confirmed the independent aggregate morphology of each modified nanoparticle and the maintenance of two-dimensional order between the modified chains. However, the layered regularity of the multilayers was lost. From the results of this study, even if the interactions between the modified chains were compatible, there were cases in which the mixed monolayer became a phase-separated system because of the effect of the size and shape of the nanoparticles bound as hydrophilic groups. This study established a methodology for the miscibility of Langmuir monolayers that combines mesoscopic evaluation using two-dimensional state curves with comparative microscopic morphological evaluation. It also provides a means of establishing a method for patterned morphology control by evaluating the interactions between the modified chain moieties and the nanoparticles.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23182,"journal":{"name":"Thin Solid Films","volume":"833 ","pages":"Article 140833"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145682786","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-26DOI: 10.1016/j.tsf.2025.140831
P. Aruna , M.R. Rajani , Aditya Surana , Shreyas Kapri , S. Sindhu , Rajesh Cheruku , C.M. Joseph
The electrochromic properties of post-deposition high vacuum (1.3 × 10–4 Pa) annealed 1, 4, 5, 8-naphthalene-tetracarboxylic-dianhydride (NTCDA) thin films were investigated in this study. As-deposited samples were vacuum annealed at different temperatures of 323 K, 373 K, 423 K and 473 K. From x-ray diffraction patterns, it was observed that annealing increased the crystallinity due to a better molecular packing of the NTCDA thin films and scanning electron micrographs revealed that the annealing promotes uniformity and diminishes structural defects. Band gap was around 2.25 eV for the as-deposited NTCDA film. Electrochemical reversibility was calculated for all the annealed samples and it was found that the film annealed at 423 K exhibited better reversibility compared to the other annealed films. Post deposition annealing changes the self-organization of NTCDA thin films which in turn influences its electrochromic properties.
{"title":"Enhancement of electrochemical reversibility and self-organization of vacuum evaporated 1, 4, 5, 8-naphthalene-tetracarboxylic-dianhydride thin films for dynamic glasses applications","authors":"P. Aruna , M.R. Rajani , Aditya Surana , Shreyas Kapri , S. Sindhu , Rajesh Cheruku , C.M. Joseph","doi":"10.1016/j.tsf.2025.140831","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tsf.2025.140831","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The electrochromic properties of post-deposition high vacuum (1.3 × 10<sup>–4</sup> Pa) annealed 1, 4, 5, 8-naphthalene-tetracarboxylic-dianhydride (NTCDA) thin films were investigated in this study. As-deposited samples were vacuum annealed at different temperatures of 323 K, 373 K, 423 K and 473 K. From x-ray diffraction patterns, it was observed that annealing increased the crystallinity due to a better molecular packing of the NTCDA thin films and scanning electron micrographs revealed that the annealing promotes uniformity and diminishes structural defects. Band gap was around 2.25 eV for the as-deposited NTCDA film. Electrochemical reversibility was calculated for all the annealed samples and it was found that the film annealed at 423 K exhibited better reversibility compared to the other annealed films. Post deposition annealing changes the self-organization of NTCDA thin films which in turn influences its electrochromic properties.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23182,"journal":{"name":"Thin Solid Films","volume":"833 ","pages":"Article 140831"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145682788","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-11-24DOI: 10.1016/j.tsf.2025.140832
Shady Alwakeel , Nobl F. El Boarei , El-Said H. El-Mosallamy , Magdy A.M. Ibrahim
Metalized acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) plastic has gained popularity in the commercial market, particularly in the automotive and electronics industries. In this work, we replaced the ABS surface activation with Pd-Sn-free pretreatments, synthesizing a conductive nickel sulphide (NiS) seed thin film using chemical treatments on ABS. Instead of the usual sensitization and activation, the etched ABS plastic was immediately dipped into a metal sulfide solution, and consequently, no acceleration step was required. Hence, three steps can be used to obtain Ni plating on ABS (etching, NiS seeding, and plating). The Ni films' adhesion demonstrates strong adherence between the ABS substrate and Ni film (2.0 - 2.2 MPa). The film formed after electroplating under such conditions is crystalline and composed mainly of Ni in addition to a small amount of β-Ni(OH)₂, according to X-ray diffraction (XRD) results. EDS (energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy) and SEM (scanning electron microscopy) were used to characterize the coatings' composition and morphology. Developing a NiS seed layer through a simplified three-step process offers a cost-effective and scalable alternative with strong potential for metallization technologies of ABS plastics.
{"title":"Scalable palladium and tin-free pretreatment for direct nickel electroplating of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene plastics","authors":"Shady Alwakeel , Nobl F. El Boarei , El-Said H. El-Mosallamy , Magdy A.M. Ibrahim","doi":"10.1016/j.tsf.2025.140832","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tsf.2025.140832","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Metalized acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) plastic has gained popularity in the commercial market, particularly in the automotive and electronics industries. In this work, we replaced the ABS surface activation with Pd-Sn-free pretreatments, synthesizing a conductive nickel sulphide (NiS) seed thin film using chemical treatments on ABS. Instead of the usual sensitization and activation, the etched ABS plastic was immediately dipped into a metal sulfide solution, and consequently, no acceleration step was required. Hence, three steps can be used to obtain Ni plating on ABS (etching, NiS seeding, and plating). The Ni films' adhesion demonstrates strong adherence between the ABS substrate and Ni film (2.0 - 2.2 MPa). The film formed after electroplating under such conditions is crystalline and composed mainly of Ni in addition to a small amount of β-Ni(OH)₂, according to X-ray diffraction (XRD) results. EDS (energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy) and SEM (scanning electron microscopy) were used to characterize the coatings' composition and morphology. Developing a NiS seed layer through a simplified three-step process offers a cost-effective and scalable alternative with strong potential for metallization technologies of ABS plastics.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23182,"journal":{"name":"Thin Solid Films","volume":"833 ","pages":"Article 140832"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145610560","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Titanium oxynitride (TiON) coatings were synthesized via reactive magnetron sputtering to functionalize the surface of metallic bipolar plates in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), with the dual objective of ensuring both durability and electrical conductivity. The incorporation of oxygen into titanium nitride (TiN) was identified as a critical factor in enhancing the chemical stability of the material, particularly at elevated potentials (>1.2 V/NHE), due to the greater stability of iono-covalent bonds—characterized by partial electron sharing and separation—compared to metallic bonds. Beyond influencing the chemical properties, oxygen addition also altered the coating morphology, leading to larger columnar structures and smoother, less reactive surfaces. Ex-situ potentiodynamic polarization and interfacial contact resistance (ICR) measurements were performed to determine the optimal oxygen content, identified as 5 at.%, which simultaneously maintains a low ICR (<10 mΩ·cm²) suitable for practical applications, while significantly improving corrosion resistance relative to pure TiN coatings. This comprehensive study highlights the intricate interplay between microstructural and chemical factors, providing valuable insights for the development of advanced coatings specifically designed for PEMFC applications.
{"title":"Role of oxygen on functional properties of TiOxNy coating for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell’s bipolar plate","authors":"Clément Cambier , Marie-Alix Leroy , Benoit Ter-Ovanessian , Jules Galipaud , Matthieu Bugnet , Christophe Heau , Bernard Normand","doi":"10.1016/j.tsf.2025.140829","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.tsf.2025.140829","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Titanium oxynitride (TiON) coatings were synthesized via reactive magnetron sputtering to functionalize the surface of metallic bipolar plates in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), with the dual objective of ensuring both durability and electrical conductivity. The incorporation of oxygen into titanium nitride (TiN) was identified as a critical factor in enhancing the chemical stability of the material, particularly at elevated potentials (>1.2 V/NHE), due to the greater stability of iono-covalent bonds—characterized by partial electron sharing and separation—compared to metallic bonds. Beyond influencing the chemical properties, oxygen addition also altered the coating morphology, leading to larger columnar structures and smoother, less reactive surfaces. <em>Ex-situ</em> potentiodynamic polarization and interfacial contact resistance (ICR) measurements were performed to determine the optimal oxygen content, identified as 5 at.%, which simultaneously maintains a low ICR (<10 mΩ·cm²) suitable for practical applications, while significantly improving corrosion resistance relative to pure TiN coatings. This comprehensive study highlights the intricate interplay between microstructural and chemical factors, providing valuable insights for the development of advanced coatings specifically designed for PEMFC applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23182,"journal":{"name":"Thin Solid Films","volume":"832 ","pages":"Article 140829"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145624083","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"材料科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}