Applied Surface Science Advances最新文献

{"title":"Effect of NaBH4 loading and reduction temperature on defect-driven CO2 photoreduction over TiO2","authors":"Rudolf Ricka ,&nbsp;Agnieszka Wanag ,&nbsp;Ewelina Kusiak-Nejman ,&nbsp;Martin Reli ,&nbsp;Miroslava Filip Edelmannová ,&nbsp;Marcin Łapinski ,&nbsp;Grzegorz Słowik ,&nbsp;Antoni W. Morawski ,&nbsp;Kamila Kočí","doi":"10.1016/j.apsadv.2025.100925","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsadv.2025.100925","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates the role of defect engineering in enhancing TiO₂-based photocatalysts for CO₂ photoreduction through a systematically controlled synthesis. In contrast to previous reports focused on Ti³⁺ doping of commercial TiO₂, here we combine sol–gel synthesis with post-synthetic chemical reduction using sodium borohydride (NaBH₄) to obtain TiO₂ materials with tunable concentrations of surface defects, specifically oxygen vacancies and Ti³⁺ sites. By varying both the reduction temperature and NaBH₄ dosage, we introduce a new level of control over defect formation. The materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), nitrogen physisorption, and photoelectrochemical measurements. Photocatalytic performance was assessed via CO₂ photoreduction under UV–vis irradiation. The sample reduced at 350 °C with 1.5 <em>g</em> NaBH₄ showed the highest activity and selectivity toward CH₄ and CO, clearly surpassing the performance of commercial TiO₂ (P25) and a sol–gel reference without chemical reduction (W-TiO₂_350 °C). The improved performance is attributed to a synergistic balance of Ti³⁺ sites, oxygen vacancies, and surface hydroxyls, which enhance charge separation and CO₂ activation. This work introduces new synthesis–structure–activity relationships and demonstrates the potential of defect-tuned TiO₂ materials for efficient and selective CO₂ valorization.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34303,"journal":{"name":"Applied Surface Science Advances","volume":"31 ","pages":"Article 100925"},"PeriodicalIF":8.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145925639","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Molecular layer deposited metalcone hybrid layers for solvent-resistant nanofiltration membranes: surface wetting and permeation","authors":"Harpreet Sondhi ,&nbsp;Tom Kramberg ,&nbsp;Arian Nijmeijer ,&nbsp;Fred Roozeboom ,&nbsp;Serena Gabrielli ,&nbsp;Mikhael Bechelany ,&nbsp;Alexey Kovalgin ,&nbsp;Mieke W.J. Luiten-Olieman","doi":"10.1016/j.apsadv.2025.100922","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsadv.2025.100922","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Solvent-resistant nanofiltration (SRNF) has emerged as a promising alternative to conventional distillation for removing impurities, recovering solutes, and regenerating solvents from diluted process streams. For most industries, such as the pharmaceutical and (petro)chemical industry, the key important factor here is energy-efficiency gain. This study investigates the physicochemical properties of metalcone hybrid layers, such as layer thickness, composition, and layer-solvent interactions. It also utilizes surface-silanization to increase the hydrophobicity of these layers, grown on both planar silicon and 3D-porous ceramic substrates. Using the molecular layer deposition (MLD) technique, vapor-phase titanium tetra-chloride and trimethyl-aluminum are employed as precursors, with ethylene glycol as a co-reactant for nanopore fabrication and methyltrimethoxysilane for surface-silanization. MLD layers were deposited at 125°C and 150°C, followed by annealing in air and nitrogen (N₂) at 250°C and 350°C. The resulting SRNF membranes demonstrated high chemical stability in polar and non-polar solvents, as well as in water-solvent mixtures, maintaining permeation rates after 48 hours of continuous exposure. Furthermore, after surface-silanization and enhanced hydrophobicity, the n-hexane permeance was tripled for surface-silanized titanicone and doubled for alucone hybrid layers compared to the unsilanized hybrid layers. Conversely, demineralized water permeance decreased. The SRNF membranes, with pore diameters of &lt;2 nm, show a &gt;90% rejection for polyethylene glycol molecular sizes &gt;390 Dalton. The final n-hexane permeance of surface-silanized, air- and N₂-annealed metalcone hybrid layer membranes was &gt;10 L·m⁻²·hr⁻¹·bar⁻¹. These results demonstrate the versatility of MLD as a technology ready for further developing membranes towards large-scale industrial applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34303,"journal":{"name":"Applied Surface Science Advances","volume":"31 ","pages":"Article 100922"},"PeriodicalIF":8.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145925640","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Fabrication of a multijunction nitride-based Ti1.33N@BiVO4/GdIn2Se3 MXene heterostructure with enhanced optoelectronic and photoelectrochemical properties","authors":"Majahekupheleni Malati ,&nbsp;Bonginkosi Thango ,&nbsp;Thulane Paepae ,&nbsp;Nkosinathi Gule ,&nbsp;Langelihle Dlamini","doi":"10.1016/j.apsadv.2025.100921","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsadv.2025.100921","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A dual interfacial heterojunction of 2D-2D Ti_1.33N@BiVO₄/GdIn₂Se₃ photocatalyst with enhanced photocatalytic properties was prepared. Microscopic images showed a 2D GdIn₂Se₃ sheet sandwiching a decahedron and a tetragonal bipyramidal (010) exposed facet of BiVO₄, covered by 2D Ti_1.33 N MXene nanosheets. The XRD data and HR-TEM analysis confirmed the successful fabrication of a multijunctional heterostructure. The optical studies showed a visible-light (460 to 550 nm) active Ti_1.33N@BiVO₄/GdIn₂Se₃ photocatalyst with suppressed charge carrier recombination. The Ti_1.33N@BiVO₄/GdIn₂Se₃ composite realised a Schottky junction and S-scheme dual charge transfer mechanism. A Schottky junction was realised at the BiVO₄@Ti_1.33Ninterface, and at the GdIn₂Se₃/BiVO₄ interface, an S-scheme pathway is observed. In agreement with the multijunction formation, the photoelectrochemical studies (EIS, OCVD, and PCR) showed an improvement in the charge carrier properties of the ternary composite. A low charge transfer resistance of 323Ω and a high charge carrier density of 1.08×10²¹ cm⁻³ were achieved in the Ti_1.33N@BiVO₄/GdIn₂Se₃ composite.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34303,"journal":{"name":"Applied Surface Science Advances","volume":"31 ","pages":"Article 100921"},"PeriodicalIF":8.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145925643","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Etching resistance and particle suppression behavior of Y₂O₃–ZrO₂ composite coatings in fluorine-based plasma","authors":"Gyutae Park ,&nbsp;Hyunho Yang ,&nbsp;Minjin Lee ,&nbsp;Kiin Choi ,&nbsp;Hyun S. Kum","doi":"10.1016/j.apsadv.2025.100926","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsadv.2025.100926","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Yttrium oxide (Y₂O₃) coatings serve as essential barrier layers for protecting chamber surfaces from plasma-induced erosion and contamination during dry etching in semiconductor and display fabrication. With increasing device complexity and elevated plasma power conditions, the demand for enhanced coating performance has intensified to support stable processing and high production yields. Accordingly, there is growing interest in coating systems that can sustain harsh plasma etching while maintaining a clean processing environment.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;In this study, Y₂O₃–ZrO₂ composite coatings (hereafter referred to as YZ coatings) were fabricated via atmospheric plasma spraying (APS), and their durability was evaluated through a 10-hour plasma etching process conducted in an 8.6-generation industrial ICP system operated with a CF₄/O₂/Ar gas mixture.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Key durability metrics— maximum etch depth, mass change, reaction layer degradation, and ion elution—were quantitatively assessed. To evaluate dissolved ion release after plasma etching, Y ion concentrations (measured by ICP-OES) and Zr ion concentrations (measured by ICP-MS) in the ultrasonic cleaning solution were analyzed for high-sensitivity detection.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;The Y₂O₃–ZrO₂ composite coatings (hereafter referred to as YZ coatings) exhibited a 13% shallower maximum etch depth (4306.9 nm) compared to conventional Y₂O₃ (4946.96 nm), along with a reduction in total ionic elution by approximately 19% (from 2.13 mg/kg to 1.73 mg/kg). These improvements are attributed to the dual stabilizing effects of Zr addition, namely mechanical reinforcement of the microstructure and chemical stabilization via preferential Zr–F bonding, which suppresses excessive Y–F formation.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;XPS analysis confirmed that Zr⁴⁺ incorporation modified the surface chemistry by forming stable Zr–F bonds, which suppressed excessive Y–F bond formation and reduced fluorine incorporation.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;This effect can be explained by the smaller ionic radius (0.84 Å vs. 1.02 Å) and higher electronegativity (1.33 vs. 1.22) of Zr⁴⁺ compared to Y³⁺, which enhance its affinity for F⁻ ions and promote selective fluorination, thereby stabilizing the reaction layer.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;The smaller ionic radius of Zr⁴⁺ leads to shorter Zr–F bond lengths, resulting in stronger bonding and enhanced near-surface mechanical integrity. In addition, the higher electronegativity of Zr⁴⁺ favors stronger ionic–covalent interactions with fluorine, reducing the volatility of fluoride species and improving chemical stability at the surface.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;As a result, the YZ composite coating effectively suppresses plasma-induced material degradation and ion release, contributing to improved process stability and reduced chamber contamination under prolonged fluorine-based plasma etching conditions. These findings highlight the industrial significance of Zr-modified Y₂O₃ coatings for advanced semiconductor and display manufacturing environments.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;/di","PeriodicalId":34303,"journal":{"name":"Applied Surface Science Advances","volume":"31 ","pages":"Article 100926"},"PeriodicalIF":8.7,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145925641","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Adhesion between a borophane sheet and a metal substrate by interface bonding","authors":"Kazuki Yamaguchi ,&nbsp;Heming Yin ,&nbsp;Masahito Niibe ,&nbsp;Jingmin Tang ,&nbsp;Masashige Miyamoto ,&nbsp;Yuki Tsujikawa ,&nbsp;Haruto Sakurai ,&nbsp;Yu Murano ,&nbsp;Kenichi Ozawa ,&nbsp;Masafumi Horio ,&nbsp;Jun-ichi Yamaura ,&nbsp;Takahiro Kondo ,&nbsp;Iwao Matsuda","doi":"10.1016/j.apsadv.2025.100918","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsadv.2025.100918","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Boron deposited on transition metal substrates has been actively investigated as a system that exhibits a wide range of surface structures. However, the specific case of nickel substrates remains largely unexplored. Nickel boride is used as a tribological material with excellent wear resistance and as a catalyst for hydrogenation, and its synthesis methods, structure, and functionality are being vigorously investigated. In this study, borophane, a two-dimensional material composed of hydrogen and boron, was heated to 300 °C in contact with a nickel substrate. We found that, compared with that annealed at 100 °C, annealed at 300 °C had a color that shifted toward longer wavelengths, and no longer dissolved in the synthesis solvent. However, x-ray diffraction and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy revealed no significant differences between the borophane samples annealed at 100 and 300 °C. X-ray absorption spectroscopy and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed that the surface oxide of nickel was reduced by borophane, resulting in the formation of nickel boride. Furthermore, thermal desorption spectroscopy showed that hydrogen desorbed from borophane upon contact with nickel, revealing that the borophane–nickel interface consisted of nickel boride and boron oxide layers. These findings provide insight into the surface science of boron on transition metal substrates and for the development of functional materials using these systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34303,"journal":{"name":"Applied Surface Science Advances","volume":"31 ","pages":"Article 100918"},"PeriodicalIF":8.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145791019","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Efficient electrosynthesis of Nylon monomeric precursors from the electrocatalytic adiponitrile reduction over the defect-rich NiOx/Ni modified electrode","authors":"Chia-Hui Yen ,&nbsp;Shih-Ching Huang ,&nbsp;Tzh-Hsuan Wang ,&nbsp;Wei-Che Tsai ,&nbsp;Yan-Gu Lin ,&nbsp;Chia Yu Lin","doi":"10.1016/j.apsadv.2025.100919","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsadv.2025.100919","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Electrocatalytic adiponitrile reduction (<em>e</em>-ADNRR) using water as the proton source for the synthesis of 6-aminocapronitrile and hexamethylenediamine, the respective monomeric precursors for Nylon 6 and Nylon 6,6, serves as a green and sustainable alternative to traditional thermocatalytic hydrogenation counterparts. The efficient <em>e</em>-ADNRR relies on the development of robust electrocatalysts that readily expedite the kinetics of <em>e</em>-ADNRR while suppressing the competing hydrogen evolution reaction. Herein, we report on a nickel submicron-particulate film-modified electrode (Ti|<em>micro</em>Ni), containing defective NiO_x and metallic nickel, that exhibits high performance towards <em>e</em>-ADNRR under environmentally benign conditions. The effects of electrode preparation conditions (e.g., electrodeposition current) and electrosynthetic conditions (e.g., electrolyte pH, ADN concentration, and concentration of quaternary alkyl ammonium salt) were systematically investigated through a series of controlled-current electrolysis. Ni²⁺ centers in the defective NiO_x are low-coordinated and have a pyramidal (NiO₅) symmetry with an oxygen vacancy in the octahedral position. Analysis of the mechanism underlying <em>e</em>-ADNRR at the developed Ti|<em>micro</em>Ni electrode reveals that <em>e</em>-ADNRR involves the direct electron transfer from the Ti|<em>micro</em>Ni electrode to ADN molecules, generating reduced intermediates that are subsequently protonated by nearby water molecules. Under optimal conditions, the developed Ti|<em>micro</em>Ni electrode was demonstrated, for the first time, to exhibit a remarkably high overall product current efficiency (∼98.5 %) at industrially relevant current (-100 mA cm⁻²) at near-neutral pH without using any organic cosolvent, which eliminates the risk of adiponitrile decomposition and avoids the additional energy consumption associated with the use of organic cosolvents. Overall, this study presents a novel strategy for designing high-performance electrocatalysts for efficient <em>e</em>-ADNRR and related organic electrosynthetic processes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34303,"journal":{"name":"Applied Surface Science Advances","volume":"31 ","pages":"Article 100919"},"PeriodicalIF":8.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145737643","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Optimization of Zr concentration in HZO-based charge trap layers for enhanced flash memory performance","authors":"Sang Hyeok Kim ,&nbsp;Donghyun Kim ,&nbsp;Inkyu Yoon ,&nbsp;Somi Lee ,&nbsp;Yunhye Jang ,&nbsp;Lae Hyeong Jeong ,&nbsp;Seunggyu Lee ,&nbsp;Jiyong Woo ,&nbsp;Jae Woo Lee","doi":"10.1016/j.apsadv.2025.100914","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsadv.2025.100914","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates the effect of Zr concentration in HZO thin films for application as charge trap layers (CTL) in charge trap flash (CTF) memory devices. Non-ferroelectric HZO thin films with various Zr concentrations are deposited using atomic layer deposition, and their material and electrical properties are analyzed. Increasing Zr concentration narrows the bandgap and increases oxygen vacancies. The low-frequency noise and dielectric breakdown measurements reveal that higher Zr concentrations result in increased trap density but a reduced breakdown electric field. This indicates a trade-off between improved charge storage capability and the reliability of HZO in CTL applications.</div><div>Subsequently, CTF devices incorporating HZO-based CTLs are fabricated to evaluate memory performance. The device with 10% Zr achieves the widest memory window (1.96 V), excellent endurance over 10⁶ program/erase cycles (5.35 % memory window reduction rate), and retention after 10⁶ s (15.9 % memory window reduction rate). In contrast, the device with 20% Zr exhibits degraded erase efficiency due to excessive trap density, resulting in a reduced memory window. These results demonstrate that a Zr concentration of 10% in HZO-based CTL is the optimized composition for flash memory performance, delivering superior memory window, endurance, and retention characteristics essential for reliable CTF memory.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34303,"journal":{"name":"Applied Surface Science Advances","volume":"31 ","pages":"Article 100914"},"PeriodicalIF":8.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145737644","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Biofunctionalization of SLM Ti–40Nb alloy through hydroxyapatite-modified plasma electrolytic oxidation coating","authors":"Shangavi Subramanian ,&nbsp;Kesavan Praveenkumar ,&nbsp;Nagumothu Rameshbabu ,&nbsp;Kuppusamy Lokeshraj ,&nbsp;Ansheed Raheem ,&nbsp;Jayamani Jayaraj ,&nbsp;Konda Gokuldoss Prashanth","doi":"10.1016/j.apsadv.2025.100917","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsadv.2025.100917","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study reports the successful development of bioactive coatings on in-situ alloyed Ti-40Nb substrates fabricated via selective laser melting (SLM) using plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO). Two electrolytes were employed for PEO processing: phosphate–silicate (PS) and phosphate–silicate–hydroxyapatite (PSHA). A comparative evaluation was performed to investigate the influence of electrolyte composition on surface morphology, corrosion resistance, and biological performance. The incorporation of hydroxyapatite (HAp) in the PSHA electrolyte significantly modified the coating structure, resulting in reduced porosity, increased surface roughness, and enhanced wettability. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed the formation of TiO₂ (anatase and rutile) and Nb₂O₅ phases, with a higher rutile fraction observed in the HAp-incorporated coatings due to intensified plasma discharges. Electrochemical testing in simulated body fluid (SBF) demonstrated improved corrosion resistance for the HAp-containing samples, as evidenced by lower corrosion current density and passivation current values. In vitro assays with MC3T3 pre-osteoblast cells further revealed superior cell viability and proliferation on the HAp-incorporated coatings, attributed to the synergistic effects of roughened topography and the sustained release of bioactive ions. Overall, the PEO-modified Ti40Nb samples exhibited enhanced corrosion protection and cytocompatibility, underscoring their strong potential as next-generation Ti-based orthopedic implant materials.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34303,"journal":{"name":"Applied Surface Science Advances","volume":"31 ","pages":"Article 100917"},"PeriodicalIF":8.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145737647","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effect of interface on magnetic exchange coupling in Co/Ru/Co trilayer: From ab initio simulations to micromagnetics","authors":"Sergiu Arapan ,&nbsp;Jan Priessnitz ,&nbsp;Alexander Kovacs ,&nbsp;Dominik Legut ,&nbsp;Harald Oezelt ,&nbsp;David Böhm ,&nbsp;Markus Gusenbauer ,&nbsp;Thomas Schrefl","doi":"10.1016/j.apsadv.2025.100915","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsadv.2025.100915","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Interfaces play a substantial role for the functional properties of structured magnetic materials and magnetic multilayers. Modeling the functional behavior of magnetic materials requires the treatment of the relevant phenomena at the device level. Properties predicted from the electronic structure and spin dynamics at the atomistic level have to be properly transferred into a continuum level treatment. In this work we show how Co/Ru/Co three layers can be simulated with the continuum theory of micromagnetism, with interface coupling energies and bulk intrinsic properties properly derived from the results of <em>ab initio</em> and spin dynamics simulations at different temperatures.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34303,"journal":{"name":"Applied Surface Science Advances","volume":"31 ","pages":"Article 100915"},"PeriodicalIF":8.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145737646","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Defect analysis of Al-delta-doped ZnO thin films by positron annihilation spectroscopy","authors":"Guoxiu Zhang ,&nbsp;Maciej Oskar Liedke ,&nbsp;Maik Butterling ,&nbsp;Eric Hirschmann ,&nbsp;Andreas Wagner ,&nbsp;René Hübner ,&nbsp;Shengqiang Zhou ,&nbsp;Manfred Helm ,&nbsp;Elizabeth von Hauff ,&nbsp;Slawomir Prucnal","doi":"10.1016/j.apsadv.2025.100916","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.apsadv.2025.100916","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Zinc oxide (ZnO) is a wide-bandgap semiconductor with excellent optical and electrical properties, making it a promising material for a wide range of applications in optoelectronics and sensors. The properties of ZnO can be easily modified through doping and defect engineering, which determines its long-term stability and ultimate application. One of the most well-known dopants for ZnO is aluminum (Al), which is used to produce the transparent conductive oxide AZO. In this study, using positron annihilation spectroscopy (PAS) and photoluminescence (PL), we demonstrate defect engineering in AZO through millisecond flash-lamp annealing. We show that the nature of the defects strongly depends on the Al-concentration. The highest electrical conductivity of AZO is obtained at an Al:Zn layer ratio of 1:20, i.e., 2.64 at. % Al. Samples with higher Al content are more resistant to annealing and contain more defects. PAS results reveal the presence of zinc vacancies (V_Zn) and zinc–oxygen vacancy complexes (V_Zn+_O) in the delta-AZO thin films, and although the PAS and PL results are generally consistent, slight differences suggest the possible existence of non-optically active defects that are not revealed by the PL measurements. Additionally, an appropriate amount of aluminum doping contributes to improving the crystallinity of ZnO.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":34303,"journal":{"name":"Applied Surface Science Advances","volume":"31 ","pages":"Article 100916"},"PeriodicalIF":8.7,"publicationDate":"2025-12-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145737645","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}