thin-film
Surface coating type
Thin-film describes technology or materials involving extremely thin layers of substance—typically measured in nanometers or micrometers—deposited on a surface.
Thin-film solar panels use layers of photovoltaic material on glass or plastic.
Thin-film coatings protect lenses or electronic components.
The term appears in electronics, optics, and materials science wherever controlled deposition of microscopic layers matters.
Particle ejection from surfaces
- evaporationLiquid turning to gas
- electroplatingElectrically depositing metal layers
- annealingHeat-softening of metals
- lithographyGrease-based flat plate printing
patterning · substrate · polycrystalline · amorphous · nucleation · adhesion · uniformity
Unwelcome involvement in affairs
- antireflectionSuppresses light bounce
- transmittanceFraction not absorbed
- reflectanceLight return ratio
- coatingApplied surface covering
dielectric · wavelength · diffraction · polarization · spectroscopy · waveguide · photonics · monochromatic
Extremely minimal thickness
- nanoscaleBillionth-meter dimension
- membraneThin tissue sheet
- layerSingle thickness of material
- substrateUnderlying supporting material
flexible · transparent · barrier · encapsulation · adhesion · uniformity · porosity · stress
Partial electrical conductor
- transistorSemiconductor signal switch
- photovoltaicLight-to-electricity converting
- OLEDEmissive display technology
- capacitorCharge-storing circuit element
diode · sensor · microchip · LCD · display · memory · piezoelectric · thermoelectric
sputtering
Particle ejection from surfaces
- evaporationLiquid turning to gas
- electroplatingElectrically depositing metal layers
- annealingHeat-softening of metals
lithography · patterning · substrate · polycrystalline · amorphous · nucleation · adhesion · uniformity
interference
Unwelcome involvement in affairs
- antireflectionSuppresses light bounce
- transmittanceFraction not absorbed
- reflectanceLight return ratio
coating · dielectric · wavelength · diffraction · polarization · spectroscopy · waveguide · photonics · monochromatic · multilayer
ultrathin
Extremely minimal thickness
substrate · flexible · transparent · barrier · encapsulation · adhesion · uniformity · porosity · stress · delamination
semiconductor
Partial electrical conductor
- transistorSemiconductor signal switch
- photovoltaicLight-to-electricity converting
- OLEDEmissive display technology
capacitor · diode · sensor · microchip · LCD · display · memory · piezoelectric · thermoelectric · nanolayer
- solar powersolar power, solar panels, photovoltaics, solar heat, inverters
- lens coatingsanti-reflective, hard coat, multilayer, scratch resistant, scratch-resistant
- miniaturesminiatures, figurines, figurine, miniature sculptures, scale models
thin-filmbulk
Main mass or size
substrate · monolithic · solid-state · massive · three-dimensional
thin, film, films, thickness, thinned, filmy, thinning, thinner, filming