thin films
Microscopic material coatings
Thin films are layers of material ranging from fractions of a nanometer to several micrometers thick—far thinner than a human hair.
They're deposited on surfaces to alter properties: anti-reflective coatings on eyeglasses, metallic layers on semiconductors, protective films on touchscreens.
The physics of thin films differs from bulk materials, making them essential in electronics, optics, and solar panels.
The chip's performance depends on precise thin film deposition.
- sputteringParticle ejection from surfaces
- vacuum chamberEnclosure with removed atmosphere
- nanostructuresAtomic-scale engineered arrangements
- solar cellsLight-to-electricity converters
- nanoscaleBillionth-meter dimension
evaporation · semiconductors · deposition · lithography · substrate · self-assembly · thermal barriers · textured surfaces · electroplating · nanomaterials · thickness · moisture barriers · silicon · layer · oxide · metallic · laminate · membrane
- nanophysicsquantum dots, nanowires, nanotubes, nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes
- materialsmetal, metals, wood, ceramic, fabric
- iridescenceoil slick, soap bubble, mother-of-pearl, nacre, opal
- materials sciencealloys, metallurgy, metals, ceramics, polymers
- semiconductorssilicon, semiconductor, semiconductors, silicon wafers, transistor
- thin film depositionPVD, CVD, sputtering, evaporation, MBE