Thin Film Materials

Thin film mechanical behavior and stress presents a technological challenge for materials scientists, physicists and engineers. This book provides a comprehensive coverage of the major issues and topics dealing with stress, defect formation, surface evolution and allied effects in thin film materials. Physical phenomena are examined from the continuum down to the sub-microscopic length scales, with the connections between the structure of the material and its behavior described. Theoretical concepts are underpinned by discussions on experimental methodology and observations. Fundamental scientific concepts are embedded through sample calculations, a broad range of case studies with practical applications, thorough referencing, and end of chapter problems. With solutions to problems available on-line, this book will be essential for graduate courses on thin films and the classic reference for researchers in the field.

Prepared as a textbook complete with problems after each chapter, specifically intended for classroom use in universities.

This book provides the latest research & developments and future trends in photoenergy and thin film materials—two important areas that have the potential to spearhead the future of the industry. Photoenergy materials are expected to be a next generation class of materials to provide secure, safe, sustainable and affordable energy. Photoenergy devices are known to convert the sunlight into electricity. These types of devices are simple in design with a major advantage as they are stand-alone systems able to provide megawatts of power. They have been applied as a power source for solar home systems, remote buildings, water pumping, megawatt scale power plants, satellites, communications, and space vehicles. With such a list of enormous applications, the demand for photoenergy devices is growing every year. On the other hand, thin films coating, which can be defined as the barriers of surface science, the fields of materials science and applied physics are progressing as a unified discipline of scientific industry. A thin film can be termed as a very fine, or thin layer of material coated on a particular surface, that can be in the range of a nanometer in thickness to several micrometers in size. Thin films are applied in numerous areas ranging from protection purposes to electronic semiconductor devices. The 16 chapters in this volume, all written by subject matter experts, demonstrate the claim that both photoenergy and thin film materials have the potential to be the future of industry.

Optical Thin Films and Coatings: From Materials to Applications, Second Edition, provides an overview of thin film materials and their properties, design and manufacture across a wide variety of application areas. Sections explore their design and manufacture and their unconventional features, including the scattering properties of random structures in thin films, optical properties at short wavelengths, thermal properties and color effects. Other chapters focus on novel materials, including organic optical coatings, surface multiplasmonics, optical thin films containing quantum dots, and optical coatings, including laser components, solar cells, displays and lighting, and architectural and automotive glass. The book presents a technical resource for researchers and engineers working with optical thin films and coatings. It is also ideal for professionals in the security, automotive, space and other industries who need an understanding of the topic. Provides thorough review of applications of optical coatings including laser components, solar cells, glazing, displays and lighting One-stop reference that addresses deposition techniques, properties, and applications of optical thin films and coatings Novel methods, suggestions for analysis, and applications makes this a valuable resource for experts in the field as well

An invaluable resource for industrial science and engineering newcomers to sputter deposition technology in thin film production applications, this book is rich in coverage of both historical developments and the newest experimental and technological information about ceramic thin films, a key technology for nano-materials in high-speed information applications and large-area functional coating such as automotive or decorative painting of plastic parts, among other topics. In seven concise chapters, the book thoroughly reviews basic thin film technology and deposition processes, sputtering processes, structural control of compound thin films, and microfabrication by sputtering.

An important resource for students, engineers and researchers working in the area of thin film deposition using physical vapor deposition (e.g. sputtering) for semiconductor, liquid crystal displays, high density recording media and photovoltaic device (e.g. thin film solar cell) manufacturing. This book also reviews microelectronics industry topics such as history of inventions and technology trends, recent developments in sputtering technologies, manufacturing steps that require sputtering of thin films, the properties of thin films and the role of sputtering target performance on overall productivity of various processes. Two unique chapters of this book deal with productivity and troubleshooting issues. The content of the book has been divided into two sections: (a) the first section (Chapter 1 to Chapter 3) has been prepared for the readers from a range of disciplines (e.g. electrical, chemical, chemistry, physics) trying to get an insight into use of sputtered films in various devices (e.g. semiconductor, display, photovoltaic, data storage), basic of sputtering and performance of sputtering target in relation to productivity, and (b) the second section (Chapter 4 to Chapter 8) has been prepared for readers who already have background knowledge of sputter deposition of thin films, materials science principles and interested in the details of sputtering target manufacturing methods, sputtering behavior and thin film properties specific to semiconductor, liquid crystal display, photovoltaic and magnetic data storage applications. In Chapters 5 to 8, a general structure has been used, i.e. a description of the applications of sputtered thin films, sputtering target manufacturing methods (including flow charts), sputtering behavior of targets (e.g. current - voltage relationship, deposition rate) and thin film properties (e.g. microstructure, stresses, electrical properties, in-film particles). While discussing these topics, attempts have been made to include examples from the actual commercial processes to highlight the increased complexity of the commercial processes with the growth of advanced technologies. In addition to personnel working in industry setting, university researchers with advanced knowledge of sputtering would also find discussion of such topics (e.g. attributes of target design, chamber design, target microstructure, sputter surface characteristics, various troubleshooting issues) useful. . Unique coverage of sputtering target manufacturing methods in the light of semiconductor, displays, data storage and photovoltaic industry requirements Practical information on technology trends, role of sputtering and major OEMs Discussion on properties of a wide variety of thin films which include silicides, conductors, diffusion barriers, transparent conducting oxides, magnetic films etc. Practical case-studies on target performance and troubleshooting Essential technological information for students, engineers and scientists working in the semiconductor, display, data storage and photovoltaic industry

The past five years have witnessed some dramatic developments in the general area of ferroelectric thin films materials and devices. Ferroelectrics are not new materials by any stretch ofimagination. Indeed, they have been known since the early partofthis century and popular ferroelectric materials such as Barium Titanate have been in use since the second world war. In the late sixties and seventies, a considerable amountofresearch and development effort was made to create a solid state nonvolatile memory using ferroelectrics in a vary simple matrix-addressed scheme. These attempts failed primarily due to problems associated with either the materials ordue to device architectures. The early eighties saw the advent of new materials processing approaches, such as sol-gel processing, that enabled researchers to fabricate sub-micron thin films of ferroelectric materials on a silicon substrate. These pioneering developments signaled the onsetofa revival in the areaofferroelectric thin films, especially ferroelectric nonvolatile memories. Research and development effort in ferroelectric materials and devices has now hit a feverish pitch, Many university laboratories, national laboratories and advanced R&D laboratories oflarge IC manufacturers are deeply involved in the pursuit of ferroelectric device technologies. Many companies worldwide are investing considerable manpower and resources into ferroelectric technologies. Some have already announced products ranging from embedded memories in micro controllers, low density stand-alone memories, microwave circuit elements, andrf identification tags. There is now considerable optimism that ferroelectric devices andproducts will occupy a significant market-share in the new millennium.