Inorganic Thin Films: Processing, Properties and Applications

Abstract

Introduction to thin films growth and properties. The nucleation and growth of thin film theory is presented and the obtainable microstructure illustrated. Main processing and characterization techniques are studied and then applied in the exercises.

Objective

Introduction to thin films growth and properties. The nucleation and growth of thin film theory is presented and the obtainable microstructure illustrated. Main processing and characterization techniques are studied and then applied in the exercises.

Content

This course is dedicated to the study of thin films growth with oxides as the central topic. Techniques belonging to the category of physical vapor deposition (PVD) and chemical vapor deposition (CVD), as well as “wet techniques” (e.g. spin coating and spray pyrolisys) are introduced with special attention to the most important from the industrial or research point of view. A section is dedicated to the technology involved in processing such as the vacuum technology, and raw materials choice and preparation. The second main topic is the properties characterization of the films including structural, chemical, mechanical, magnetic and electrical ones. In this part the link between: application  properties to optimize  characterization methods, is made. Micro fabrication and packaging are a topic of great technological importance, which easily cover a course by them selves; they are here only shortly introduced. The laboratory exercises are meant to let the students prepare and characterize films by themselves, applying some of the techniques studied during the lectures; they include deposition of films by pulsed laser deposition and spray pyrolisys, structural characterization by SEM and X-ray, characterization of electric properties (including sample preparation) and comparison with literature data. The students are asked to write a final report on the experimental part.

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