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The electronic and optical properties of transparent conducting oxides (TCOs) are closely linked to their crystallographic structure on a macroscopic (grain sizes) and microscopic (bond structure) level. With the increasing drive towards using reduced film thicknesses in devices and growing interest in amorphous TCOs such as n-type InGaZnO 4 (IGZO), ZnSnO 3 (ZTO), p-type Cu x CrO 2 , or ZnRh 2 O 4 , the task of gaining in-depth knowledge on their crystal structure by conventional X-ray diffraction-based measurements are becoming increasingly difficult. We demonstrate the use of a focal shift based background subtraction technique for Raman spectroscopy specifically developed for the case of transparent thin films on amorphous substrates. Using this technique we demonstrate, for a variety of TCOs CuO, a-ZTO, ZnO:Al), how changes in local vibrational modes reflect changes in the composition of the TCO and consequently their electronic properties.

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One of the most pressing environmental problems worldwide is sewage sludge (SS) management. Every year, wastewater volume increases and thus, the amount of SS produced increases as well. The disposal of SS in landfills, as practiced in many countries, is not a sustainable solution. Instead, SS, rich in organic matter and other nutrients, can be used as an alternative soil additive or fertilizer. The properties of these materials depend on their chemical composition and the method of treatment. Experience from a number of countries, such as the US and Europe, has shown that SS can be transformed from a waste into a valuable resource, provided that the final product fulfils the relevant regulatory standards. This review examines the sustainable conversion of SS to sustainable fertilizers, the impact on waste minimization, and the potential benefits in agriculture.

Plasmonic nanostructures offer great enhancement of the Raman signal due to the strong confinement of the electromagnetic field. Thus, they are considered as suitable candidates for surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). In this work, we present an alternative fabrication route, called the glancing angle deposition (GLAD), for tunable fabrication of plasmonic self-organized Ag nanoparticle arrays aimed at SERS. Using the GLAD technique, the inter-particle distance within the arrays can be made as small as 1 nm. Moreover, the plasmonic resonance can be precisely tuned over the whole visible range. The GLAD method can be up-scaled; and when a transparent substrate is used, it enables various measurement geometries. The enhancement factor for the employed probe molecule in this study, rhodamine 6G, is estimated to be in the order of $10 8 . It is noted that the nature of the GLAD-made substrates leads to the polarization dependence of the signal enhancement. The polarization studies show a stronger enhancement along the nanoparticles chain. OriginalPaper 1700088 (7 of 8) E. Rezvani et al.: Self-organized precisely tunable plasmonic SERS substrates ß