No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

Abstract:Reactive dual-target DC magnetron sputtering was used to prepare In-Sn oxide thin films with a wide range of compositions. The films were subjected to annealing post-treatment at 400˝C or 500˝C for different periods of time. Compositional and structural characterizations were performed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Rutherford backscattering and scanning electron microscopy. Films were investigated for gas sensing at 200˝C by measuring their resistance response upon exposure to acetaldehyde mixed with synthetic air. We found that the relative indium-to-tin content was very important and that measurable sensor responses could be recorded at acetaldehyde concentrations down to 200 ppb, with small resistance drift between repeated exposures, for both crystalline SnO 2 -like films and for amorphous films consisting of about equal amounts of In and Sn. We also demonstrated that it is not possible to prepare crystalline sensors with intermediate indium-to-tin compositions by sputter deposition and post-annealing up to 500˝C.

Electrochromic (EC) devices are able to vary their throughput of visible light and solar energy by the application of a voltage. They are of much interest for “smart” windows in buildings and are able to create energy efficiency, occupant well being, and security. This paper gives a survey over oxide-based EC device technology and also presents some recent advances regarding EC thin films of mixed metal oxides, nanoparticle-containing electrolytes to join these films, and metal-based transparent electrical conductors needed to apply the voltage.

Magnetic coupling in trilayer films of FeNi/Cu/FeCo deposited on Si/SiO2 substrates have been studied. While the thicknesses of the FeNi and FeCo layers were kept constant at 100 Å, the thickness of the Cu spacer was varied from 5 to 50 Å. Both hysteresis loop and ferromagnetic resonance results indicate that all films are ferromagnetically coupled. Micromagnetic simulations well reproduce the ferromagnetic resonance mode positions measured by experiments, enabling the extraction of the coupling constants. Films with a thin Cu spacer are found to be strongly coupled, with an effective coupling constant of 3 erg/cm2 for the sample with a 5 Å Cu spacer. The strong coupling strength is qualitatively understood within the framework of a combined effect of Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida and pinhole coupling, which is evidenced by transmission electron microscopy analysis. The magnetic coupling constant surprisingly decreases exponentially with increasing Cu spacer thickness, without showing an oscillatory thickness dependence. This is partially connected to the substantial interfacial roughness that washes away the oscillation. The results have implications on the design of multilayers for spintronic applications.