A scalable CVD route to SnO2 : Sb thin films that show resistivity as low as 4.7 × 10−4 Ω cm and a corresponding sheet resistance of 9 Ω sq−1. Theoritical insight into the defect chemistry is provided by ab initio hybrid density functional theory.

Aerosol assisted chemical vapour deposition (AACVD) was used to synthesise a TiO 2 -SnO 2 composite film onto a glass substrate. For comparison a TiO 2 film and a SnO 2 film were also prepared. All films were characterised by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and wavelength dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (WDX). XPS and WDX of the composite film revealed a TiO 2 rich film with a high level of SnO 2 segregation at the surface. Highly structured pyramid-like features gave rise to hydrophobic films with static water contact angles of 134 .Photocatalytic activities were determined by monitoring the degradation of intelligent ink (containing Resazurin redox dye) via UV-visible spectroscopy. Under UVA irradiation, the TiO 2 film only began to degrade the dye after being irradiated in excess of 100 minutes, whereas the composite TiO 2 -SnO 2 film required only 6 minutes of irradiation before degradation was observed. The formal quantum efficiency (FQE) for the TiO 2 -SnO 2 composite was determined to be 1.01 Â 10 À2 molecules per incident photon and the formal quantum yield (FQY) was 1.17 Â 10 À2 molecules per absorbed photon. This is an order of magnitude superior to Pilkington ActivÔ self-cleaning glass a commercial self-cleaning TiO 2 coating on glass. This improved photocatalytic activity is attributed to the presence of electron scavenging SnO 2 sites that increase charge separation and the increased surface area due to the highly structured morphology.

Aerosol assisted chemical vapour deposition (AACVD) was employed to synthesise highly transparent and conductive ZnO, fluorine or aluminium doped and aluminiumfluorine co-doped ZnO thin films on glass substrates at 450 o C. All films were characterised by X-ray diffraction (XRD), wavelength dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (WDX), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and UV/Vis/Near IR spectroscopy. The films were 300-350 nm thick, crystalline and displayed high transparency at 550 nm (80-90%). The co-doped film consisted of 1 at.% fluorine and 2 at.% aluminium, exhibiting a charge carrier concentration and a charge carrier mobility of 3.47 x 10 20 cm -3 and 9.7 cm 2 V -1 s -1 , respectively. The band gap of the co-doped film was found to be 3.7 eV and the plasma edge crossover was ca. 1800 nm. This film had a highly structured morphology in comparison to the un-doped and single doped ZnO films for transparent conducting oxide applications.

Degenerately doped ZnO is seen as a potential substitute to the ubiquitous and expensive Sn doped In2O3 as a transparent electrode in optoelectronic devices. Here, highly conductive and transparent Ga doped ZnO thin films were grown via aerosol assisted chemical vapor deposition. The lowest resistivity (7.8 × 10−4 Ω.cm) and highest carrier concentration (4.23 × 1020 cm−3) ever reported for AACVD grown ZnO: Ga was achieved due to using oxygen poor growth conditions enabled by diethylzinc and triethylgallium precursors.

Silver thin films were deposited on SiO2-barrier-coated float glass, fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) glass, Activ glass, and TiO2-coated float glass via AACVD using silver nitrate at 350 °C. The films were annealed at 600 °C and analyzed by X-ray powder diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, UV/vis/near-IR spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. All the films were crystalline, and the silver was present in its elemental form and of nanometer dimension. The antibacterial activity of these samples was tested against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus in the dark and under UV light (365 nm). All Ag-deposited films reduced the numbers of E. coli by 99.9% within 6 h and the numbers of S. aureus by 99.9% within only 2 h. FTO/Ag reduced bacterial numbers of E. coli to below the detection limit after 60 min and caused a 99.9% reduction of S. aureus within only 15 min of UV irradiation. Activ/Ag reduced the numbers of S. aureus by 66.6% after 60 min and TiO2/Ag killed 99.9% of S. aureus within 60 min of UV exposure. More remarkably, we observed a 99.9% reduction in the numbers of E. coli within 6 h and the numbers of S. aureus within 4 h in the dark using our novel TiO2/Ag system.

The facile synthesis of Al2O3 in the amorphous and corundum phase on glass and quartz substrates, respectively, is reported.

Combinatorial atmospheric pressure (cAP)CVD is used to deposit a film of graded composition from mainly TiO 2 to TiO 2 /SnO 2 to mainly SnO 2 . This is the first cAPCVD study of a TiO 2 /SnO 2 system. The thin film is characterized using a range of techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), wavelength dispersive X-ray (WDX) spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and ultra violet-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy. It is found that, at various positions on the film, there are intimate compositions of TiO 2 and SnO 2 . The photocatalytic activity is examined via the degradation of a Resazurin-based 'intelligent ink' under 365 nm wavelength irradiation. The change in the concentration of the dye can be monitored by digital imaging alone. The results show how TiO 2 -rich regions are photocatalytically active, producing a maximum formal quantum yield of 3.32 Â 10 À4 molecules per absorbed photon. The sheet resistance is determined using a four-point probe via the van der Pauw method. The conductivity is highest in the SnO 2 -rich and thicker regions of the film, however some of the intimate composite regions of TiO 2 /SnO 2 show both conductivity and photocatalytic activity.

Aerosol‐assisted chemical vapour deposition of substituted polyoxometalates H4[PMo11VO40], H7[PMo8V4O40], [nBu4N]4[PVW11O40] and [nBu4N]5[PV2W10O40] resulted in the formation of vanadium‐doped metal oxide thin films. Depositions were carried out at 550 °C in methanol or acetonitrile for the POMs that contained molybdenum or tungsten, respectively. The as‐deposited films were X‐ray amorphous and relatively non‐adherent. However, on annealing in air at 600 °C, decolourised translucent films that were more mechanically robust were obtained. Films deposited from H4[PMo11VO40] and H7[PMo8V4O40] consisted of V‐doped MoO3 in the orthorhombic phase and films from [nBu4N]4[PVW11O40] and [nBu4N]5[PV2W10O40] comprised of monoclinic V‐doped WO3. All films were fully characterised by using X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, energy‐dispersive X‐ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and UV/Vis spectroscopy.