Film Morphology
Film Morphology - Related Videos
07:58
Electroplating of Thin Films
0 Views •
2023
Source: Logan G. Kiefer, Andrew R. Falkowski, and Taylor D. Sparks, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT Electroplating is a process that uses electric current to reduce dissolved metal cations so that they form a thin coating on an electrode. Other thin film deposition techniques include chemical vapor deposition (CVD), spin coating, dip coating, and sputter deposition among others. CVD uses a gas-phase precursor of the element to be...
06:53
Fabrication and Optimization of Type II Silicon Clathrate Films
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2025
The two-thermal annealing method enables the fabrication of thin films of type II semiconductor silicon clathrate. Post-synthesis treatments, including thermal pressing and reactive ion etching, were performed to improve the material properties. This approach provides an accessible pathway for fabricating tunable clathrate films suitable for next-generation electronic and photonic devices.
10:08
Fabrication of Large-area Free-standing Ultrathin Polymer Films
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Cited by 10 •
2015
We describe a method for the fabrication of large-area (up to 13 cm diameter) and ultrathin (as thin as 8 nm) polymer films. Instead of using a sacrificial interlayer to delaminate the film from its substrate, we use a self-limiting surface treatment suitable for arbitrarily large areas.
09:22
Self-assembling Morphologies Obtained from Helical Polycarbodiimide Copolymers and Their Triazole Derivatives
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2017
Here, we present a protocol to prepare and visualize secondary structures (e.g., fibers, toroidal architectures, and nano-spheres) derived from helical polycarbodiimides. The morphology characterized by both atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was shown to depend on molecular structure, concentration, and the solvent of choice.
13:00
Low Molecular Weight Protein Enrichment on Mesoporous Silica Thin Films for Biomarker Discovery
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Cited by 11 •
2012
We developed a technology based on mesoporous silica thin film for the selective recovery of low molecular weight proteins and peptides from human serum. The physico-chemical properties of our mesoporous chips were finely tuned to provide substantial control in peptide enrichment and consequently profile the serum proteome for diagnostic purposes.
FAQs
As atoms, molecules, or particles reach the substrate, they can move across its surface before joining stable nuclei. These nuclei develop into separate islands and may eventually merge into a continuous layer. The balance between arrival, surface diffusion, nucleation, and growth determines how the deposited material develops, influencing features such as grain size, continuity, and surface roughness.
Deposition rate, substrate temperature, pressure, and surface energy affect how arriving material moves, nucleates, and grows. Changing these conditions can alter whether material forms isolated islands or a more continuous layer and can modify thickness, roughness, grain size, porosity, and defect formation. Controlling these variables therefore provides a route to tailoring film performance.
Surface energy influences how deposited material interacts with the substrate and how readily it spreads, nucleates, or develops into islands. Because these early growth behaviors affect layer continuity and surface features, surface energy can influence adhesion, roughness, porosity, and defect development. Considering it alongside temperature, pressure, and deposition rate helps explain differences between deposited films.
Evaluation focuses on measurable structural and surface features, including thickness, roughness, grain size, porosity, and defects. Engineers can compare these characteristics across films produced under different deposition conditions, then relate the observed changes to functional requirements such as adhesion, conductivity, optical behavior, mechanical strength, or corrosion resistance. This links fabrication choices with coating or device performance.
A practical approach is to vary relevant deposition conditions, characterize the resulting film features, and compare those results with the intended engineering function. The analysis can reveal how changes in rate, temperature, pressure, or surface energy affect the deposited layer. Engineers can then select conditions that produce suitable structural characteristics for the target coating, device, or component.
Morphology analysis supports the development of thin-film coatings, electronic devices, sensors, energy-storage components, and protective surfaces. In each case, structural features provide a way to connect fabrication conditions with required behavior. The same analysis may help assess whether a film is suited to electrical, optical, mechanical, adhesive, or corrosion-resistant roles, depending on the application.