Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Multilayer film coating'

Многослойные пленочные композиции C/Si могут использоваться в качестве высокоразрешающих отражающих покрытий для диапазона длин волн 17 – 35 нм. Также эта система эффективна и в других сферах применения – низкотемпературном синтезе карбида кремния и изготовления антифрикционных покрытий. Подробное исследование структурных преобразований в многослойной композиции является важным для всех вышеуказанных сфер.

La réduction du cout de construction et d’exploitation des futurs accélérateurs d particules, a grande et petite échelles, dépend du développement de nouveaux matériaux pour les surfaces actives des structures supraconductrices en radiofréquence (SRF). Les propriétés SRF sont essentiellement un phénomène de surface vu que la profondeur de pénétration (profondeur de pénétration de London, λ) des micro-ondes (RF) est typiquement de l’ordre de 20 à 400 nm en fonction du matériau. Lorsque les procédés de préparation de surface sont optimises, la limite fondamentale du champ RF que les surfaces SRF peuvent supporter est le champ RF maximum, Hc₁, au-delà duquel le flux magnétique commence à pénétrer la surface du supraconducteur. Le matériau le plus utilise pour des applications SRF est le niobium (Nb) massif, avec un champ Hc₁ de l’ordre de 170 mT, qui permet d’atteindre un champ accélérateur de moins de 50 MV/m. Les meilleures perspectives d’amélioration des performances des cavités SRF sont liées à des matériaux et méthodes de production produisant la surface SRF critique de façon contrôlée. Dans cette optique, deux avenues sont explorées pour utiliser des couches minces pour augmenter les performances des structures SRF au-delà du Nb massif, en monocouche ou en structures multicouches Supraconducteur-Isolant-Supraconducteur (SIS) : La première approche est d’utiliser une couche de Nb déposée sur du cuivre (Nb/Cu) à la place du Nb massif. La technologie Nb/Cu a démontré, au cours des années, être une alternative viable pour les cavités SRF. Toutefois, les techniques de dépôt communément utilisées, principalement la pulvérisation magnétron, n’ont jusqu’à présent pas permis de produire des surfaces SRF adaptées aux performances requises. Le récent développement de techniques de dépôt par condensation énergétiques, produisant des flux d’ions énergétiques de façon contrôlée (telles que des sources d’ions ECR sous ultravide) ouvrent la voie au développement de films SRF de grand qualité. La corrélation entre les conditions de croissance, l’énergie des ions incidents, la structure et les performances RF des films produits est étudiée. Des films Nb avec des propriétés proches du Nb massif sont ainsi produits. La deuxième approche est basée sur un concept qui propose qu’une structure multicouche SIS déposée sur une surface de Nb peut atteindre des performances supérieures à celles du Nb massif. Bien que les matériaux supraconducteurs à haute Tc aient un champ Hc₁ inférieur à celui du Nb, des couches minces de tels matériaux d’une épaisseur (d) inférieure à la profondeur de pénétration voient une augmentation de leur champ parallèle Hc₁ résultant au retardement de la pénétration du flux magnétique. Cette surcouche peut ainsi permettre l’écrantage magnétique de la surface de Nb qui est donc maintenue dans l’état de Meissner à des champs RF bien plus importants que pour le Nb massif. La croissance et performance de structures multicouches SIS basées sur des films de NbTiN, pour le supraconducteur, et de l’AlN, pour le diélectrique, sont étudiées. Les résultats de cette étude montrent la faisabilité de cette approche et le potentiel qui en découle pour l’amélioration des performances SRF au-delà du Nb massif
The minimization of cost and energy consumption of future particle accelerators, both large and small, depends upon the development of new materials for the active surfaces of superconducting RF (SRF) accelerating structures. SRF properties are inherently a surface phenomenon as the RF only penetrates the London penetration depth λ, typically between 20 and 400 nm depending on the material. When other technological processes are optimized, the fundamental limit to the maximum supportable RF field amplitude is understood to be the field at which the magnetic flux first penetrates into the surface, Hc₁. Niobium, the material most exploited for SRF accelerator applications, has Hc₁~170 mT, which yields a maximum accelerating gradient of less than 50 MV/m. The greatest potential for dramatic new performance capabilities lies with methods and materials which deliberately produce the sub-micron-thick critical surface layer in a controlled way. In this context, two avenues are pursued for the use of SRF thin films as single layer superconductor or multilayer Superconductor-Insulator-Superconductor structures: Niobium on copper (Nb/Cu) technology for superconducting cavities has proven over the years to be a viable alternative to bulk niobium. However the deposition techniques used for cavities, mainly magnetron sputtering, have not yielded, so far, SRF surfaces suitable for high field performance. High quality films can be grown using methods of energetic condensation, such as Electron Cyclotron Resonance (ECR) Nb ion source in UHV which produce higher flux of ions with controllable incident angle and kinetic energy. The relationship between growth conditions, film microstructure and RF performance is studied. Nb films with unprecedented “bulk-like” properties are produced. The second approach is based on the proposition that a Superconductor/Insulator/Superconductor (S-I-S) multilayer film structure deposited on an Nb surface can achieve performance in excess of that of bulk Nb. Although, many higher-Tc superconducting compounds have Hc₁ lower than niobium, thin films of such compounds with a thickness (d) less than the penetration depth can exhibit an increase of the parallel Hc₁ thus delaying vortex entry. This overlayer provides magnetic screening of the underlying Nb which can then remain in the Meissner state at fields much higher than in bulk Nb. A proof of concept is developed based on NbTiN and AlN thin films. The growth of NbTiN and AlN films is studied and NbTiN-based multilayer structures deposited on Nb surfaces are characterized. The results from this work provide insight for the pursuit of major reductions in both capital and operating costs associated with future particle accelerators across the spectrum from low footprint compact machines to energy frontier facilities

L'oxydation spontanée de la dopamine en solution légèrement basique a été étudiée sur la base de la publication de Lee [Science, 318:426-430, 2007], et le produit de la réaction a été identifié comme de la mélanine. La capacité de la mélanine de lier des groupements amines de façon covalente a été confirmée par la quantification des sites de liaison correspondants. En outre il est possible de rédisperser des agrégats de mélanine dans des solutions fortement basiques. Les grains de mélanine ainsi obtenus ont été utilisés pour construire des films multicouches avec le poly(diallyldimethyl ammonium) (PDADMA). Différentes méthodes d'oxydation de la dopamine pour former des films de mélanine à l'interface solide-liquide ont été développées. Toutes les méthodes mènent à la formation de films continus de mélanine ayant des morphologies de surface similaires. Elles deviennent imperméables à des sondes électrochimiques à partir d'une épaisseur de l'ordre de 10 nm. Une plus grande perméabilité à des sondes chargées positivement ou neutres qu'à des sondes négatives a été confirmée. L'adsorption de protéines à des revêtements de mélanine a été expliquée par une combinaison d'interactions électrostatiques et covalentes. Pour arriver à cette explication le potentiel zêta de dépôts de mélanine a été mesuré en fonction du pH. La formation de la mélanine dans des films multicouches de poly(L-lysine) (PLL) et de hyaluronate (HA) a été étudiée: la mélanine est capable de remplir des films (PLL-HA)n de manière homogène, et les composés ainsi obtenus peuvent être détachés de leurs substrats comme membranes autosupportées préparées par une méthode biomimétique sous conditions douces.

The results of simulation of optical characteristics of antireflection coatings with continuously changing refractive index are presented. The features of enlightenment at oblique light incidence are considered. The possibilities for the simultaneous enlightenment of S- and P- polarization component of the incident light are investigated.

The technology deposition of film materials with spin-dependent scattering of electrons based on Co and Ag by electrochemical method from sulfate and iodide electrolytes described. The kinetics of electroreduction of Co and Ag from this electrolytes. Determined phase composition of multilayer coatings based on Co and Ag before and after thermal annealing to temperatures T = 523-743 K. When you are citing the document, use the following link http://essuir.sumdu.edu.ua/handle/123456789/35008

The aim of this study is to develop a software which calculates reflection, transmission and absorption of multilayered thin films by using complex indices of refraction, as a function of both wavelength and thickness. For these calculations matrix methods will be considered and this software is programmed with the matrix method. Outputs of the program will be compared with the theoretical and experimental results studied in the scientific papers.

>Magister Scientiae - MSc
Hydrogen has high energy density and it is regarded as the future energy carrier. Hydrogen can be stored as a gas in high-pressure cylinders, as a liquid in cryogenic tanks and as a solid in metal hydrides. The storage of hydrogen in gas and liquid form has many limitations. Light metal hydrides show high energy density and are a promising and more practical mode of hydrogen storage. In particular, titanium and its alloys are promising metal hydrides for hydrogen storage due to their high affinity to hydrogen. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of thermal annealing on hydrogen storage capacity of Ti-Pd multilayer systems. Ti-Pd multilayer films were prepared on CP-Ti (commercial pure Ti) and Ti6Al4V substrates using an electron beam evaporator equipped with a thickness monitor. The sequential deposition of layers Pd(50nm)/Ti(25nm)/Pd(50nm) was done at a constant deposition rate of 0.6 Å/s. The first batch of samples were thermally annealed at 550 °C in vacuum for two hours, the second batch of samples were annealed at 550 oC under H2(15%)/Ar(85%) gas mixture for two hours and the third series of samples was annealed under pure H2 gas at 550 oC for one hour. SEM showed relatively homogeneous and smooth topography of surfaces in as-deposited samples, while a rough textured surface was observed in both samples annealed under vacuum and under H2/Ar gas mixture. The samples annealed under pure H2 gas did not show any sign of crystallites grow but instead a relatively smooth surface with sign of etching. XRD revealed structural transformation as evidenced by the presence of PdTi2 phase in samples annealed under vacuum; in samples annealed under the gas mixture Pd2Ti was noted in addition to TiH2 and TiO2. While the TiH2 phase is an indication of hydrogen absorption, the TiPd2 phase suggests intermixing of the deposited layers and the presence of TiO2 is evidence of oxidation. The samples annealed under pure H2 gas showed only TiH2 with no trace of structural transformation. RBS confirmed the intermixing of layers in the samples annealed under vacuum and H2(15%)/Ar(85%) gas mixture, while samples annealed under pure H2 gas did not show any intermixing of layers. ERDA revealed an average H content of ~ 3.5 at.% in CP-Ti and ~6.2 at.% in Ti6Al4V for samples annealed under H2(15%)/Ar(85%) gas mixture. We recorded an hydrogen content of ~19.5 at.% in CP-Ti annealed under pure H2 while ~25.5 at.% was found in Ti6Al4V annealed under the same conditions. When the thickness of the Pd catalyst layers was increased to 100 nm (i.e. Pd (100 nm)/Ti (25 nm)/Pd (100 nm)), only ~ 12.5 at.% and 11.2 at. % hydrogen content was recorded in samples prepared on CP-Ti and Ti6Al4V alloy respectively, both annealed under pure hydrogen for one hour as above.

La surface d'un matériau est le lieu privilégié des interactions entre le matériau et son environnement. La technique couche-par-couche, qui consiste en un dépôt alterné de polyanions et de polycations, ouvre de nouvelles perspectives dans le domaine des biomatériaux pour le contrôle de ces interactions. La cohésion des films multicouches de polyélectrolytes est principalement assurée par des interactions électrostatiques mais a été étendue à d'autres forces motrices telles que les interactions hôte-invité. Nos travaux s’articulent autour de deux axes principaux. D’une part, nous nous sommes intéressés aux films multicouches de polymères neutres basés sur des interactions hôte-invité et en particulier à l'influence de la force du complexe d’inclusion b-cyclodextrine/ferrocène sur la topographie de ces films. La force de l’interaction hôte-invité a d’abord été modulée en associant différents invités (l’adamantane, le ferrocène et le pyrène) avec la β-cyclodextrine. La force du complexe b-cyclodextrine/ferrocène a été ensuite modulée par la présence de différents sels de sodium à différentes forces ioniques au cours de la construction du film. Une force d'interaction intermédiaire du complexe semble être nécessaire pour former des films continus, tandis que, si elle est trop faible, la force d'interaction limite la construction du film.D’autre part, motivé par le fait que la prévention des infections microbiennes des dispositifs médicaux implantables constitue un problème médical et financier majeur, nous avons développé de nouveaux revêtements antimicrobiens grâce à la technique couche-par-couche. Des films multicouches à base de polysaccharides contenant la cateslytine, un peptide antimicrobien, permettent l’inhibition en 24h du développement de Candida albicans et Staphylococcus aureus, qui sont des agents pathogènes communs et virulents rencontrés dans les maladies nosocomiales. La libération des peptides antimicrobiens est déclenchée par la dégradation enzymatique du film en présence des agents pathogènes. Le revêtement est ainsi qualifié d’auto-défensif. La non-cytotoxicité du film vis-à-vis des cellules humaines permet une application cliniquement pertinente pour prévenir les infections sur les cathéters. Des dimères à base de cateslytine de différentes longueurs et un dendrimère ont été synthétisés afin d'améliorer l'activité biologique du peptide d'origine, i.e. ses propriétés antimicrobiennes et antiinflammatoires. Afin d’élaborer des films antimicrobiens mécaniquement robustes, le polyuréthane (polymère entrant dans la composition des cathéters) a été fonctionnalisé par une couche de polydopamine qui peut ensuite réagir avec des groupements thiol ou amine, permettant la fixation covalente des films de polysaccharides antimicrobiens réticulés étape par étape
The surface of a material is the privileged location, where the interactions between the material and its environment take place. In the field of biomaterials, the challenge is to control these interactions. A very versatile coating technique is the layer-by-layer deposition, which consists in the alternated deposition of polyanions and polycations. The cohesion of polyelectrolyte multilayer films is primarily ensured by electrostatic interactions but was extended to other driving forces such as host-guest interactions. Our work was constituted of two main parts.In the first part, the buildup of neutral polymer multilayer films based on host-guest interactions was studied and in particular the influence of β-cyclodextrin/ferrocene interaction strength on the topography of these films. The host-guest interaction strength was first modulated by involving different guests (adamantane, ferrocene and pyrene) in the buildup. Then, β -cyclodextrin/ferrocene interaction strength was tuned by the presence of different types and concentrations of salts during the multilayer buildup. Intermediate interaction strength seems to be required to form continuous films, whereas, if too low, the interaction strength limits the film buildup.In the second part, motivated by the fact that the prevention of pathogen colonization of implantable medical devices constitutes a major medical and financial issue, polyelectrolyte multilayers were used as tools to develop new antimicrobial coatings. Polysaccharide multilayer films containing cateslytin, an antimicrobial peptide, fully inhibited in 24h the development of Candida albicans and Staphylococcus aureus, which are common and virulent pathogens agents encountered in care-associated diseases. The release of the antimicrobial peptides was triggered by the enzymatic degradation of the film due to the pathogens themselves introducing the concept of self-defensive coating. The non-cytotoxicity of the film, towards human cells, highlights a medically relevant application to prevent infections on catheters. Different cateslytin based dimers with various lengths and one dendrimer were synthesized in order to improve the bioactivity of the original peptide, i.e. antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. In order to obtain mechanically robust antimicrobial films, polyurethane (polymer that composes catheters) was functionalized with a polydopamine layer that can further react with thiol or amine groups, allowing the covalent attachment of step-by-step cross-linked antimicrobial polysaccharide films

In order to improve the efficiency of various optical surfaces, optical coatings are used. Optical coating is a process of depositing a thin layer of a material on an optical component such as mirror or lens to change reflectance or transmittance. There are two main types of coatings namely
reflective and antireflective (AR) Coatings. Reflective and antireflective coatings have long been developed for a variety of applications in all aspects of use
for optical and electro-optical systems in telecommunications, medicine, military products and space applications. In this thesis, the main properties of reflective and antireflective coatings, the thin film deposition techniques, suitable coating materials for space applications, space environment effects on coating materials and coating design examples which are developed using MATLAB for space applications will be discussed.

Biosensors have a multitude of important applications in basic research, environmental monitoring, biodefense, and medicine. This research aims to show that Ionic Self-Assembled Multilayers (ISAMs) adsorbed on Long Period Gratings (LPGs) can serve as a highly sensitive, robust, inexpensive optical-based biosensor platform. The ISAM technique is a layer-by-layer deposition method that builds nanometer-thick films based on the principle of Coulomb attraction between oppositely charged polyelectrolyte solutions while LPGs cause strong attenuation bands that enable an optical fiber to be extremely sensitive to changes in the surrounding environment. LPGs have been shown to be highly sensitive to the adsorption of nanoscale self-assembled films on the optical fiber cladding surface. In this work, we utilize Turnaround Point (TAP) LPGs, which possess even greater sensitivity than standard LPGs. This thesis focuses on evaluation of approaches to increasing the sensitivity of the sensor platfom, implementation of a biosensor for detection of several biomolecules, and preliminary evaluation of the potential for pH sensing. For a thin-film coated TAP LPG, we have demonstrated that shifts in the transmitted light intensity at the resonant wavelength of the LPG can result from the variation in film thickness and/or refractive index. We have observed decreases in intensity as large a 7 dB for one bilayer of ISAM film (~1 nm), which corresponds to an 80% decrease in the transmitted light intensity at the resonant wavelength. We have also shown that the sensitivity of the TAP LPG sensor can be increased by implementing nm-thick ISAM films that have a refractive index greater than silica. Furthermore, it is shown that incorporation of silica nanoparticles into the ISAM films significantly increases sensitivity through increased surface area and thickness. The biotin-streptavidin system was used as a model for implementaion and optimization of the ISAM-coated TAP LPG biosensor platform. Through evaluation of various biotin derivatives to maximize the amount functionalized onto the ISAM film, optimization of the ISAM film properties, and use of LPGs designed for higher sensitivity, the minimum detectable concentration of streptavidin was decreased from 0.0125 mg/ml to 12.0 ng/ml. The biosensor platform was then tested on prostate specific antigen (PSA), which is used as a clinical marker for early diagnosis of potential prostate cancer. Using a direct crosslinking approach of the monoclonal antibody to PSA into the ISAM film, a sensitivity level of 11.64 ng/ml PSA was obtained through combined optimization of the ISAM film and antibody surface coverage. Finally, the potential of ISAM TAP LPGs as pH sensors was examined based on the pH dependent swelling of ISAM films.
Ph. D.

Near infrared region (NIR) of the electromagnetic spectrum (EM) is defined as 700nm to 1400nm wavelength interval by International Commission on Illumination(CIE). This wavelength interval is extensively used for target acquisition, night vision, wireless communication etc. Therefore, filtering the desired portion of EM spectra becomes a need for that kind of applications. Interference filters are multilayer optical devices which can be designed and produced for the desired wavelength intervals. The production of near infrared interference filters is a process of depositing thin material layers on the suitable substrates. In this thesis, a multilayer NIR filter will be designed for a selected wavelength interval by the use of dierent materials. Then, transmission quality, thermal stability, dependence of the transmission values on the incoming beam angle, performance and durability of the filter will be studied.

Utvecklingen inom materialforskningen går mot att framställa avancerade material vilka är skräddarsydda för olika tillämpningar. Detta har medfört att det blir allt mer populärt att belägga ytor med ett eller flera tunna lager med syfte att förbättra materialegenskaperna. Användningsområden för ytbeläggningar går att hitta inom allt från vardagliga produkter såsom teflonbeläggningar av stekpannor, förgyllning av smycken till avancerad halvledarteknik för att åstadkomma energieffektiva lysdioder. Det enskilt största tillämpningsområdet för tunna filmer är dock som skyddande skikt för verktyg inom skärande bearbetning. Utvecklingen går stadigt mot högre skärhastigheter och därmed ökade temperaturer, idagsläget kan området där verktyget och arbetsmaterialet är i kontakt nå temperaturer på mellan 800-1000 °C utan att förlora nämnvärt i styrka. Detta har gjorts möjligt genom att belägga skären med någon eller några μm (tusendels mm) av lämpligt keramiskt material i avseende att öka motståndskraften för nötning vid bearbetning vid höga temperaturer. I den här avhandlingen har tunna filmer studerats med det övergripande målet att förbättra egenskaper hos verktyg för skärande metallbearbetning genom att öka motståndskraften hos materialen mot mekanisk och kemisk nötning vid höga temperaturer. Materialsystemet som undersökts är Ti-Si-N, där tunna filmer av både legeringar och tvåfassystem har syntetiserats och egenskapskarakteriserats. Legeringarna är belagda med varierande Si-halt från 0 till 10 atomprocent och avsedda för att studera strukturella, termiska och mekaniska egenskaper. De framställdes med en teknik som kallas arcförångning, där man i ett vakuumsystem frigör högenergetiskt material i det här fallet av Ti och Si som förångas från en solid yta kallad target. Atomerna joniseras genom kollisioner med elektroner och reagerar på sin väg mot substratet med kvävgas. Väl framme vid substratet, kondenserar jonerna och bilder den tunna filmen. Filmerna består av två strukturtyper, den första är en fast lösning där Si atomer upp till 5 at.% ersätter Ti atomer i TiN. I det andra fallet så segregerar Si till korngränserna. Värmebehandlingsexperiment visar att Si bildar SiNx som kapslar in TiN-korn vid temperaturer upp till 1000 °C. Hårdhetstester visar att filmerna bibehåller sin hårdhet upp till 1000 °C tack vare fasomvandlingen. Även vid 1100 °C är hårdheten hög. Dessa skikt besitter alltså egenskaper som gör dem väldigt användbara inom tillämpningar för skärande bearbetning. Nanostrukturerade materials egenskaper beror på dess mikrostruktur snarare än på de grundämnen som ingår, detta exemplifieras av TiN-SiNx-nanokompositer bestående av nanokristallina TiN-korn inbäddade i några få atomlager SiNx, där materialegenskaperna helt och hållet beror på kornstorleken på TiN-kornen och tjockleken på SiNx-lagren. Ökas tjockleken på SiNx minskar hårdheten. Dessa filmer har mycket goda mekaniska egenskaper och är ett av de hårdaste materialen som finns. Nyckeln till den höga hårdheten hos skikten ligger i att bilda starka bindningar mellan TiN och SiNx. Hur dessa ser ut vet man dock inte eftersom strukturen på SiNx gränsytan inte är känd. Anledningen är att den är svår att avbilda på grund av dess krökta form och begränsade volym. I denna avhandling har TiN/SiNx multilager belagts, dvs. en lagrad struktur TiN alternerad med SiNx. Dessa filmer framställdes med sputtring, en teknik som liknar arcförångning men där man istället accelerera positivt laddade joner mot Ti och Si targets med en hög negativ potential som frigör Ti och Si. I multilagren varierades SiNx-lagrets tjocklek mellan endast några få atomlager för att göra en förenklad modell av gränsytan hos nanokompositen och med atomupplöst transmissionselektronmikroskopi samt hårdhetsmätningar konstateras sedan att de hårdaste filmerna var de där kristallin SiNx stabiliseras mellan TiNkorn. Vidare studerar jag SiNx/TiN ytor med sveptunnelmikroskopi och täthetsfunktionalteori (en kvantmekanisk simuleringsmetod). Mina resultat visar SiNx och bindningarna till TiN är mycket mer komplicerade än vad man tidigare trott, då de kan vara kristallina och anta komplexa rekonstruktioner. Detta bidrar till den starka bindningen mellan TiN och SiNx vilket i sin tur förklarar varför materialen blir så hårda.
Ti-Si-N and Ti-Al-Si-N thin solid films have been studied by analytical electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, scanning tunneling microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, elastic recoil detection analysis, nanoindentation, and ab initio calculations. I find that arc evaporated (Ti1-xSix)Ny films can be grown as cubic solid solutions up to x = 0.09 with a dense columnar microstructure. Films with higher Si content up to x = 0.20 assumes an extremely defect-rich, feather-like structure consisting of cubic TiN:Si nanocrystallite bundles with low-angle grain boundaries caused by thermodynamically driven Si segregation. Correspondingly, the N content in the films increases close to linear with the Si content from y = 1.00 (x = 0) to y = 1.13 (x = 0.20). Annealing of the films at 1000 °C yields a metastable crystalline SiNz (1.0 ≤ z ≤ 1.33) tissue phase in 0.04 ≤ x ≤ 0.20 films which is (semi)-coherent to TiN. These films are compositionally stable and exhibit retained hardness between 31-42 GPa up to 1000 °C. At 1100-1200 °C, the tissue phase amorphizes and all SiNz diffuse out of the films, followed by recrystallization of the cubic phase. Hard turning testing was performed on (Ti0.83Si0.17)N1.09. Analysis of the tool-chip interface prepared by focused ion beam revealed shear deformation in the film and an adhering layer consisting of the work-piece material and Si and N from the film. For (Ti0.33Al0.67)1-xSix)N (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.29) films the NaCl structure cubic (Ti,Al)N solid solution phase is predominant at low Si contents, which gradually changes to a dominating hexagonal wurtzite (Al,Ti,Si)N solid solution for 0.04 ≤ x ≤ 0.17. Additional Si results in amorphization. Annealing experiments at 600-1000 °C yields spinodal decomposition of c-(Al,Ti)N into c-AlN and c-TiN, with corresponding age hardening. The h-(Al,Ti,Si)N films exhibit precipitation of c- TiN with smaller volume than the host lattice, which results in tensile cracks formations and age hardening. Films with c-(Ti,Al)N perform best in turning applications, while films with h- (Al,Ti,Si)N form cracks and fail. Finally, I have characterized the nature of metastable crystalline SiNz phases and the interface between TiN(001) and SiNz. Magnetron sputtering was used to deposit TiN/SiNz(001) nanolaminate films with varying SiNz and TiN layer thicknesses. Maximum hardness is obtained when SiNz forms coherent interfaces with TiN. In addition, in situ surface analyses in combination with ab-initio calculations reveal that SiNz sub-monolayers grow epitaxially and form crystalline reconstructions on TiN(001) and TiN(111) surfaces. Phonon calculations predict that stoichiometric c-SiN is dynamically instable when the atoms are arranged in the NaCl and ZnS forms. However, c-Si3N4 can be stabilized with D022 or L12 ordered ZnS-like structures. These results have impact for the design of superhard nanocomposites and multilayer thin films.

碩士
大同大學
光電工程研究所
97
Antireflection coatings play an important role in solar cell producing process; they can reduce the reflectance and increase the incident light at solar spectrum. This study utilized Film Star software to simulate the characteristic of antireflection coatings. Using RF magnetron sputtering deposit Si3N4 and silicon oxynitride thin films on silicon substrate, and then research the material structure and composition. With different optical thickness stacking, the reflectance will obtain the lower reflectance at visible region. Obey the quarter-wavelength of optical thickness, the single layer of SiON(n=1.96) should have one lowest reflectance at 550 nm, the total reflectance average at visible spectrum (400~800 nm) was about 6.2 %. The double-layer of SiON films with optimize thickness, the average reflectance resulted in 5.9 %. The tri-layer have the average reflectance at visible light range was 5.3 %. Consequently, the silicon oxynitride films changing refractive index will absorb the widen spectrum and increasing the efficiency for solar cell devices.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Florida State University, 2004.
Advisor: Joseph B. Schlenoff, Florida State University, College of Arts and Sciences, Dept. of Chemistry and Biochemistry. Title and description from dissertation home page (viewed Feb. 7, 2006). Document formatted into pages; contains xvii, 167 pages. Includes bibliographical references.

碩士
國立臺北科技大學
製造科技研究所
98
Diamond-like carbon (DLC) films are current applied in several important fields of optics, electricity, and solid state devices, etc., due to their excellent properties such as high hardness, high electrical resistivity, and transparency to visible light and chemical inertness. As DLC films have wide bandgaps and adjustable refractive index, they can be utilized as protective coatings for anti-reflective (AR) coatings for solar cells. In this study, DLC films were deposited on silicon (100) substrate by the unbalance magnetron sputtering method for silicon solar cell applications. In order to improve the reflection coefficient of solar cell, these AR coatings were multi-layer structure comprising single-layers DLC films which have different refractive index. The synthesized films were characterized with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic forced microscopy (AFM), Raman spectra, and UV/VIS spectrophotometer. From Raman spectra and UV/VIS measurements, as G-peak position shifts to the high Raman shift side, a lower percentage of sp2 bonds and high refractive index are obtained. Hydrophobicity in these films was studied by measuring the contact angles of DI water droplets and it was found that the films were extremely hydrophobic as the best contact angle was 94° while it was 46° of uncoated film. From AFM results, average roughness of the as-grown films are less than 1 nm and it was found that these films had extremely smooth surface, very high uniformity, and efficiency of space filling over large areas. Moreover, from UV/VIS spectrometry, the prepared multi-layer DLC films possess a lower reflection coefficient than that of single-layer ones on the whole wavelength range. It opens realistic perspective for the preparation of high performance anti-reflection coating for research and development purposes.

Contact mechanical study of layered structures is useful to various fields of engineering, such as - mechanical engineering, civil engineering, materials engineering and biomechanics. Thin hard film coating on a compliant substrate used in cutting tool industry is an example of a layered structure. The protective coating saves the substrate from fracture and wear. However, due to film material brittleness, fracture in the films is of concern. We have developed an analytical model for a film-substrate bilayer system under normal contact loading, which helps us to obtain the stress distribution in the film and fracture behaviour. Our contact model is based on Hankel’s Transform technique, where we assume a Hertzian pressure boundary condition. At each depth of penetration of the indenter in the film-substrate system, we estimate effective modulus of the system based on Gao’s approach. We have validated our analysis by surface strain measurements and photoelastic stress study in the film on a substrate. Experimental observations from literatures show the dependence of different fracture modes in a thin hard film with columnar structure on film thickness and substrate plasticity. We perform fracture analysis, a parametric study of the fracture modes in the film under contact loading. When the film thickness is small and the substrate is relatively hard (e.g. tool steel), the film and the substrate deform conformally under contact loading and the columns of TiN slide against each other into the substrate. On the other hand, when the film is thicker and the substrate is soft (e.g. mild steel or aluminium), the strain mismatch between the film and substrate acts as an added traction at the interface and drives cracks, such as radial tensile stress driven bending cracks that start from the interface at the center of indentation; maximum shear stress driven inclined shear crack that starts inside the film and propagate at an angle to the indentation axis and tensile stress driven edge crack that starts from the free surface outside the contact. We can draw a fracture map based on these calculations which provides a guide to select film thickness depending on the substrate hardness, so that the benign mode of damage, i.e., columnar shear occurs in the film. Apart from generating the fracture map, we can obtain rationale for different fracture phenomenon in the film by studying the indentation stress field. Principal tensile stresses, responsible for driving edge cracks from the free surface outside the contact, become compressive as one approaches the substrate if the substrate is compliant. The cracks therefore do not penetrate deep into the film rather curve away from the axis of indentation. At the transition zone from one mode of damage to other in the fracture map, different modes of fracture may co-exist. The whole column may not shear, rather the shear can start from somewhere in the middle of the film, where the shear stress is maximum and it can end without reaching the interface. The indentation energy is then dissipated in other forms of damage. The contact analysis is further applied to TiN /AlTiN multilayered films having similar elastic properties. Experimental observations suggest that with decreasing layer thickness the fracture resistance of the multilayers increase and some plastic yielding occurs at the top layers of the film. However no substantial change in strain capacity (Hardness/ Young’s Modulus) of the film is observed. Hence we attribute the increase of fracture resistance of multilayers to film plasticity and mimic it by reducing the modulus of the film. The analysis validates the propensity of edge cracking and transgranular cracking as they decrease with increasing number of layers in a multilayer. We next extend our bilayer analysis to a more general trilayer problem where the moduli of the layers vary by several orders. The test system here is a mica-glue-glass system which is used in surface force apparatus experiments. Gao’s trilayer analysis is used to fit the experimental data obtained from surface force apparatus experiments, where a glass sphere indents the trilayer. The parallel spring model used in Gao’s approximation is found to be inadequate to rationalize the experimental data. We have modified Gao’s formulations by reducing the problem to a bilayer problem where the layers are the first layer (in contact) and an equivalent layer which has properties determined by a rule of mixture of the properties of all the layers excluding the top layer set out as a set of springs in series. The modified formulations give a better fit to the experimental data and it is validated from nanoindentation experiments on the same system. The formulation is used to obtain the compression of the glue, which contributes significantly to the deformation of the trilayer system in the SFA experiments. Thus, the analysis can be used to deconvolute the influence of glue in the actual mechanical response of the system in an SFA experiment, which has so far been neglected.