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        <title>Frontiers in Materials | Thin Solid Films section | New and Recent Articles</title>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/materials/sections/thin-solid-films</link>
        <description>RSS Feed for Thin Solid Films section in the Frontiers in Materials journal | New and Recent Articles</description>
        <language>en-us</language>
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        <pubDate>2026-04-23T08:59:01.867+00:00</pubDate>
        <ttl>60</ttl>
        <item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2025.1527753</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2025.1527753</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Investigating the influence of a thin copper film coated on nickel plates through physical vapor deposition for electrocatalytic nitrate reduction]]></title>
        <pubdate>2025-05-26T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Sumit Maya Moreshwar Meshram</author><author>Prasad Gonugunta</author><author>Peyman Taheri</author><author>Ludovic Jourdin</author><author>Saket Pande</author>
        <description><![CDATA[The removal of nitrate (NO3−) from water and its subsequent valorization for various applications are crucial due to environmental, health, and economic considerations. A promising method for its removal is the process of electrocatalytic reduction of nitrate. Copper/nickel (Cu/Ni) composite electrodes have demonstrated potential for this process in aqueous solution, however, the effect of thin Cu film coated on Ni using physical vapor deposition (PVD) has not been investigated for NO3− removal. Here, the PVD technique was employed to deposit a thin film of Cu onto a Ni plate to form Cu-Ni composite electrodes of varying Cu thicknesses (25–100 nm), enabling the investigation of the influence of the Cu film thickness on NO3− reduction. Electrodes prepared using PVD were utilized for electrocatalytic nitrate reduction (NO3RR) for the first time. The Cu-Ni electrodes were analyzed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to examine the deposited Cu film which is critical for NO3− reduction and ammonium (NH4+) selectivity. The Cu film was found to be uniformly distributed on the Ni plate without any additional contamination. Cyclic voltammetry was performed to obtain the information on electron transfer between the Cu-Ni electrode and the nitrogen (N2) species on the surface. NO3− was primarily reduced to NH4+, with no significant difference in the NO3− conversion rate observed as a function of the Cu thickness. As the Cu thickness increased, the current density decreased. This study also investigated the effect of stirring on NO3− reduction, considering potential applications where rotation or stirring is not feasible such as in some batteries. The findings of this investigation indicate that thin film coated electrodes fabricated using the PVD method exhibit capability for NO3− elimination through electrocatalytic reduction processes.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2025.1504965</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2025.1504965</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Thermal performance customization of polyimide films by nanocomposite engineering with Al2O3 and ZnO nanoparticles]]></title>
        <pubdate>2025-03-21T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Ahmad Raza Ashraf</author><author>Zareen Akhter</author><author>Muhammad Asim Farid</author><author>Leonardo C. Simon</author><author>Khalid Mahmood</author><author>Muhammad Faizan Nazar</author>
        <description><![CDATA[The fascinating properties of polyimide films, such as outstanding thermal stability, chemical/radiation resistance, excellent mechanical strength, and a low dielectric constant, can be further optimized by inorganic fillers, making them potential candidates for replacing metals/ceramics in modern technologies. In this study, the effect of Al2O3 and ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) on the thermal performance of polyimide was evaluated by varying nanoparticle loadings (3%, 5%, 7%, and 9%). The incorporation of nanoparticles within the polyimide matrix was confirmed by wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXRD) analysis. Their homogenous distribution throughout the matrix was verified by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Thermal decomposition of the polyimide matrix started at approximately 400°C, with relatively small weight loss up to 500°C, suggesting significantly high thermal stability. This stability was further improved by the addition of Al2O3 nanoparticles, while ZnO nanoparticles lowered the temperature resistance. The isothermal thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) further complemented the results of dynamic TGA as substantially high thermal endurance at 400°C was observed for polyimide nanocomposites, suggesting their capability to withstand elevated temperatures for extended periods. The glass transition temperature of the polyimide matrix was enhanced by both types of nanoparticles in a concentration-dependent manner. The thermal performance of polyimide was significantly affected by nanoparticle concentration.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2024.1412808</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2024.1412808</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Editorial: 2022 retrospective: thin solid films]]></title>
        <pubdate>2024-04-30T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Editorial</category>
        <author>Elena Degoli</author><author>Rafael Ramirez Bon</author>
        <description></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2023.1341006</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2023.1341006</link>
        <title><![CDATA[The band gap and nonlinear optical susceptibility of SrSn1-xVxO3 films]]></title>
        <pubdate>2024-01-24T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Ziheng Huang</author><author>Qiushuang Ma</author><author>Depeng Wang</author><author>Rongjing Zhao</author><author>Ruifeng Niu</author><author>Weitian Wang</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Perovskite-type oxide SrSn1-xVxO3 thin films with different concentrations x = 0.1–0.9 were fabricated by using pulsed-laser deposition, and the effects of V doping on the structure, optical band gap and the third-order optical nonlinearity were systematically investigated. With the increase of x value, the lattice parameters of SrSn1-xVxO3 decrease from 3.997 to 3.862 Å gradually, while the optical band gaps firstly increase and then decrease with boundary at x = 0.3. The third-order nonlinear optical responses were studied via the z-scan technique. The closed-aperture measurements show a negative nonlinear refractive index n2, and the open-aperture measurements demonstrate a saturable absorption β. Both the n2 and β responses vary with the increase of V doping level. The metal-oxygen chemical bond along with the localized V5+Sn2+V5+ complex contribute to the enhancement of optical nonlinearity, and the highest value of third-order susceptibility χ(3) is observed in SrSn0.5V0.5O3 film.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2024.1341518</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2024.1341518</link>
        <title><![CDATA[A review of the preparation, properties and applications of VO2 thin films with the reversible phase transition]]></title>
        <pubdate>2024-01-19T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Review</category>
        <author>Chong Wen</author><author>Liquan Feng</author><author>Zhaohui Li</author><author>Jinglian Bai</author><author>Shaoyan Wang</author><author>Xingxing Gao</author><author>Jian Wang</author><author>Wenqing Yao</author>
        <description><![CDATA[The reversible phase transition of vanadium dioxide under thermal, electrical, and optical stimuli is the enabling concept for the functioning of smart materials and is the basis for the development of various device materials such as optical, electrical, thermal, and mechanical devices based on VO2 on rigid and flexible platforms. The phase transition temperature of VO2 near room temperature is considered an excellent choice and a potential candidate to replace traditional materials in a variety of applications. There is a growing interest in VO2 applications for a wide range of devices, and the use of VO2’s structure to manipulate and explore the functions of various application devices, as well as the modification of VO2 structures to improve performance in a variety of materials, can lead to extremely exciting innovations. A lot of effort has been put into the challenges of practical production and practical application, and it is necessary to find an industrially feasible manufacturing method for the preparation of VO2 films, which is the basis for the practical application of VO2-based equipment. Based on this background, we first briefly describe the structure of VO2, the phase transition mechanisms involved, and the factors and other properties induced by the phase transition of VO2. Then, the current status and advantages and disadvantages of VO2 thin film preparation technologies are introduced in detail, including pulsed laser deposition (PLD), magnetron sputtering, the sol-gel method, and chemical vapour deposition (CVD). In addition, we propose three strategies to improve the performance of VO2 thin films, including element doping, multi-layer composites, and surface structure. We also discussed the different applications of VO2 under thermal, electrical, and light stimulation, as well as the development trends and future challenges of VO2 thin films.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2023.1337925</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2023.1337925</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Sub-0.3 volt amorphous metal WNx based NEMS switch with 8 trillion cycles]]></title>
        <pubdate>2024-01-12T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Abdulilah Mohammad Mayet</author><author>Mohammed Abdul Muqeet</author><author>Hala H. Alhashim</author><author>Fadi Kurdahi</author><author>Ehsan Eftekhari-Zadeh</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Introduction: The mechanical nature of nanoelectromechanical (NEM) switches makes them sluggish yet desirable for ultra-low-power, harsh environment applications. Two- and three-terminal NEM switches have been demonstrated using onedimensional, two-dimensional, and thin films, but sub-0.3 V operation with improved mechanical and electrical reliability is still elusive.Method: This study presents WNxnano-ribbon-based NEM sensor switches that operate at 0.6 V, 30 nanosecond switching time, 8 trillion cycles, and 0.5 mA ON current with less than 5 kΩ ON resistance, without stiction, mechanical welding, or short circuits. WNx’s high Young’s modulus gives it great elasticity and mechanical restoring force, which may overcome van der Waal and capillary forces.Results and Discussion: With its high Young’s modulus, the device’s nanoscale size facilitated low operating voltage. WNxnano-ribbon without grain boundaries is amorphous and more mechanically strong. Hammering and high current flow may destroy the nano-ribbon contact surface and interface, which is practically immaculate. Pull-out time (dominant delay factor) is 0 owing to high Young’s modulus, hence hysteresis loss and delay are absent. Elasticity and Young’s modulus increase speed.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2023.1260609</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2023.1260609</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Simulation, synthesis, and analysis of strontium-doped ZnO nanostructures for optoelectronics and energy-harvesting devices]]></title>
        <pubdate>2023-12-20T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Muhammad Shafiq Anjum</author><author>Muhammad Waseem Ashraf</author><author>Shahzadi Tayyaba</author><author>Muhammad Imran</author>
        <description><![CDATA[The demand for clean and sustainable alternative energy resources is linearly increasing day by day due to the prevailing electricity crisis. Small-scale energy harvesting is considered a sustainable way to generate clean energy. Advanced energy solar cells, mainly dye-sensitized solar cells use solar energy and convert it into electrical energy. Similarly, MEMS-based piezoelectric materials are used to convert mechanical energy into electrical energy. For these applications, zinc oxide is considered one of the most suitable materials with high conductive, tunable band gap, and piezoelectric properties. However, altering these properties can be carried out by the addition of metal and other materials. Various research work has been carried out to study the addition of conductive metal as a dopant to alter the properties of zinc oxide. In this study, Strontium has been doped in ZnO to form a nanostructure for application in DSSC and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) energy harvesters. Analysis has been conducted using the simulation and fabrication method. The results show that the doping and the pore size of the substrate (Anodic Aluminum oxide membrane) largely affect the output voltage and current. The difference between the simulated and experimental results was less than 1%, which shows the accuracy of the simulation. Tuning of the band gap can be observed by the addition of Sr in the ZnO nanostructure. For microelectromechanical systems energy harvesters, Sr-doped ZnO nanostructures deposited on anodic aluminum oxide show 7.10 mV of voltage and 1.11 uA of current output. The addition of Sr doping in ZnO shows the improvement in the generated current and voltage for the energy harvester and the improvement in overall power conversion efficiency for dye-sensitized solar cells. MEMS-based energy harvesting devices and low-cost advanced solar cells are promising to improve the efficiency of energy generation at a small scale.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2023.1297827</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2023.1297827</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Achieving high-quality silver sintered joint for highly-reliable schottky barrier diodes via pressureless method]]></title>
        <pubdate>2023-11-06T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Chenyi Dai</author><author>Yong Wang</author><author>Pengrong Lin</author><author>Zilin Hao</author><author>Chaoyang Wang</author><author>Xiaocheng Feng</author><author>Xueming Liu</author>
        <description><![CDATA[The fabrication of silver joints was done using the pressureless sintering technology to suit the demand of high-reliability schottky barrier diodes (SBD). Porosity of 10.6% and shear strength of 39.6 MPa were reached under the optimized parameters of 290°C sintering temperature and 40 min residence time. The sintered joint demonstrated good mechanical/thermal/electrical performance in the ultimate reliability assessment testing, including the temperature cycling test, second sintering test, steady-state lifetime test, and intermittent lifetime test. This study demonstrated the viability of pressureless sintering of silver joints with good high-temperature reliability, which has significant application potential for aeronautical high-reliability power electronics.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2023.1297318</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2023.1297318</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Modulation of optical absorption and electrical properties in Mn-Co-Ni-O-based high-entropy thin films]]></title>
        <pubdate>2023-11-06T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Chao Ma</author>
        <description><![CDATA[High-entropy thin films of Mn0.6Co0.6Ni0.6Mg0.6Cu0.6O4, Mn0.6Co0.6Ni0.6Mg0.6 Zn0.6O4, and Mn0.6Co0.6Ni0.6Cu0.6Zn0.6O4 (MCNMC, MCNMZ, and MCNCZ) with equiatomic proportions were synthesized using chemical solution deposition on silicon substrates. Structural analysis confirmed a consistent face-centered cubic spinel structure, while significant differences in surface morphology were observed. Quantification of the valence states of Mn ions revealed an inverse variation in the concentrations of Mn4+ and Mn2+ ions. The heightened infrared light absorption of the MCNMC thin film was assigned to Cu-induced Jahn-Teller distortion and highly polarized Mg-O bonds. All samples exhibited negative temperature coefficient behaviors in their electrical properties. Additionally, the MCNMC thin film demonstrated the lowest resistance due to its denser microstructure, close proximity of Mn3+/Mn4+ ion concentrations, and additional Cu+/Cu2+ ion pairs, enhancing small polaron hopping conductivity. In contrast, the MCNMZ thin film showed moderate resistance but boasted the highest thermal constant (B25/50) of 3768 K, attributed to its distinctive grain chain structure, facilitating carrier transport while introducing migration barriers.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2023.1275420</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2023.1275420</link>
        <title><![CDATA[The preferred growth orientation of Ti thin film on MgO(100) substrate]]></title>
        <pubdate>2023-09-26T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Jun Yang</author><author>Saturi Baco</author><author>Yongzhong Jin</author><author>Yi Shu</author><author>Yong Fang</author><author>Pak Yan Moh</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Understanding the preferred growth orientation of metal films is of great significance for optimizing film properties and preparing films with special structures. However, early works mainly focused on the preferred growth orientations of FCC and BCC metal films, the preferred growth orientation of HCP metal films and its formation mechanism are unclear. In this work, Ti film was deposited on MgO(100) substrate by magnetron sputtering at 523 K. The preferred growth orientation of Ti film and its formation mechanism were studied by experiment and first-principles calculation. XRD results found the preferred growth orientations of Ti film on MgO(100) substrate were Ti(001), Ti(100), and Ti(101), with Ti(001) being the most favored. First-principles calculation results showed the preferred growth orientation of the Ti film on the MgO(100) substrate was determined by a combination of interface separation work and lattice strain.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2023.1240638</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2023.1240638</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Free-edge effect on the tensile properties of 3D woven composites]]></title>
        <pubdate>2023-08-04T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Zengwen Wu</author><author>Ce Li</author><author>Feng Liao</author><author>Gang Liu</author><author>Shan Zeng</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Free-edge effect is one of the factors affecting the mechanical properties of three-dimensional woven composites under tensile load. However, current research is relatively poorly understood regarding the effect of free-edge on the stiffness and strength of the material. This paper aims at examining the influence of free-edge effect on the mechanical properties of 3D woven composites under tension through experimental and simulation methods. The three-dimensional digital image correlation (DIC) technique is used to collect the full-field strains on the specimen surface during the test, and the stress-strain differences in different regions in the width direction are analyzed, and the overlap of the curves in each region is found to be high, indicating that the boundary effect has a small influence on the tensile properties of 3D woven composites. Experimental studies are conducted on specimens of different widths (within the range of 15–20 mm), and the results indicate that the differences in mechanical properties of 3D woven composites under tension loading in this width range are not significant. A progressive damage finite element model is developed for calculation and compared with experimental results. It is found that the tensile properties of the material decreased when the width of the specimen is less than twice the size of the single cell. This study can provide certain data support for the study of the mechanical properties of 3D woven composites and enable the subsequent more in-depth study to provide a certain foundation.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2023.1158697</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2023.1158697</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Interface structure between Nb thin film and MgO(112) substrate: A first-principles prediction]]></title>
        <pubdate>2023-04-03T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Jun Yang</author><author>Pak Yan Moh</author><author>Saturi Baco</author><author>Yongzhong Jin</author><author>Yong Fang</author><author>Hongxiang Zong</author>
        <description><![CDATA[The crystal orientation of ceramic substrates is an important factor affecting the interface structure of metal/ceramic composite materials. However, there is little information about the interface composed of metal films and ceramic substrates with a high-index plane. In this work, we predicted the interface structure between a Nb film and a MgO(112) substrate by calculating the interface separation works of different interface models by using the first-principles calculation method. The results showed that the preferred growth direction is Nb [120], and that the value of the interface separation work is 0.35 eV/Å2. The lattice mismatch between the film and substrate is less than 3%, implying that a coherent interface type is highly realizable in Nb/MgO(112). Furthermore, we analyzed the interface structures of Nb/MgO(100), Nb/MgO(110), Nb/MgO(111), and Nb/MgO(112) and found that the unique atomic configuration of the MgO substrate is the main factor determining the preferred interface structure of Nb/MgO.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2023.1060420</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2023.1060420</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Combinative solution processing and Li doping approach to develop p-type NiO thin films with enchanced electrical properties]]></title>
        <pubdate>2023-02-02T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Abayomi T. Oluwabi</author><author>Nicolae Spalatu</author><author>Natalia Maticiuc</author><author>Atanas Katerski</author><author>Arvo Mere</author><author>Malle Krunks</author><author>Ilona Oja Acik</author>
        <description><![CDATA[The deposition of nickel oxide (NiOx) thin film from an acetylacetonate source using many solution-based techniques has been avoided owing to its poor solubility in alcohol solvents. From this perspective, this work provides a systematic investigation of the development of NiOx thin film, using a combinative approach of ultrasonic spray pyrolysis (USP) and Li dopant for the synthesis and optimization of structural and optoelectronic properties of the films. An in-depth comparative analysis of nickel acetylacetonate-based precursor, employing acetonitrile and methanol as solvents, is provided. It is demonstrated that USP from acetylacetonate precursor yielded uniform, well-compact, and transparent films, with polycrystalline cubic NiOx crystal structures. By screening the deposition temperature in the range of 300–450°C, a temperature of 400°C was identified as an optimal processing temperature leading to uniform, compact, highly transparent, and p-type conductive films. At optimized deposition conditions (400°C), lithium-doped NiOx (Li:NiOx) thin film was deposited. The shift of the main (200) XRD peak position from 43.48° (0-Li:NiOx) to 43.56° (60-Li:NiOx) indicated Li incorporation into the NiOx lattice. An X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) study was employed to unravel the incorporation of Li into the deposited Li:NiOx thin films. With the deconvolution of the Ni 2p core level for the as-deposited (0, 60)-Li:NiOx films, the intensity of Ni3+ related peak was found to increase slightly with Li doping. Furthermore, all the deposited Li:NiOx thin films showed p-type conductivity behavior, and the resistivity was reduced from 104 Ωcm (0-Li:NiOx) to 102 Ωcm (60-Li:NiOx). Based on these results, the deposited NiOx and Li:NiOx thin films suggested that USP-deposited Li:NiOx is highly suitable for application in inverted structure solar cells as the hole transport layer.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2022.906204</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2022.906204</link>
        <title><![CDATA[The effect of contact aspect ratio and film to substrate elastic modulus ratio on stress vs. strain up to the point of yield during flat punch thin film indentation of an elastic-plastic film]]></title>
        <pubdate>2022-10-13T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Aaron D. Sinnott</author><author>Owen Brazil</author><author>Graham L. W. Cross</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Nanoindentation is the only way to test the local mechanical properties of thin films and coatings. Current analysis treats the measurement as a perturbation of a conventional half-space indentation, typically limiting testing to films with modulus within an order of magnitude of the supporting substrate and contact dimension much smaller than the film thickness. In the layer compression test (LCT), a flat punch is aligned and indented into the film with a contact size much greater than the film thickness. This produces a novel test condition emulating uniform uniaxial strain even with significant penetration into the film beyond plastic yield. In this work, we perform a finite element analysis to assess the quality of this approximation in the confined elastic regime of deformation up to the point of yield via a parametric study of punch radius to film thickness ratio and film to substrate modulus ratio for a simple elastic-plastic material. Our simulations were performed with a low E/Y ratio of 10, which is typical of polymers, biomaterials and other amorphous systems. We find that for substrates of sufficiently high stiffness relative to the film sample, once a simple substrate stiffness correction is performed the layer compression test load vs. displacement slope estimates the film confined modulus to within a few percent with only minor variation throughout the entire pre-yield strain region for a wide range of aspect ratios. We also present experimental layer compression test findings for a supported polymer film conducted over a contact aspect ratio range of 9–22 and discuss the trends observed relative to the simulations.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2022.957909</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2022.957909</link>
        <title><![CDATA[3D flexible displacement sensor for highly sensitive movement measurement assisted by the terahertz imaging system]]></title>
        <pubdate>2022-08-30T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Tianhua Meng</author><author>Guozhong Zhao</author><author>Hongmei Liu</author><author>Wenyu Li</author><author>Caixia Feng</author><author>Weidong Hu</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Aiming at the difficulty of accurately calibrating the sample position in the terahertz (THz) imaging process, especially in the defect imaging detection and the precise characterization of the edge profile, a flexible and highly sensitive 3D terahertz displacement sensor with a resolution of up to 1 μm was proposed by the artificial electromagnetic metamaterials. The high resolution of the flexible sensor can be attributed to the used artificial electromagnetic metamaterials with the enhancing sensitivity of THz sensors as well as the flexible substrate with the high fitting to the target. Unlike the laser displacement sensor with a complex and large volume of the generating device, the proposed flexible sensor with a simple structural design is composed of only a fixed layer and a displacement indicating layer. The fixed layer is composed of the Mylar flexible substrate layer and the metal split resonator ring on it, and the displacement indicating layer is composed of the Mylar flexible substrate layer and the metal indicator lines on it. By using this unique double-layer structure, high-sensitivity measurement of displacement can be achieved by measuring the moving amount of the metal indicator line corresponding to the valley change in the THz transmission of the displacement sensor. The results demonstrate that the sensitivity of the displacement sensor can reach 145 GHz/μm, the quality factor Q can reach 194.67, and the quality factor figure of merit can reach 6.25 μm−1. Compared with the mature commercial displacement sensors and laser displacement sensors, the proposed sensor can have the characteristics of compact structure, simple preparation process, high-sensitivity, and flexibility, which can offer certain advantages for the realization of high-precision, miniaturization, and distributed sensing systems in the future.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2022.913326</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2022.913326</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Flexible La0.67Sr0.33MnO3:ZnO Nanocomposite Thin Films Integrated on Mica]]></title>
        <pubdate>2022-05-19T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Xiong Zhang</author><author>Hui Yang</author><author>Guoliang Wang</author><author>Yi Zhang</author><author>Jijie Huang</author>
        <description><![CDATA[The integration of functional oxide thin films on flexible substrates is critical for their application in flexible electronics. Here, to achieve flexible perovskite manganite oxide film with excellent low-field magnetoresistance (LFMR) effect, textured La0.67Sr0.33MnO3 (LSMO):ZnO nanocomposite film was deposited on a flexible mica substrate with ZnO buffer using pulsed laser deposition (PLD). Compared to the polycrystalline LSMO:ZnO nanocomposite film directly deposited on mica without buffer, the LSMO:ZnO/ZnO/mica sample exhibits larger saturation magnetization (164 emu/cm3) and higher Curie temperature (∼319 K), which results from the crystallinity and strain in the LSMO phase. In addition, the LSMO:ZnO/ZnO/mica film presents a high MR value of ∼39% at 10 K under 1 T. Furthermore, the good mechanical stretchability and property stability of the nanocomposite thin films have been demonstrated with mechanical bending.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2022.879711</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2022.879711</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Strong Perpendicular Anisotropy and Anisotropic Landé Factor in Bismuth-Doped Thulium Garnet Thin Films]]></title>
        <pubdate>2022-04-28T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Xiuye Zhang</author><author>Lichuan Jin</author><author>Dainan Zhang</author><author>Bo Liu</author><author>Hao Meng</author><author>Lei Zhang</author><author>Zhiyong Zhong</author><author>Xiaoli Tang</author>
        <description><![CDATA[With the development of spintronics, garnet films with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) have been attracting the attention of researchers for decades. In this work, bismuth-doped thulium iron garnet (Tm2BiFe5O12, TmBiIG) films of varying thickness having strong PMA effect were fabricated on substituted Gd3Ga5O12 (sGGG) (111) substrates using the pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique. Crystallographic characterization and magnetic properties of TmBiIG films were investigated using high-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, vibrating sample magnetometry, and broadband ferromagnetic resonance (FMR). A high perpendicular anisotropic field of H⊥ = 4,445 ± 7.5 Oe in a 10-nm-thick film and H⊥ = 4,582 ± 7.7 Oe in a 30-nm-thick film at room temperature were obtained and analyzed in detail. Surprisingly, an additional spin-wave mode was observed in the in-plane FMR spectra. The discrepancy between in-plane and the out-of-plane Landé g-factors established a correlation with the PMA effect in the TmBiIG films. The Landé g-factor of the TmBiIG films is much lower than that of free electrons, indicating that the strong spin–orbit coupling is caused by Tm and Bi heavy elements. The Gilbert damping factor α changed from 0.007 to 0.012 in various thicknesses of TmBiIG films.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2022.900088</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2022.900088</link>
        <title><![CDATA[On the Viscoelastic Drift Behavior During Nanoindentation]]></title>
        <pubdate>2022-04-28T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Perspective</category>
        <author>Yu-Lin Shen</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Nanoindentation measurements frequently involve a hold period at the peak load to allow the material to reach a stabilized state. A dwell time is also commonly employed at a sufficiently low load after unloading, to quantify the thermal drift for correction of the raw load-displacement data. This communication presents numerical case studies of indentation loading on a viscoelastic thin film using the finite element method. We illustrate that a simple viscoelastic material can actually induce prominent drift even under a low indentation load. The drift is caused by the material itself, unrelated to the thermal drift of the instrument. The direction and magnitude of the viscoelastic drift are controlled by the prior loading/unloading history as well as the load-displacement response of the fully relaxed elastic state.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2022.846428</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2022.846428</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Formation and Effect of Deposited Thin TiO2 Layer With Compressive Strain and Oxygen Vacancies on GaAs (001) Substrate]]></title>
        <pubdate>2022-04-27T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Yue Li</author><author>Yunxia Zhou</author><author>Yanrong Deng</author><author>Shiwo Ta</author><author>Zhao Yang</author><author>Haiou Li</author><author>Tangyou Sun</author><author>Yonghe Chen</author><author>Fabi Zhang</author><author>Tao Fu</author><author>Peihua Wangyang</author><author>Jun Zhu</author><author>Lizhen Zeng</author><author>Xingpeng Liu</author>
        <description><![CDATA[The integration of metal oxides and GaAs semiconductors is quite attractive for its potential applications, but interfacial diffusion and lattice mismatch usually cause huge challenges toward achieving high-performance electronic devices. In this article, we reported a thin layer of epitaxial TiO2 (110) on a GaAs (001) substrate with significant compressive strain, lattice distortion, and oxygen vacancies, where the oxygen vacancies proved to be the critical factor to induce the compressive strain and lattice distortion. In this case, the lattice mismatches between this compressed TiO2 (110) and GaAs (001) surface were calculated to be as small as 1.3 and 0.24% along the [110] and [001] orientations of TiO2, respectively. Further, no Ga-oxides or As-oxides were found at the interface, indicating that the TiO2 layer inhibited the diffusion of Ga and As atoms effectively. In summary, TiO2 film can be grown epitaxially on GaAs (001) substrates with non-negligible compressive strain, lattice distortion, oxygen vacancies, and a high-quality interface. This study also provides an approach to integrate different functional oxides on TiO2-buffered GaAs for various GaAs-based electronic devices with higher reliability and performance.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2022.871003</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmats.2022.871003</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Novel Method for the Growth of Two-Dimensional Layered InSe Thin Films on Amorphous Substrate by Molecular Beam Epitaxy]]></title>
        <pubdate>2022-03-23T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Sheng-Wei Hsiao</author><author>Chu-Shou Yang</author><author>Hao-Ning Yang</author><author>Chia-Hsing Wu</author><author>Ssu-Kuan Wu</author><author>Li-Yun Chang</author><author>Yen-Teng Ho</author><author>Shu-Jui Chang</author><author>Wu-Ching Chou</author>
        <description><![CDATA[A two-dimensional (2D) material known as indium selenide (InSe) is widely considered a promising layered semiconductor with potential applications in electronics and optoelectronics. However, the single phase of InSe is still a challenge due to the close formation energy of InSe and In2Se3. In this study, we demonstrate a novel growth method for 2D InSe with an indium precursor layer by molecular beam epitaxy. Indium pre-deposited on substrate at room temperature followed by growth of InSe at 550°C can overcome the problem of stoichiometry control and can be applied on amorphous substrate with high quality. According to Raman scattering spectra, X-ray diffraction, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy results, we find that 2D InSe phase can be facile formed under both indium-rich and -poor conditions. The pre-deposited indium precursor effectively induces replacement with subsequent Se and In atoms to form the InSe phase while suppressing the In2Se3 phase. Additionally, this single phase InSe is stable in the atmosphere, exhibiting superior electronic properties even after over 100 days exposure. Recently, this method has been successfully applied to a flexible substrate, such as aluminum foil, resulting in reliable InSe quality. Our results demonstrate an innovative and forward-looking approach to developing 2D InSe material.]]></description>
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