Gas-Phase Deposition of Ultrathin Aluminium Oxide Films on Nanoparticles at Ambient Conditions

We have deposited aluminium oxide films by atomic layer deposition on titanium oxide nanoparticles in a fluidized bed reactor at 27 ± 3 °C and atmospheric pressure. Working at room temperature allows coating heat-sensitive materials, while working at atmospheric pressure would simplify the scale-up of this process. We performed 4, 7 and 15...

Growth stress in tungsten carbide-diamond-like carbon coatings

Growth stress in tungsten carbide-diamond-like carbon coatings, sputter deposited in a reactive argon/acetylene plasma, has been studied as a function of the acetylene partial pressure. Stress and microstructure have been investigated by wafer curvature and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) whereas composition and energy distribution...

A mesoscopic approach to the study of thin protective coatings by Positron Beam Analysis and Scanning Electron Microscopy

The study of thin protective coatings is one of the major research topics in the industry. Among the many questions in this wide topic, the aim of this thesis has been to contribute to the understanding of two of them: the problem of the adhesion and the role of porosity in thin films. The thin films studied in this work were mainly...