Antimicrobial Properties of Nanostructured TiO2 Plus Fe Additive Thin Films Synthesized by a Cost-Effective Sol-Gel Process

We prepared thin films composed of pure TiO2 or TiO2 with an Fe additive (at concentrations of 0.2-0.8 wt%) via a simple and cost effective sol gel process, and tested their antifungal properties (against Candida albicans (MTCC-1637), Candida tropicalis (MTCC-184), Candida parapsilosis (MTCC-2509), and Candida glabrata (MTCC-3019) and antibacterial properties (against Staphylococcus faecalis (NCIM-2604) Staphylococcus epidermidis (NCIM-2493), Staphylococcus aureus (NCIL-2122), and Bacillus subtilis (NCIM-2549)). The films were deposited on glass and Si substrates and subjected to annealing at 400 degrees C for 3 h in ambient air. The film structural and morphological properties were investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy profilometry and scanning electron microscopy, respectively. Antifungal and antibacterial tests were conducted using the drop test method. Among the species examined, Candida albicans (MTCC-1637), and Staphylococcus aureus (NCIL-2122) showed complete colony formation inhibition after exposure for 4 h for the TiO2 loaded with 0.8 wt% Fe thin films. These results indicate that increasing the Fe concentration increased the antimicrobial activity, with complete inhibition of colony formation after 4 h exposure.

Gallium and indium co-doped ZnO thin films for white light emitting diodes

Ga and In co-doped ZnO (GIZO) thin films together with ZnO, In-doped ZnO (IZO), Ga-doped ZnO (GZO), and IZO/GZO multilayer for comparison, were grown on corning glass and boron doped Si substrates by PLD. The photoluminescence spectra of GIZO showed a strong white light emission and the current-voltage characteristics showed relatively lower turn-on voltage and larger forward current. The CIE coordinates for GIZO were observed to be (0.31, 0.33) with a correlated colour temperature of 6650 K, indicating a cool white light, and establishing a possibility of white light emitting diodes. (C) 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim

Optical properties change in Sb40S40Se20 thin films by light-induced effect

Thin films of Sb40Se20S40 with thickness 1000 nm were prepared by thermal evaporation technique. The amorphous nature of the thin films was verified by X-ray diffractometer. The chemical composition of the deposited thin films was examined by energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX). The changes in optical properties due to the influence of laser radiation on amorphous thin films of Sb40Se20S40 glassy alloy were calculated from absorbance spectra as a function of photon energy in the wavelength region 450-900 nm. Analysis of the optical absorption data shows that the rule of non-direct transitions predominates. It has been observed that laser-irradiation of the films leads to a decrease in optical band gap while increase in absorption coefficient. The decrease in the optical band gap is explained on the basis of change in nature of films due to disorderness. The optical changes are supported by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Electrical switching and optical studies on amorphous GexSe35-xTe65 thin films

The electrical switching behavior of amorphous GexSe35-xTe65 thin film samples has been studied in sandwich geometry of electrodes. It is found that these samples exhibit memory switching behavior, which is similar to that of bulk Ge-Se-Te glasses. As expected, the switching voltages of GexSe35-xTe65 thin film samples are lower compared to those of bulk samples. In both thin film amorphous and bulk glassy samples, the switching voltages are found to increase with the increase in Ge concentration, which is consistent with the increase in network connectivity with the addition of higher coordinated Ge atoms. A sharp increase is seen in the composition dependence of the switching fields of amorphous GexSe35-xTe65 films above x = 21, which can be associated with the stiffness transition. Further, the optical band gap of a-GexSe35-x Te-65 thin film samples, calculated from the absorption spectra, is found to show an increasing trend with the increase in Ge concentration, which is consistent with the variation of switching fields with composition. The increase in structural cross-linking with progressive addition of 4-fold coordinated Ge atoms is one of the main reasons for the observed increase in switching fields as well as band gaps of GexSe35-xTe65 samples. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Reactive biased target ion beam deposited W-DLC nanocomposite thin films - Microstructure and its mechanical properties

Tungsten incorporated diamond like carbon (W-DLC) nanocomposite thin films with variable fractions of tungsten were deposited by using reactive biased target ion beam deposition technique. The influence of tungsten incorporation on the microstructure, surface topography, mechanical and tribological properties of the DLC were studied using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman spectroscopy. Atomic force microscope (AFM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), nano-indentation and nano-scratch tests. The amount of W in films gets increases with increasing target bias voltage and most of the incorporated W reacts with carbon to form WC nanoclusters. Using TEM and FFT pattern, it was found that spherical shaped WC nanoclusters were uniformly dispersed in the DLC matrix and attains hexagonal (W2C) crystalline structure at higher W concentration. On the other hand, the incorporation of tungsten led to increase the formation of C-sp(2) hybridized bonding in DLC network and which is reflected in the hardness and elastic modulus of W-DLC films. Moreover, W-DLC films show very low friction coefficient and increased adhesion to the substrate than the DLC film, which could be closely related to its unique nanostructure of the W incorporated thin films. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Studies on electrical switching behavior and optical band gap of amorphous Ge-Te-Sn thin films

Amorphous thin film Ge15Te85-xSnx (1 <= x <= 5) and Ge17Te83-xSnx (1 <= x <= 4) switching devices have been deposited in sandwich geometry using a flash evaporation technique, with aluminum as the top and bottom electrodes. Electrical switching studies indicate that these films exhibit memory type electrical switching behavior. The switching fields for both the series of samples have been found to decrease with increase in Sn concentration, which confirms that the metallicity effect on switching fields/voltages, commonly seen in bulk glassy chalcogenides, is valid in amorphous chalcogenide thin films also. In addition, there is no manifestation of rigidity percolation in the composition dependence of switching fields of Ge15Te85-xSnx and Ge17Te83-xSnx amorphous thin film samples. The observed composition dependence of switching fields of amorphous Ge15Te85-xSnx and Ge17Te83-xSnx thin films has been understood on the basis of Chemically Ordered Network model. The optical band gap for these samples, calculated from the absorption spectra, has been found to exhibit a decreasing trend with increasing Sn concentration, which is consistent with the composition dependence of switching fields.

Compositional dependence optical properties study of As40Se60-xSbx thin films

Thin films were thermally evaporated from the bulk glasses of As40Se60-xSbx (with x = 0, 5, 10, 15 at.%) under high vacuum. We have characterized the deposited films by Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy. The relationship between the structural and optical properties and the compositional variation has been investigated. Increasing Sb content was found to affect the thermal and optical properties of these films. Non-direct electronic transition was found to be responsible for the photon absorption inside the investigated films. It was found that, the optical band gap E-o decreases while the width of localized states (Urbach energy) E-e increases. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Dielectric properties of DC reactive magnetron sputtered Al2O3 thin films

Alumina (Al2O3) thin films were sputter deposited over well-cleaned glass and Si < 100 > substrates by DC reactive magnetron sputtering under various oxygen gas pressures and sputtering powers. The composition of the films was analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and an optimal O/Al atomic ratio of 1.59 was obtained at a reactive gas pressure of 0.03 Pa and sputtering power of 70 W. X-ray diffraction results revealed that the films were amorphous until 550 degrees C. The surface morphology of the films was studied using scanning electron microscopy and the as-deposited films were found to be smooth. The topography of the as-deposited and annealed films was analyzed by atomic force microscopy and a progressive increase in the rms roughness of the films from 3.2 nm to 4.53 nm was also observed with increase in the annealing temperature. Al-Al2O3-Al thin film capacitors were then fabricated on glass substrates to study the effect of temperature and frequency on the dielectric property of the films. Temperature coefficient of capacitance. AC conductivity and activation energy were determined and the results are discussed. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Studies on Field Dependent Domain Structures in Multi-Grained 0.85PbMg(1/3)Nb(2/3)O3-0.15PbTiO(3) Thin Films by Scanning Force Microscopy

0.85PbMg(1/3)Nb(2/3)O(3)-0.15PbTiO(3) (0.85PMN-0.15PT) ferroelectric relaxor thin films have been deposited on La0.5Sr0.5CoO3/(111) Pt/TiO2/SiO2/Si by pulsed laser ablation by varying the oxygen partial pressures from 50 mTorr to 400 mTorr. The X-ray diffraction pattern reveals a pyrochlore free polycrystalline film. The grain morphology of the deposited films was studied using scanning electron microscopy and was found to be affected by oxygen pressure. By employing dynamic contact-electrostatic force microscopy we found that the distribution of polar nanoregions is majorly affected by oxygen pressure. Finally, the electric field induced switching in these films is discussed in terms of domain wall pinning.

Coexistence of fast photodarkening and slow photobleaching in Ge19As21Se60 thin films

We experimentally demonstrate the coexistence of two opposite photo-effects, viz. fast photodarkening (PD) and slow photobleaching (PB) in Ge19As21Se60 thin films, when illuminated with a laser of wavelength 671 nm. PD appears to begin instantaneously upon light illumination and saturates in tens of seconds. By comparison, PB is a slower process that starts only after PD has saturated. Both PD and PB follow stretched exponetial dependence on time. Modeling of overall change as a linear sum of two contributions suggests that the changes in As and Ge parts of glass network respond to light effectively indepndent of each other. (C) 2012 Optical Society of America

The effect of potential on electrodeposited CdSe thin films

Cadmium selenide (CdSe) thin films have been successfully prepared by the electrodeposition technique on indium doped tin oxide (ITO) substrates with aqueous solutions of cadmium sulphate and selenium dioxide. The deposited films were characterized with X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive analysis by X-rays (EDAX), photoluminescence (PL), UV spectrometry and electrical resistivity measurements. XRD analysis shows that the films are polycrystalline in nature with hexagonal crystalline structure. The various parameters such as crystallite size, micro strain, dislocation density and texture coefficients were evaluated. SEM study shows that the total substrate surface is well covered with uniformly distributed spherical shaped grains. Photoluminescence spectra of films were recorded to understand the emission properties of the films. The presence of direct transition with band gap energy 1.75 eV is established from optical studies. The electrical resistivity of the thin films is found to be 10(6) Omega cm and the results are discussed. (c) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Morphology dependent electrochemical performance of sputter deposited Sn thin films

This study deals with tailoring of the surface morphology, microstructure, and electrochemical properties of Sn thin films deposited by magnetron sputtering with different deposition rates. Scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy are used to characterize the film surface morphology. Electrochemical properties of Sn thin film are measured and compared by cyclic voltammetry and charge-discharge cycle data at a constant current density. Sn thin film fabricated with a higher deposition rate exhibited an initial discharge capacity of 798 mAh g(-1) but reduced to 94 mAh g(-1) at 30th cycle. Film deposited with lower deposition rate delivered 770 mAh g(-1) during 1st cycle with improved capacity retention of 521 mAh g(-1) on 30th cycle. Comparison of electrochemical performances of these films has revealed important distinctions, which are associated with the surface morphology and hence on rate of deposition. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mechanical properties of ZnS nanowires and thin films: Microscopic origin of the dependence on size and growth direction

Mechanical properties of ZnS nanowires and thin films are studied as a function of size and growth direction using all-atom molecular dynamics simulations. Using the stress-strain relationship we extract Young's moduli of nanowires and thin films at room temperature. Our results show that Young's modulus of 0001] nanowires has strong size dependence. On the other hand, 01 (1) over bar0] nanowires do not exhibit a strong size dependence of Young's modulus in the size range we have investigated. We provide a microscopic understanding of this behavior on the basis of bond stretching and contraction due to the rearrangement of atoms in the surface layers. The ultimate tensile strengths of the nanowires do not show much size dependence. To investigate the mechanical behavior of ZnS in two dimensions, we calculate Young's modulus of thin films under tensile strain along the 0001] direction. Young's modulus of thin films converges to the bulk value more rapidly than that of the 0001] nanowire.

Light Induced Optical Properties Change in Sb20S40Se40 Thin Films

Thin films of Sb20S40Se40 of thickness 800 nm were prepared by thermal evaporation method. The as-prepared and illuminated thin films were studied by X-ray diffraction, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy. The optical band gap was reduced due to photo induced effects along with the increase in disorder. These optical properties changes are due to the change of homopolar bond densities. The core level peak shifting in XPS and Raman spectra supports the optical changes happening in the film due to light exposure.

Effect of Thickness on The Optical Properties Change in Bi/As2S3 Bilayer Thin Films

Bilayer thin films of Bi/As2S3 were prepared from Bi and As2S3 by thermal evaporation technique under high vacuum. We have prepared three bilayer films of 905nm, 910nm and 915nm thickness with with As2S3 as bottom layer (900nm) and Bi as top layer (5,10,15 nm). We have compared the optical changes due to the thickness variation of Bi layer on As2S3 film. The changes were characterized by FTIR and XPS techniques.