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Editorial

Recent Advances in the Development of Thin Films

by
Zohra Benzarti
and
Ali Khalfallah
*
CEMMPRE, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Coimbra, Rua Luís Reis Santos, 3030-788 Coimbra, Portugal
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Coatings 2024, 14(7), 878; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings14070878
Submission received: 27 June 2024 / Accepted: 10 July 2024 / Published: 12 July 2024
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in the Development of Thin Films)
Versions Notes
Thin films and coatings are an integral part of modern technology, with applications including solar cells [1,2,3], cutting-edge electronics [4], cutting tools [5,6] and even food preservation [7]. The development of thin films is a dynamic and rapidly evolving field of research, driven by the need for their improved performance, durability, and functionality. Tailoring thin-film materials with specific properties, which can then be utilized across a variety of industries [8,9,10], is facilitated by the monitoring of modern coating processes [11,12,13] and the application of multiphysics characterization techniques. The advanced knowledge gained from these techniques enable the manufacturing of sound components for potential application in a broad range of fields [9,14], further expanding the reach and impact of thin-film technology.
This Special Issue presents a selection of high-quality papers reflecting the recent advances in the development of thin films. It comprises thirteen contributions, including two reviews and eleven research articles, covering several aspects of thin films that highlight the importance of this field and the ongoing progress towards potential and diverse applications across various industry sectors.
One key area of focus in this Special Issue is the deposition and characterization of thin films, with contributions exploring novel deposition techniques and their impact on film properties. Cristea et al. (Contribution 1) investigated the deposition of tantalum–titanium oxynitride thin films using DC reactive magnetron co-sputtering, and they found that controlling the Ti and Ta content results in a tunable elemental composition and structure, with higher Ti content leading to increased oxygen content and influencing optical and electrical properties. Grafoute et al. (Contribution 2) also contributed to this area of research by examining the influence of oxygen flow rate on the properties of Fe-O-N films deposited by magnetron sputtering, and they found that higher oxygen content results in well-crystallized films with good semiconductor properties, which is in agreement with previous research [15,16].
The synthesis and characterization of thin films with specific structural and electrical properties are also covered in this Special Issue. Okhay et al. (Contribution 3) reported the successful preparation of monophasic Sr1−xZnxTiO3 thin films with high Zn content using a sol–gel technique. They found that morpholinium tetrafluoroborate additive engineering in perovskite solar cells significantly improves performance and stability, yielding a power conversion efficiency of 23.83% and retaining 92% of the initial PCE after 2000 h. Bujaldón et al. (Contribution 4) synthesized thiophene-containing triindole derivatives and investigated the impact of alkylation patterning on their performance as organic semiconductors. They found that derivatives with longer N-alkyl chains resulted in thin films with improved crystallinity and semiconductor properties.
The assessment of the mechanical and electrical properties of thin films is another key area of research. Khalfallah et al. (Contribution 5) studied the impact of Mg doping on the mechanical behavior of GaN thin films. They found significant improvements in hardness and Young’s modulus and an effect on creep behavior due to increased dislocation density and observed a transition from n-type to p-type conductivity. Deng et al. (Contribution 6) contributed to this area of research by evaluating the impact resistance of CVD multi-coatings with designed layers, providing insights into the dynamic milling process and the effect of layer thickness on coated cutting tools. They found that thicker coatings and coatings without a TiN surface layer showed a decrease in impact resistance.
Thin films are also applied in sensing and solar cell technologies [9,17,18,19,20]. Ma et al. (Contribution 7) [21] reviewed optical fiber sensing technology based on thin films and Fabry–Perot cavities, highlighting the versatility and applicability of this technique. Bian et al. (Contribution 8) enhanced the performance of perovskite solar cells using morpholinium tetrafluoroborate as an additive, achieving notable improvements in power conversion efficiency and long-term stability, addressing challenges related to defect presence [22].
Additionally, Khalfallah et al. (Contribution 9) [23] proposed an inverse analysis approach to identify the elastoplastic parameters of GaN thin films, combining instrumented nanoindentation with finite element simulations and an artificial neural network model. This approach offers a computationally efficient and accurate method for identifying the elastoplastic parameters of thin films, leveraging the combined power of nanoindentation testing, finite element simulations, and ANNs. Moreover, it improves our understanding of the complex behavior of thin films under stress [24].
Several of the papers presented in this Special Issue explore the properties of thin films. Dmitriyeva et al. (Contribution 10) investigated the influence of lyophobicity and lyophilicity on the characteristics of tin oxide films, observing that the addition of a fluorinating agent does not increase specific conductivity, and confirming the incorporation of fluorine ions through X-ray diffraction analysis. He et al. (Contribution 11) [25] presented a novel method for the construction of anatase titanium dioxide single-crystal sheet-connected films, resulting in strong white photoluminescence comparable to commercial fluorescent lamp coatings, achieved through the incorporation of oxygen defects.
Shiryaev et al. (Contribution 12) explored the applicability of mixing rules to predict the permittivity and permeability of composite materials containing Ni-Zn ferrites. They revealed differences in the domain structures and demagnetizing fields between particles and bulk ferrite, and found a discrepancy between the measured and retrieved permeability values. The authors attributed this discrepancy to the difference between the domain structures and demagnetizing fields of particles and bulk ferrite.
In their review, Khezerlou et al. (Contribution 13) [26] highlighting the potential of combining edible coating materials with non-thermal processing technologies to enhance food preservation [27]. They reported that edible coatings made from food-grade structuring ingredients, like proteins, polysaccharides, and lipids, can be fortified with functional additives to improve food quality, safety, and shelf life by reducing ripening, gas exchange, and microbial decay.
In summary, this Special Issue showcases a diverse range of advancements in the development of thin films, highlighting their importance across various sectors. From novel deposition techniques to enhanced characterization methods and applications, this issue underscores the ongoing innovation in this field. The contributions herein not only reflect the current state of the art, but also provide a glimpse into the future of thin-film technologies, paving the way for their further advancement and application in industry and technology.
This Special Issue is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the authors who contributed their insightful research. We extend our sincere gratitude to each author for their valuable contributions, to the peer reviewers for their dedication in ensuring the quality of the published papers, and to everyone else involved in this process. We believe this reprint will provide a comprehensive overview of the latest advancements in the development of thin films and inspire further exploration and innovation.
The contributions to this Special Issue are listed as follows:
  • Contribution 1—Cristea, D.; Velicu, I.L.; Cunha, L.; Barradas, N.; Alves, E.; Craciun, V. Tantalum-Titanium Oxynitride Thin Films Deposited by DC Reactive Magnetron Co-Sputtering: Mechanical, Optical, and Electrical Characterization. Coatings 2022, 12, 36.
  • Contribution 2—Grafoute, M.; N’Djoré, K.B.J.I.; Petitjean, C.; Pierson, J.F.; Rousselot, C. Influence of Oxygen Flow Rate on the Properties of FeOXNY Films Obtained by Magnetron Sputtering at High Nitrogen Pressure. Coatings 2022, 12, 1050.
  • Contribution 3—Okhay, O.; Vilarinho, P.M.; Tkach, A. Structure, Microstructure, and Dielectric Response of Polycrystalline Sr1-xZnxTiO3 Thin Films. Coatings 2023, 13, 165.
  • Contribution 4—Bujaldón, R.; Cuadrado, A.; Volyniuk, D.; Grazulevicius, J.V.; Puigdollers, J.; Velasco, D. Role of the Alkylation Patterning in the Performance of OTFTs: The Case of Thiophene-Functionalized Triindoles. Coatings 2023, 13, 896.
  • Contribution 5—Khalfallah, A.; Benzarti, Z. Mechanical Properties and Creep Behavior of Undoped and Mg-Doped GaN Thin Films Grown by Metal–Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition. Coatings 2023, 13,1111.
  • Contribution 6—Deng, J.; Jiang, F.; Zha, X.; Zhang, T.; Yao, H.; Zhu, D.; Zhu, H.; Xie, H.; Wang, F.; Wu, X.; Yan, L. Impact Resistance of CVD Multi-Coatings with Designed Layers. Coatings 2023, 13, 815.
  • Contribution 7—Ma, C.; Peng, D.; Bai, X.; Liu, S.; Luo, L. A Review of Optical Fiber Sensing Technology Based on Thin Film and Fabry–Perot Cavity. Coatings 2023, 13, 1277.
  • Contribution 8—Bian, J.; Sun, Y.; Guo, J.; Liu, X.; Liu, Y. Enhancing the Performance and Stability of Perovskite Solar Cells via Morpholinium Tetrafluoroborate Additive Engineering: Insights and Implications. Coatings 2023, 13, 1528.
  • Contribution 9—Khalfallah, A.; Khalfallah, A.; Benzarti, Z. Identification of the Elastoplastic Constitutive Model of GaN Thin Films Using Instrumented Nanoindentation and Machine Learning Technique. Coatings, 2024, 14, 683.
  • Contribution 10—Dmitriyeva, E.; Lebedev, I.; Bondar, E.; Fedosimova, A.; Temiraliev, A.; Murzalinov, D.; Ibraimova, S.; Nurbaev, B.; Ele-mesov, K.; Baitimbetova, B. The Influence of Lyophobicity and Lyophilicity of Film-Forming Systems on the Properties of Tin Oxide Films. Coatings 2023, 13, 1990.
  • Contribution 11—He, T.; Wang, D.; Xu, Y.; Zhang, J. The Facile Construction of Anatase Titanium Dioxide Single Crystal Sheet-Connected Film with Observable Strong White Photoluminescence. Coatings 2024, 14, 292.
  • Contribution 12—Shiryaev, A.; Rozanov, K.; Kostishin, V.; Petrov, D.; Maklakov, S.; Dolmatov, A.; Isaev, I. Retrieving the Intrinsic Microwave Permittivity and Permeability of Ni-Zn Ferrites. Coatings 2023, 13, 1599.
  • Contribution 13—Khezerlou, A.; Zolfaghari, H.; Forghani, S.; Abedi-Firoozjah, R.; Alizadeh Sani, M.; Negahdari, B.; Jalalvand, M.; Ehsani, A.; McClements, D.J. Combining Non-Thermal Processing Techniques with Edible Coating Materials: An Innovative Approach to Food Preservation. Coatings 2023, 13, 830.

Funding

This research received no external funding.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

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MDPI and ACS Style

Benzarti, Z.; Khalfallah, A. Recent Advances in the Development of Thin Films. Coatings 2024, 14, 878. https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings14070878

AMA Style

Benzarti Z, Khalfallah A. Recent Advances in the Development of Thin Films. Coatings. 2024; 14(7):878. https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings14070878

Chicago/Turabian Style

Benzarti, Zohra, and Ali Khalfallah. 2024. "Recent Advances in the Development of Thin Films" Coatings 14, no. 7: 878. https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings14070878

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