Advanced functional films grown by pulsed deposition methods – II

The first edition of the symposium “Advanced functional films grown by pulsed deposition methods” at the 2021 Virtual EMRS Spring Meeting have revealed the greatest interest towards pulsed methods (High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering, Pulsed Laser Deposition, Pulsed Electron Beam Deposition, etc.) for obtaining unique properties of thin films and nanostructures. The first edition was already successful, with almost 100 abstracts submitted. We intend to organize a second edition of the symposium due to many requests and positive feedback from participants.

Scope:

Advanced functional thin films require specific properties and their performances are tightly related to their composition, structure, surface morphology and interface properties which, in turn, are dictated by the film growth environment. Pulsed deposition methods of thin films, heterostructures and nanostructures offer unique opportunities to achieve tailorable properties than with continuous methods.

The symposium aims at discussing cutting edge research on pulsed techniques such as High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering (HiPIMS), Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD), Pulsed Electron Beam Deposition (PED), pulsed RF/DC magnetron sputtering, pulsed arc discharges, pulsed ion beams and other pulsed processes for which the goal is to better understand the relationship between parameters such as the high kinetic energy of film-forming species, pulse width and pulse repetition rate, ionization of plasma species, transport phenomena, non-equilibrium growth, etc. and the film properties. This symposium will explore these diverse fields with a special focus on how the pulsed process parameters play a key role in the film growth of oxides, nitrides, carbides, biomaterials, topological insulators and related thin films, heterostructures, nanostructures, nanocomposites with a wide range of controllable properties. Stoichiometry, morphology, interface, nucleation, defect engineering in thin films, heterostructures and nanostructures will be addressed with particular emphasis on low temperature crystallization and epitaxy, Van der Waals epitaxy, metastable phase stabilization, self-assembled nanostructures, nanocomposites, nanosheets on rigid/flexible substrates, etc. The role of pulsed process on the growth and the promotion of novel or substantially improved structural, chemical, optical, electrical, magnetic, multiferroic, mechanical, biocompatible, bioactive, catalytic properties, quantum phenomena, etc. will be revealed by advanced characterization techniques. The state-of-the-art of the growth by pulsed deposition methods toward quantum control and manipulation, decarbonized energy and sustainability will be highlighted in this second edition of the symposium. Applications in renewable energy, transparent electronics, spintronics, resistive switching, tribology, catalysis, health, quantum phenomena and sensing are meaningful illustrations of the expected results from the research carried out on films grown by pulsed methods.

Hot topics to be covered by the symposium:

• Thin films, heterostructures, nanostructures, nanocomposites and metastable phases grown by pulsed deposition methods
• Focus on the relationship between the properties of thin films, heterostructures and nanostructures and pulsed process parameters
• Oxides, nitrides, carbides, biomaterials, topological insulators and related thin films for sustainable applications
• Epitaxy and Van der Waals epitaxy of semiconductors, complex oxides, 2D materials
• Stoichiometry and defect engineering in oxides and heterostructures
• Nucleation, growth and novel properties induced by pulsed processes
• Advanced characterization of electrical, magnetic, optical, thermal, multiferroicity and quantum phenomena
• State-of-the-art of the growth by pulsed deposition methods toward quantum control and manipulation, decarbonized energy and sustainability