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Thin Films and Interfaces Group

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    • Thin Films - Methods
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psi 19072011 300 17 20 6x2.jpg

The Thin Films and Interfaces Group

Thin films are nowadays utilized in many applications, ranging from semiconductor devices to optical coatings and are even present in pharmaceuticals (polymers). This wide-spread application of films with thicknesses from atomic monolayers to microns is due to the developments of thin film deposition techniques. Thin films are also important for studies of materials with new and unique properties due to the possibility of tuning their crystallographic and morphological properties. The thin film approach, i.e. the presence of interfaces (to a substrate or the film surface) adds more degrees of freedom for influencing the properties of materials, e.g. by lattice strain or surface functionalization. For these fundamental studies of material properties large research facilities such as synchrotron radiation or neutron spallation sources are one of the keys that the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) provides. Read more

News

15 November 2018

Woman in Science

Congratulations to our former postdoc, Alexandra Palla-Papavlu (4th from the left), for winning the L’Oreal Prize for Woman in Science(link is external) in the category Physics in Romania

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Upcoming Conferences

 

April 2020

2020 MRS Spring Meeting & Exhibit

April 13-17, 2020
Phoenix, Arizona, USA
More Information

2020 International High Power Laser Ablation Symposium

rescheduled to April 12-15, 2021
Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
More Information
 

 

Upcoming Seminars 

 

TFI SEMINAR 

Date: Monday 30 May 2022, 16:00 
Title: TBA
Guest Speaker: Zahra Teherani
Room: OFLG/402

 

TFI SEMINAR

Date: Friday 3 June 2022, 11:00 
Title: Developing a Molecular Chemist’s Sense for Gas Sensing 
Guest Speaker: Prof. Mate Bezdek, Functional Coordination Chemistry, Laboratory of Inorganic chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences. ETH-Z 
Room: OFLG/402

 

LMX SEMINAR 

Date: Tuesday, 07 June 2022, 13:00 
Guest Speaker: Jan Bosse 
Room:  OSGA/EG06 

 

TFI SEMINAR

Date: Monday 13 June 2022, 16:00 
Title: Tailoring epitaxial oxide thin film on Si (001) with atomic precision
Guest Speaker: Prof. Matjaž Spreitzer, Jožef Stefan Institute, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University of Ljubljana 
Room: OFLG/402

 

Scientific Highlights

19 April 2022
John et al

Reconfigurable halide perovskite nanocrystal memristors for neuromorphic computing

Many in-memory computing frameworks demand electronic devices with specific switching characteristics to achieve the desired level of computational complexity. Existing memristive devices cannot be reconfigured to meet the diverse volatile and non-volatile switching requirements, and hence rely on tailored material designs specific to the targeted application, limiting their universality. “Reconfigurable memristors” that combine both ionic diffusive and drift mechanisms could address these limitations, but they remain elusive. Here we present a reconfigurable halide perovskite nanocrystal memristor that achieves on-demand switching between diffusive/volatile and drift/non-volatile modes by controllable electrochemical reactions.

 

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19 August 2021
PEC Oxynitride

Surface Analysis of Perovskite Oxynitride Thin Films as Photoelectrodes for Solar Water Splitting

Perovskite oxynitride semiconductors have attracted huge interest recently as promising photoelectrode materials for photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting. Oxynitride thin films grown by physical vapor deposition are ideal model systems to study the fundamental physical and chemical properties of the surface of these materials, including their evolution. Using a combination of high-sensitivity low-energy ion scattering (LEIS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), the surface evolution of LaTiOxNy (LTON) and CaNbOxNy (CNON) thin films before and after the PEC characterizations is monitored. This work provides therefore insight into the surface characteristics and evolution of LTON and CNON oxynitride thin films as photoelectrodes for PEC applications.

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30 December 2020
Fig1_Farhan_PRL122020

Geometrical Frustration and Planar Triangular Antiferromagnetism in Quasi-Three-Dimensional Artificial Spin Architecture

We present a realization of highly frustrated planar triangular antiferromagnetism achieved in a quasi-three-dimensional artificial spin system consisting of monodomain Ising-type nanomagnets lithographically arranged onto a deep-etched silicon substrate. We demonstrate how the three-dimensional spin architecture results in the first direct observation of long-range ordered planar triangular antiferromagnetism, in addition to a highly disordered phase with short-range correlations, once competing interactions are perfectly tuned. Our work demonstrates how escaping two-dimensional restrictions can lead to new types of magnetically frustrated metamaterials.

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24 December 2020
PLD_Li-Review_2021

Pulsed Laser Deposition as a Tool for the Development of All Solid-State Microbatteries

All-solid-state lithium ion batteries (LIB) are currently the most promising technology for next generation electrochemical energy storage. Many efforts have been devoted in the past years to improve performance and safety of these devices. Nevertheless, issues regarding chemical and mechanical stability of the different components still hinder substantial improvements. Pulsed laser deposition (PLD) has proved to be an outstanding technique for the deposition of thin films of materials of interest for the fabrication of LIB. Thanks to its versatility and possible fine tuning of the thin film properties, PLD promises to be a very powerful tool for the fabrication of model systems which would allow to study in detail material properties and mechanisms contributing to LIB degradation. Nevertheless, PLD presents difficulties in the deposition of LIB components, mainly due to the presence of elements with large difference of atomic mass in their chemical composition. In this review, we report the main challenges and solution strategies used for the deposition through PLD of complex oxides thin films for LIB.

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18 May 2020
Anthony_July2020

Surface Segregation Acts as Surface Engineering for the Oxygen Evolution Reaction on Perovskite Oxides in Alkaline Media

La1–xSrxCoO3-δ perovskites are potential catalysts for the anodic reaction of alkaline water electrolyzers, i.e., the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). It is well-known that La1–xSrxCoO3−δ perovskites can easily display strontium surface segregation, but how this influences the performance of La1–xSrxCoO3−δ perovskites as anodic electrode in alkaline water electrolyzers, particularly in terms of OER activity, has not been unveiled yet. This study focuses on La0.2Sr0.8CoO3−δ, which shows relatively high activity for the OER, and reveals the influence of the preparation temperature on the amount and morphology of segregated strontium-containing islands. Thin film samples were prepared at different temperatures by using pulsed laser deposition. Those samples were then characterized with synchrotron-based X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy “as prepared” and after being immersed in ultrapure water. We found that higher preparation temperatures enhance the segregation of strontium, which is then almost quantitatively removed by washing the samples with ultrapure water. After immersion in water, the samples expose a cobalt-rich surface. Investigating the OER activity as a function of the perovskite deposition temperature, it has been found that the higher the deposition temperature (i.e., the more extended the strontium segregation), the higher the OER activity. Such an effect has been linked to the higher amount of cobalt accessible after removing the strontium segregated islands.

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31 October 2017
TL Ishihara 2.jpg

Special interview with Prof. Thomas Lippert and Prof. Tatsumi Ishihara

Special interview with Prof. Thomas Lippert (PSI and Principle Investigator at I2CNER, Kyushu University) and Prof. Tatsumi Ishihara (Associate Director I2CNER, Kyushu University) on Current and Future Energy Research and Development in Europe: Perspectives from Switzerland, Germany and Japan. The interview is being published in the August 2017 issue of the Energy Outlook of the International Institut for Carbon-Neutral Energy Research, I2CNER.

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Student projects at the Thin Films and Interfaces Group

Most of the time we have student projects related to the work we do. Just talk to us if you are interested in something we are working on not advertised on our pages.

Currently, we are looking for a Semester or Master Student on the topic of Photocatalytic H2 production starting January/February 2022. The semiconductor material is the main part of any system harvesting solar energy, which transforms absorbed solar photons into excited electronic states. Biological systems provide an environment to operate in a more complex, yet more efficient fashion compared to many synthetic catalysts. Thus, a platform for solar fuel development must combine the best of both systems: the light harvesting capabilities of semiconductors with the catalytical power of biology, known as inorganic-biological hybrid systems for semi-artificial photosynthesis.

If anyone is interested, please contact Prof. Dr. Thomas Lippert (thomas.lippert@psi.ch) or  Ms Zahra Pourmand Tehrani (zahra.pourmand-tehrani@psi.ch).

 


PhD projects at the Thin Films and Interfaces Group

At present, we have no open PhD positions available. Other open positions are always published on the PSI Open Positions page.


Most Recent Publications

Protagonists and spectators during photocatalytic solar water splitting with SrTaOxNy oxynitride
Photocatalytic solar water splitting

Surface Analysis of Perovskite Oxynitride Thin Films as Photoelectrodes for Solar Water Splitting

Craig Lawley; Zahra Pourmand Tehrani; Adam H. Clark; Olga V. Safonova; Max Döbeli; Vladimir N. Strocov; Thomas J. Schmidt; Thomas Lippert; Maarten Nachtegaal; and Daniele Pergolesi

Abstract:

Oxynitrides have been shown to be promising visible light water splitting photocatalysts, but rapidly degrade under operating conditions. With a custom designed photoelectrochemical cell, we perform operando grazing incidence X-ray absorption spectroscopy measurements on the oxynitride semiconductor SrTaOxNy during photocatalytic solar water splitting. We show that the nature of the A-site (Sr) and its evolution during operation have large impacts on the overall stability and catalytic activity of the material, leading to an enriched BO2 (Ta(OH)/TaO(OH)) like surface. However, this usually beneficial effect with respect to increased surface hydrophilicity has complications for the efficiency of the photocatalytic process, as the OH and O(OH) intermediates formed are in competition between O2 generation and NOx species formation in the initial stages of operation. Operando characterisation of the evolution of the electronic structure of the photocatalyst proves to be an invaluable tool for the rational design and discovery of new and better performing materials.

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Contact

Thin Films and Interfaces Group
Paul Scherrer Institut
5232 Villigen PSI
Switzerland
Homepage

Professor Dr. Dr. h.c. Thomas Lippert
Head of Group
OFLB/U110
tel: +41 56 310 4076
fax: +41 56 310 2688
thomas.lippert@psi.ch

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Archive 2006-2012. The Scientific Reports – containing accounts of research topics from all the different areas – provide an impression of the variety of subjects researched at PSI.


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