Frédéric Sanchette

Optoelectronic properties of delafossite structure CuCr0.93Mg0.07O2 sputter deposited coatings

CuCr0.93Mg0.07O2 thin films with improved optoelectronic properties were deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering on fused quartz substrates. The influence of annealing temperature under vacuum on optoelectronic properties of the films was investigated. The amorphous films annealed under vacuum at temperatures higher than 923 K are single-phased delafossite structure, while impurity phases like CuCr2O4 that affect the optoelectronic properties of the films are detected below 873 K. c-axis orientation is observed for CuCr0.93Mg0.07O2 layers and the annealing temperature window in which the films are single-phased delafossite is much larger with Mg doping (923 K → 1073 K) than that for undoped films (~953 K). The optical and electrical behaviours of the films are enhanced by Mg substitution and their direct band gap energy of about 3.12–3.14 eV is measured. The film possesses the optimum properties after annealing under vacuum at about 1023 K; its average transmittance in the visible region can reach 54.23% while the films conductivity is about 0.27 S cm−1.

Sputtered Gum metal thin films showing bacterial inactivation and biocompatibility

Super-elastic Titanium based thin films Ti-23Nb-0.7Ta-2Zr-(O) (TNTZ-O) and Ti-24Nb-(N) (TN-N) (at.%) were deposited by direct current magnetron sputtering (DCMS) in different reactive atmospheres. The effects of oxygen doping (TNTZ-O) and/or nitrogen doping (TN-N) on the microstructure, mechanical properties and biocompatibility of the as-deposited coatings were investigated. Nano-indentation measurements show that, in both cases, 1sccm of reactive gas in the mixture is necessary to reach acceptable values of hardness and Youngs modulus. Mechanical properties are considered in relation to the films compactness, the compressive stress and the changes in the grain size. Data on Bacterial inactivation and biocompatibility are reported in this study. The biocompatibility tests showed that O-containing samples led to higher cells proliferation. Bacterial inactivation was concomitant with the observed pH and surface potential changes under light and in the dark. The increased cell fluidity leading to bacterial lysis was followed during the bacterial inactivation time. The increasing cell wall fluidity was attributed to the damage of the bacterial outer cell which losing its capacity to regulate the ions exchange in and out of the bacteria.

Beneficial effect of Cu on Ti-Nb-Ta-Zr sputtered uniform/adhesive gum films accelerating bacterial inactivation under indoor visible light

This article presents the evidence for the significant effect of copper accelerating the bacterial inactivation on Ti-Nb-Ta-Zr (TNTZ) sputtered films on glass up to a Cu content of 8.3 at.%. These films were deposited by dc magnetron co-sputtering of an alloy target Ti-23Nb-0.7Ta-2Zr (at.%) and a Cu target. The fastest bacterial inactivation of E. coli on this later TNTZ-Cu surface proceeded within ∼75min. The films deposited by magnetron sputtering are chemically homogenous. The film roughness evaluated by atomic force spectroscopy (AFM) on the TNTZ-Cu 8.3 at.% Cu sample presented an RMS-value of 20.1nm being the highest RMS of any Cu-sputtered TNTZ sample. The implication of the RMS value found for this sample leading to the fastest interfacial bacterial inactivation kinetics is also discussed. Values for the Youngs modulus and hardness are reported for the TNTZ films in the presence of various Cu-contents. Evaluation of the bacterial inactivation kinetics of E. coli under low intensity actinic hospital light and in the dark was carried out. The stable repetitive bacterial inactivation was consistent with the extremely low Cu-ion release from the samples of 0.4 ppb. Evidence is presented by the bacterial inactivation dependence on the applied light intensity for the intervention of Cu as semiconductor CuO during the bacterial inactivation at the TNTZ-Cu interface. The mechanism of CuO-intervention under light is suggested based on the pH/and potential changes registered during bacterial disinfection.

Characterisation of inductively amplified magnetron devices implanted in an industrial PVD system

Abstract An inductively coupled RF plasma is used in order to enhance the ionisation level of magnetron sputter deposition. The process is based on conventional magnetron sputtering with the addition of an inductively coupled RF plasma generated by a 3-turn coil in the region between the sputtering cathode and the substrates. The high ionisation fraction presents many advantages: a more efficient ion etching in the first step of coating, better properties of coatings can be obtained by the control of ion flux and ion energy. Moreover, a better penetrability of coating on complex geometry substrates and an enhanced chemical reactivity resulting from the separate control of plasma near the substrate and near the target are expected. The influence of discharge amplification on magnetron current–voltage characteristics is shown. Aluminium coatings deposition rate, morphology and preferential orientations strongly depend on RF power applied to the coils. When aluminium is reactively sputtered in argon–oxygen mixtures, discharge amplification has the same effect on target poisoning as increasing the cathode power.