Joel Nuno Pinto Borges

Influence of stoichiometry and structure on the optical properties of AlNxOy films

The AlNxOy system offers the possibility to obtain a wide range of responses, by tailoring the properties between Al, AlN and Al2O3, opening a significant number of possible applications. The aim of this work is to correlate the optical properties of AlNxOy thin films with their composition and structural features, taking as reference the binary systems AlNx and AlOy. In the AlNx system, the increase in the nitrogen content induced a wide variation in the optical properties, ranging from the typical profile of a polycrystalline Al-type film towards nearly constant reflectance values as low as 5%, as well as a smooth increase in samples transparency as the ratio N/Al approached unit. In the case of the AlOy system, the reflectance also decreased as the oxygen content increased; however, the transition to transparent films (Al2O3-like) was more abrupt. The ternary system AlNxOy, revealed optical responses that ranged from a typical profile of a polycrystalline Al-type film towards low and constant reflectance values in a wide range of x and y coefficients, ending up as semi-transparent when Al2O3-like films were formed. The unusual low optical reflectance of some films reveals some potential applications in solar power systems and sensors.

Effect of clustering on the surface plasmon band in thin films of metallic nanoparticles

Abstract. We theoretically investigate the optical response of ensembles of polarizable metallic nanoparticles (NPs) that form (1) submonolayer films of particles adsorbed on a dielectric substrate, considered as two-dimensional (2-D) systems, and (2) thin three-dimensional (3-D) films, where NPs are embedded in a dielectric matrix. For system (1), the effect of NPs’ distance to the substrate is taken into account. In both cases, we find that short-range clustering leads to a broadening and a spectral shift of the absorption band related to the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) in individual NPs. We show that the clustering can help in achieving spectrally broad SPR bands, especially if NPs aggregate into fractal clusters, which can be interesting for some applications such as surface-enhanced Raman scattering. In particular, submonolayer films on NPs generated using the diffusion-limited aggregation algorithm produce sizable and spectrally broad absorption, which can be tuned to the visible range by choosing an appropriate capping and/or substrate material. Calculated results for thin 3-D films are compared with experimental data obtained for Au/TiO2 nanocomposite layers produced by reactive cosputtering.

Functional behaviour of TiO2 films doped with noble metals

To evaluate the effects of different concentrations of noble metal in a TiO2 matrix, different films of both Ag/TiO2 and Au/TiO2 systems were prepared. Mechanical and tribological characterisation was carried out to evaluate the coating response as a function of the noble metal composition and (micro)structure of the films. The overall set of results indicates that the amorphous films reveal better results than the crystalline ones. For the amorphous samples, the reduced Youngs modulus and the adhesion critical loads followed similar tendencies in both sets of films. Wear rates were similar for all samples except for the one with the highest silver content. To improve brittleness of TiO2 films, the results seem to indicate that a slight metal doping is preferred, and Au proved to be a better choice than Ag. In fact, the sample with the lowest Au content revealed a better mechanical behaviour than the pure TiO2 film.

Optical response of fractal aggregates of polarizable particles

We theoretically investigate the optical response of ensembles of polarizable metallic nanoparticles (NPs) that form (i) submonolayer films considered as 2D systems, and (ii) thin 3D films where NPs are embedded in a dielectric matrix. In both cases we find that short-range clustering leads to a broadening and a spectral shift of the absorption band related to the surface plasmon resonance in inividual NPs. We show that clustering can help achieving spectrally broad surface plasmon resonance (SPR) bands, especially if NPs aggregate into fractal clusters, which can be interesting for some applications, such as SERS. In particular, submonolayer films on NPs generated using the dillusion-limited aggregation algorithm, produce sizable and spectrally broad absorption, which can be tuned to the visible range by choosing an appropriate substrate. Calculated results for thin 3D films are compared to experimental data obtained for Au=TiO2 nanocomposite layers produced by reactive co-sputtering

Modulated IR radiometry for determining thermal properties and basic characteristics of titanium thin films

Titanium thin films of different thicknesses were prepared by direct current magnetron sputtering to study modulated infrared (IR) radiometry as a tool for analyzing film thickness. Thickness was varied by regularly increasing the deposition time, keeping all the other deposition parameters constant. The influence of film thickness on morphological, structural, and electrical properties of the titanium coatings also was investigated. The experimental results revealed a systematic grain growth with increasing film thickness, along with enhanced film crystallinity, which led to increased electrical conductivity. Using the results obtained by modulated IR radiometry, the thickness of each thin film was calculated. These thickness values were then compared with the coating thickness measurements obtained by scanning electron microscopy. The values confirmed the reliability of modulated IR radiometry as an analysis tool for thin films and coatings, and for determining thicknesses in the micrometer range, in particular.

Process monitoring during AlNxOy deposition by reactive magnetron sputtering and correlation with the film's properties

In this work, AlNxOy thin films were deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering, using an aluminum target and an Ar/(N2+O2) atmosphere. The direct current magnetron discharge parameters during the deposition process were investigated by optical emission spectroscopy and a plasma floating probe was used. The discharge voltage, the electron temperature, the ion flux, and the optical emission lines were recorded for different reactive gas flows, near the target and close to the substrate. This information was correlated with the structural features of the deposits as a first step in the development of a system to control the structure and properties of the films during reactive magnetron sputtering. As the target becomes poisoned, the discharge voltage suffers an important variation, due to the modification of the secondary electron emission coefficient of the target, which is also supported by the evolution of the electron temperature and ion flux to the target. The sputtering yield of the target was also a...

Optical properties of AlNxOy thin films deposited by DC magnetron sputtering

The aluminium oxynitride system offers the possibility to obtain a wide range of optical responses, by combining metallic aluminium, aluminium oxide and aluminium nitride properties, and thus opening a significant number of possible applications. The main purpose of the present work is to study the variation of the optical properties of AlNxOy thin films as a function of their composition (by varying both x and y coefficients), and the correspondent changes in their morphology and structure. The films were deposited by DC reactive magnetron sputtering, with the discharge parameters monitored during the deposition in order to control the chemical composition. The measurements reveal a smooth change of films Reflectance/Transmittance as a function of the concentration ratio of non metallic elements (O+N) to metallic Al, thus revealing the possibility to tailor the films optical properties according to the application envisaged.

Antibacterial effect and biocompatibility of a novel nanostructured ZnO-coated gutta-percha cone for improved endodontic treatment

This work explored a novel approach to enhance the antibacterial activity of commercial Gutta-percha (GP) cones, the most commonly used core filling materials used in endodontic treatment. The reported procedure involved an argon (Ar) plasma treatment (PT) of the GP cone surface, followed by the deposition of a ZnO thin film by magnetron sputtering. The resulting surfaces were evaluated for surface topography, antibacterial activity against Enterococcus faecalis and Staphylococcus aureus, and cytocompatibility with human osteoblastic cells. GP cones treated with NaOCl, a routine chair-side protocol, were also tested as reference. The deposition of a ZnO film on pristine GP cones increased its antibacterial activity. Cones pre-treated with Ar-plasma (PT) and coated with the ZnO thin film presented significantly higher antibacterial activity than that observed on the pristine and, also, compared to the ZnO coated cones. The higher antibacterial activity of PT + ZnO cones appears related to the major effects induced by the PT pre-treatment on the cone surface endowing the deposited ZnO film with a homogeneous nanostructured topography that greatly improved surface reactivity. The modified GP cones maintained an appropriate cytocompatibility with human cells. This novel approach provides ready-to-use cones with enhanced antibacterial activity, improving a strict asepsis protocol during endodontic treatment and preventing secondary endodontic infections.