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The use of Fe films as multi-element targets in space radiation experiments with high-intensity ultrashort laser pulses requires a surface structure that can enhance the laser energy absorption on target, as well as a low concentration and uniform distribution of light element contaminants within the films. In this paper, (110) preferred orientation nanocrystalline Fe thin films with controlled morphology and composition were grown on (100)-oriented Si substrates by oblique angle RF magnetron sputtering, at room temperature. The evolution of films key-parameters, crucial for space-like radiation experiments with organic material, such as nanostructure, morphology, topography, and elemental composition with varying RF source power, deposition pressure, and target to substrate distance is thoroughly discussed. A selection of complementary techniques was used in order to better understand this interdependence, namely X-ray Diffraction, Atomic Force Microscopy, Scanning and Transmission Electron Microscopy, Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy and Non-Rutherford Backscattering Spectroscopy. The films featured a nanocrystalline, tilted nanocolumn structure, with crystallite size in the (110)-growth direction in the 15–25 nm range, average island size in the 20–50 nm range, and the degree of polycrystallinity determined mainly by the shortest target-to-substrate distance (10 cm) and highest deposition pressure (10−2 mbar Ar). Oxygen concentration (as impurity) into the bulk of the films as low as 1 at. %, with uniform depth distribution, was achieved for the lowest deposition pressures of (1–3) × 10−3 mbar Ar, combined with highest used values for the RF source power of 125–150 W. The results show that the growth process of the Fe thin film is strongly dependent mainly on the deposition pressure, with the film morphology influenced by nucleation and growth kinetics. Due to better control of film topography and uniform distribution of oxygen, such films can be successfully used as free-standing targets for high repetition rate experiments with high power lasers to produce Fe ion beams with a broad energy spectrum.

This review explores the processes involved in enhancing AlN film quality through various magnetron sputtering techniques, crucial for optimizing performance and expanding their application scope. It presents recent advancements in growing AlN thin films via magnetron sputtering, elucidating the mechanisms of AlN growth and navigating the complexities of thin-film fabrication. Emphasis is placed on different sputtering methods such as DC, RF, pulsed DC, and high-power impulse DC, highlighting how tailored sputtering conditions enhance film characteristics in each method. Additionally, the review discusses recent research findings showcasing the dynamic potential of these techniques. The practical applications of AlN thin films, including wave resonators, energy harvesting devices, and thermal management solutions, are outlined, demonstrating their relevance in addressing real-world engineering challenges.

Photocatalysis technology, as an efficient and safe environmentally friendly purification technique, has garnered significant attention and interest. Traditional TiO[sub.2] photocatalytic materials still face limitations in practical applications, hindering their widespread adoption. The research prepared TiO[sub.2] /Cu films with different Cu contents using a magnetron sputtering multi-target co-deposition technique. The incorporation of Cu significantly enhances the antibacterial properties and visible light response of the films. The effects of different Cu contents on the microstructure, surface morphology, wettability, antibacterial properties, and visible light response of the films were investigated using an X-ray diffractometer, X-ray photoelectron spectrometer, field emission scanning electron microscope, confocal laser scanning microscope, Ultraviolet–visible spectrophotometer, and contact angle goniometer. The results showed that the prepared TiO[sub.2] /Cu films were mainly composed of the rutile TiO[sub.2] phase and face-center cubic Cu phase. The introduction of Cu affected the crystal orientation of TiO[sub.2] and refined the grain size of the films. With the increase in Cu content, the surface roughness of the films first decreased and then increased. The water contact angle of the films first increased and then decreased, and the film exhibited optimal hydrophobicity when the Cu target power was 10 W. The TiO[sub.2] /Cu films showed good antibacterial properties against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus . The introduction of Cu shifted the absorption edge of the films to the red region, significantly narrowed the band gap width to 2.5 eV, and broadened the light response range of the films to the visible light region.

During the operation of multi-electric aircraft, the polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) material used to insulate the aviation cable is subjected to a high electric field while working under the extreme conditions of high temperatures for a long time, which can easily cause a partial discharge and even flashover along the surface, which seriously threaten the safe operation of the aircraft. In this paper, the electrical insulation properties of PTFE were regulated via modification by the magnetron sputtering of TiO2 under high temperatures, and modified PTFE with different sputtering times was prepared. The direct current (DC) surface discharge, surface flashover, and electric aging characteristics of modified PTFE were studied under the condition of 20~200 °C, and the mechanisms by which modification by sputtering of TiO2 and high temperature influence the insulation properties were analyzed. The results show that the surface discharge intensity increases with the increase in temperature, the modification by sputtering of TiO2 can significantly inhibit the partial discharge of PTFE, and the flashover voltage first increases and then decreases with the increase in the modification time. The modification by magnetron sputtering can effectively increase the surface potential decay rate of the PTFE, increase the shallow trap energy density, effectively avoid charge accumulation, inhibit the partial discharge phenomenon, and improve the surface electrical insulation and anti-aging properties.

Ti6Al4V (TC4) widely used in bone implants, has good mechanical properties but unremarkable bone-forming capacity. Tantalum (Ta) features excellent biocompatibility and suitability for osteogenesis, albeit with a significantly higher elastic-modulus. In this study, we combined the strengths of both materials to optimize implant materials. Magnetron sputtering was applied to deposit a Ta coating onto the TC4 surface (Ta-C-TC4). Surface characteristics were assessed via scanning electron microscope (SEM). Cell adhesion was assessed using SEM and cytoskeletal staining, while live/dead staining was used to evaluate cell viability and biocompatibility on the material surfaces. For proliferation analysis, fluorescence transfection and CCK-8 assay were utilized, while quantification of substance and qRT-PCR were employed to assess the osteogenic differentiation. In vivo, fluorescence labelling, VG, and Goldner staining were employed to evaluate bone integration. A 550 nm-thick Ta coating was successfully achieved on Ta-C-TC4, and its elements and morphology closely resembled Ta. Cells exhibited more pronounced proliferation and differentiation on Ta and Ta-C-TC4. More extensive encasement of new bone was observed around Ta and Ta-C-TC4. Ta-C-TC4 exhibits biocompatibility on par with Ta and demonstrates superior bone integration compared to TC4. Magnetron sputtering represents a promising strategy to harness the mechanical attributes of TC4 with the biological characteristics of Ta, thereby holding potential for the advancement of bone implant.

Antibacterial textiles can help prevent infections from antimicrobial-resistant pathogens without using antibiotics. This work aimed to enhance the cotton fabric’s antimicrobial properties by depositing Fe[sub.2] O[sub.3] nanoparticles on both sides of its surface. The nanoparticles were deposited using low-temperature plasma technology in a pure oxygen atmosphere, which is environmentally friendly. The Fe[sub.2] O[sub.3] nanoparticles formed clusters on the fabric surface, rather than thin films that could reduce the airflow of the textile. The optimal conditions for the nanoparticle deposition were 200 W of plasma power, 120 min of immersion time, and 5 cm of Fe cathode–textile sample distance. The received antimicrobial textile was tested and the high efficiency of developed materials were successfully demonstrated against 16 microbial strains (Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and fungi).

AlN is a wide band gap semiconductor that is of growing industrial interest due to its piezoelectric properties, high breakdown voltage and thermal conductivity. Using magnetron sputtering to grow AlN thin films allows for high deposition rates and uniform coverage of large substrates. One can also produce films at low substrate temperatures, which is required for many production processes. However, current models are inadequate in predicting the resulting structure of a thin film when different sputter parameters are varied. In this work, the growth of wurtzite AlN thin films has been carried out on Si(111) substrates using reactive direct current magnetron sputtering. The influence of the processing pressure, magnetron power and N2/Ar ratio on the structure of the grown films has been analyzed by investigating crystallinity, residual film stress and surface morphology using X-ray diffraction, profilometry, atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. In every case, the films were found to exhibit c-axis orientation and tensile stress. It was found that high-quality AlN films can be achieved at an N2/Ar ratio of 50% and a low pressure of 0.2 Pa. High magnetron powers (900–1200 W) were necessary for achieving high deposition rates, but they led to larger film stress.

In this study, we fabricate a Pt/TiN/SnO[sub.x] /Pt memory device using reactive sputtering to explore its potential for neuromorphic computing. The TiON interface layer, formed when TiN comes into contact with SnO[sub.2] , acts as an oxygen vacancy reservoir, aiding the creation of conductive filaments in the switching layer. Our SnO[sub.x] -based device exhibits remarkable endurance, with over 200 DC cycles, ON/FFO ratio (>20), and 10[sup.4] s retention. Set and reset voltage variabilities are impressively low, at 9.89% and 3.2%, respectively. Controlled negative reset voltage and compliance current yield reliable multilevel resistance states, mimicking synaptic behaviors. The memory device faithfully emulates key neuromorphic characteristics, encompassing both long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD). The filamentary switching mechanism in the SnO[sub.x] -based memory device is explained by an oxygen vacancy concentration gradient, where current transport shifts from Ohmic to Schottky emission dominance across different resistance states. These findings exemplify the potential of SnO[sub.x] -based devices for high-density data storage memory and revolutionary neuromorphic computing applications.

A co-sputtering process for the deposition of Fe0.8Ga0.2B alloy magnetostrictive thin films is studied in this paper. The soft magnetic performance of Fe0.8Ga0.2B thin films is modulated by the direct-current (DC) sputtering power of an FeGa target and the radio-frequency (RF) sputtering power of a B target. Characterization results show that the prepared Fe0.8Ga0.2B films are amorphous with uniform thickness and low coercivity. With increasing FeGa DC sputtering power, coercivity raises, resulting from the enhancement of magnetism and grain growth. On the other hand, when the RF sputtering power of the B target increases, the coercivity decreases first and then increases because of the conversion of the films from a crystalline to an amorphous state. The lowest coercivity of 7.51 Oe is finally obtained with the sputtering power of 20 W for the FeGa target and 60 W for the B target. Potentially, this optimization provides a simple way for improving the magnetoelectric coefficient of magnetoelectric composite materials and the sensitivity of magnetoelectric sensors.

Alginate-based materials have gained significant recognition in the medical industry due to their favorable biochemical properties. As a continuation of our previous studies, we have introduced a new composite consisting of cellulose nonwoven fabric charged with a metallic copper core (CNW-Cu0) covered with a calcium alginate (ALG−Ca2+) layer. The preparation process for these materials involved three main steps: coating the cellulose nonwoven fabric with copper via magnetron sputtering (CNW → CNW-Cu0), subsequent deposition with sodium alginate (CNW-Cu0 → CNW-Cu0/ALG−Na+), followed by cross-linking the alginate chains with calcium ions (CNW-Cu0/ALG−Na+ → CNW-Cu0/ALG−Ca2+). The primary objective of the work was to supply these composites with such biological attributes as antibacterial and hemostatic activity. Namely, equipping the antibacterial materials (copper action on representative Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and fungal strains) with induction of blood plasma clotting processes (activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) and prothrombin time (PT)). We determined the effect of CNW-Cu0/ALG−Ca2+ materials on the viability of Peripheral blood mononuclear (PBM) cells. Moreover, we studied the interactions of CNW-Cu0/ALG−Ca2+ materials with DNA using the relaxation plasmid assay. However, results showed CNW-Cu0/ALG−Ca2+’s cytotoxic properties against PBM cells in a time-dependent manner. Furthermore, the CNW-Cu0/ALG−Ca2+ composite exhibited the potential to interact directly with DNA. The results demonstrated that the CNW-Cu0/ALG−Ca2+ composites synthesized show promising potential for wound dressing applications.