Functional Thin Films And Functional Materials

Functional Thin Films and Functional Materials

This book provides an up-to-date introduction to the field of functional thin films and materials, encompassing newly developed technologies and fundamental new concepts. The focus is on the critical areas of novel thin films such as sol gel synthesis of membrane, ferroelectric thin films and devices, functional nanostructured thin films, micromechanical analysis of fiber-reinforced composites, and novel applications. An important aspect of the book lies in its wide coverage of practical applications. It introduces not only the cutting-edge technologies in modern industry, but also unique applications in many rapidly advancing fields. This book is written for a wide readership including university students and researchers from diverse backgrounds such as physics, materials science, engineering and chemistry. Both undergraduate and graduate students will find it a valuable reference book on key topics related to solid state and materials science.

Functional Thin Films and Functional Materials

Functional Thin Films and Nanostructures for Sensors

In recent years, there has been a convergence of fundamental materials science and materials processing methods. This convergence, although highly interdisciplinary in nature, has been brought about by technologies such as bandgap engineering and related techniques that have led to application-specific devices such as lab-on- chip and system-on-a-chip. The demand for reduced device size, device portability, and low power dissipation coupled with high speed of operation continues to dictate terms and conditions for the evolution of nanotechnology. The present trend in approaches to systems manufacturing continues to focus on integration of mul- functionalities on the same chip. These functionalities include, for example, - board laser sources, sensors, and amplifiers. Both the military and civilian markets continue to drive the research and development component. In recent years, the emergency preparedness guidance systems have added excitement and curiosity to this expanding industry. The outgrowth of technologies of interest for emergency preparedness includes the development of terahertz sources and detectors and s- tems for detection of explosives and concealed weapons, among others. Sensors made from bulk materials have been around for a long time. Enormous advances in the processing technologies of thin films have led to the ability to manufacture application-specific functional thin films.