Thin Films and Vapor Deposition

Abstract

In the previous chapter we described how thick films of ceramics are produced. The difference between thick films and thin films is not really the thickness of the layer; it is how the layer is formed. In general, thin films are ≤500nm in thickness, whereas thick films may be several tens of micrometers in thickness or even thicker depending on the particular application. Thin films are generally prepared from the vapor phase, whereas for thick films we use a solution or slurry. Furthermore, thin films are often crystallographically oriented in a particular way with respect to the underlying substrate. This orientation relationship, known as epitaxy, is determined by the crystal structures and lattice parameters of the film and the substrate. In general, thick films and coatings have no specific orientation and contain a large number of randomly oriented crystalline grains.