Surface and coating technologies

Abstract

The surface of an object is what defines our perception of it. Surfaces are not generally perfect, but their utility value and aesthetic appeal can be enhanced by suitable treatment. Coating techniques can be used to improve the way materials and products look and perform. Important examples include wear-resistant coatings on tools or machine parts and thin films on panes of glass that optimise transmission or reflection in selected parts of the electromagnetic spectrum. Many innovative products would not even exist without the special properties provided by thin films. Prominent examples are computer hard discs, optical data storage media like CDs, DVDs and Blu-ray, flat displays and thin-film solar cells. © 2009 Springer Berlin Heidelberg.