New Methods, Mechanisms and Models of Vapor Deposition

Vapor deposition is increasingly used to synthesize thin films and coatings that underpin numerous technologies from microelectronics to aircraft engines. As the structural and compositional complexity of these vapor-deposited materials increases, many new methods of vapor deposition have been developed. The design of which is founded upon an understanding of the atomic-scale mechanisms of growth. This book, first published in 2000, explores these issues and their applications in micro- and magnetoelectronics, hard coatings, photovoltaics, high-Tc thin films and the group-three nitrides. It is organized so that many of the new methods of vapor deposition are introduced first. This is followed by chapters on vapor deposition including the use of in situ characterization techniques to observe them and exploration of modeling techniques to simulate the growth of vapor-deposited structures. The use of in situ sensors to validate simulations is also widely covered. This provides a detailed view of the state of the art and should be beneficial to all who are engaged in its research and development.