Thin Film Physics (TUNNF)

Our research concerns design of new multifunctional materials for hard and wear-resistant coatings, energy materials, magnetic materials, electronics, neutron-converting materials for the ESS, wide-bandgap semiconductors, and more.

Deposition of aluminum nitride by magnetron sputtering Photo credit Samiran Bairagi

Brief overview

The Thin Film Physics Division conducts application-inspired basic research on thin films to fundamentally understand the atomistic nature of materials properties and behavior and learn how to make materials perform better through new methods of synthesis and processing. Our research concerns design of new multifunctional materials for hard and wear-resistant coatings, energy materials, magnetic materials, electronics, neutron-converting materials for the ESS, wide-bandgap semiconductors, and more. Results are explored in collaboration with industry and the properties of structures unique to thin films form the basis for new and improved materials and processes in applications.

Infrastructure

We work in an excellent infrastructure with access to all of the following instruments and more:

Deposition systems

Adam
Bifrost
Jessie
Laura
Ragnarök
Samson
Nidhögg
Zeb
Sprak
Medusa
Hydra

Analytical instruments

TEM, FEI Titan Cube
TEM, FEI Tecnai G2
Fib, Zeiss 1540EsB
SEM, LEO 1550 Gemini
Hysitron Triboindenter TI950
Nanoindenter, Umis
Auger
Ellipsometry lab
Metalmicroscope
XRD Asterix
XRD Idefix
XRD Majestix
XRD Empyrean
XRD X'pert PRO
XPS Phortos
ToF-Sims
Sample preparation microscopy

To instrument booking.

Research at Thin film physics division

Fundamental Science of Thin Films unit

We aim at increasing the atomistic understanding of vapor phase deposition, ion-surface interactions, and phase transitions in advanced materials.

Nano-materials Science unit

Conducting focused research aimed at understanding and controlling atomistic processes during synthesis of nanostructures and thin films.

Materials Optics unit

We combine material optics and development of ellipsometric methodology to analyse optical properties and nanostructures of bulk materials, thin films and their interfaces.

The image shows graphene-metal interfaces

Functional Materials unit

We investigate the properties of thin films synthesized using various Vapor Deposition and Sputtering techniques.

Mirror-reflected Valence Electron Energy Loss Spectrum line scan obtained across an AlInN multilayer grown on sapphire

Electron Microscopy of Materials unit

Our research focuses on the application and development of advanced electron microscopy techniques to study the structure and chemistry of materials at the highest attainable spatial resolution.

Materials Design

How far can we push the design and tailoring of materials properties for known and future applications? This ultimately depends on the control of the atomic constituents while composing and structuring a material.

Energy Materials unit

We conduct fundamental and application-inspired studies in the general area of thin-film materials for energy applications. Among others, we investigate thermoelectrics, ionic conductors for fuel-cell applications, MAX phases and hard coatings.

Doctoral education

Fysikhuset, Campus Valla, Linköping University.

Doctoral studies in Materials Science

Doctoral studies in Materials Science, with a particular link to condensed matter physics and nanotechnology, are focused on experimental activities on materials, including computations and modelling of these materials.

More about our research

A single atom layer of gold – LiU researchers create goldene

For the first time, scientists have managed to create sheets of gold only a single atom layer thick. According to the researchers from LiU this has given the gold new properties that can make it suitable for use in various applications.

Better neutron mirrors can reveal the inner secrets of matter

An improved neutron mirror has been developed by researchers at LiU by coating a silicon plate with extremely thin layers of iron and silicon mixed with boron carbide. It paves the way for better studies of materials.

A smiling man in a blue jacket and a lightblue shirt

Innovative semiconductor research from LiU to Silicon Valley

LiU alumnus and doctoral student Ivan Martinovic swapped Swedish winter for a warmer climate and headed for Silicon Valley. He represents the LEAD company Polar Light Technologies in Berkeley SkyDeck’s sought-after accelerator programme.

Contact

Division head and administration

Heads of units

Staff

Nano Materials Science, Jens Birch is head of unit

Jens Birch

Professor, Head of Division, Head of Unit

Firat Angay

Jens Birch

Professor, Head of Division, Head of Unit

Arun Haridas Choolakkal

Associate Professor, Docent

Ching-Lien Hsiao

Associate Professor, Docent

Materials Optics, Kenneth Järrendahl is head of unit

Associate Professor, Docent

Ragnar Erlandsson

Kenneth Järrendahl

Professor, Head of Unit

Roger Magnusson

Principal Research Engineer, Docent

Sergiy Valyukh

Associate Professor, Docent

Fundamental Science of Thin Films, Grzegorz Grzeczynski is head of unit

Babak Bakhit

Postdoc

Grzegorz Greczynski

Professor, Head of Unit

Visiting address

Campus Valla, Building F

Mail address

Linköping University
IFM
581 83 Linköping

Publications

2024

Sjoerd Stendahl, Naureen Ghafoor, Matthias Schwartzkopf, Anton Zubayer, Jens Birch, Fredrik Eriksson (2024) Morphology of Buried Interfaces in Ion-Assisted Magnetron Sputter-Deposited ¹¹B₄C-Containing Ni/Ti Multilayer Neutron Optics Investigated by Grazing-Incidence Small-Angle Scattering ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces, Vol. 16, p. 22665-22675

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Durga Sankar Vavilapalli, Leiqiang Qin, Justinas Palisaitis, Johanna Rosén (2024) Enhanced photocatalytic performance of a rGO-Ca₂Fe₂O₅ nanocomposite for photodegradation of emergent pollutants NPJ CLEAN WATER, Vol. 7, Article 41

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Sanjay Kumar Nayak, Tun-Wei Hsu, Robert Boyd, Jens Gibmeier, Norbert Schell, Jens Birch, Lina Rogström, Magnus Odén (2024) Dynamic evolution of internal stress, grain growth, and crystallographic texture in arc-evaporated AlTiN thin films using in-situ synchrotron x-ray diffraction Acta Materialia, Vol. 272, Article 119899

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Manoel Alves Machado Filho, William Farmer, Ching-Lien Hsiao, Renato Batista dos Santos, Lars Hultman, Jens Birch, Kumar Ankit, Gueorgui Kostov Gueorguiev (2024) Density Functional Theory-Fed Phase Field Model for Semiconductor Nanostructures: The Case of Self-Induced Core-Shell InAlN Nanorods Crystal Growth & Design

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Collin Rowe, Ankit Kashyap, Geetu Sharma, Naveen Goyal, Johan G. Alauzun, Sean T. Barry, Narayanan Ravishankar, Ajay Soni, Per Eklund, Henrik Pedersen, Ganpati Ramanath (2024) Nanomolecularly-induced Effects at Titania/Organo-Diphosphonate Interfaces for Stable Hybrid Multilayers with Emergent Properties ACS Applied Nano Materials

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Clio Azina, Melina Poll, Damian M. Holzapfel, Elodie Tailleur, Axel Zuber, Sylvain Dubois, Per Eklund, Jesus Gonzalez-Julian (2024) Microstructural and compositional design of Cr2AlC MAX phases and their impact on oxidation resistance Journal of the European Ceramic Society, Vol. 44, p. 4895-4904

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Anton Zubayer, Naureen Ghafoor, Kristbjoerg Anna Thorarinsdottir, Sjoerd Stendahl, Artur Glavic, Jochen Stahn, Gyula Nagy, Grzegorz Greczynski, Matthias Schwartzkopf, Arnaud Le Febvrier, Per Eklund, Jens Birch, Fridrik Magnus, Fredrik Eriksson (2024) Reflective, polarizing, and magnetically soft amorphous neutron optics with ¹¹B-enriched B₄C Science Advances, Vol. 10, Article eadl0402

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Yi-Ling Lo, Aditya Prabaswara, Jui-Che Chang, Samiran Bairagi, Igor Zhirkov, Per Sandström, Johanna Rosén, Kenneth Järrendahl, Lars Hultman, Jens Birch, Ching-Lien Hsiao (2024) Determination of effective Ga/N ratio to control GaN growth behavior in liquid-target reactive magnetron sputter epitaxy Materials Science in Semiconductor Processing, Vol. 176, Article 108292

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Lars Hultman, Sara Mazur, Caroline Ankarcrona, Anders Palmqvist, Maria Abrahamsson, Marta-Lena Antti, Malin Baltzar, Lennart Bergstroem, Pontus de Laval, Ludvig Edman, Paul Erhart, Lars Kloo, Mats W. Lundberg, Anders Mikkelsen, Ellen Moons, Cecilia Persson, Hakan Rensmo, Johanna Rosén, Christina Ruden, Malin Selleby, Jan-Eric Sundgren, Kimberly Dick Thelander, Klas Tybrandt, Paer Weihed, Xiaodong Zou, Maria Astrand, Charlotte Platzer Bjoerkman, Jochen Schneider, Olle Eriksson, Magnus Berggren (2024) Advanced materials provide solutions towards a sustainable world Nature Materials, Vol. 23, p. 160-161

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Sachin Sharma, Justinas Palisaitis, Ivan Gueorguiev Ivanov, Per O A Persson, Henrik Pedersen, Hans Högberg (2024) The Influence of Carbon on Polytype and Growth Stability of Epitaxial Hexagonal Boron Nitride Films Advanced Materials Interfaces

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Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology (IFM)

Undergraduate teaching and research in the areas of biology, chemistry, materials and applied physics and theory and modelling are conducted at this department.

Thin Film Physics (TUNNF)

Brief overview

Infrastructure

Deposition systems

Analytical instruments

Research at Thin film physics division

Fundamental Science of Thin Films unit

Nano-materials Science unit

Materials Optics unit

Functional Materials unit

Electron Microscopy of Materials unit

Materials Design

Energy Materials unit

Doctoral education

Doctoral studies in Materials Science

More about our research

A single atom layer of gold – LiU researchers create goldene

Better neutron mirrors can reveal the inner secrets of matter

Innovative semiconductor research from LiU to Silicon Valley

Major investment in new equipment for materials research

He has a key to solving the semiconductor shortage

Thin film physics contribute to space mission

Sharpened chemical scissor paves the way for tailored nanomaterials

Scholarships were key for his research visits

IFM big winner in WISE approved projects

Linköping University develops neutron optics for surface physics instruments

SEK 15 million grant boosts electron microscopy facility

Researcher from LiU receives SEK 9.4 million for neutron research

Gold Graduate Student Award to LiU

12,000 scientific articles a year – can they all be wrong?

VR International Postdoc Grant to LiU

Sustainability – one layer of atoms at a time

SEK 29 million for research into new 2D materials

New method gives robust transistors

A huge microscope helping LiU researchers design new materials

Materials science – seeking new ways to reach people

SEK 68 million for research into new materials

Creating thermoelectricity

Contact

Division head and administration

Heads of units

Staff

Energy Materials, Per Eklund is head of unit

Functional Materials, Hans Högberg is head of unit

Electron Microscopy of Materials, Per Persson is head of unit

Nano Materials Science, Jens Birch is head of unit

Materials Optics, Kenneth Järrendahl is head of unit

Fundamental Science of Thin Films, Grzegorz Grzeczynski is head of unit

Visiting address

Mail address

Publications

2024

Back to IFM

Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology (IFM)

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