Projects with thin film activities

Battery related activities:

We have since 2006 had an increasing focus on application of thin films in battery related research. Our prime focus is to develop processes for deposition lithium containing materials by ALD. This is a class of materials bringing in several challenges otherwise not seen in ALD processes. Lithium is a monovalent material bringing with it typically only one ligand. In addition to this, lithium is a small cation capable of rapid diffusion throughout the film during deposition. One of the major challenges is therefore to assure self-limiting growth during deposition. Lithium also forms relatively reactive oxides which frequently result in subsequent reactions with ambient air after deposition. This raises numerous practical challenges in characterisation of the products.

By mastering deposition of lithium containing materials, we are able to deposit numerous electrochemically active materials important for Li-ion batteries, both as model systems and as active materials in all solid state microbatteries. Our aim is to achieve fully functional 3D structured all-solid-state microbatteries, as well as model systems enabling studies of effects at the interfaces between materials in bulk batteries.

Sensor and imaging:

Thin coatings on high surface area materials can produce increased sensitivity to sensor materials in optimisation of surface to volume. The current activity has had focus on developing material systems for sensing thermal variations at low temperatures.

Photovoltaic related materials:

Photovoltaics (PV) is a large field covering basic silicon types solar cells, to more novel structures based on oxides. All these technologies may benefit from thin coatings. We have therefore several projects related to such materials. Or projects related to PV have focused on development of p-type TCO materials (CONE), efficient n-type ZnO materials (EMALD, CONE), and optical conversion materials (FME-Sol).

Nanostructured materials:

The ALD technique is most applicable for construction of nanostructured materials in form of multi-layered thin films and coatings on nanoparticles. This is demonstrated in the projects mentioned below. We have also demonstrated possibilities of the ALD technique to deposit multi-layered materials of complex stoichiometries in a controlled manner.

Catalytic materials:

Catalytic materials exploit mostly only their outer surface, hence the more you can produce of this, the better. One of the strengths of the ALD technique is to deposit materials evenly on complex surfaces. The current projects have explored the possibility to use the ALD technique to controllably deposit active materials on mesoporous structures, both making them catalytically active, and increasing their mechanical strength.

Organic-inorganic hybrid materials:

The ALD technique may be regarded as an advanced method to build structures in manners resembling LEGO constructions. We have extended the ALD approach for formation of inorganic materials to also include organic molecules as the anionic counterparts in the structures. By this approach, we have demonstrated growth using organic functional groups such as alcohols, carboxylic acids, amines, and more. We have even demonstrated growth of molecular structures by the ALD technique in deposition of the OLED active Alq₃ material. This is a new approach for formation of a relatively new and novel class of materials where the overall properties are yet undiscovered. We are currently characterising the bioactivity of several of our materials with aim to open for new application areas.

Public outreach:

A central part of performing research is also dissemination of the results to the general public. We are frequently participating in public outreach events such as Forskningsdagene, open days at UiO, events at Norsk Teknisk Museum, Astrofestivalen, and much more. We make sure to balance the content of our latest results with demonstration of devices which the public more easily relates to and which shows applications of materials and technology in relevance to our present and prior research. Central topics in our displays are nanomaterials and renewable energy systems such as photovoltaics, hydrogen production, fuel cells, batteries, thermoelectric materials and energy harvesting. We go to a long extent to include as many as possible of our undergraduate students in these events to train, engage, and build identity of our coming generation of researchers.