Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology

Review of the research status and development of laser cladding high-entropy alloys Laser cladding is a sophisticated surface modification technique that utilizes a high-energy laser beam to simultaneously melt cladding materials and the substr

What makes high-entropy alloys so promising for next-gen coatings?

From alloy design strategies to microstructure evolution & real-world performance, this review covers the latest insights shaping this rapidly advancing area of surface engineering.

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Effect of molecular layer deposition parameters on the electron beam resist properties of hafnicone hybrid films To meet increasing computing demands, device manufacturing is transitioning to shorter wavelengths of light for photolithographic patterning of nanoscale device

More power, less energy, tighter margins. Can current fabrication strategies keep pace with our technology appetite?

From Stanford University, this work highlights how small adjustments in these processes can have outsized effects on performance at the nanoscale.

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Carbon-supported, size-tunable Ni nanoparticles by atomic layer deposition Uniform nickel nanoparticles (Ni NPs) on carbon black were synthesized by fluidized-bed reactor atomic layer deposition (FBR-ALD). ALD behavior was first establ

The scalable synthesis of size-tunable Ni nanoparticles on carbon black w/ fluidized-bed #ALDep method advances non-noble metal Ni/C catalysts toward device-relevant H electrocatalysis & bridges ALD model systems w/ realistic catalyst architectures.

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Physical approach to enhance the selectivity of SiO2 area-selective deposition using substrate biasing Area-selective atomic layer deposition (AS-ALD) can provide a solution to current bottlenecks associated with traditional lithography-based patterning in the do

Area-selective #ALDep is enhanced using a physical approach: ion sputter-etching. Authors from @tue.nl show that well-controlled ions suppress unwanted nucleation & strongly improve selectivity without chemical etchants.
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Photoelectron spectroscopy study of the surface of the ionic liquid BmImPF6 before and after Ar+ sputtering This study investigates the effects of Ar+ sputtering on an ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate (BmImPF6) with the use of x-ray photoel

XPS/NMR show Ar⁺ sputtering cleans BmImPF6 surface without bulk change. Findings highlight how liquid fluidity drives unique impurity segregation, advancing surface analysis of ionic liquids.
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Role of idealized surface representations in computational area-selective atomic layer deposition: Assessing trimethoxypropylsilane blocking performance for Al2O3 deposition with crystalline SiO2 Area-selective atomic layer deposition (AS-ALD) using small molecule inhibitors (SMIs) holds promise for thin-film patterning but suffers from selectivity loss

Computational investigations of area-selective #ALDep require realistic & suitable chemical models - authors from @unileipzig.bsky.social show the impact of this choice for AS-ALD modelling using SMIs on silica.

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Simple route for SrTiO3 epitaxy on GaAs Combining functional oxides with III–V semiconductors holds significant prospects for novel electronic and optoelectronic devices. However, oxide epitaxy on III

A streamlined oxide MBE approach enables epitaxial SrTiO₃/GaAs with abrupt interfaces, advancing practical integration of functional oxides with III–V technologies.

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Toward reliable x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy: Understanding fundamental differences between analyses performed on samples with and without electrical contact to spectrometer X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analyses of insulators or inhomogeneous samples containing insulating phases are often done with specimens electrically i

XPS results can differ significantly depending on whether a sample is electrically grounded or electrically isolated.

This distinction highlights the importance of considering the sample's work function to obtain correct interpretations.

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JVST is proud to be a part of this impressive portfolio! 🏅

We're pleased to share 2025 metrics from our #MaterialsScience portfolio! 👏

We can't wait to see what the future continues to bring to our community of authors, reviewers, and readers!

🔗 https://aippub.org/4qD0c7v

Impact of cluster size on sputtering effects in hybrid organic/inorganic materials during cluster SIMS depth profiling This study systematically investigates the sputtering effects and optimized analytical performance of various cluster ion beams for the depth profiling of tande

Authors from Ionoptika, Ltd. and Cambridge Univ. team up to expand the use of SIMS in materials analysis by exploring the use of a variety of giant gas cluster ion beams in sputtering & depth profiling of complex inorganic/organic materials.

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Boosting boron nitride’s high-temperature performance Coating boron nitride nanotube fabrics with aluminum oxide improved its thermal conductivity and oxidation resistance.

Boron nitride is stable up to about 900 degrees Celsius and exhibits excellent thermal conductivity, making it a useful material for dissipating heat in electronics, batteries, and other high-temperature applications. #Scilight

Learn more 👇
https://aippub.org/3OAc6BK

We invite researchers to submit abstracts for the International Workshop on Gallium Oxide and Related Materials (#IWGO2026) August 2-7, 2026, in College Park, Maryland

⏳Submit by March 18,
▶️https://iwgo2026.avs.org/
▶️https://conta.cc/49LmxcR

#GalliumOxide

Investigation of x-ray energy characteristics in x-ray fluorescence applications using dual pyroelectric crystals The pyroelectric effect enables the generation of a strong electric field, which can lead to the emission and acceleration of electrons, ultimately resulting in

Authors from @uni-magdeburg.de use the pyroelectric effect to create a compact, energy-efficient X-ray source & show a performance boost by moving from single to double-crystal config. This opens the door to portable, low-power systems for materials analysis.
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Tabletop extreme ultraviolet test platform for optical property evaluation of lithography materials Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography, owing to its ultrashort wavelength and high photon energy, serves as a key technology in advanced semiconductor manufactu

In #JVSTB, researchers present a tabletop EUV test platform designed for lab-scale evaluation of lithography materials to reduce reliance on large, costly facilities while still enabling reliable measurements

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Impact of residual triphenylphosphine oxide on the crystallization of vapor-deposited metal halide perovskite films Thermal evaporation is an industrially compatible technique for fabricating metal halide perovskite thin films, without the requirement for hazardous solvents.

Residues left behind from vapor deposition experiments can significantly influence film growth.

Researchers from @ox.ac.uk show how residual TPPO alters perovskite crystallization behavior, marking contamination control as critical for vacuum-based processing.

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Si content in methacrylamide-containing A-b-(B-r-C) block copolymers and its impact on reactive ion etching properties Block copolymers (BCPs) of an A-block-(B-random-C) architecture have been explored as materials for nanolithography because the composition and chemistry of the

Researchers from @uchicagopme.bsky.social and @berkeleylab.lbl.gov explore why certain “smart” material tweaks don’t work the way we expect—and how to design around that reality.

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SiMiC: Context-aware silicon microstructure characterization using attention-based convolutional neural networks for field-emission tip analysis Accurate characterization of silicon microstructures is essential for advancing microscale fabrication, quality control, and device performance. Traditional ana

This study describes a machine-learning algorithm using attention-based CNNs, offering the first dataset and high-accuracy, context-aware characterization of silicon microstructures for field-emission tip analysis.

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MeV-SIMS measurement of negative electrode surface of lithium ion battery after charging and discharging The MeV-SIMS technique uses heavy ion beams with energies in the MeV range, allowing samples to be measured under ambient conditions due to the high transmissio

The Li-ion battery is essential for powering our everyday devices.💻📱

Developing rechargeable LIBs w/ high power density & durability requires understanding the reactions that occur during charging & discharging.

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All water based nanoscale electron beam lithography using polyacrylic acid hydrogel as a resist This work investigates improving pattern resolution and contrast in polyacrylic acid (PAA) hydrogel films as a resist to below 100 nm lateral dimensions using e

Selective, solvent-free nanoscale patterning is crucial as devices integrate more sensitive & unconventional materials.

From @gatechengineers.bsky.social, this work presents an all-water-based electron beam lithography approach w/ polyacrylic acid hydrogel as a resist.

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Prediction of atomic layer deposition chemistry of Ru onto TaN for interconnect stack using the RuO4 precursor Interconnects are crucial for the operation of electronic devices and consist of a diffusion barrier, liner layer, and the metal copper. However, this trilayer

Authors from @tyndallinstitute.bsky.social use theoretical modeling to predict #ALDep chemistry of Ru on TaN using a RuO₄ precursor — an area of growing importance for advanced interconnect stacks.

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Directional atomic layer etching of MgO-doped lithium niobate using Br-based plasma Lithium niobate ( LiNbO 3, LN) is a nonlinear optical material of high interest for integrated photonics with applications ranging from optical communications t

#ALEtch is a promising technique for the nanofabrication of thin-film lithium niobate, used in nanophotonics.

Authors from @caltech.edu & @unevadareno.bsky.social report an atomically precise etch process which could enable unprecedented device performance.

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Polymer assisted area selective ALD of multilayered materials using alkylamine precursors Area selective atomic layer deposition (AS-ALD) has gained considerable attention in nanomanufacturing due to its potential for precise material placement. Whil

Multilayer oxide structures with:
High precision? ✅
Complex lithography? ❌
Multiple masking steps? ❌

Authors from Ghent University demonstrate a polymer-assisted AS-ALD method that allows stacked multilayer oxides to be formed with a single polymer template.

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Diffusion-reaction modeling of atomic layer etching We present a diffusion-reaction model of plasma-assisted atomic layer etching (ALE) of silicon (Si) with alternating exposure to chlorine gas ( Cl 2) and argon

From @princeton.edu & TEL Technology Center, Americas, authors develop a diffusion–reaction model of spatial & temporal evolution of reactive species during plasma-assisted #ALEtch. It links diffusion, reaction kinetics, & ion-driven effects in a physically meaningful way.
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Thermal atomic layer etching of SnO2 by fluorination and ligand-exchange/conversion reactions using sequential hydrogen fluoride and Al(CH3)3 exposures Thermal atomic layer etching (ALE) of SnO2 was performed using a sequence of self-limiting fluorination and subsequent ligand-exchange/conversion reactions. The

From @colorado.edu & SEMES, authors use thermal #ALEtch on SnO₂ with sequential self-limiting ligand-exchange/conversion & fluorination reactions. Self-limiting surface chemistry enables controlled, atomic-scale removal of SnO₂ with purely thermal processes.

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GeSn alloys with ∼21% Sn grown by effusion cell molecular beam epitaxy We report the epitaxial growth of high quality GeSn alloys with Sn compositions up to 21.25 ± 1% by effusion-cell molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). Achieving such a

From the @uarkansas.bsky.social, authors employ a unique #MBE strategy to grow GeSn at low substrates temps & low fluxes, resulting in crystalline films with high Sn content. This paves a promising path for silicon-based photonic and quantum device applications with GeSn!

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Recently highlighted, this article is now featured on our latest cover of #JVSTA!

Next time you publish with us, submit an eye-catching image for the cover. We would love to feature your research, too!

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Influence of metal-induced doping on different 2D MoS2 epilayers for field effect transistors Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), a prominent member of the transition metal dichalcogenide family, stands out for its unique electronic and optical properties. To d

Authors from @pennstateuniv.bsky.social use Raman spectroscopy to investigate the fundamental effects of metal-induced doping on different MoS₂ epilayer thicknesses, helping to tailor MoS₂ devices to meet the demands of advanced electronic applications.

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Happy Holidays from our team! Wishing you the best during this holiday season and into the new year. We look forward to sharing more exciting research with you in 2026.✨

Featured on the latest #JVSTA cover, Joshua Wagner & Steven J. Sibener from the University of Chicago investigate how atomic oxygen affects the behavior of C₆₀ molecules on 2D materials.

Read the featured article here! doi.org/10.1116/6.00...