In the past few years, he has become a specialist in atomic layer deposition (ALD), a surface coating technique for making nanostructured materials and electronic devices. Wojtecki also found time to study quantum computing—now he’s an IBM spokesperson on the subject—and he even invented a new method for decaffeinating coffee.
by Mitch Jacoby | August 14, 2020
So Xiaoli Ma, Michael Tsapatsis, and coworkers at the University of Minnesota came up with a simple vapor-phase ZIF-preparation method based on atomic layer deposition (ALD), a well-known film-growth technique. The group showed that the ZIF membranes they produced efficiently separate the gases propane and propylene (Science 2018, DOI: 10.1126/science.aat4123).
by Mitch Jacoby | September 10, 2018
Area-selective ALD takes the method to the next level. To control precisely where on surfaces ALD films grow, scientists are using beams of ions, electrons, and other creative means to modify surface properties of some nanosized regions in microelectronics while leaving adjacent ones unaffected. The procedures selectively turn on or turn off ALD chemistry only in the modified regions.
by Mitch Jacoby | June 08, 2018
—Small molecule helps fix ‘Lorenzo’s Oil’ gene mutation “Sobetirome partially makes up for lost protein function” Researchers have identified a small organic molecule that may help fix the genetic defect that causes X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (X-ALD), the rare disease featured in the 1992 movie “Lorenzo’s Oil.”
by Stu Borman | March 01, 2017
—Coating plus doping improves performance of promising material for lithium-ion batteries “Treating cathode compound with iron via atomic layer deposition boosts capacity and extends lifetime” Atomic layer deposition (ALD), a well-studied layer-by-layer method for depositing thin films on solids, is prized for its ability to form ultrathin films that conform perfectly to oddly shaped and tough-to-coat solid surfaces.
by Mitch Jacoby | May 16, 2016
—Wet Method Grows Ultrathin Films “Catalysis: Electrochemical technique provides atom-efficient route to making iridium catalysts” Researchers at the National Institute of Standards & Technology have developed a wet-phase analog of atomic layer deposition (ALD), a gas-phase thin-film growth method, and used it to prepare highly active iridium catalysts for water splitting (Energy Environ.
by Mitch Jacoby | November 30, 2015
ALD has also proved in numerous laboratory demonstrations to be a versatile method for making catalysts, materials for energy production and storage, films for flexible displays, and several other types of advanced functional materials. Unlike other deposition processes, ALD is based on a set of carefully choreographed surface chemical reactions.
by Mitch Jacoby | August 17, 2015
This chemistry-driven layer-by-layer film-removal procedure can be thought of as the reverse of atomic layer deposition (ALD), which is a commercially advanced layer-by-layer technique to build up films. ALD is the subject of a story on page 54 of this issue of C&EN. “The first research efforts [on ALE] date back 25 years, yet ALE is still very much in its infancy,” says W.
by Mitch Jacoby | August 17, 2015