Thin film deposition

A size label made on the sample by lithography ended up right at the frontier of crystal growth – and happened to match the ICMAB anniversary year! Captured with Olympus BX51 microscope.

Curcuminoid-based crystallised compound deposited onto SiO2 through sublimation. When this sample was analysed under the MO (50x), I could only gawk with awe: the kaleidoscope of green and pink crystals blooms forming a gradient along the picture undeniably evokes the picturesque "Antoni Gaudí" art.

Optical microscopy image of the selective deposition of semiconductor crystals on a chemically modified substrate. The treated regions inhibit crystal growth, while in the transistor channel the semiconductor crystals grow, forming a polycrystalline layer. This contrast between hydrophobic and hydrophilic properties induces a well-defined pattern, relevant for the development of printed electronics, where wettability and capillary forces govern the formation of semiconductor layers.

Curcuminoid-based crystallized compound deposited onto SiO2 through sublimation. Under the MO (20x), in a certain region of my sample (which I do not want to recall), the crystal shapes can remind us of a dragon flying near the Sun if you stare at it with a tipsy mindset.

Polarized light microscopy image of a nickel hydroxide film on silicon substrate by spin coating. These striking color patterns are related to changes in the film thickness.

Polarized light microscopy image of a nickel hydroxide film on silicon substrate with cracks formed after thermal treatment.

An organic material transitioning from a polycrystalline thin film towards a tangle of three-dimensional elongated crystals. Captured with Olympus BX51 microscope.

Fragments of TCNQ scattered across a silicon/silicon dioxide surface, deposited using Bar-Assisted Meniscus Shearing technique.