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Thin
films are atomically engineered layers of a wide variety of materials
including metals, insulators
and semiconductors. The major applications of thin films are in modification
of the surface properties of solids. Individual films may be electrically
conductive or non-conducting, hard or soft, thermally conducting or
insulating, optically transparent, or opaque. A thin film coating can
transform the electrical, mechanical
and/or optical
properties of a solid base
material in a cost-effective way. Some common examples are scratch-resistant
coatings for spectacles, anti-reflection coatings for lenses, transparent
conducting coatings for flat-panel displays, and low-friction coatings for bearings. Hard coatings can significantly enhance
the lifetime of cutting, drilling, and forming tools. Oxygen and moisture
barrier films are in widespread use in the packaging of foodstuffs,
contributing to the long shelf life of many convenience foods. Thin film
coatings also have unique properties that may be exploited in the polarization, reflection, transmission and
absorption of light. Complex coatings can be used to provide eye-protection
from lasers
without significant reduction
in overall transmission and other high-performance films are in use for the
multiplexing of telecommunication laser
signals. Other inherent properties of thin films are used in
microelectronics, magnetic recording and optical
recording media.
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