STRUCTURAL AND ELECTRICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF MANGANESE OXIDE THIN FILMS DEPOSITED BY DC MAGNETRON SPUTTERING ON SILICON AND SAPPHIRE SUBSTRATES

The environmental impact resulting from the use of fossil fuels as an energy source affects the entire globe. Eventually, fossil fuels will no longer be a reasonable source of energy and alternative energy sources will be needed. Thermoelectric materials (TE) that directly convert heat into electricity are a viable option to replace the conventional fossil fuel because they are reliable, cost effective, and use no moving parts. Recently, researchers discovered the existence of giant Seebeck coefficient in manganese oxide (MnO2) powders, which ignited an increased interest in MnO2-based materials. Now, very little is known about the structural and electrical properties of such materials in thin film form. In this work we present a systematic structural and electrical characterization of amorphous and crystalline MnO2 thin films. These films were deposited at room temperature on silicon and sapphire substrates by DC Magnetron Sputtering. The thin films have an average thickness of ~300 nm, and they show amorphous crystalline behavior. Subsequent ex-situ annealing at temperatures of 300 degrees C, 500 degrees C, and 700 degrees C show interesting crystallization behavior.

Additional Abstract Information

Student(s): David Olson, Kenneth Shaughnessy, Emma Langford

Department: Physics and Astronomy

Faculty Advisor: Dr. Costel Constantin, Dr. David Lawrence

Type: Poster

Year: 2016