In-situ neutron diffraction and spectroscopy studies of Zr-based amorphous thin-films

Superior structural and physical properties of Zr-based amorphous thin-films makes them fascinating materials for electronic, optical and bio-detector devices. In addition, high hydrogen solubility in the disordered structure of Zr-based amorphous thin-films leads to distinct physical and chemical properties and thus making them good candidates for hydrogen-related applications such as hydrogen storage, switchable windows and hydrogen purification. Magnetron sputtering enables the fabrication of Zr-based amorphous thin-films over a wider compositional range that can be achieved by conventional methods such as melt-spinning. However, magnetron-sputtered amorphous thin-films demonstrate different structural and physical properties compared to the bulk amorphous alloys, denoting the requirements for detailed structure-properties (inert/hydrogen) relationship analysis at the atomic scale.