Organic-Inorganic Films with ALD

Our focus so far has been on developing new chemistry to create new materials and structures. We are unique in fabricating complex oxide structures, compounds with alkali metals, and materials where organic molecules are part of the structure (MOF materials). Our targets include new materials for electronics, batteries, sensors, porous membranes, solar energy harvesting, bioactive surfaces, and much more.As a master's student, you can choose your focus based on your background and interests. You may concentrate on synthesis, characterization and application, or a combination of all. Do you enjoy wet chemistry at the lab bench? Are you interested in studying crystal structures with advanced X-ray equipment? Curious about programming or applying the materials in practical uses?

A master's thesis often involves substantial lab work including synthesis and characterization. We help integrate you into a group environment where everyone supports one another. The goal is for you to become independent, daring to attempt and learn from mistakes in a safe setting, and develop your own thinking. A master's thesis culminates in a written dissertation. We, as supervisors, provide close and prompt support, and we urge you to start writing your thesis early on.

We have compiled a selection of potential master's thesis topics below, all with thin films as a common component in one form or another. Most projects can vary in focus between fabrication and characterization based on the interests of you, the master's student.

Organic-Inorganic Films with ALD (Ola Nilsen)

We have extensive experience in fabricating organic-inorganic hybrid materials as thin films. There is significant demand for these films in applications such as separation techniques, sensors, diagnostics, electronics, optical components, and more. Most of these films have so far been amorphous and not particularly porous. However, in recent years, we have also managed to produce crystalline porous films of such hybrid materials, which is relatively unique. An example of this is the UiO-66 class of materials made using ALD. We are working on establishing a foundation for controlling the growth of crystalline porous materials with the ALD technique. As a master's student, you will be involved in investigating this relationship. The focus will be on fabricating films with characterization of growth (growth rate as a function of temperature and chemistry, in situ QCM analysis), physical characterization of surfaces and the deposited films (spectroscopic ellipsometry, ellipsometric porosimetry, XRD, XRR, and more). Based on how the films behave, we aim to integrate the materials as sensors (in collaboration with IFI and various industries), as separation materials for chemistry (in collaboration with Analytical Chemistry at KI), as bioactive material (in collaboration with NIOM, OUS), as optical conversion material (in collaboration with IFE), and much more. Depending on your focus and abilities, you will naturally delve deeper into one or two of the techniques mentioned above.

Illustration: Growth of Hybrid Material via Gas-Phase ALD.