We have evaluated the hardness and elastic properties of thin films by using a simple procedure to calibrate the tip shape effect of the nano-indentation data. For the simplification, a truncated-shape approximation and linear fit are used to estimate the tip-shape and contact stiffness, respectively, substituting for polynomial area-function and power-law fit. The parameters used in the correction were determined by a fused silica and a single crystal silicon (100) surface. Different film/substrate systems are designed in order to assess these fitted parameters used in the correction. The transition behavior observed from the film to the substrate is well coincide with the other film thickness results, where the indentation depth above 50nm.

We have investigated the effect of Bi on the homoepitaxial growth of Fe(100) by means of reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED). It was clearly found that Bi induces layer-by-layer growth of Fe on Fe(100)-c(2×2)O reconstruction surface. The result of the dependence of the growth behavior as a function of Bi layer thickness suggests that there is optimum amount of Bi surfactant layer that induces the smoother layer-by-layer growth. A strong surface segregation of Bi was found at the top of surface and acts as a surfactant by promoting the interlayer transport.

We have chosen Bi as the surfactant atom in the heteroepitaxial growth of Co on Au(111). It was found that Bi induces layer-by-layer (LBL) growth at room temperature. With pre-deposition of 0.2 ∼ 0.8Å Bi on Au(111) prior to the evaporation of Co, more long-lasting RHEED intensity oscillations were observed and this implies that it induces the LBL growth of Co film. The result of the dependence of the growth behavior as a function of Bi layer thickness suggests that there is a suitable amount of Bi surfactant layer that induces the smoother LBL growth. A surface segregation of Bi was found at the top of surface and acts as a surfactant by promoting the interlayer transport.

The amorphous/polycrystalline Si3N4/CrN and Si3N4/TiN nano-structured multilayer films have been fabricated by RF reactive magnetron sputtering. The microstructure and properties of these films were measured by XRD, HRTEM and nano-indenter There is no superhardness effect in the Si3N4/CrN multilayers. The hardness values of Si3N4/CrN multilayers are between those of the constituent CrN and Si3N4 films at a substrate temperature of 20∼C, and are a little higher than those of Si3N4 films at a deposition temperature of 500°C. However, the superhardness effect was found in Si3N4/ TiN multilayers. The hardness of Si3N4/ TiN multilayers is affected not only by modulation periods, but also by layer thickness ratio and deposition temperature. The maximum hardness value is about 40% higher than the value calculated from the rule of mixtures at a deposition temperature of 500°C and a layer thickness ratio (lSi3N4/ lTiN) of 3 / 1. Based on experimental results, the hardening mechanisms in these multilayers have been discussed.

The structure and composition of SiNx/Si/SiNx films were investigated by means of x-ray reflectivity, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy. The three-layer films were prepared by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering under the condition of constant nitrogen flow and the argon flow. It was found that the deposition rate and surface structure of the silicon nitride films were mainly determined by the nitrogen flow rather than the argon flow. But the composition of the silicon nitride films was controlled by the gas flow ratio (FAr/FN2) used during sputtering.

Pt/Pd bimetallic nanoparticles were prepared by ultrasonic irradiation of aqueous solutions containing salts of both metal ions. Uniform bimetallic particles were found to have a 2.8 nm average diameter and a narrow size distribution. The size was similar to Pt monometallic particles, and the shape was similar to Pd monometallic particles, both prepared by ultrasound in the same way.

High quality large single crystals of La2−xSrxCuO4 were grown by the traveling solvent floating zone method(TSFZ method). The crystals up to about 6 mm diameter and 40 mm length were obtained. The composition of the grown crystals was uniform and was determined to be La1.86Sr0.14Cu0.97O3.89. The single crystals were superconductors with Tc=37.5K and δ Tc=1.1K, and had a significant anisotropy of the electrical resistivities at the non-superconducting state.