Atomic layer deposition (ALD) not only presents a direct way to prepare nanomaterials when combined with templates, but also allows surface engineering to fine-tune the properties of the material. Here, we review recent progress in the field of nanostructured materials and devices that have been fabricated by ALD. Various materials, including semiconducting, magnetic, noble metallic, and insulating materials, can be used to form three-dimensional (3D), complex nanostructures with controlled composition and physical properties. We begin this review with ALD nanomaterials that can be prepared from porous templates with a 2D pore arrangement, such as anodic aluminum oxide, and advance toward opal structures with a 3D pore arrangement. We also discuss surface engineering by ALD on existing nanowires/nanotubes, devices, and chemical patterns that has the potential for application in high-performance transistors, sensors, and green energy conversion. Finally, we provide perspectives for future device applications that could arise from ALD nanomaterials.

This study was conducted to examine the neuropsychological deficits in children with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). Furthermore, the focus of present study was to explore whether OCD children show the same executive dysfunction as adult OCD patients. The participants consisted of 106 children between the ages of 6 and 16 years who visited the department of child-adolescent psychiatry, Seoul National University Children's Hospital (17 OCD, 25 ADHD, 21 tic disorder, 20 depressive disorder, and 23 healthy children). The OCD children showed higher verbal ability compared to other psychiatric groups, but performed the worst on WISC-R subtests assessing perceptual organization ability under time pressure. The OCD children did not show any significant deficits in verbal intellectual function, memory, attention and concentration abilities. However, similar to the ADHD children, the OCD children had significantly more errors and completed fewer categories on the WCST compared to the healthy group. Through neuropsychological tests, the OCD children showed cognitive strength and weakness similar to those of OCD adults that were reported in previous research. Specifically, they had executive function deficits in mental set shifting, supporting the frontal-striatal dysfunction hypothesis of OCD in children as well as in adults.

The relationship between crystal structure and piezo-response was investigated in epitaxially grown PbZr1−xTixO3 (PZT) thin films on Pt(001)/MgO(001) with a thin PbTiO3 interlayer. Insertion of the interlayer resulted in significant relaxation ofthe strain that could be developed in the course of deposition of the PZT films, consequently leading us to single out only the effect of composition. Composition of the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB), at which tetragonal and rhombohedral phases are mixed with the same volume fraction, was found to be ∼0.55 in Ti/(Zr + Ti) ratio in our films, which is close to the value for bulk polycrystalline PZT (∼0.50). The piezoelectric response peaks were two times higher in the MPB regime than in the single phase regime due to structural instability caused by the coexistence of two phases. The results indicate that epitaxial PZT films having the MPB composition are advantageous over those of other compositions for nano-storage devices based on scanning force microscopy.

The effect of Mg in Ag(Mg)/SiO2/Si multilayers on the adhesion, passivation, and resistivity following vacuum annealing at 200–500 °C has been investigated. The annealing of Ag(Mg)/SiO2/Si multilayers produced surface and interfacial MgO layers, resulting in a MgO/Ag/MgO/SiO2/Si structure. The formation of a surface MgO/Ag bilayer structure provided excellent passivation against air and CF4 plasma chemistry. In addition, the adhesion of Ag to SiO2 was improved due to the formation of an interfacial MgO layer resulting from the reaction of segregated Mg with SiO2. However, the negligible solubility of Si in Ag prevented the dissolution of free silicon into the Ag(Mg) film produced from the reaction Mg + SiO2 = MgO + free Si, which in turn limited the reaction between Mg and SiO2, which led to a decrease in the adhesion of Ag to SiO2 at the higher temperature. The use of an O2 plasma prior to Ag(Mg) alloy deposition on SiO2 produced an oxygen-rich surface on the SiO2, which allowed for the enhanced reaction of the segregated Mg and SiO2 at the surface, thus resulting in markedly increased adhesion properties.

Semispherical self assemblies of colloids have been fabricated on a substrate using inkjet printing with an ink of submicron-sized monodisperse silica particles. Colloidal silica has been prepared by Stöber process. The shape and monodispersity of the synthesized colloidal particles were observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and laser light scattering particle analyzer. Simple test patterns on various substrates (silicon wafer, Cu foil, and Mylar film) were printed with commercial HP printer. It was found that the uniformity and spatial extent of the self-assembled colloidal silica within a dot were significantly influenced by the contact angle between ink and substrates. Ink droplets printed on the hydrophobic Mylar film maintain a higher contact angle as compared to the hydrophilic substrates such as Si wafer. Slower evaporation and high capillary stress exerted on the ink droplet allow hemispherical colloidal aggregates with an ordered internal structure on Mylar film.

Crystalline and pore-free films of α–Fe2O3 were prepared on hydrophilic self-assembled organic monolayers (DTT-SAMs) at 80 °C. Subsequently, Fe3O4 and γ–Fe2O3 films were synthesized via post annealing of as-deposited α–Fe2O3. In situ patterning of crystalline iron oxide thin layers was achieved via microcontact printing (μCP) and selective deposition. μCP was used to pattern two different surface moieties of self-assembled organic monolayers (SAMs) on Au–Cr–Si substrates. An elastomeric stamp was used to transfer either hexadecanethiol (HDT) SAMs, which are to sustain deposition of iron oxide precipitates, or hydrophilic SAMs [e.g., dithiothreitol (DTT)]. Selective deposition was realized through precipitation of iron oxide phases. Iron oxide films were deposited onto hydrophilic SAMs, but not onto HDT surfaces. Line (width of <1 μm) patterns in crystalline α–Fe2O3 thin films were obtained.

The pyrolysis of siloxy-anchored, organic self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on oxide substrates [titanium dioxide powder; hydrolyzed silicon dioxide on (100) silicon] was studied using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and mass spectroscopy (MS). Pyrolysis in air began on heating at 200 °C and was complete by 400 °C for both octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS) and C16-thioacetate (TA) SAMs, as observed in TGA of SAM-coated TiO2 powders, and in XPS studies of TA-SAM-coated TiO2 powders and Si wafers after various heat treatments. In low-oxygen environments, pyrolysis of SAMs began at higher temperatures: between 250 and 400 °C for heating in ultrahigh vacuum (10−8 Torr) as observed in XPS studies of TA-SAMs on Si, and between 300 and 400 °C in nitrogen, as observed in TEM analysis of sulfonate SAMs under a TiO2 thin film on Si substrates.

The retention phenomena of purposely aligned micron-size domains (defined as “bits”) in Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 thin films were characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM) combined with a lock-in amplifier. It is found that the retention loss occurs by “region by region” showing local variation of the rate of the loss. Furthermore, the total retention loss can be successfully described by an extended exponential decay, which implies a narrow distribution of the relaxation times of the domains. This probably comes from the fact that the micron-size bits consist a few hundreds of domains. Along with the characterization, the effects of the bit size and the poling time per unit area on the retention characteristics were investigated. Based on our observations, it is concluded that the retention time is proportional to both the poling time per unit area and the bit size. This trend is successfully explained by a kinetic model developed by our group.

In situ patterning of crystalline iron oxide thin layers has been achieved via microcontact printing (μCP) and selective deposition. μCP was used to pattern two different surface moieties of selfassembled organic monolayers (SAMs) on Au/Cr/Si substrates. An elastomeric stamp (poly(dimethylsiloxane); PDMS) having a submicron-size patterned relief structure was used to transfer either hexadecanethiol (HDT) SAMs, which are to sustain deposition of iron oxide precipitates, or hydrophilic SAMs (e.g. dithiothreitol (DTT)). Selective deposition is realized through precipitation of iron oxide phases from aqueous solutions at ambient temperature (<100°C). Aqueous solutions of 0.05 M of iron nitrate (Fe(NO3)2•9H20) containing urea under nitric acid (pH < 2) were prepared for selective depositions. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic (XPS) results showed that iron oxide precipitates were deposited onto hydrophilic SAMs, but not onto HDT surfaces. As-deposited films onto DTT-SAM surfaces at 80°C were crystalline α-Fe2O3 (hematite). Fe3O4 and γ-Fe2O3 films were synthesized via annealing of as-deposited α-Fe2O3. Scanning electron microscopy, x-ray diffractometry, vibrating sample magnetometry, and optical microscopy were used to characterize the films' microstructures and properties.