Vertically Aligned Nanocomposites (VANs)

Fundamentals & Review Papers

Spontaneous ordering of oxide-oxide epitaxial vertically aligned nanocomposite thin films

X. Sun, J.L. MacManus-Driscoll, H. Wang, Annual Review of Materials Research, 50, (2020). (Invited review)

Highlights:

  • Summarize the in-plane and out-of-plane spontaneous ordering in oxide-oxide systems

  • In-plane spontaneous ordering is reviewed from thermodynamic and kinetic perspectives.

New epitaxy paradigm in epitaxial self-assembled oxide vertically aligned nanocomposite thin films

J. Huang, J. L. MacManus-Driscoll and H. Wang, Journal of Materials Research. 32 (21), 4054-4066 (2017). (Invited review)

Highlights:

  • Advantages of strain coupling along vertical and film-substrate interfaces over conventional single-phase films

  • Unique strain compensation model is proposed

Interfacial coupling in heteroepitaxial vertically aligned nanocomposite thin films: From lateral to vertical control

W. Zhang, A. Chen, Z. Bi, Q. Jia, J. L. MacManus-Driscoll and H. Wang, Current Opinion in Solid State Materials Science, 1 (18), 6-19 (2014). (Invited review)

Highlights:

  • Effective strain-, phase- and interface- couplings for enhanced functionalities

  • Future directions and outlook for this field are proposed

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.actamat.2012.09.072

Microstructure, vertical strain control and tunable functionalities in self-assembled, vertically aligned nanocomposite thin films

A. Chen, Z. Bi, Q. Jia, J. L. MacManus-Driscoll and H. Wang, Acta Materialia. 61 (8), 2783-2792 (2013). (Invited review)

Highlights:

  • Growth mechanisms of VAN thin films are revealed

  • Enhanced functionalities introduced by unique VAN architecture and vertical strain control