Spatially modulated multicomponent materials are used in a variety of fields and industries. In this dissertation Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD... Show moreSpatially modulated multicomponent materials are used in a variety of fields and industries. In this dissertation Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) will be used to create two types of spatially modulated multicomponent materials: Erbium doped Yttrium Oxide (Er+3:Y2O3) for high energy lasers and standard reference materials for Synchrotron based X-ray Fluorescence (SXRF) and Scanning Transmission X-ray Microscopy (STXM). Er+3:Y2O3 was produced and the inter- and intra-layer doping of each film was controlled by the cycle ratio of ALD grown Er2O3:Y2O3 and by the steric hinderance of erbium precursor ligands, respectively. Photolumenescent Spectroscopy and X-ray di↵raction measurements showed that all films of Er+3:Y2O3 were crystalline as deposited, with no evidence of amorphous, or glassy, emission lines in the PLS spectra. Photoluminescent Lifetime (PLL) measurements were performed to prove that ALD can be used to control both inter- and intra-layer doping. PLL was shown to vary with both Er2O3:Y2O3 cycle ratio and with Erbium precursor growth rate, increasing to a maximum of 6.5ms. This is the longest PLL reported for ALD grown Er+3:Y2O3. Results from Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy, X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy, and ultraviolet to visible light spectroscopy are presented to verify inter- and intra-layer doping control. Standard reference materials for SXRF and STXM were produced via ALD on transmission electron microscopy windows and native oxide silicon. Materials produced were Fe2O3, TiO2 , ZnO, Al2O3, and Y2O3. Films were analyzed with SXRF, and SXTM to determine the optical density and from this the areal density was calculated using preexisting standard reference materials and absorption value charts. It was found that the RBS measurements were more precise, and were within the error associated with the SXRF and STXM measurements. Ph.D. in Physics, July 2014 Show less
