Ultra-thin hafnium oxide coatings grown by atomic layer deposition: hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity over time

In this work we studied the effects of thickness and deposition temperature on the physico-chemical properties of hafnium oxide layers grown by atomic layer deposition on different glass substrates. In particular, the hydrophobic/hydrophilic character of the deposited film surfaces was followed over time as a function of the deposition parameters, and especially the type of substrate, including Na-Ca-silicate glass, alkali-borosilicate glass, and thin/flexible alkali-free boroaluminosilicate glass. The chemical, structural, and optical properties of the HfO2 thin films were also analyzed in an attempt to link them to the hydrophobic/hydrophilic properties of the films.