Aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO) thin films (∼3000 Å) with low electrical resistivity and high optical transparency have been grown by pulsed-laser deposition on glass substrates without a postdeposition anneal. Films were deposited at substrate temperatures ranging from room temperature to 400 °C in O2 partial pressures ranging from 0.1 to 50 mTorr. For 3000-Å-thick AZO films grown at room temperature in an oxygen pressure of 5 mTorr, the electrical resistivity was 8.7×10−4 Ω cm and the average optical transmittance was 86% in the visible range (400–700 nm). For 3000-Å-thick AZO films deposited at 200 °C in 5 mTorr of oxygen, the resistivity was 3.8×10−4 Ω cm and the average optical transmittance in the visible range was 91%. AZO films grown at 200 °C were used as an anode contact for organic light-emitting diodes. The external quantum efficiency measured from these devices was about 0.3% at a current density of 100 A/m2.

Transparent conducting indium tin oxide (ITO) thin films (40–870 nm) were grown by pulsed laser deposition on amorphous substrates and the structural, electrical, and optical properties of these films were investigated. Films were deposited using a KrF excimer laser (248 nm, 30 ns FWHM) at a fluence of 2 J/cm2, at substrate temperature of 300 °C and 10 mTorr of oxygen pressure. For ITO films (30–400 nm thickness) deposited at 300 °C in 10 mTorr of oxygen, a resistivity of 1.8–2.5×10−4 Ω cm was observed and the average transmission in the visible range (400–700 nm) was about 85%–90%. The Hall mobility and carrier density for ITO films (40–870 nm thickness) were observed to be in the range of 24–27 cm2/V s and 8–13×1020 cm−3, respectively. The ITO films have been used as the anode contact in organic light emitting diodes and the effect of ITO film thickness on the device performance has been studied. The optimum thickness of the ITO anode for the maximum device efficiency was observed to be about 60–100 nm. The device with the optimum thickness of ITO anode showed an external quantum efficiency of about 0.85% at 100 A/m2.

The primary reaction products of laser-ablated uranium atoms with dihydrogen (UH, UH2, UH3, UH4, U2H2, and U2H4) have been isolated for the first time in solid argon and identified by the effects of isotopic substitution on their infrared spectra. Calculations, using DFT methods, have been performed to provide theoretical support for the spectral assignments. The molecules U(μ-H2)U and U2H4 represent the first examples of an actinide-actinide bond.

Laser-ablated Sc and Ti atoms have been reacted with NO during condensation in excess argon. Matrix infrared spectra show that the major products are the side-bonded Sc[NO] species and the inserted NScO and NTiO molecules based on isotopic substitution (15N16O and 15N18O) and DFT calculations of isotopic frequencies, which provide a match for two modes in three isotopic modifications for each molecule. The NScO and NTiO molecules are nitride/oxides with M−O stretching modes only 46−88 cm-1 below the diatomic metal oxides but M−N stretching modes 314−442 cm-1 lower than the diatomic metal nitride molecules. The ScN, ScO and TiN, TiO molecules are observed as decomposition products. Evidence is also presented for the nitrosyls ScNO and TiNO, the Sc[NO]+ cation, and the NTiO- anion.

Infrared and photoluminescence spectra of matrix-isolated and thin-film samples (both at 11 K) of tris(8-hydroxyquinolinato)aluminum(III) (Alq3) and tris(4-methyl-8-hydroxyquinolinato)aluminum(III) (Almq3) were collected and compared to vibrational spectra generated by B3LYP based density functional calculations. The present infrared spectral results suggest that both Alq3 and Almq3 exist primarily in the meridional or C 1 isomeric form with little or no spectral evidence for the presence of the alternate, facial (C 3 symmetry) geometric isomer. In addition, photoluminescence spectra of these molecules isolated in an argon matrix show vibronic structure in the emission band associated with the S1 → S0 transition.