Introduction Chemical vapor deposition is a coating method that is commonly used to produce thin films and coatings of very high quality. Gaseous reactants are usually used in this process. In chemical vapor deposition, you transport one or more volatile precursors to the reaction chamber. The volatile precursors usually decompose on a heated substrate surface...Continue Reading

Introduction Thin-film solar panels are becoming more popular all over the world. There are various types of thin-film solar panels and each type has its advantages and disadvantages. This begs the question, of which thin-film solar panel is better suited for you. In this post, we will be exploring two types of thin-film solar panels...Continue Reading

What is CIGS Thin-Film Photovoltaic? Thin-film photovoltaics, also called solar cells, are devices that convert light energy into electrical energy using the photovoltaic effect. The photovoltaic effect explains how voltage is produced when light strikes a material. CIGS (copper indium gallium selenide) is a semiconductor material most popularly known for its use in solar cells with...Continue Reading

The rare earth element ytterbium is a soft, malleable, and ductile element known for its bright silvery luster. Ytterbium is the fourteenth and penultimate element in the lanthanide series, an occurrence that explains the relative stability of its +2 oxidation state. But like the other lanthanides, the most common or stable oxidation state of Ytterbium...Continue Reading

Praseodymium is a chemical element with atomic number 59 and chemical symbol Pr. This element is the third member of the lanthanide series and is categorized as a rare-earth metal. It is soft, silvery, malleable, and ductile. The metal is valued for its magnetic, electrical, chemical, and optical properties. Praseodymium is actually too reactive and...Continue Reading

The sputtering target materials commonly found on the market can be divided into planar targets and rotatory targets according to their shapes. Want to know what are their advantages and disadvantages? Keep on reading this post. Planar Sputtering Target Although rotary targets have developed in recent years, the mainstream shape of the sputtering target is still the planar type. Advantages...Continue Reading

Cerium(Ce) has an atomic number of 58 and is the most abundant rare-earth metal known. It is the second element in the lanthanide series. Commercial-grade cerium has an iron-gray color. It is silvery when in its pure form, and it has almost the same ductility and softness as tin. Cerium is the most abundant rare-earth...Continue Reading

Yttrium (pronounced as IT-ree-em) is one of the important rare-earth elements, considering its application in different areas, such as in lasers, ceramics, camera lenses, and many other items. Yttrium is also applied as an additive in alloys. In this post, you’ll learn more about the discovery, production, properties, and uses of the yttrium element. Introduction...Continue Reading

Thulium is a chemical element belonging to the lanthanide series of rare-earth metals. It is the 13th element and the third to the last in the series. The element has the atomic number 69 and is known by the symbol, Tm. Thulium has variable oxidation states, but the most common oxidation state is +3, which...Continue Reading