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Abstract Polyimide (PI) dielectric nanocomposites containing functional nanofillers based on layered structure (single-layer: BT@[Al.sub.2][O.sub.3]@PI, double-layer: PI/BT@[Al.sub.2][O.sub.3]@PI, three-layer: PI/BT@[Al.sub.2][O.sub.3]@PI/PI) were designed and prepared by using PI as matrix, barium titanate (BT)@alumina [...]

Author(s): Michael Hoffmann [sup.1] , Franz P. G. Fengler [sup.1] , Melanie Herzig [sup.1] , Terence Mittmann [sup.1] , Benjamin Max [sup.2] , Uwe Schroeder [sup.1] , Raluca Negrea [sup.3] [...], The properties of ferroelectric materials, which were discovered almost a century ago.sup.1, have led to a huge range of applications, such as digital information storage.sup.2, pyroelectric energy conversion.sup.3 and neuromorphic computing.sup.4,5. Recently, it was shown that ferroelectrics can have negative capacitance.sup.6-11, which could improve the energy efficiency of conventional electronics beyond fundamental limits.sup.12-14. In Landau-Ginzburg-Devonshire theory.sup.15-17, this negative capacitance is directly related to the double-well shape of the ferroelectric polarization-energy landscape, which was thought for more than 70 years to be inaccessible to experiments.sup.18. Here we report electrical measurements of the intrinsic double-well energy landscape in a thin layer of ferroelectric Hf.sub.0.5Zr.sub.0.5O.sub.2. To achieve this, we integrated the ferroelectric into a heterostructure capacitor with a second dielectric layer to prevent immediate screening of polarization charges during switching. These results show that negative capacitance has its origin in the energy barrier in a double-well landscape. Furthermore, we demonstrate that ferroelectric negative capacitance can be fast and hysteresis-free, which is important for prospective applications.sup.19. In addition, the Hf.sub.0.5Zr.sub.0.5O.sub.2 used in this work is currently the most industry-relevant ferroelectric material, because both HfO.sub.2 and ZrO.sub.2 thin films are already used in everyday electronics.sup.20. This could lead to fast adoption of negative capacitance effects in future products with markedly improved energy efficiency.A ferroelectric thin film that behaves as a single domain is found to exhibit both negative capacitance and the predicted double-well polarization-energy relationship.

The method employed for depositing nanostructures of conducting polymers dictates potential uses in a variety of applications such as organic solar cells, light-emitting diodes, electrochromics, and sensors. A simple and scalable film fabrication technique that allows reproducible control of thickness, and morphological homogeneity at the nanoscale, is an attractive option for industrial applications. Here we demonstrate that under the proper conditions of volume, doping, and polymer concentration, films consisting of monolayers of conducting polymer nanofibers such as polyaniline, polythiophene, and poly(3-hexylthiophene) can be produced in a matter of seconds. A thermodynamically driven Solution-based process leads to the growth of transparent thin films of interfacially adsorbed nanofibers. High quality transparent thin films are deposited at ambient conditions on virtually any substrate. This inexpensive process uses solutions that are recyclable and affords a new technique in the field of conducting polymers for coating large substrate areas. Marangoni | surface tension | thin film technology | organic electronics doi/ 10.1073/pnas.1008595107

Measurements at high spatial resolution by DGT (diffusive gradients in thin films) require a binding agent that is homogeneously distributed in the binding layer. Formation of ferrihydrite by in situ precipitation within a hydrogel has been previously shown to meet these requirements for the measurement of oxyanions by DGT. Here, we report for the first time detailed performance characteristics of the binding gel and associated DGT devices obtained by deployment in known solutions. To allow comparison of measured and theoretical accumulation of As(V), Se(VI), V(V), and Sb(V), their diffusion coefficients were determined using an independent diffusion cell. Theoretical responses were obtained irrespective of ionic strength (1-100 mmol [L.sup.-1]) and pH (3-8), except for Se above pH 7.8 and V below pH 5. Calculated detection limits, based on deployment times of I day, were lower than those for devices made with a binding gel cast with a ferrihydrite slurry, and the measured capacity of the binding layer was also superior. There was no evidence for interference from other oxyanions, but binding performance showed some deterioration 'after 38 days of storage. The potential capability for measuring labile forms of these oxyanions in acidic to neutral, fresh to brackish waters was demonstrated. 10.1021/ac101676w

Thin film shape memory alloys have recently become a promising material for the actuation of devices on the microscale such as micropumps and microvalves. Their utilization, however, has been limited due to the difficulty in tailoring their properties for different applications. Control over the transformation temperatures as well as mechanical and shape memory properties is required to enable their widespread Use. This study examines the effects of heat treatment time and temperature on the properties of amorphous, Ti-rich NiTi thin films on silicon substrates. The effects on the transformation temperatures are investigated through the use of temperature dependent optical microscopy and temperature dependent X-ray diffraction. The indentation modulus and hardness, as well as dissipated energy and depth recovery, are obtained through nanoindentation and atomic force microscopy. The role of microstructure and composition in altering both the mechanical and shape memory properties of the films is discussed. [DOI: 10.1115/1.4002189]

Despite its high refractive index sensitivity, localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) spectroscopy has been generally restricted to large biological analytes. Sensing of smaller molecules is a compelling target for this technique; in particular, LSPR spectroscopy could be utilized to detect hazardous or toxic gases and manage industrial processes involving gaseous chemicals. Here, we report sensing of pure gases over Ag nanoparticles using LSPR spectroscopy, where the detected changes in bulk refractive index are 10.1021/ac102127p

We show that a broadband surface plasmon can be excited in a thin metal film. A train of two plasmons can be excited at conditions near the condition of broadband surface plasmon excitation. Also, a method for independent multichannel checks of biochips by wavelength addressing is proposed. OCIS codes: 240.6680, 130.6010, 110.2970.

By modifying some structural characteristics, the annealing process can have considerable effects on the optical performance and laser-induced damage resistance of Zr[O.sub.2] thin films deposited by electron-beam deposition. Annealing at increased temperature gives rise to an increase of refractive index, the evolutions of packing density, and the structure order of the films due to the removal of adsorbed water in advance, material crystallization, and phase transformation. Thus, the combined effects of greatly strengthened endurance, crystal structure ordering, and stress transition after the annealing leads to an increase of the laser-induced damage threshold in a vacuum environment from 12 to 16J/[cm.sup.2] (at 1064 nm, 12 ns pulse duration, and 1-on-1 testing mode). [c] 2009 Optical Society of America OCIS codes: 310.1620, 310.3840, 310.6860, 310.6870.

The spectroelectrochemical sensor uses thin, solid polyelectrolyte films as an essential element in its operation. In this work we explored the potential of partially sulfonated pelystyrene-block-poly(ethylene-ran-butylene)-block-polystyrene (SSEBS) thin polymer films for chemicad sensing. Spectroscopic ellipsometry was used to measure optical and surface properties of the air-dried and hydrated material. SSEBS incorporates a relatively small amount of water (overall change of 25%) mainly determined by the complex dynamics of the film. The decrease in the refractive index after complete hydration of the film can be predicted based on the magnitude of swelling using effective medium approximation models. Adhesion of the material on various surfaces (glass, indium fin oxide, gold) was evaluated with the tape peeloff method. The abifity of the SSEBS material to preconcentrate cations was evaluated by cyclic voltammetry, absorbance, and luminescence measurements using model analytes (Ru(bpy)32+, phenosafranine, and rhodamine 6G). The detection limits of the sensor for Ru[(bpy).sub.3.sup.2+] under unoptimized conditions can be significantly improved if luminescence is used as the detection modality (DL = 5 x [10.sup.-10] M) instead of absorbance (DL = 5 x [10.sup.-7] M). Overall, the results demonstrate the effectiveness of the SSEBS material for spectro-electrochemical sensing.

In 1892 Drude and Nernst reported the first observation of a standing light wave by using a fluorescent thin film, which is a real-time version of Wiener's first experiment on standing light wave. We reproduce the experiment by Drude and Nernst with improved efficiency using modern laser technology and a highly fluorescent [pi]-conjugated polymer. We also used a glass plate scratched slightly on one surface to visualize the same phenomenon using diffuse reflection instead of fluorescence. This method has the advantage of being a wavelength-independent observation compared to the fluorescence method. [DOI: 10.1119/1.3027506]

A solid-state laser based on a dye-doped deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) matrix is described. A thin solid film of DNA has been fabricated by treating with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and used as a host for the laser dye Rhodamine 6G. The edge emitted spectrum clearly indicated the existence of laser modes and amplified spontaneous emission. Lasing was obtained by pumping with a frequency-doubled Nd:YAG laser at 532nm. For a pump energy of 10mJ/pulse, an intense line with FWHM [approximately equal to] 0.2nm was observed at 566 nm due to selective mode excitation. OCIS codes: 140.0140, 140.3380, 160.1435, 160.3380.

We measured the second harmonic generation response of a thin film consisting of chiral molecules with four wave plates having different retardation coefficients. By means of the fitting procedure described in a previously reported formalism, we demonstrated that a single set of tensor components of second order surface nonlinearities fits all the data. Our results provide clear experimental evidence for the validity of this method, which can find applications in the studies of chiral structures and achiral anisotropic materials. OCIS codes: 160.1585, 190.4160.

Cadmium telluride (CdTe) thin film photovoltaic devices fabricated in a-line process developed at Colorado State University (CSU) have shown stability during long-term (over a 5 year period) accelerated stress testing. These devices have a copper (Cu) containing back contact. The Cu profile as measured by secondary, ion mass spectrometry. characterization shows, for the maximum stressed device (23,399 h), that there is a significant (two times) change in the concentration of secondary Cu ions in the bulk of the material; however, the Cu concentration gradient at the back of the device has no significant change, and the CdS layer has no significant Cu concentration increase at open-circuit bias and 65[degrees]C temperature conditions. This indicates that with a proper Cd[Cl.sub.2] treatment, Cu can be used to form the back contact for CdTe devices with acceptable stability: These devices have a projected field lifetime of greater than 60 years. [DOI: 10.1115/1.3090820] Keywords: cadmium telluride, multicrystalline, device testing, oxide, surface treatments

This paper presents a new method to embed microthin film sensors into metallic structures by diffusion bonding. The experiments were carried out using AISI 304 stainless steel substrates with a bonding temperature of 800[degrees]C and a pressure of 4 MPa, which the developed thin film system was able to sustain. The success of embedding was validated by sensor functionality tests and metallurgical characterization. This sensor embedding method can be extended to other engineering metallic materials. To demonstrate the applications of the embedded microsensors, a PdCr thin film strain gauge array that is suitable for in situ measuring of temperatures and strains in manufacturing processes was designed and fabricated for testing in the vertical end milling process. Time- and spatial-resolved signals were obtained during the milling process. The signals were decomposed to a static part, which apparently resulted from temperature changes, and the dynamic part, which resulted from dynamic strains induced by material removal during cutting. The milling tests demonstrated the ability of using this method to measure realtime temperatures and strains within the workpiece, which will be very valuable to the fundamental understanding of various manufacturing processes. It can also be used for bench marking numerical modeling and simulations. [DOI: 10.1115/1.3006318]

Many microelectromechanical system applications require large in-plane actuation forces, with stroke lengths ranging from submicrometer to tens of micrometers in distance. Piezoelectric thin films are capable of generating very large actuation forces, but their motion is not easily directed into lateral displacement in microscale devices. A new piezoelectric thin-film actuator that uses a combination of piezoelectric unimorph beams to generate lateral displacement has been developed. The piezoelectric actuators were fabricated using chemical-solution-derived lead zirconate titanate thin films. These actuators have demonstrated forces greater than 7 mN at displacements of nearly 1 [micro]m, with maximum stroke lengths at 20 V greater than 5 [micro]m in a 500-[micro]m-long by 100-[micro]m-wide actuator. Force and displacement capabilities can be manipulated through simple changes to the actuator design, while actuator nonlinearity can produce dramatic gains in work capacity and stroke length for longer actuators. Index Terms--Actuators, lead zirconate titanate (PZT) ceramics, piezoelectric devices, robots.

In a first and completely new approach, a vacuum plasma-spray coating technique was used to deposit selective emitting rare-earth oxide films of ytterbia ([Yb.sub.2][O.sub.3]) on porous silicon-infiltrated silicon carbide foams (Si-SiC). The plasma-spray coating technique offers a new and promising way to produce selective emitting coatings on different refractory substrates with complex geometries. The adhesion and thermal shock stability were tested until a film thickness of 130 [micro]m was achieved; the selective emittance of the oxide coating has been found to be dependent on the film thickness. The material combination Si-SiC and [Yb.sub.2][O.sub.3], however, needs some major improvement regarding hightemperature stability and high thermal cycling loads. In a different approach, the advantage of low emitting [Al.sub.2][O.sub.3] fibers and good thermal matching was combined with [Yb.sub.2][O.sub.3] slurry coating of flexible alumina ([Al.sub.2][O.sub.3]) fiber bundles, formed into a cylindrical shape. The thin fiber structure tried to imitate the famous incandescent mantle emitters of Auer von Welsbach, but with a more rugged structure. Even though the fibers of the woven emitter were thin, the low thermal conductivity of [Al.sub.2][O.sub.3] led to a distinct reduction of the surface temperature and emittance, and a shielding effect of the radiation emanating from the hot inner walls by the cooler outer grid structure was inevitable. Optical filters consisting of a water film and of transparent conducting oxides (TCO) have been developed and tested to protect the photocells against overheating and to reflect nonconvertible off-band radiation back to the emitter. The water film led to a significant reduction of the cell temperature and increased cell performance, whereas with the TCO filters only a reduction of the cell temperature was observed. [DOI: 10.1115/1.2770749] Keywords: fuel-fired thermophotovoltaics, ceramics, rare-earth oxides, emission, ytterbia, silicon carbide, coating

A simple procedure to incorporate tris(2-2'-bipyridyl)ruthenium(II), [[Ru[(bpy).sub.3]].sup.2+], into Nation Langmuir--Schaefer (LS) films is described. Nation LS films (tens of nanometers thick) were formed on quartz glass and indium tin oxide (ITO) directly from Nation-[[Ru[(bpy).sub.3]].sup.2+] Langmuir films assembled at the water-air interface. This procedure allowed the direct incorporation of [[Ru[(bpy).sub.3]].sup.2+] into Nation films without the need for subsequent loading. UV-vis spectroscopy confirmed the successful incorporation of [[Ru[(bpy).sub.3]].sup.2+] within the LS films and showed that the amount of [[Ru[(bpy).sub.3]].sup.2+] immobilized in this way scaled with film thickness. Voltammetric studies on ITO-modified electrodes confirmed the successful incorporation of [[Ru[(bpy).sub.3]].sup.2+] and demonstrated that [[Ru[(bpy).sub.3]].sup.2+] was retained within the ultrathin films over a long time scale. These electrodes were tested for the electrocatalytic reduction of tripropylamine. Significant catalysis was observed due to the rapid turnover of [[Ru[(bpy).sub.3]].sup.2+/3+] between the electrode surface and outer boundary of the film, as a direct consequence of the ultrathin film dimensions. Concomitant electrochemiluminescence (ECL) was demonstrated highlighting the potential of this material for sensing applications.

[Cu.sub.x][Ni.sub.1-x]O electrochromic thin films were prepared by sol-gel dip coating and characterized by XRD, UV-vis absorption and electrochromic test. XRD results show that the structure of the [Cu.sub.x][Ni.sub.1-x]O thin films is still in cubic NiO structure. UV-vis absorption spectra show that the absorption edges of the [Cu.sub.x][Ni.sub.1-x]O films can be tuned from 335 nm (x = 0) to 550 nm (x = 0.3), and the transmittance of the colored films decrease as the content of Cu increases. [Cu.sub.x][Ni.sub.1-x]O films show good electrochromic behavior, both the coloring and bleaching time for a [Cu.sub.x][Ni.sub.1-x]O film were less than 1 s, with a variation of transmittance up to 75% at the wavelength of 632.8 nm. Keywords: [Cu.sub.x][Ni.sub.1-x]O films; Electrochromic; Sol gel; Dip-coating

Bulk and thin films of Cu[In.sub.0.75][Ga.sub.0.25][Te.sub.2] have been grown using respectively the sealed quartz ampoule and the flash evaporation techniques. X-ray diffraction results showed that the semiconductor has the chalcopyrite structure. The gaps of the materials were determined from optical measurements and found to be 0.99 and 1.14 cV, respectively for bulk and annealed films. Photoluminescence data showed a broad emission localised at 1.05 eV. Keywords: Ingot; Fusion; Film; Lash evaporation; Chalcopyrite; Defect; Photoluminescence

Thin films of cadmium oxide (CdO) were synthesized by layer-by-layer deposition method on indium doped tin oxide (ITO) substrates. Post-deposition annealing at 250 [degrees]C for 24 h produced pure phase CdO films by removal of trace amount of cadmium hydroxide, as confirmed from X-ray diffractogram. First time employment of CdO in place of Ti[O.sub.2] in dyesensitized solar cells is reported to check feasibility and cell performance. A dye-sensitized nanocrystalline CdO photo-electrode was obtained by adsorbing cis-dithiocyanato (4,4'-dicarboxylic acid-2,2'-bipyridide) ruthenium (II) (N3) dye by keeping at 45 [degrees]C for 20 h. The efficiency of dye-sensitized nanocrystalline CdO thin film solar cell was increased from 0.24% to 2.95% due to dye adsorption. This must be highest reported conversion efficiency for other metal oxides than Ti[O.sub.2]based dye-sensitized solar cells. Keywords: Thin films; Cadmium oxide; Morphology; Structural properties; Dye-sensitized solar cell

CIGS films were prepared on Mo-coated glass by sputtering and selenization processes. The metallic precursors were selenized under higher pressure in selenium vapor instead of [H.sub.2]Se. In order to improve the performance of CIGS thin film solar cells, the morphologies of CIGS thin films were studied carefully by various temperature profiles. The relationship between temperature decrease rate and fill factor (FF) of solar ceils was investigated thoroughly. On the other hand the value of open circuit voltage ([V.sub.oc]) was improved by increasing the gallium content near the surface of CIGS thin film. A glass/Mo/CIGS/CdS/ZnO cell was fabricated and the conversion efficiency of 9.4% was obtained without antireflective film. Keywords: Selenization; CIGS solar cell; Solid Se source

Nickel oxide thin films and other electrochromic materials receive particular attention due to the great variety of practical applications in energy conservation and in semitransparent optical devices. In this work, nickel thin films were produced by DC magnetron sputtering on ITO substrates. The nickel-ITO thin films were studied by electrochemical techniques, and electrochromic properties were induced in the films after several different cyclic voltammetry runs. The cyclic potential range was set from -400 to 600 mV and the scan rates were varied from 6.6 to 10 mV/s. The electrochromic phenomena was observed just after 80 cycles as derived from voltammograms and color changes in the nickel oxide films were observed close to 100 cycles. The optical properties of as-deposited films and of the ones tested in the electrochemical cell were determined by optical spectrophotometry in the visible range. The structural properties of the films were studied by X-ray diffractometry, scanning and transmission electron microscopy in conventional and high-resolution modes. The electrochemical properties were studied principally by the cyclic voltammetry technique. Noticeable differences in induced electrochromic behavior were observed between the nickel films deposited on two sets of ITO substrates, prepared by DC magnetron sputtering and spray pyrolysis. Keywords: Nickel oxide; Sputtering; Spray pyrolysis; Electrochromic films

In the recent years, cadmium chalcogenide compounds have been extensively investigated because of their potential applications in solar energy conversion. Thin films of CdSe have been deposited onto the stainless steel and fluorine doped tin oxide (FTO) coated glass substrates using simple and inexpensive electrodeposition technique. The non-aqueous solvent ethylene glycol (C[H.sub.2]OHC[H.sub.2]OH) containing precursors of Cd and Se with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) tetra sodium salt as a complexing agent is used to obtain stoichiometric deposits. Deposition potential was estimated from polarization curves and other preparative parameters such as bath temperature and concentration of solution were optimized. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis reveals that the films are polycrystalline with cubic structure. PEC study shows the CdSe films are photoactive. Optical absorption study shows the presence of direct transition with band gap energy 1.72 eV. The energy dispersive analysis by X-rays (EDAX) reveals that the substrate is well covered with large number of grains indicating compact structure. The average ratio of the atomic percentage of Cd:Se is 50.31:49.69, showing that the deposited films are almost stoichiometric. Keywords: Electrodeposition; CdSe thin films; PEC characterization; Optical absorption

R.F. sputter deposition of Sb doped CdTe thin films was carried out with targets containing different amounts of antimony ([C.sub.T]: 0, 2.5, 10 and 20 at.%). The substrates were kept at different temperatures ([T.sub.s]) of 200, 275, 350 and 450 [degrees]C. Three different argon pressure values: 2.5, 5 and 15 mTorr were used. The lowest dark resistivity (p) at room temperature (RT) was 9.0 x [10.sup.5] [omega] cm, which is one of the lowest values reported in the literature for Sb doped CdTe. Highly transparent (~90%) and conductive (p = 3.7 x [10.sup.-4] [omega] cm) F doped CdO (n-type) thin films, prepared at room temperature by the sol-gel method, were employed as window and top-contact. The configuration of the fabricated solar cell was (Au-Cu)/p-CdTe/n-CdO/glass. Open-circuit voltage ([V.sub.oc]) and short-circuit current density ([J.sub.sc]) at room temperature have the highest values for high [T.sub.s], low [P.sub.g] and [C.sub.T] = 10 at.%. Despite the fact that [V.sub.oc] and [J.sub.sc] are lower than those reported in the literature, we think this work is useful as a basis for the search of more competitive CdTe/ CdO based PV devices. Keywords: Thin films; Solar cells; Growth parameters

An alternative method for continuous casein film preparation has been developed, adapted from the west-spinning process. The aim was to determine the effects of pH of film-forming solutions on the functions and ultrastructure of resulting films. The most effective films were formed with pH nine film-forming solutions, having low solubility in water and high tensile strength.

A model for the calculation of diffuse reflectance and transmittance of a single interference layer on a transparent substrate is applied to pyrolytically deposited tin oxide films on glass. Total as well as diffuse reflectance and transmittance spectra were measured in an integrating sphere, and scattering levels between 0.002 and 0.1 were recorded. The optical constants and the thickness of the films were determined from the total reflectance and transmittance spectra. The wavelength-dependent effective root-mean-square roughness of aluminum-coated tin oxide front surfaces was determined by the application of the scalar scattering theory. Surface roughness values between 5 and 25 nm were obtained. The obtained effective rms roughness values of the air-film interface were used together with the other film parameters to calculate the diffuse reflectance and transmittance spectra of the tin oxide-coated glass substrates. A comparison between calculated and experimental spectra showed good agreement for diffuse reflectance, diffuse transmittance, and total integrated scattering spectra.

The nanocrystallinity of CdS, CdSe and CdTe films are studied as a function of the growth rate in chemical vapor deposition. The existence of a critical flux for condensing molecules and the presence of a critical substrate temperature is being established. Polycrystalline structure is formed at temperatures higher than this temperature. Keywords: Thin film; Chemical vapor deposition; Nanocrystalline material; Growth rate; Critical temperature

A simple synthetic method to obtain two different single-crystal forms of the [Al.sub.13] cation with two varying counterion composition is described. The inorganic nanoclusters could be used as molecular mimics or single-source precursors for thin film oxide materials.

Co-Mg[F.sub.2] granular thin films prepared by thermal evaporation are reported. The fabricated materials show promise as high-frequency, low-loss cores for microfabricated magnetic devices in microprocessor power delivery applications. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) reveals Co grains of about 3.2 nm embedded in a Mg[F.sub.2] matrix 1 to 2 nm wide. Films were prepared with 20% to 89% volume cobalt at substrate temperatures between -21 [degrees] C and 311 [degrees] C. Good soft magnetic properties in a range of 40% to 55% volume cobalt with high dc resistivity of 500 [micro][Omega]-cm to 100 [Omega]-cm are measured for films deposited at room temperature. Low intrinsic coercivity, [H.sub.ci] of 0.76 Oe and susceptibility, [Chi] of 26 in the easy axis direction with quality factor, Q over 100 and saturation flux density, [B.sub.s] of 0.7 T are obtained. Index Terms--Co-Mg[F.sub.2], evaporation, evaporative deposition, granular magnetic film, inductors, thin films.

We discuss recent developments in methods for monitoring the anisotropic growth and properties of tilted columnar films and present results for the perpendicular incidence birefringence of aluminum oxide, Merck Substance H1, silicon oxide, tantalum oxide, titanium oxide, and zirconium oxide.

The nanomechanical and nanotribological properties of 10-nm-thick amorphous carbon (a-C) films and 100-nm-thick polycrystalline chromium (Cr) and titanium carbide (TiC) films were investigated using a surface force microscope (SFM). The films were deposited on Si(100) substrates by radio frequency (RF) sputtering and pulsed laser deposition (PLD) techniques. The experiments were performed with diamond tips of nominal radius of curvature equal to 20 nm, 100 nm, and 20 [micro]m, and contact forces in the range of 3-400 [micro]N. Nanoindentation experiments performed with the 20-nm-radius pyramidal diamond tip revealed that, for a 20 [micro]N maximum contact force, the deformation of the a-C films was purely elastic, whereas that of the Cr film and Si(100) substrate was predominantly plastic. Although the RF sputtered a-C films and the PLD films of TiC exhibited similar nanohardness (~40 GPa), the a-C films showed a superior nanowear resistance. Despite the identical hardness-to-elastic modulus ratio values of the RF sputtered polycrystalline Cr films and the single-crystal Si(100) substrate, the Cr films demonstrated a greater nanowear resistance. The wear behavior of the films is interpreted in terms of the relative specific energy dissipated during the nanowear process. Results from nanowear tests show that, in addition to the nanohardness and hardness-to-elastic modulus ratio, the microstructure, type of atomic bonding, and deposition process affecting the composition and residual stress in the films influence the nanowear resistance of the films.