Polymer-assisted deposition

In this chapter, polymer-assisted deposition (PAD) to grow metal-oxide films with desired structural and physical properties is described. In the PAD process, the polymer controls the viscosity and binds metal-ions, resulting in a homogeneous distribution of metal precursors in the solution and the formation of uniform metal-organic films. The latter feature makes it possible to grow a wide range of simple and complex metal-oxide films with desired structural and physical properties. Compared to other chemical solution deposition techniques, the development of PAD technology is still in the early stage. Many issues related to materials science and chemistry need to be investigated, and further optimization of processes is necessary for the high quality materials.