Sub-Category:
Engineering (Applied)
Date Published:
May 18, 2026
Keywords:
photodeposition, thin films deposition, colloids, nanoscopic layers
Abstract:
Liquid Phase Photo Deposition (LPPD) is a thin-film deposition method where photosensitive colloidal precursors in suspension are deposited onto transparent substrates by optical excitation, essentially a photonic analogue of electrodeposition. Pioneered with amorphous selenium (a-Se), the method’s kinetic and theoretical foundations include photo-adsorption and light-induced colloidal aggregation. Subsequently it was extended to CdS, ZnS, and bio- chromophore colloids, establishing photo-induced precursor destabilization as a general thin film-growth mechanism. Applications span optical recording, holographic gratings, reversible write/erase cycles, archival holography, and diffractive optical elements via mask, direct- write, or computer-generated holographic exposure. Recent advances included pulsed excimer-laser excitation and real-time evanescent-field imaging. The review compares it to other related processes such as photocatalytic deposition, photo-assisted CVD, and photo- assisted electrodeposition.
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