thin film

noun

: a very thin layer of a substance on a supporting material
especially : a coating (as of a semiconductor) that is deposited in a layer one atom or one molecule thick

Examples of thin film in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Help came from semiconductor companies such as ST Microelectronics, based in Geneva, which figured out how to integrate PZT thin films on silicon membranes. IEEE Spectrum, 17 Mar. 2024 Just as the tops of these trees would reflect the topology of the ground, the tops of these columnar thin films replicate the 3D structure of the fingermarks on which they are deposited. Partha Banerjee, Discover Magazine, 23 Jan. 2024 The bookcases are almost always covered with a thin film of dust, and the shelves do not hide their age. The New Yorker, 17 Feb. 2024 Cao said that the fabrication process was also relatively easy: Blue Gem coal from southeastern Kentucky was ground into a fine powder, suspended in a solution, and deposited into a thin film. IEEE Spectrum, 24 Jan. 2024 Columnar thin films are dense pillars of glassy material that uniformly cover the fingermark, like a dense growth of identical trees in a forest. Partha Banerjee, Discover Magazine, 23 Jan. 2024 This is done with a thin film of cagelike molecules engineered by the researchers that acts as the channel of the transistor; applying an electric field makes the molecular bonds in the film stronger, which increases its thermal conductance. IEEE Spectrum, 13 Nov. 2023 Among the new scientific gear that has arrived at the ISS are four tablets covered with extremely thin films that could play a crucial role in the development of materials for future human space flights. Dhananjay Khadilkar, Ars Technica, 8 June 2023 Wu, University of Rochester Back in 2019, researchers at Purdue University and the National Institute of Standards and Technology came up with a novel phase-change mechanism that is much more amenable to thin films. IEEE Spectrum, 2 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'thin film.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1944, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of thin film was in 1944

Dictionary Entries Near thin film

Cite this Entry

“Thin film.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thin%20film. Accessed 17 Apr. 2024.

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