Atomic Layer Deposition – the Intersection of Materials Science, Physics, Chemistry and Industry
There are thousands of techniques for making materials. But how can something be made that is so small it is not even visible under a regular optical microscope? For example, today’s electronics industry routinely produces thin films with thicknesses of 100 nanometers (nm), 50 nm, or even 3 nm. And how is such a material studied, for determining a novel material in a research laboratory or performing quality control in a company? How can one measure a material’s thickness and composition if its thickness is a mere 10 nm, for example?
Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) is a thin-film deposition technique that plays a crucial role in advancing modern technologies, ranging from semiconductors and energy storage to coatings for medical devices and optical applications. Its unique ability to deposit ultra-thin films with atomic-level precision makes it a cornerstone of innovation in nanotechnology and materials science. Most computers, solar panels, and mobile phones contain components made using ALD. But the fun doesn’t stop with current, existing technologies. Scientists and engineers are constantly working to find new ways to utilise thin films made by ALD in various new technologies, such as neuromorphic computing, which is advancing AI.
General information
| Course dates | 27 July - 7 August, 2026 (two-week course, 10 study days) |
|---|---|
| Course fee | 800 EUR |
| Course format | summer course |
| Study field | materials science, nanomaterials |
| Focus area | thin film deposition and characterisation |
| Language | English |
| Study group | bachelor's, master's students |
| Assessment / ECTS | Pass/Fail (3 ECTS) |
| Location | Tartu Physicum, W. Ostwaldi 1 |
Course description
This course offers participants a rare opportunity to explore ALD and its applications in depth, blending theoretical knowledge with hands-on experience. You will not only learn the principles and applications of ALD but also operate equipment to perform your own film depositions. Beyond that, you'll gain experience in characterisation techniques, including spectroscopic ellipsometry, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), to analyse the structure, composition, and properties of the deposited films.
As you will work in groups, at the end of the course, you will compile your obtained results and theoretical knowledge into a project report, which you will present to other groups. You will describe the background of your project, results, and wrap things up with a conclusion and applications of the films you deposited.
Course lecturers
| Course lecturer | Description |
|---|---|
| Kristjan Kalam | Research Fellow in Materials Science at the University of Tartu's Institute of Physics, specifically within the Laboratory of Thin Film Technology. His research focuses on areas such as atomic layer deposition, ellipsometry, x-ray diffraction, and ferromagnetism. |
| Taivo Jõgiaas | Research Fellow in Materials Science at the University of Tartu's Institute of Physics, specifically within the Laboratory of Thin Film Technology. He has contributed to over 30 publications, with his research focusing on areas such as atomic layer deposition and the mechanical and optical properties of thin films. |
| Jekaterina Kozlova | Research Fellow in Electron Microscopy at the University of Tartu's Institute of Physics, specifically within the Laboratory of Thin Film Technology. She has expertise in areas such as nanoparticles, composites, thin films, nanocomposites, and nanomaterials synthesis. |
| Hugo Mändar | Associate professor in Materials Science at the University of Tartu's Institute of Physics, Laboratory of Thin Film Technology. His specialty is the implementation and application of the following X-ray structure analysis methods: powder diffraction (XRD), reflection (XRR), scattering (SAXS), X-ray topography (XRT), diffraction imaging (XRDI). Also developing of image analysis software for dislocation density determination from XRT images and single crystal surface etched optical microscopy images. |
Study information
NB! This is a preliminary programme. The final schedule will be sent to the participants two weeks before the course starts.
Saturday, 25 July or Sunday, 26 July: Arrival
Day 1: Monday, 27 July
Registration and info session at 9:00 in the morning.
Introduction to the course. Overview of the tasks and workshops in the course.
Day 2: Tuesday, 28 July
Theoretical lectures. Overview of the main methods of making nanomaterials. Theoretical basis for ALD. Comparisons of ALD and other methods.
Day 3: Wednesday, 29 July
Theoretical lectures. Applications of ALD.
Day 4: Thursday, 30 July
Practical studies. Participants will be taken to a laboratory equipped with ALD reactors, divided into groups, and will begin learning the operations of an ALD reactor by operating it themselves under the supervision of the course instructor (s). Each group will deposit and study a different material.
Day 5: Friday, 31 July
Practical studies. Activities from the previous day continue, as the participants will operate the ALD reactors under supervision and by the end of the workweek, every group will have made their own different thin films with “their own hands”, which they will start to study the next week.
Saturday, 1 August: free day
Sunday, 2 August: free day
Day 6: Monday, 3 August
Theoretical lectures. Various methods of characterising thin films are discussed, and their basic principles are studied.
Day 7: Tuesday, 4 August
Practical studies. Groups will start to characterise the films they made the previous week. They will use state-of-the-art characterisation tools, under the supervision of course teacher(s). Firstly, they will measure the thickness and refractive index of their films using spectroscopic ellipsometry, while simultaneously applying the method and learning the theoretical principles behind it.
Day 8: Wednesday, 5 August
Practical studies. Groups will continue to characterise their films. After determining the thickness and refractive index the previous day, they will now proceed to study the crystal structure of their films using the X-ray diffraction (XRD) method, while simultaneously learning the principles and measuring their films.
Day 9: Thursday, 6 August
Practical studies. Groups will continue to characterise their films. Groups will now study their films in a manner which will allow them to see their films “with their own eyes”, using scanning electron microscopy, simultaneously learning the principles and measuring their films.
Day 10: Friday, 7 August
Groups will present their work in the form of oral presentations accompanied by slides, showcasing the results they obtained during the course. All groups will present, and all group members will have a chance to speak.
Presentations will include the main body of the presentation, which outlines what was done during the course, and will also include a theoretical background section at the beginning and a conclusion at the end. They will not be the same for the groups, because each group will study a different material.
This is followed by a Q&A session among all groups and participants, as well as feedback from the course instructors.
Saturday 8, Sunday 9 August: Departure
Independent reading:
About 30-40 pages on different topics given during the course by teachers.
Assignments:
Students must compile their results into a coherent project report and create a presentation to present these results on the final day. Other assignments are completed during the course and described in the schedule.
Students can describe the method of atomic layer deposition (ALD), its advantages and limitations and can broadly name its applications.
Students understand how an ALD reactor works and can operate a similar device under supervision.
Students have a basic understanding of some state-of-the-art material characterisation tools, such as spectroscopic ellipsometry, X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. They will also understand how such machines are operated and can perform these operations under supervision.
Students will have produced and presented a group project, in which they have presented their results and discussed the reasons why such results were obtained, what they mean, and how their produced material could be used for.
Course registration info
- Application period: 20 March – 20 April
- Notification of acceptance: accepted participants will be informed after the application period, by 30 April at the latest
- Deadline for paying the course fee: 31 May
- UniTartu Summer School in Tartu: 27 July – 7 August
Only fully completed applications, including all required annexes, received by the deadline (20 April) will be considered for selection.
Applicants must submit the following:
- Online application form
(application period: 20 March–20 April 2026) - Motivation letter (maximum 1 page, 3000 characters), explaining:
- your motivation to participate,
- your expectations for the programme,
- how the summer course relates to your studies and interests,
- how you plan to use the knowledge and experience gained in the future
- Transcript of academic records
- Copy of your passport
- Proof of the application fee payment (25 EUR)
The participants of the UniTartu Summer School courses are required to pay:
- The application fee of 25 EUR must be paid by the application deadline (20 April) at the latest.
The application fee is non-refundable. - The course fee is 800 EUR.
Includes: Study materials, academic work with lecturers, Certificate of completion, cultural events in the evenings
Not included: meals, transportation and accommodation
Please note that the course fee is payable only after you have been accepted into the course. Once accepted, you will receive a confirmation of acceptance together with an invoice. The course fee can only be paid based on the invoice issued to you.
By paying the application fee, course fee and cultural events fee, you accept the terms and conditions information document. You are required to tick the box in the credit card payment form to confirm you have read and agree to the terms and conditions. If you choose to pay by bank transfer, you will be informed of the same conditions.
Please note that by paying the fees, you accept the Terms and Conditions document.
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