@article{65270,
  abstract     = {{In perovskite solar cells (PSCs), electron transport layers (ETLs) play an important role in the selection and transport of electrons. Understanding the properties of these layers in relation to device performance is essential for optimizing solar cell efficiency and enabling their integration into emerging architectures, such as flexible solar cells. Here, we deposited TiO2 at different thicknesses using atomic layer deposition (ALD), a technique well-suited for producing uniform and pinhole-free films. The crystal structure of the layers was controlled by depositing the films at three different temperatures: 150 °C, 250 °C, and 350 °C. The layers were characterized in detail to determine the morphology (by atomic force microscopy), surface composition (by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy) and the crystal structure (by X-ray diffraction). The TiO2 layers were then incorporated as ETLs in planar perovskite solar cells to evaluate their influence on device performance. Higher deposition temperatures led to improvements in device fill factor and open-circuit voltage, leading to more efficient solar cells. Notably, the best device performance for the ALD-TiO2 layers was achieved with films deposited at 250 °C.}},
  author       = {{Qudsia, Syeda and Weiss, Alexander and Sirkiä, Saara and Wang, Fuzeng and Rosqvist, Emil and Los Arcos, Teresa De and Weinberger, Christian and Halme, Janne and Kemell, Marianna and Smått, Jan-Henrik}},
  issn         = {{0169-4332}},
  journal      = {{Applied Surface Science}},
  keywords     = {{Titanium dioxide, Atomic layer deposition, Electron transport layer, Perovskite solar cells}},
  pages        = {{166755}},
  title        = {{{Influence of deposition temperature and thickness of ALD-TiO2 on planar perovskite solar cell performance}}},
  doi          = {{https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apsusc.2026.166755}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}

@article{66042,
  author       = {{Qudsia, Syeda and Weiss, Alexander and Sirkiä, Saara and Wang, Fuzeng and Rosqvist, Emil and de los Arcos de Pedro, Maria Teresa and Weinberger, Christian and Halme, Janne and Kemell, Marianna and Smått, Jan-Henrik}},
  issn         = {{0169-4332}},
  journal      = {{Applied Surface Science}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier BV}},
  title        = {{{Influence of deposition temperature and thickness of ALD-TiO2 on planar perovskite solar cell performance}}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.apsusc.2026.166755}},
  volume       = {{736}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}

@article{62828,
  author       = {{Ruhm, Lukas and Löseke, Jannik and Vieth, Pascal and Prüßner, Tim and Grundmeier, Guido}},
  issn         = {{0169-4332}},
  journal      = {{Applied Surface Science}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier BV}},
  title        = {{{Adhesion promotion and corrosion resistance of mixed phosphonic acid monolayers on AA 2024}}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.apsusc.2024.160655}},
  volume       = {{670}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}

@article{36874,
  author       = {{Su, Jiangling and González Orive, Alejandro and Grundmeier, Guido}},
  issn         = {{0169-4332}},
  journal      = {{Applied Surface Science}},
  keywords     = {{Surfaces, Coatings and Films, Condensed Matter Physics, Surfaces and Interfaces, General Physics and Astronomy, General Chemistry}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier BV}},
  title        = {{{Nano-FTIR and chemical force analysis of electrografted aryldiazonium salts on ODT-microcontact printed Au-surfaces}}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.apsusc.2022.155355}},
  volume       = {{609}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}

@article{35976,
  author       = {{de los Arcos de Pedro, Maria Teresa and Weinberger, Christian and Zysk, Frederik and Raj Damerla, Varun and Kollmann, Sabrina and Vieth, Pascal and Tiemann, Michael and Kühne, Thomas D. and Grundmeier, Guido}},
  issn         = {{0169-4332}},
  journal      = {{Applied Surface Science}},
  keywords     = {{Surfaces, Coatings and Films, Condensed Matter Physics, Surfaces and Interfaces, General Physics and Astronomy, General Chemistry}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier BV}},
  title        = {{{Challenges in the interpretation of gas core levels for the determination of gas-solid interactions within dielectric porous films by ambient pressure XPS}}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.apsusc.2022.154525}},
  volume       = {{604}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}

@article{33691,
  abstract     = {{Near ambient pressure XPS in nitrogen atmosphere was utilized to investigate gas-solid interactions within porous SiO2 films ranging from 30 to 75 nm thickness. The films were differentiated in terms of porosity and roughness. The XPS N1s core levels of the N2 gas in presence of the SiO2 samples showed variations in width, binding energy and line shape. The width correlated with the surface charge induced in the dielectric films upon X-ray irradiation. The observed different binding energies observed for the N1s peak can only partly be associated with intrinsic work function differences between the samples, opening the possibility that the effect of physisorption at room temperature could be detected by a shift in the measured binding energy. However, the signals also show an increasing asymmetry with rising surface charge. This might be associated with the formation of vertical electrical gradients within the dielectric porous thin films, which complicates the assignment of binding energy positions to specific surface-related effects. With the support of Monte Carlo and first principles density functional theory calculations, the observed shifts were discussed in terms of the possible formation of transitory dipoles upon N2 physisorption within the porous SiO2 films.}},
  author       = {{de los Arcos, Teresa and Weinberger, Christian and Zysk, Frederik and Raj Damerla, Varun and Kollmann, Sabrina and Vieth, Pascal and Tiemann, Michael and Kühne, Thomas and Grundmeier, Guido}},
  issn         = {{0169-4332}},
  journal      = {{Applied Surface Science}},
  keywords     = {{Surfaces, Coatings and Films, Condensed Matter Physics, Surfaces and Interfaces, General Physics and Astronomy, General Chemistry}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier BV}},
  title        = {{{Challenges in the interpretation of gas core levels for the determination of gas-solid interactions within dielectric porous films by ambient pressure XPS}}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.apsusc.2022.154525}},
  volume       = {{604}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}

@article{22643,
  author       = {{Yang, Yu and Yu, Mingrui and Böke, Frederik and Qin, Qin and Hübner, René and Knust, Steffen and Schwiderek, Sabrina and Grundmeier, Guido and Fischer, Horst and Keller, Adrian}},
  issn         = {{0169-4332}},
  journal      = {{Applied Surface Science}},
  pages        = {{147671}},
  title        = {{{Effect of nanoscale surface topography on the adsorption of globular proteins}}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.apsusc.2020.147671}},
  volume       = {{535}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}

@article{22651,
  author       = {{Keller, Adrian and Grundmeier, Guido}},
  issn         = {{0169-4332}},
  journal      = {{Applied Surface Science}},
  pages        = {{144991}},
  title        = {{{Amyloid aggregation at solid-liquid interfaces: Perspectives of studies using model surfaces}}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.apsusc.2019.144991}},
  volume       = {{506}},
  year         = {{2020}},
}

@article{33646,
  author       = {{Majumdar, I. and Sahoo, S.K. and Parvan, V. and Mirhosseini, Hossein and Chacko, B. and Wang, Y. and Greiner, D. and Kühne, Thomas and Schlatmann, R. and Lauermann, I.}},
  issn         = {{0169-4332}},
  journal      = {{Applied Surface Science}},
  keywords     = {{Surfaces, Coatings and Films, Condensed Matter Physics, Surfaces and Interfaces, General Physics and Astronomy, General Chemistry}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier BV}},
  title        = {{{Effects of KF and RbF treatments on Cu(In,Ga)Se2-based solar cells: A combined photoelectron spectroscopy and DFT study}}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.apsusc.2020.148085}},
  volume       = {{538}},
  year         = {{2020}},
}

@article{22541,
  abstract     = {{Monodisperse micron-sized silica particle monolayers deposited onto plasma-grown SiOx-ultra-thin films have been used as reference systems to investigate wetting, water adsorption and capillary bridge formation as a function of silica surface functionalization. 1H,1H, 2H,2H perfluorooctyltriethoxysil (FOTS) monolayers, have been deposited on the respective surfaces by means of chemical vapor deposition resulting in macroscopically low energy surfaces. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) reflection absorption spectroscopy confirmed the monolayer formation. Water adsorption isotherms were studied by a combination of in-situ FTIR reflection spectroscopy and quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) while macroscopic wetting was analysed by contact angle measurements. The comparative data evaluation indicates that the macroscopic wetting behaviour was changed as expected, however, that water nanodroplets formed both at intrinsic defects of the FOTS monolayer and at the FOTS/SiOx interface. Capillary bridges of liquid water are dominantly formed in the confined particle contact areas and between surface asperities on the particles. The comparison of wetting, adsorption and capillary bridge formation shows that the hydrophobization of porous materials by organosilane monolayers leads to the formation of morphology dependent nanoscopic defects that act as sites for preferential capillary bridge formation.}},
  author       = {{Giner, Ignacio and Torun, Boray and Han, Yan and Duderija, Belma and Meinderink, Dennis and Orive, Alejandro González and de los Arcos de Pedro, Maria Teresa and Weinberger, Christian and Tiemann, Michael and Schmid, Hans-Joachim and Grundmeier, Guido}},
  issn         = {{0169-4332}},
  journal      = {{Applied Surface Science}},
  pages        = {{873--879}},
  title        = {{{Water adsorption and capillary bridge formation on silica micro-particle layers modified with perfluorinated organosilane monolayers}}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.apsusc.2018.12.221}},
  year         = {{2019}},
}

@article{22554,
  author       = {{González-Orive, A. and Giner, I. and de los Arcos de Pedro, Maria Teresa and Keller, Adrian and Grundmeier, Guido}},
  issn         = {{0169-4332}},
  journal      = {{Applied Surface Science}},
  pages        = {{581--594}},
  title        = {{{Analysis of polymer/oxide interfaces under ambient conditions – An experimental perspective}}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.apsusc.2018.02.155}},
  year         = {{2018}},
}

@article{22552,
  author       = {{González-Orive, A. and Giner, I. and de los Arcos de Pedro, Maria Teresa and Keller, A. and Grundmeier, Guido}},
  issn         = {{0169-4332}},
  journal      = {{Applied Surface Science}},
  pages        = {{581--594}},
  title        = {{{Analysis of polymer/oxide interfaces under ambient conditions – An experimental perspective}}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.apsusc.2018.02.155}},
  year         = {{2018}},
}

@article{22553,
  author       = {{González-Orive, A. and Giner, I. and de los Arcos de Pedro, Maria Teresa and Keller, A. and Grundmeier, G.}},
  issn         = {{0169-4332}},
  journal      = {{Applied Surface Science}},
  pages        = {{581--594}},
  title        = {{{Analysis of polymer/oxide interfaces under ambient conditions – An experimental perspective}}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.apsusc.2018.02.155}},
  year         = {{2018}},
}

@article{22669,
  author       = {{Mosebach, Bastian and Ozkaya, Berkem and Giner, Ignacio and Keller, Adrian and Grundmeier, Guido}},
  issn         = {{0169-4332}},
  journal      = {{Applied Surface Science}},
  pages        = {{296--302}},
  title        = {{{Analysis of acid-base interactions at Al 2 O 3 (11-20) interfaces by means of single molecule force spectroscopy}}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.apsusc.2017.05.105}},
  volume       = {{420}},
  year         = {{2017}},
}

@article{22561,
  author       = {{Wiesing, M. and de los Arcos de Pedro, Maria Teresa and Grundmeier, Guido}},
  issn         = {{0169-4332}},
  journal      = {{Applied Surface Science}},
  pages        = {{767--774}},
  title        = {{{UHV AFM based colloidal probe studies of adhesive properties of VAlN hard coatings}}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.apsusc.2017.09.208}},
  year         = {{2017}},
}

@article{22851,
  author       = {{Hunold, Oliver and Wiesing, Martin and de los Arcos, Teresa and Music, Denis and Grundmeier, Guido and Schneider, Jochen M.}},
  issn         = {{0169-4332}},
  journal      = {{Applied Surface Science}},
  pages        = {{1165--1172}},
  title        = {{{Influence of O2 exposure on the interaction between CH4 and amorphous AlYB14}}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.apsusc.2016.09.092}},
  year         = {{2016}},
}

@article{22853,
  author       = {{Yasakau, K.A. and Giner, I. and Vree, C. and Ozcan, O. and Grothe, R. and Oliveira, A. and Grundmeier, Guido and Ferreira, M.G.S. and Zheludkevich, M.L.}},
  issn         = {{0169-4332}},
  journal      = {{Applied Surface Science}},
  pages        = {{144--156}},
  title        = {{{Influence of stripping and cooling atmospheres on surface properties and corrosion of zinc galvanizing coatings}}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.apsusc.2016.07.093}},
  year         = {{2016}},
}

@article{22567,
  author       = {{Hunold, Oliver and Wiesing, Martin and de los Arcos de Pedro, Maria Teresa and Music, Denis and Grundmeier, Guido and Schneider, Jochen M.}},
  issn         = {{0169-4332}},
  journal      = {{Applied Surface Science}},
  pages        = {{1165--1172}},
  title        = {{{Influence of O2 exposure on the interaction between CH4 and amorphous AlYB14}}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.apsusc.2016.09.092}},
  year         = {{2016}},
}

@article{20945,
  abstract     = {{Calcium-Silicate-Hydrates (C-S-H) are the main binding phases in most concrete which is the primarily used composite construction material in the world. However, a big lack is cleaving between the actual knowledge about C-S-H, compared to what could be reached using state-of-the-art technologies of modern research. In this article, the formation of a C-S-H phase on a native oxide covered silicon wafer is investigated by means of in-situ attenuated total reflection infrared (ATR-IR) and ex-situ surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). The total thickness of the C-S-H phase is determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) to be 3 nm. The formation appears to be reversible depending on the environment pH value and can be performed at room temperature. Based on density functional theory (DFT) calculations, it is shown that the C-S-H phase in the presence of water will change its chemical composition in order to reach the thermodynamic ground state of the system. This change is achieved by a metal-proton exchange reaction. The stoichiometry of these metal-proton exchange reactions is nearly independent of the environment pH value. Electrokinetic measurements yield isoelectric points of 2.0 and 2.6 for the native oxide covered silicon wafer (SiO2) and the C-S-H phase. This is consistent with a predominance of Si-O sites at the C-S-H/water interface. (C) 2013 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.}},
  author       = {{Ebbert, Christoph and Grundmeier, Guido and Buitkamp, Nadine and Kroeger, Alexander and Messerschmidt, Florian and Thissen, Peter}},
  issn         = {{1873-5584}},
  journal      = {{APPLIED SURFACE SCIENCE}},
  pages        = {{207--214}},
  title        = {{{Toward a microscopic understanding of the calcium-silicate-hydrates/water interface}}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.apsusc.2013.11.045}},
  volume       = {{290}},
  year         = {{2014}},
}

@article{13515,
  author       = {{Sanna, S. and Hölscher, R. and Schmidt, Wolf Gero}},
  issn         = {{0169-4332}},
  journal      = {{Applied Surface Science}},
  pages        = {{70--78}},
  title        = {{{Temperature dependent LiNbO3(0001): Surface reconstruction and surface charge}}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.apsusc.2014.01.104}},
  year         = {{2014}},
}