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• thin film
  thin film

  noun

  a film of material only a few microns thick, deposited on a substrate, as in the technology for making integrated circuits.
• thin-film
  thin-film

  adjective

  (of an electronic component, device, or circuit) composed of one or more extremely thin layers of metal, semiconductor, etc, deposited on a ceramic or glass substrate

thin film

American  

noun

1. a film of material only a few microns thick, deposited on a substrate, as in the technology for making integrated circuits.

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thin-film British  

adjective

1. (of an electronic component, device, or circuit) composed of one or more extremely thin layers of metal, semiconductor, etc, deposited on a ceramic or glass substrate

   thin-film capacitor

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Other Word Forms

• thin-film
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of thin film

First recorded in 1955–60

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

thin film thin-film

The researchers produced the material using magnetron sputtering deposition, a process that applies a thin film to a surface.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 31, 2026

The team then stacked the Fe-Ga thin film atop an Si substrate with the optimum thickness ratio.

From Science Daily ● May 13, 2024

Tagliabue explains that, using a thin film of monocrystalline gold produced with a novel synthesis technique, the team studied the photoluminescence process as they made the metal thinner and thinner.

From Science Daily ● Apr. 19, 2024

The team landed on a very thin film device that helps restrain the crystal growth during assembly and printing.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 13, 2024

As he knew, these were deflected somewhat by magnetic fields but, curiously, even more on their passage through solid matter—even through a thin film such as mica.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

The company has been dogged by concerns over a lack of clarity into its operations, including its progress on building an operational foundry in Arizona to manufacture thin-film lithium niobate chips for quantum systems.

From Barron's ● May 11, 2026

The Chinese thin-film deposition equipment provider is poised to benefit from a strong memory expansion upcycle, the analysts say.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 29, 2026

Quantum Computing sees its thin-film lithium niobate chip foundry, which produces materials used in telecom hardware and photonic chips that power certain types of quantum systems, as a way to stand out from peers.

From Barron's ● Mar. 2, 2026

Utilising plastic waste, the team engineered thin-film aerogels that function as thermal insulators and radiative coolers.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 4, 2024

With their demonstrated stability and shelf life, the supramolecular ink compounds could also help in the commercial advancement of ionic halide perovskites, a thin-film solar material that the display industry has been eyeing for decades.

From Science Daily ● Jan. 22, 2024