Due to its physical and chemical properties, the n-type tungsten oxide (WO₃) semiconductor is a suitable photoanode for water decomposition reaction. The responses of the photoelectrochemical PEC water-splitting properties as an effect of structural and optical changes of WO₃ thin films, as well as the nature of electrolyte solutions, were studied in this work. The WO₃ thins films have been obtained by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) on silicon (Si(001)) covered with platinum substrates using three different laser wavelengths. As the XRD (X-ray diffraction) and XTEM (cross-section transmission electron microscopy) analysis shows, the formation of highly crystalline monocline WO₃ phase is formed for the film deposited at 1064 nm wavelength and poor crystalline phases with a large ordering anisotropy, characteristic of 2D structures for the films deposited at 355 nm and 193 nm wavelengths, respectively. The photogenerated current densities J_ph depend on the laser wavelength, in both alkaline and acidic electrolyte. The maximum values of the photocurrent density have been obtained for the sample prepared with laser emitting at 355 nm. This behavior can be correlated with the coherent crystallized atomic ordering that appear for long distances (10–15 nm) in the (001) plane of the monoclinic WO₃ phase structure films obtained at 355 nm laser wavelength. All the samples show poor current density in dark conditions and they are very stable in both acidic and alkaline solutions. The highest photocurrent density value is obtained in acidic solution for the WO₃ thin film prepared by 355 nm laser (29 mA/cm² at 1.6 V vs. RHE (1.35 V vs. Ag/AgCl)).

We demonstrate the integration of vanadium dioxide single-crystal nanobeams fabricated by modified vapor–liquid–solid method as electrical switching elements into a radio-frequency transmission line and evaluate the performances of the overall device in modulating the transmission of the conveyed RF electromagnetic waves. The switching capability of the RF device is based on the metal–insulator transition of VO2 nanobeams, with an on/off electrical switching ratio of 104, i.e., resistance modulation from more than 106Ω when the wires are in the insulating state to only ≈20Ω when they are in the metal-like state. The thermal and electrical activation of the VO2 wires between the two dissimilar states is resulting in RF switching performances characterized by more than 15 dB change in the transmission coefficient of the device over the 100 MHz–24 GHz frequency domain.

We report on the deposition and characterization of hafnium silicate and aluminium silicate thin films for different applications in optics and electronics. Pulsed laser deposition in a controllable oxygen atmosphere was used as a processing technique, with optimized parameters in terms of laser wavelength, laser fluence and oxygen pressure. The thin films were investigated using atomic force microscopy, spectroscopic ellipsometry, UV–VIS spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The morphological investigations evidenced uniform layers with low roughness (in the order of nanometres). The optical investigations revealed that aluminium silicate layers with low roughness and low absorption in the infrared (IR) range can be obtained at high substrate temperatures (600 °C). The behaviour of the silicate thin films with respect to the nanosecond IR laser irradiation revealed that aluminium silicate layers have higher laser-induced damage threshold values in comparison with hafnium silicate.

Owing to their metal-insulator transition properties, Niobium oxide(NbOx) thin films have emerged as promising candidates for neuromorphic devices. We present the electrical behavior of NbOxlayers in out-of-plane metal-insulator-metal structures under current-controlled operation. The devices exhibit relaxation oscillations with frequencies up to 2 MHz, while the burst envelopes of these oscillations evolve over millisecond timescales. Beyond steady-state regimes, we observe continuous spiking, transient oscillations, and discrete oscillation packets, demonstrating rich, multi-timescale dynamics. These behaviors, combining high-frequency spiking with slower burst modulation, are relevant for neuromorphic systems emulating biological neuronal activity and for applications such as central pattern generators (CPGs). Our findings highlight the importance of long-timescale characterization for evaluating the neuromorphic potential of oxide-based oscillators.