While physical methods for planar thin film deposition are well established, this thematic issue aims to highlight their chemical counterparts. Chemical coating techniques are applicable to the large-scale preparation of nanostructured materials, the properties or functionalities of which originate from interfacial effects. Tailored functionality, however, entails the precise control of growth on the nanometer scale and necessitates substantial insight into the surface reactivity at the fundamental level in order to produce flexible, low-cost materials that can be integrated at the process level. Potential contributions may include, but are not limited to the following topics:

• Fundamentals of thin film chemistry: in situ monitoring of film growth and ex situ characterization
• Preparative methods: atomic layer deposition, chemical vapor deposition, chemical solution deposition, galvanic methods
• Applications: renewable energy conversion (photovoltaics, catalysis, energy storage), information technology and communication (data storage and sensing)

Submission deadline: September 22, 2018

(please contact editors directly with inquiries for possible deadline extensions)