Atomic layer deposition for nanomaterial synthesis and functionalization in energy technology

Atomic layer deposition (ALD) has been receiving more and more research attention in the past few decades, ascribed to its unrivaled capabilities in controlling material growth with atomic precision, manipulating novel nanostructures, tuning material composition, offering multiple choices in terms of crystallinity, and producing conformal and uniform film coverage, as well as its suitability for thermally sensitive substrates. These unique characteristics have made ALD an irreplaceable tool and research approach for numerous applications. In this review, we summarize the recent advances of ALD in several important areas including rechargeable secondary batteries, fuel cells, solar cells, and optoelectronics. With this review, we expect to exhibit ALD's versatile potential in providing unique solutions to various technical challenges and also hope to further expand ALD's applications in emerging areas.