Artificial intelligence identifies optimal material formula

Nanostructured layers boast countless potential properties--but how can the most suitable one be identified without any long-term experiments? A team from the Materials Discovery Department at Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB) has ventured a shortcut: using a machine learning algorithm, the researchers were able to reliably predict the properties of such a layer. Their report was published in the new journal Communications Materials from 26 March 2020. During the manufacture of thin films, numerous control variables determine the condition of the surface and, consequently, its properties. Relevant factors include the composition of the layer as well as process conditions during its formation, such as temperature.