Free‐Standing Ultrathin Ceramic Foils

Abstract

Ceramic thin films are used in various applications for their structural or functional properties. Below a thickness of approximately 25 μm, ceramic films are typically deposited, sintered, and used on a supporting substrate due to their fragility. Here, we present a set of easy and versatile green film deposition and sintering techniques that allow the fabrication of free‐standing micrometer‐thin alumina and yttria‐stabilized zirconia foils. Because of their extremely low thickness, the foils were transparent and flexible but still strong enough that they were self‐supporting and could be handled manually. The presented concepts are not limited to the materials used here and can potentially be extended to most ceramic materials and glasses. So prepared free‐standing ultrathin ceramic foils allow new assembly and fabrication methods of devices and novel materials that contain thin ceramic membranes.