Nanostructured Oxide Thin Films for Sustainable Development

In the effort to emancipate mankind from fossil fuels dependence and minimize the CO2 emissions, efficient transport and conversion of energy is required. Advanced materials such as superconductors and thermoelectrics are expected to play an important role in sustainable science and development. We propose an overview of our recent progress on nanostructured thin films of superconducting and thermoelectric oxides. Superconducting properties of YBa2Cu3Ox and thermoelectric properties of Al-doped ZnO are described in relation to preparation techniques, experimental conditions, substrates used, structure and morphology. We especially discuss a nanoengineering approach for the enhancement of energy transport and energy conversion efficiency of oxide thin films compared to their corresponding counterpart of bulk materials.