Surface analysis of polymeric thin films

Thesis/Dissertation · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1992

OSTI ID:7166770

Gray, K H

Image depth profiling with dynamic secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) using ion microscopy and digital imaging provided high spatial resolution 3-D images of patterned polymer films prepared from [Ru(Me[sub 4]bpy)[sub 2](vpy)[sub 2]][sup 2+] and [Fe((CH[sub 2]Br)[sub 2]bpy)[sub 3]][sup 2+]. Although 3-D SIMS has been widely applied to semiconductor device characterization, this study represents a first attempt to characterize conductive polymer arrays. The SIMS studies were useful in localizing the polymer domains, and the extent of polymer mixing or contamination within the film structures. Volume-rendered images and reconstructed local area depth profiles indicated that electropolymerization of the poly-Fe complex was not limited to the channels in the poly-Ru resist produced by optical lithography. Quantification of the SIMS image depth profiles required consideration of detection system non-linearities, ion yield variations (especially transients at the film/substrate interface), and native and sputter induced roughness of the polymer films. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron spectroscopy (SEM), and scanning probe microscopies were also applied to these polymer arrays to analyze problems with control of the spatial features present within the array discovered by the SIMS experiment. Self-assembly (SA) on gold substrates of [alpha]-helical poly([gamma]-benzyl-L-glutamate) (PBLG; MW [approximately]20 kd) with a disulfide moiety attached at its N-terminus (PBLGSS) was also investigated. The SA films were compared with control experiments using unlabeled physisorbed (PS) PBLG and Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) deposited PBLG monolayers. To facilitate multi-technique surface characterization, a variety of substrates were utilized, including epitaxial Au on mica, highly oriented pyrolytic graphite, and freshly cleaved mica substrates.

• Research Organization: North Carolina Univ., Chapel Hill, NC (United States)
• OSTI ID: 7166770
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360602* -- Other Materials-- Structure & Phase Studies
CARBON
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
COMPLEXES
ELEMENTAL MINERALS
ELEMENTS
FILMS
GRAPHITE
ION MICROPROBE ANALYSIS
IRON COMPLEXES
MASS SPECTROSCOPY
MICA
MICROANALYSIS
MINERALS
MOLECULAR STRUCTURE
NONDESTRUCTIVE ANALYSIS
NONMETALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANOMETALLIC COMPOUNDS
POLYMERS
RUTHENIUM COMPLEXES
SILICATE MINERALS
SPECTROSCOPY
THIN FILMS
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPLEXES