The determination of thickness and surface mass density of mesothick immunoprecipitate layers by null ellipsometry and protein 125iodine labeling

The aim of the present study was to ellipsometrically determine the thickness and surface mass density in air for up to 110-nm-thick organic layers made of alternatingly deposited layers of HSA and polyclonal anti-HSA on hydrophobic silicon. The ellipsometrically determined thickness was compared to that obtained by AFM and the deposited surface mass density calibrated with (125)I-labeled proteins. The results indicate a good agreement in protein layer thickness between AFM and ellipsometry when the protein film refractive index N(film)=1.5-0i, although then the calculated surface mass density from the ellipsometry data became grossly overestimated by the Cuypers one-component formula. A good agreement in the surface mass density was obtained when the M/A ratio in this formula was lowered from 4.14 to 2.35. This approach indicates a convenient means of determining the refractive indices and surface mass densities of mesothick organic layers proteins on solid supports.