Monolayers at solid–solid interfaces probed with infrared spectroscopy

The sensitivities of infrared spectra of thin adsorbate layers measured in either transmission, internal reflection or external reflection can be greatly increased if a light incidence medium with a high refractive index such as an IR-transparent solid material is used. This increase in sensitivity is due to the strong enhancement of the perpendicular electric field in a thin layer of low refractive index sandwiched between two high refractive index materials. Based on model calculations of a hypothetical sample layer, the influence and optimization of experimental parameters such as incidence angle, sample layer thickness and optical contact between layers are investigated. Under optimized conditions, this enhancement can exceed a factor of 100 when compared to conventional surface IR techniques. In addition, the spectra of sandwiched sample layers are governed by a uniform surface selection rule, such that only the perpendicular vibrational components are enhanced, and they permit a straightforward, substrate-independent analysis of surface orientations. Experimental examples of monolayer spectra of long-chain hydrocarbon compounds adsorbed onto gold and silicon substrates and contacted with a germanium crystal used as the incidence medium demonstrate the simple experimental realization and unprecedented sensitivity of this sandwich technique, and they offer novel insights into the chemistry and structure of monolayers confined and compressed between two solid surfaces. Figure IR reflection spectrum of a monolayer of a fatty acid methyl ester sandwiched between silicon and germanium.     

Investigations of the optical properties of thin, highly absorbing films under attenuated total reflection conditions: Leaky waveguide mode distortions

Spectra of thin highly absorbing Nafion films doped with Ru(bpy)₃²⁺ on SF11 glass substrates were studied by internal reflection spectroscopy using a single reflection configuration. For the system under study, two modes of light interaction with the film are available: attenuation due to evanescent wave penetration and light propagation within the absorbing film. Unlike evanescent wave spectroscopy, light propagation within the film causes distortions in the measured spectra due to leaky waveguide propagation modes. Upon light propagation in a film doped with Ru(bpy)₃²⁺ spectral shifts up to 50 nm to longer wavelengths can occur and additional absorbance peaks can appear in the spectra. These film-based distortions depend on the complex refractive index, the thickness of the film and the angle of incidence. These effects become significant for an extinction coefficient above 0.01 and a film thickness above 200 nm. It is shown that spectral distortions can lead to quite complex dynamics in the internal reflection spectra upon analyte preconcentration in the film. Ru(bpy)₃²⁺ partitioning into the Nafion film causes significant refractive index changes that in turn alter leaky waveguide mode conditions in the film and, can even lead to a reduction of measured absorbance despite the increase in the extinction coefficient of the film.     

Preparation and Refractive Index of Nano BST Thin Films

"Radio frequency magnetron sputtering technique is used to deposit Ba0:65Sr0:35TiO3 (BST) thin films on fused quartz substrates. In order to prepare the high quality BST thin films, the crystallization and microstructure of the films were characterized by X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy and atom force microstructure. The more intense characteristic diffraction peaks and better crystallization can be observed in BST thin films deposited at 600 oC and subsequently annealed at 700 oC. The refractive index of the films is determined from the measured transmission spectra. The dependences of the refractive index on the deposition parameters of BST thin films are different. The refractive index of the films increases with the substrate temperature. At lower sputtering pressure, the refractive index increases from 1.797 to 2.179 with the pressure increase. However, when the pressure increases up to 3.9 Pa, the refractive index instead reduces to 1.860. The oxygen to argon ratio also plays an important effect on the refractive index of the films. It has been found that the refractive index increases with the ratio of oxygen to argon increasing. The refractive index of BST thin films is strongly dependent on the annealing temperature, which also increases as the annealing temperature ascends. In one word, the refractive index of BST thin films is finally affected by the films microstructure and texture."     

Assessment of silver and gold substrates for the detection of amphetamine sulfate by surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)

Methods of detection of amphetamine sulfate using surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) from colloidal suspensions and vapour deposited films of both silver and gold are compared. Different aggregating agents are required to produce effective SERS from silver and gold colloidal suspensions. Gold colloid and vapour deposited gold films give weaker scattering than the equivalent silver substrates when high concentrations of drug are analysed but they also give lower detection limits, suggesting a smaller surface enhancement but stronger surface adsorption. A 10(-5) mol dm(-3) solution (the final concentration after addition of colloid was 10(-6) mol dm(-3)) of amphetamine sulfate was detected from gold colloid with an RSD of 5.4%. 25 microl of the same solution could be detected on a roughened gold film. The intensities of the spectra varied across the film surface resulting in relatively high RSDs. The precision was improved by averaging the scattering from several points on the surface. An attempt to improve the detection limit and precision by concentrating a suspension of gold colloid and amphetamine sulfate in aluminium wells did not give effective quantitation. Thus, positive identification and semi-quantitative estimation of amphetamine sulfate can be made quickly and easily using SERS from suspended gold colloid with the appropriate aggregating agents.     

Refractive index measurements of films with biaxial symmetry. 1. Determination of complex refractive indices using polarized reflectance/transmittance ratio

A new method to extract complex refractive indices of films with biaxial symmetry from polarized transmission and reflection spectra is described. Theoretical analysis demonstrates that the reflectance/transmittance ratio (R/T ratio) of two films of different thicknesses but with the same optical anisotropy is a simple function of the refractive index (n) and extinction coefficient (k). For films with biaxial symmetry, components of n and k on symmetric axes can be extracted from either s- or p-polarized R/T ratios if the film thickness values are known. The R/T ratio method can generate n and k spectra within a particular wavelength range without assuming a specific relationship among n, k, and wavelength, which is an advantage over many currently available techniques. The R/T ratio method is used to extract the anisotropic complex refractive indices of a polyimide film with known uniaxial symmetry. The resultant n and k spectra compare well with simulations based on known n and k values. The accuracy of n and k spectra is affected mostly by data error in reflection and transmission spectra collection, thickness variation across sample films, and error in sample alignment.     

掺硼p型非晶硅薄膜的制备及光学性能的表征

以高氢稀释的硅烷(SiH₄ )为反应气体,硼烷(B₂H₆)为掺杂气体,利用RF-PECVD方法,在玻璃衬底上制备出掺硼的氢化非晶硅(a-Si:H)薄膜,研究了硼掺杂量对氢化非晶硅(a-Si:H)薄膜的光学性能的影响.利用NKD-7000 W光学薄膜分析系统测试薄膜的透射谱和反射谱,并利用该系统的软件拟合得出薄膜的折射率、消光系数、吸收系数等光学性能参数,利用Tauc法计算掺硼的非晶硅薄膜的光学带隙.实验结果表明,随着硼掺杂量的增加,掺杂非晶硅薄膜样品在同一波长处的折射率先增大后减小,而且每一样品均随着入射光波长的增加而减小,在波长500 nm处的折射率均达到4.3以上;薄膜的消光系数和吸收系数随着硼掺杂量的增大而增大,在500 nm处的吸收系数可高达1.5×10⁵cm^-1.在实验的硼掺杂范围内,光学带隙从1.81 eV变化到1.71 eV.     

Effect of the corona treatment and of the 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol on the surface characteristics of the poly(ethylene terephthalate) film

Several techniques have been applied for the characterization of three PET films surfaces: homopolymer PET film, corona treated PET film and a poly(ethylene terephthalate-co-1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol) film. The objective of this work is to investigate and to apply precise and mutually complementary techniques which give detailled information about theses surfaces, as there are few papers with global and conclusive results. The film surfaces were investigated to support the development of new products and envisage new apllications to the existent films. Scanning electron micrographs, attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR-ATR) and multiple internal reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR-MIR) spectra show that the chemical composition, topography and surface roughness of the films are different. The corona-treated PET film shows high surface tension value due to the major contribution on the polar groups and oxidation level acquired. The copolyester film is much less crystalline than the other films analyzed, as demonstrated by refractive index measurements and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The amorphous structures obtained and the high tension level of the corona-treated films provide a better understanding of the adhesion phenomena. In view of results obtained, one can assume that corona treated films owing to its higher surface tension and films with CHDM owing to its surface amorphization should provide manufacturing industries better processing conditions than films without surface treatment and also higher levels of adhesion to paints and coatings.     

Synthesis and Characterization of Highly Oriented Sol-Gel (Pb, La) TiO3 Thin Film Optical Waveguides

The preparation and the optical characteristics of highly oriented PLT thin films are investigated. PLT films fabricated on MgO(100) and c-plane sapphire substrates have highly grown in (100) and (111) orientations, respectively. PLT films with high La content have a near cubic structure and weak anisotropy of refractive indices. The optical propagation losses of PLT films decrease as the La content of the films increases due to a complex interaction of surface roughness reduction and a reduction in the anisotropy refractive index. However, optical scattering in thicker sol-gel PLT thin film waveguides occurs by the internal scattering mechanism from the defects and the interfaces rather than by the surface scattering mechanism.     

基于自组装纳米金单层膜的全内反射SERS研究

采用静电自组装技术分别在玻璃基片和30 nm厚的金膜表面固定一层金纳米粒子(GNP)制得两种表面增强拉曼散射(SERS)基底,然后通过棱镜全内反射(TIR)激励和背向收集模式分别测试了两种基底上吸附的染料单分子层SERS光谱.实验结果表明两种SERS基底的拉曼增强效果均高度依赖于入射激光的偏振状态,对于玻璃/纳米金SERS基底,s光全内反射导致的拉曼增强因子是线偏振光(p)光的2-5倍,说明该基底上的"热点"位于纳米金单层膜内相邻粒子之间;对于玻璃/金膜/纳米金SERS基底,只有采用p光在特定的全内反射角下才能激发SERS信号,而且测得的SERS信号比玻璃/纳米金基底增强了近30倍.究其原因是p光在金膜表面共振激发的传播表面等离子体与纳米金局域表面等离子体耦合,进而导致显著场增强.实验结果指出在背向收集模式下,由p光激发的SERS信号是非偏振光,包含强度几乎相等的s和p成分.利用玻璃/金膜/纳米金基底还实现了拉曼光定向发射和收集,测得的SERS信号是p光.     

Preparation, structure, and optical properties of nanoporous gold thin films

Thin nanoporous gold (np-Au) films, ranging in thickness from approximately 40 to 1600 nm, have been prepared by selective chemical etching of Ag from Ag/Au alloy films supported on planar substrates. A combination of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging, synchrotron grazing incidence small angle X-ray scattering, and N2 adsorption surface area measurements shows the films to exhibit a porous structure with intertwined gold fibrils exhibiting a spectrum of feature sizes and spacings ranging from several to hundreds of nanometers. Spectroscopic ellipsometry measurements (300-800 nm) reveal the onset of surface plasmon types of features with increase of film thicknesses into the approximately 200 nm film thickness range. Raman scattering measurements for films functionalized with a self-assembled monolayer formed from 4-fluorobenzenethiol show significant enhancements which vary sharply with film thickness and etching times. The maximum enhancement factors reach approximately 10(4) for 632.8 nm excitation, peak sharply in the approximately 200 nm thickness range for films prepared at optimum etching times, and show high spot to spot reproducibility with approximately 1 microm laser spot sizes, an indication that these films could be useful as durable, highly reproducible surface-enhanced Raman substrates.     

基于自组装纳米金单层膜的全内反射SERS研究

采用静电自组装技术分别在玻璃基片和30 nm厚的金膜表面固定一层金纳米粒子（GNP）制得两种表面增强拉曼散射（SERS）基底,然后通过棱镜全内反射（TIR）激励和背向收集模式分别测试了两种基底上吸附的染料单分子层SERS光谱. 实验结果表明两种SERS基底的拉曼增强效果均高度依赖于入射激光的偏振状态,对于玻璃/纳米金SERS基底,s 光全内反射导致的拉曼增强因子是线偏振光（p）光的2-5 倍,说明该基底上的“热点”位于纳米金单层膜内相邻粒子之间;对于玻璃/金膜/纳米金SERS基底,只有采用p光在特定的全内反射角下才能激发SERS信号,而且测得的SERS信号比玻璃/纳米金基底增强了近30 倍. 究其原因是p 光在金膜表面共振激发的传播表面等离子体与纳米金局域表面等离子体耦合,进而导致显著场增强. 实验结果指出在背向收集模式下,由p 光激发的SERS信号是非偏振光,包含强度几乎相等的s 和p 成分. 利用玻璃/金膜/纳米金基底还实现了拉曼光定向发射和收集,测得的SERS信号是p光.     

Gold nanoparticles as a colorimetric sensor for protein conformational changes

Spherical gold nanoparticles and flat gold films are prepared in which yeast iso-1-cytochrome c (Cyt c) is covalently bound to the gold surface by a thiol group in the cystein 102 residue. Upon exposure to solutions of different pH, bound Cyt c unfolds at low pH and refolds at high pH. This conformational change causes measurable shifts in the color of the coated nanoparticle solutions detected by UV-VIS absorption spectroscopy and in the refractive index (RI) of the flat gold films detected by surface plasmon resonance (SPR) spectroscopy. Both experiments demonstrate the same trend with pH, suggesting the use of protein-covered gold nanoparticles as a simple colorimetric sensor for conformational change.     

Relation between s-polarized and p-polarized internal reflection spectra: application for the spectral resolution of perpendicular vibrational modes

The orientation of chemical bonds in thin films is commonly probed with polarized internal reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Here we demonstrate how the internal reflection spectra obtained using s-polarized light are related with the corresponding p-polarized spectra. The relation between s- and p-polarized internal reflection spectra is applied to resolve the absorption bands of vibrational modes with components oriented perpendicular to the substrate. This is successfully demonstrated using Langmuir-Blodgett films containing smectite clay minerals and a surfactant deposited on ZnSe and Ge internal reflection elements.     

Effect of substrate surface on dewetting behavior and chain orientation of semicrystalline block copolymer thin films

Three symmetrical semicrystalline oxyethylene/oxybutylene block copolymers (EmBn) were spin-coated on different substrates including silicon, hydrophobically modified silicon, and mica. The effects of surface property on the dewetting behavior of EmBn thin films and the chain orientation of the crystalline block were investigated with atomic force microscopy and grazing incidence X-ray diffraction . The EmBn thin films on silicon exhibit an autophobic dewetting behavior, while ordinary dewetting occurs for the thin films on modified silicon. It was observed that the stems of the E crystals in the first half-polymer layer contacting the mica surface were parallel to the surface, in contrast to the perpendicular chain orientation of the other polymer layers and of the first half-polymer layer on silicon. This is attributed to the strong interaction between the E block and mica, verified by infrared spectra.     

Polymer-coated gold island films as localized plasmon transducers for gas sensing

Ultrathin (typically < or = 10-nm thick) gold island films evaporated on transparent substrates show a prominent localized surface plasmon (SP) extinction in the visible-to-NIR range. Changes in the dielectric properties of the contacting medium influence the SP absorption band, providing a scheme for optical sensing based on refractive index change. In the present work, the gas sensing capability of gold island based localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) transducers was explored using polymeric coatings as the active interface. LSPR transducers were fabricated by spin-coating of polystyrene (PS) or polystyrene sulfonic acid, sodium salt (PSS) onto 5-nm-thick (nominal thickness) gold island films evaporated on silanized glass and annealed. Detailed characterization of the transducers was carried out using high-resolution scanning electron microscopy, cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy, and in situ atomic force microscopy under controlled atmosphere. The hydrophobic PS film exhibits swelling and significant thickness increase upon exposure to chloroform vapor and little or no change in water vapor, whereas the hydrophilic PSS film shows the opposite behavior when exposed to the same vapors. Polymer swelling upon absorption of vapors of good solvents shows a net effect of lowering the effective refractive index in the vicinity of the gold islands, manifested as a characteristic decrease of the SP band intensity and a blue shift of the band maximum. The response, measured for four different vapors, is fast (approximately 15 s) and reversible. It is shown that gold island systems coated with polymeric films can be applied to vapor recognition in an array configuration.     

Reversible Immobilization of Peptides: Surface Modification and In Situ Detection by Attenuated Total Reflection FTIR Spectroscopy

A generic method is described for the reversible immobilization of polyhistidine‐bearing polypeptides and proteins on attenuated total reflecting (ATR) sensor surfaces for the detection of biomolecular interactions by FTIR spectroscopy. Nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) groups are covalently attached to self‐assembled monolayers of either thioalkanes on gold films or mercaptosilanes on silicon dioxide films deposited on germanium internal reflection elements. Complex formation between Ni²⁺ ions and NTA groups activates the ATR sensor surface for the selective binding of polyhistidine sequences. This approach not only allows a stable and reversible immobilization of histidine‐tagged peptides (His–peptides) but also simultaneously allows the direct in situ quantification of surface‐adsorbed molecules from their specific FTIR spectral bands. The surface concentrations of both NTA and His–peptide on silanized surfaces were determined to be 1.1 and 0.4 molecules nm^?2, respectively, which means that the surface is densely covered. A comparison of experimental FTIR spectra with simulated spectra reveals a surface‐enhancement effect of one order of magnitude for the gold surfaces. With the presented sensor surfaces, new ways are opened up to investigate, in situ and with high sensitivity and reproducibility, protein–ligand, protein–protein, protein–DNA interactions, and DNA hybridization by ATR–FTIR spectroscopy.     

SERS from two-tier sphere segment void substrates

Sphere segment void, or inverse opal, films prepared from a variety of coinage metals have shown promise as reliable and reproducible substrates for surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). Sphere segment void substrates are prepared from colloidal templates consisting of one or more layers of polystyrene spheres. In this paper, we investigate the reflection spectra and SERS for a gold film consisting of two-tiers of spherical cavities, and show that the best SERS enhancements are obtained from substrates consisting of just a single layer of sphere segment voids.     

Molecular orientation of EVA chains adsorbed on chemically controlled surfaces: influence of specific interactions

Molecular orientation of ethylene–vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymer nanofilms adsorbed on chemically controlled surfaces is studied. Four EVA copolymers with different contents of vinyl acetate (VA) were spin‐coated onto gold, COOH and NH₂ functionalized substrates in order to study chain behaviour when adsorbed in a quasi‐two‐dimensional system. Polarization‐modulation infrared reflection–absorption spectroscopy (PM‐IRRAS), a very suitable technique to study thin films, was the key to quantitative calculation of EVA chain orientational angles. Acid–base interactions between carbonyl groups of the chain ramification (vinyl acetate units) and the surface functionalities are evidenced on the basis of infrared spectra. Their incidence on the molecular orientation is also discussed. Our results show a quasi‐parallel orientation of EVA main chains with respect to the surface plane for all adsorption substrates. At the same time, orientation changes of the acetate groups are observed when the EVA copolymer is adsorbed onto functionalized substrates, suggesting that acid–base interactions could influence the orientation of these groups. However, these changes are limited and cannot reorient the main chain axis. Moreover, our results show that increasing VA content in the chain does not lead to more carbonyl functions involved in acid–base interactions with the adsorption surface. This fact also will be discussed. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Chemical analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy

The use of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) for trace determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) is described. This paper focuses on the development of SERS-active substrates that are specific for the characterization and spectroscopic study of PAHs. The SERS-active substrates are based on thin gold films evaporated on a glass surface previously treated with a mercaptoalkylsilane. SERS of PAHs was investigated over uncoated gold island films and over such films coated with a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of 1-propanethiol. Adsorption of PAHs on a plain SERS-active Au-film led to a surface-induced decomposition of PAHs, due to catalytic properties of nanostructured gold. Thus, the functionalization of the SERS-active substrates by means of SAM was done aiming at a specific chemical interaction toward PAHs. Thus, in addition to preventing decomposition of the PAHs, the coating also concentrates the hydrophobic PAHs close enough to the SERS-active interface. Results show that high sensitivity, SERS-active nanostructured gold substrates that show selectivity towards PAHs were obtained, with the following properties: strong intensification of the Raman signal, reproducibility, and stability over time. The employed methodology enables the observation of excellent Raman spectra of PAHs in aqueous environment at ppm levels.     

Formation of Ultrathin Films at the Solid-Liquid Interface Studied by In Situ Ellipsometry

Ellipsometric investigations of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of alkylsiloxanes on native silicon substrates and of organothiols on gold substrates were performed under in situ conditions with the substrate in direct contact with the adsorbate solution. Specially designed liquid cells matched for different incidence angles were used to carry out measurements in a range of organic solvents with different refractive indices as the ambient medium. The observed shifts in the ellipsometric phase angles Delta upon monolayer formation were found to depend very sensitively on the incidence angle and the refractive indices of the adsorbate film and the ambient solvent, from which a rather simple method for determining the refractive index of the adsorbate film, based on a variation of the ambient refractive index, was derived. Time-resolved in situ measurements of SAM formation in different solvents and onto different substrates yielded accurate kinetic information on the monolayer growth process and revealed hitherto unknown strong solvent effects on the growth rate. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.