Au nanoparticle monolayers covered with sol-gel oxide thin films: optical and morphological study

In this work, we provide a detailed study of the influence of thermal annealing on submonolayer Au nanoparticle deposited on functionalized surfaces as standalone films and those that are coated with sol-gel NiO and TiO(2) thin films. The systems are characterized through the use of UV-vis absorption, X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and spectroscopic ellipsometry. The surface plasmon resonance peak of the Au nanoparticles was found to red-shift and increase in intensity with increasing surface coverage, an observation that is directly correlated to the complex refractive index properties of Au nanoparticle layers. The standalone Au nanoparticles sinter at 200 °C, and a relationship between the optical properties and the annealing temperature is presented. When overcoated with sol-gel metal oxide films (NiO, TiO(2)), the optical properties of the Au nanoparticles are strongly affected by the metal oxide, resulting in an intense red shift and broadening of the plasmon band; moreover, the temperature-driven sintering is strongly limited by the metal oxide layer. Optical sensing tests for ethanol vapor are presented as one possible application, showing reversible sensing dynamics and confirming the effect of Au nanoparticles in increasing the sensitivity and in providing a wavelength dependent response, thus confirming the potential use of such materials as optical probes.     

Polyelectrolyte/magnetite nanoparticle multilayers: preparation and structure characterization

Polyelectrolyte composite planar films containing a different number of iron oxide (Fe3O4) nanoparticle layers have been prepared using the layer-by-layer adsorption technique. The nanocomposite assemblies were characterized by ellipsometry, UV-vis spectroscopy, and AFM. Linear growth of the multilayer thickness with the increase of the layer number, N, up to 12 reflects an extensive character of this parameter in this range. A more complicated behavior of the refractive index is caused by changes in the multilayer structure, especially for the thicker nanocomposites. A quantitative analysis of the nanocomposite structure is provided comparing a classical and a modified effective medium approach taking into account the influence of light absorption by the Fe3O4 nanoparticles on the complex refractive index of the nanocomposite and contributions of all components to film thickness. Dominant influence of co-adsorbed water on their properties was found to be another interesting peculiarity of the nanocomposite film. This effect, as well as possible film property modulation by light, is discussed.     

Optical and physical properties of cobalt oxide films electrogenerated in bicarbonate aqueous media

For the first time, cobalt oxide films that are highly protective against localized corrosion and depicting a wide variety of bright and uniform colors due to light interference, have been successfully electrogenerated on polycrystalline cobalt disk electrodes under potentiostatic polarization in a mild aqueous bicarbonate medium. Open circuit potential measurements have shown the formation of a film with a bilayered structure, organized as a thin Co3O4 outer layer and a thick CoO inner layer. The existence of Co3O4 as a thin outer layer, previously postulated from galvanostatic reduction experiments, has been confirmed from XPS analysis. Raman spectroscopy, performed using a very low laser intensity, has shown that the films are mainly composed of CoO. The broadness of the Raman bands observed is associated to the amorphous character of the film, a result that has been confirmed by spectroscopic ellipsometry and X-ray diffraction analysis. Overall film thicknesses, well controlled by the anodization duration, were determined and correlated using mechanical (atomic force microscopy and profilometry) and spectroscopic (specular UV-vis-NIR reflectance and ellipsometry) techniques. Spectroscopic ellipsometry, using a simple amorphous dispersion model, has proved efficient for measuring thicknesses of films ranging from 31 to 290 nm with very low standard deviations. The real part of the complex refractive indices of these films, ranging from 1.8 to 2.2 (at lambda = 632.8 nm) depending on the anodization duration, is in good agreement with values reported in the literature for CoO. The film with the highest refractive index, and consequently the more densely packed structure, was obtained following a 30-minute anodization period.     

Structure of Protein Layers during Competitive Adsorption

The formation of protein layers during competitive adsorption was studied with ellipsometry. Single, binary, and ternary protein solutions of human serum albumin (HSA), IgG, and fibrinogen (Fgn) were investigated at concentrations corresponding to blood plasma diluted 1/100. As a model surface, hydrophobic hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDSO) plasma polymer modified silica was used. By using multiambient media measurements of the bare substrate prior to protein adsorption the adsorbed amount as well as the thickness and refractive index of the adsorbed protein layer could be followedin situand in real time. Under conditions used in these experiments neither IgG nor fibrinogen could fully displace serum albumin from the interface. The buildup of the protein layer occurred via different mechanisms for the different protein systems. Fgn adsorbed in a rather flat orientation at low adsorbed amounts, while at higher surface coverage the protein reoriented to a more upright orientation in order to accommodate more molecules in the adsorbed layer. IgG adsorption proceeded mainly end-on with little reorientation or conformational change on adsorption. Finally, for HSA an adsorbed layer thickness greater than the molecular dimensions was observed at high concentrations (although not at low), indicating that aggregates or multilayers formed on HMDSO plasma polymer surfaces. For all protein mixtures the adsorbed layer structure and buildup indicated that Fgn was the protein dominating the adsorbed layer, although HSA partially blocked the adsorption of this protein. At high surface concentration, HSA/Fgn mixtures show an abrupt change in both adsorbed layer thickness and refractive index suggesting, e.g., an interfacial phase transition of the mixed protein layer. A similar but less pronounced behavior was observed for HSA/IgG. For IgG/Fgn and HSA/IgG/Fgn a buildup of the adsorbed layer similar to that displayed by Fgn alone was observed.     

Neutron reflectometry and spectroscopic ellipsometry studies of cross-linked poly(dimethylsiloxane) after irradiation at 172 nm

Poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) was irradiated under ambient conditions in air with a Xe2-excimer lamp. The formation of atomic oxygen and ozone during irradiation in air by V-UV photons results in the transformation of PDMS to silicon oxide. The irradiated surfaces were studied by spectroscopic ellipsometry and neutron reflectometry. The measurements revealed the formation of a rough, i.e., between 11 and 20 nm, oxidized surface layer and a decrease of the total layer thickness. The thickness of the oxidized layer decreased for a given PDMS thickness when the polymer was irradiated for longer times and/or higher intensities. The composition of the oxidized layer after irradiation was not uniform through the layer and consisted of a mixture of original polymer and silicon bonded to three or four oxygen atoms (SiOx). The refractive index n determined by ellipsometry reaches a value similar to values reported for SiO2.     

Distance dependence of the photocatalytic efficiency of TiO2 revealed by in situ ellipsometry

Spectroscopic ellipsometry was utilized to follow in situ photodegradation of organic species in the vicinity of TiO(2) nanoparticles during UV irradiation. Stacked layers composed of TiO(2), mesoporous SiO(2), and mixed mesoporous SiO(2)/TiO(2) nanocomposites with controlled thickness and porosity were used as model materials. Lauric acid molecules and poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) layers were used as model mobile and immobile pollutants, respectively. The local photocatalytic activity was deduced by monitoring the variation of the thickness and refractive index of each independent layer. We show that the photocatalyzed degradation of an organic pollutant takes place only when the latter is located in close vicinity to the TiO(2) nanoparticle surface or can naturally diffuse toward it. As a result, the reaction efficiency is directly related to the organic pollutant diffusion. We also show that the distance of photocatalysis efficiency (d(s)) at which radical intermediates are still present and active is <10 nm from the TiO(2) surface under the conditions of the experiments. This was confirmed by the fact that an immobile condensed organic phase such as PVC was protected from the photocatalytic degradation when separated from the TiO(2) by a 20 nm layer of mesoporous silica.     

Protein interactions in covalently attached dextran layers

Protein interactions with polymeric carbohydrates play an important role for application in chromatography, biomaterials and biophysics. In this study, we present a detailed morphological and functional characterization of covalently side-bound dextran layers by spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) and reflectometric interference spectroscopy (RIfS). The surface chemistry was monitored step-by-step by ellipsometric characterization of the surface loading. Dextrans of various molecular masses (10–2000 kD) were immobilized leading to surface loadings between 3 and 8 ng mm⁻². The refractive indices of the covalently attached dextran layers under atmospheric conditions (n_D=1.51) were very close to the refractive index of a spin-coated dextran layer (n_D=1.52) indicating dense and homogeneous coverage achieved by the coupling chemistry. Under buffer solution, refractive indices between 1.34 and 1.365 and thicknesses between 20 and 40 nm of these dextran layers were determined. A dextran concentration in the hydrated layers of 0.05–0.21 g cm⁻³ was estimated from the refractive index. The density and the thickness of the hydrated layers increased with molecular mass of the dextran. Non-specific binding was strongly reduced by the dextran layers and decreased with increasing thickness and density of the layer. Specific antibody binding to haptens immobilized in the dextran layer lead to an increase of both the density and the thickness of the layers. Time resolved detection by RIfS indicated significant decrease of protein mobility in the dextran layer. From these results we conclude that the functional properties of dextran layers with respect to protein interactions are determined by their effective pore-size, which is controlled by the number of bonds, the surface loading and the concentration of charged groups in the polymer.     

Methods and Results of Optical Investigations on Semiconductor Interfaces

Measurement of the state of polarization of reflected light (ellipsometry) permits the determination of the thickness and refractive index of thin layers formed on a surface. The IR absorption spectra of such thin layers, which can be measured by means of internal reflection spectroscopy (IRS), provide information about their chemical composition. These methods have been used to study adsorption processes and the formation of reaction layers at semiconductor interfaces, and may also be used for measurements of free charge carriers in the space-charge region and in surface states. Results of such investigations are given in this article.     

Quantitative characterization of the optical properties of absorbing polymer films: Comparative investigation of the internal reflection intensity analysis method

Nondestructive, three‐dimensional refractive‐index measurements are used for the determination of both the crystallinity and orientation in thin polymer films. The prism wave‐guide coupler is particularly suited for three‐dimensional isotropic and anisotropic thin‐film studies because of the quantitative character of the information obtained and the ease of data acquisition. It has been limited, however, to determining only the refractive index of transparent or weakly absorbing thin‐film samples. On the basis of thin‐film optics, this study develops a new internal reflection intensity analysis (IRIA) method, which uses the intensity information rather than the conventional mode angle values to acquire both the refractive index and the extinction coefficient over a range of transparent to highly absorbing polymer films. Therefore, the IRIA method overcomes the limitations of this prism wave‐guide coupler technique, which can only measure the refractive index of a weakly absorbing sample. With a Metricon PC‐2010 as the skeletal framework, a prototype instrument has been developed to apply and test the IRIA method. A study comparing both the refractive index and extinction coefficient obtained with ellipsometry, ultraviolet–visible/near‐infrared reflectometry, and IRIA for solvent blue 59 dyed polystyrene films confirms that the IRIA method is effective for obtaining the three‐dimensional refractive indices and extinction coefficients of polymer films. In addition, the refractive index and extinction coefficient spectrum (400–800 nm) of solvent blue 59 have been determined with the effective media theory. Furthermore, the three‐dimensional complex refractive indices of highly absorbing black electrical tape, inaccessible to other optical measurement because of its surface character, has been determined by the IRIA method. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 41: 842–855, 2003     

Surface characterization by spectroscopic infrared ellipsometry

Summary For ellipsometry in the infrared range the advantages of Fourier-transform spectroscopy can be exploited when the experimental procedure is based on photometry. The measured intensities are interpretable in terms of the so-called ellipsometric parameters which describe the polarization state of the radiation after having been reflected from the sample. These parameters in turn are correlated with the optical constants of the sample such as the dielectric function or the complex refractive index as well as with its geometrical structure. The potential of spectroscopic infrared ellipsometry for the characterization of surfaces and surface films is demonstrated by examples including compounds with spectral intervals of strong absorption and assemblies of semiconductor films.     

Influence of the percentage of acetylation on the assembly of LbL multilayers of poly(acrylic acid) and chitosan

The Layer-by-Layer (LbL) self-assembly of polyelectrolyte multilayers (PEMs) formed by poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) and chitosan (CHI) of two different percentages of acetylation (AC) has been studied by dissipative quartz crystal microbalance (D-QCM) and ellipsometry. The results point out that the non-linear growth (exponential growth) of the films is not modified by the percentage of acetylation of the CHI (AC). The comparison of the thickness obtained by D-QCM and by ellipsometry has allowed us to calculate the water content of the films showing that the multilayers are highly hydrated. This agrees with the values of the complex shear modulus obtained from the analysis of D-QCM data that are in the MPa range, and show a transition from a viscous to mainly elastic behavior depending on the charge density of the CHI chains. The monomer surface density in each layer (obtained from the combination of ellipsometry and differential refractive index measurements) indicated that the mechanism of charge compensation depends on the percentage of acetylation of the CHI. It was found that the adsorption kinetics is a bimodal process with characteristic times that depend on the number and nature of each layer. The load capacity of the multilayers for a β-blocker, propranolol, was found to be higher for the lowest acetylation degree.     

Functionalization of solid surfaces with hyperbranched polyesters to control protein adsorption

Thin films of hyperbranched polyesters were studied in dry state and in aqueous buffer solution regarding their swelling behaviour and protein adsorption potential. The influence of the degree of branching, the backbone structure, flexibility as well as the polarity was varied. By changing the backbone structure from aromatic, aromatic–aliphatic to aliphatic the surface properties can be controlled from protein active to protein repelling. The higher adsorption potential observed in comparison to linear polyesters is the result of the large amount of end groups allowing the formation of hydrogen bonds, and the larger swellability of the more flexible linear polymers. The protein adsorption process was studied intensively by in-situ spectroscopic ellipsometry. Different approaches towards a proper optical model for the vis-ellipsometry data evaluation for the determination of the correct layer thickness and refractive index are discussed. IR-ellipsometric measurements using a new in-situ cell gave the full chemical evidence for the formation of thin protein adsorption layer on the polymer films in the aqueous buffer environment.     

Physical procedures for the analysis of mixtures of polychloroethanes

A mixture of seven polychloroethanes has been analysed by fractionation into binary mixtures using a combination of continuous fractionation and the technique of total reflux with intermittent take-off. The binary mixtures were analysed by refractive index measurements. The relationship between binary mixture refractive index and component mass fraction was found to be linear. The temperature dependence of the refractive indices of the polychloroethanes over the range, 15–35°, was also determined.     

弱碱性介质中氯离子对铜电极腐蚀行为的影响

应用循环伏安法、X射线光电子能谱法、电化学阻抗谱法以及现场椭圆偏光法研究了在弱碱性介质中添加Cl－对铜电极腐蚀行为的影响.结果表明, Cl－的加入能加剧铜电极的腐蚀,使腐蚀电流以及现场椭圆偏振参数Δ的变化范围都增大1个数量级, Cl－对Cu2O的掺杂将使铜电极的表面膜变得疏松,膜的耐蚀性变差.椭圆偏光实验不仅与电化学和能谱实验的结果一致,而且还能定性地、清楚地分辨出铜电极腐蚀过程中Cu2O的生成、Cl－对Cu2O的掺杂、CuO的生成等不同阶段;同时,利用恰当的模型还能定量地确定各个阶段铜电极表面膜的组成、厚度的变化,从而为研究铜电极的腐蚀与防护机理提供更多有用信息.     

SERS in PAH-Os and gold nanoparticle self-assembled multilayers

We present a detailed structural and surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) study of poly(allylamine) modified with Os(byp)2ClPyCHO (PAH-Os) and gold nanoparticles self-assembled multilayers [PAH-Os+(Au-nanoparticlesPAH-Os)n, n=1 and 5]. Atomic force microscopy and variable-angle spectroscopic ellipsometry measurements indicate that the first nanoparticle layer grows homogenously by partially covering the substrate without clustering. Analyzing the sample thickness and roughness we infer that the growth process advances thereafter by filling with nanoparticles the interstitial spaces between the previously adsorbed nanoparticles. After five immersion steps the multilayers reach a more compact structure. The interaction between plasmons of near-gold nanoparticles provides a new optical absorption around 650 nm which, in addition, allows a more effective SERS process in that spectral region than at the single-plasmon resonance (approximately 530 nm). We compare the electronic resonance Raman and SERS amplification mechanisms in these self-assembled multilayers analyzing Raman resonance scans and Raman intensity micromaps. As a function of nanoparticle coverage we observe large changes in the Raman intensity scans, with maxima that shift from the electronic transitions, to the plasmon resonance, and finally to the coupled-plasmon absorption. The Raman micromaps, on the other hand, evidence huge intensity inhomogeneities which we relate to "hot spots." Numerical discrete dipole approximation calculations including the interaction between gold nanoparticles are presented, providing a qualitative model for the coupled-plasmon absorption and redshifted Raman hot spots in these samples.     

Thickness Measurements of Thin Perfluoropolyether Polymer Films on Silicon and Amorphous-Hydrogenated Carbon with X-Ray Reflectivity, ESCA and Optical Ellipsometry

Experimental techniques used to measure structural parameters of thin films such as thickness, density, and coverage provide important insights into the physical properties of these films. Structural parameters are also often used to predict the eventual performance of thin films. In this study, we use three different measurement techniques-X-ray reflectivity (XRR), electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA), and optical ellipsometry-to measure the thickness of molecularly thin perfluoropolyether (PFPE) polymer films on silicon substrates and carbon overcoats. PFPE films are commonly used to lubricate surfaces in magnetic recording devices. Here, we use XRR to measure the absolute thickness of the films, which, in turn, is used to test the validity of ESCA and ellipsometry thickness measurements. Excellent agreement is found among the three methods, provided that a 25-? electron mean-free path (MFP) is used for the PFPE film and the substrate in ESCA (single MFP model), that the bulk PFPE refractive index is used in ellipsometry, and that adventitiously adsorbed hydrocarbons are properly taken into account. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.     

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.     

Ellipsometry of silica nanoparticulate Langmuir-Blodgett films for the verification of the validity of effective medium approximations

The validity of various effective medium approximations (EMAs) (Bruggeman, Maxwell-Garnett) was studied for nanostructured systems, where the scale of inhomogeneities is comparable to the wavelength. Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) layers of St?ber silica nanospheres of diameters between 40 and 129 nm are excellent model structures for the experimental verification of the validity of the EMA methods in spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) evaluation. Nanostructured mono- and multilayered silica films were investigated by SE and reflectance spectroscopy. The effective refractive index and film thickness were determined from the results of multiparameter fitting of SE spectra in the 300-759 nm wavelength region. The distribution of the effective refractive index in the particulate films was calculated assuming an ideal close-packed arrangement of particles. The average deviation from such a structure was deduced from the corrected model by introducing a "fill factor". In the EMA approximation, the spherical shape of the silica particle determines the optical behavior, rather than the "depth distribution" of silica or porosity. Therefore, the shape of particles has a dominant effect on the optical properties of nanoparticulate LB films.     

IR reflection spectra of monolayer films sandwiched between two high refractive index materials

Monolayer films adsorbed on substrates with high refractive indices such as metals or semiconductors yield strongly enhanced infrared reflection spectra when they are contacted with a transparent, high refractive index ambient medium and are probed with p-polarized light at high incidence angles. The sensitivity increase arises from the enhancement of the perpendicular electric field within a thin, low refractive index layer sandwiched between two high refractive index materials and gives rise to signal intensity gains up to 2 orders of magnitude in combination with an essentially exclusive detection of only perpendicular surface vibrations. Experimental spectra of ordered monolayer films of octadecanethiol on gold and of octadecylsiloxane on silicon in this sandwich configuration yield enhancement factors between 15 (on Si) and 30 (on gold) compared to conventional grazing incidence external reflection spectra and are governed by a common, simple surface selection rule, which allows immediate quantitative evaluation and comparison of the film structures on different substrates.