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Reus MA, Baier T, Lindenmeir CG, Weinzierl AF, Buyan-Arivjikh A, Wegener SA, Kosbahn DP, Reb LK, Rubeck J, Schwartzkopf M, Roth SV, Müller-Buschbaum P. Modular slot-die coater for in situ grazing-incidence x-ray scattering experiments on thin films. THE REVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS 2024; 95:043907. [PMID: 38656556 DOI: 10.1063/5.0204673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Multimodal in situ experiments during slot-die coating of thin films pioneer the way to kinetic studies on thin-film formation. They establish a powerful tool to understand and optimize the formation and properties of thin-film devices, e.g., solar cells, sensors, or LED films. Thin-film research benefits from time-resolved grazing-incidence wide- and small-angle x-ray scattering (GIWAXS/GISAXS) with a sub-second resolution to reveal the evolution of crystal structure, texture, and morphology during the deposition process. Simultaneously investigating optical properties by in situ photoluminescence measurements complements in-depth kinetic studies focusing on a comprehensive understanding of the triangular interdependency of processing, structure, and function for a roll-to-roll compatible, scalable thin-film deposition process. Here, we introduce a modular slot-die coater specially designed for in situ GIWAXS/GISAXS measurements and applicable to various ink systems. With a design for quick assembly, the slot-die coater permits the reproducible and comparable fabrication of thin films in the lab and at the synchrotron using the very same hardware components, as demonstrated in this work by experiments performed at Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (DESY). Simultaneous to GIWAXS/GISAXS, photoluminescence measurements probe optoelectronic properties in situ during thin-film formation. An environmental chamber allows to control the atmosphere inside the coater. Modular construction and lightweight design make the coater mobile, easy to transport, quickly extendable, and adaptable to new beamline environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel A Reus
- Technical University of Munich, TUM School of Natural Sciences, Department of Physics, Chair for Functional Materials, James-Franck-Str. 1, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Thomas Baier
- Technical University of Munich, TUM School of Natural Sciences, Department of Physics, Chair for Functional Materials, James-Franck-Str. 1, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Christoph G Lindenmeir
- Technical University of Munich, TUM School of Natural Sciences, Department of Physics, Chair for Functional Materials, James-Franck-Str. 1, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Alexander F Weinzierl
- Technical University of Munich, TUM School of Natural Sciences, Department of Physics, Chair for Functional Materials, James-Franck-Str. 1, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Altantulga Buyan-Arivjikh
- Technical University of Munich, TUM School of Natural Sciences, Department of Physics, Chair for Functional Materials, James-Franck-Str. 1, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Simon A Wegener
- Technical University of Munich, TUM School of Natural Sciences, Department of Physics, Chair for Functional Materials, James-Franck-Str. 1, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - David P Kosbahn
- Technical University of Munich, TUM School of Natural Sciences, Department of Physics, Chair for Functional Materials, James-Franck-Str. 1, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Lennart K Reb
- Technical University of Munich, TUM School of Natural Sciences, Department of Physics, Chair for Functional Materials, James-Franck-Str. 1, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Jan Rubeck
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - Stephan V Roth
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
- KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Department of Fibre and Polymer Technology, 10044 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Peter Müller-Buschbaum
- Technical University of Munich, TUM School of Natural Sciences, Department of Physics, Chair for Functional Materials, James-Franck-Str. 1, 85748 Garching, Germany
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Reus MA, Reb LK, Kosbahn DP, Roth SV, Müller-Buschbaum P. INSIGHT: in situ heuristic tool for the efficient reduction of grazing-incidence X-ray scattering data. J Appl Crystallogr 2024; 57:509-528. [PMID: 38596722 PMCID: PMC11001412 DOI: 10.1107/s1600576723011159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
INSIGHT is a Python-based software tool for processing and reducing 2D grazing-incidence wide- and small-angle X-ray scattering (GIWAXS/GISAXS) data. It offers the geometric transformation of the 2D GIWAXS/GISAXS detector image to reciprocal space, including vectorized and parallelized pixel-wise intensity correction calculations. An explicit focus on efficient data management and batch processing enables full control of large time-resolved synchrotron and laboratory data sets for a detailed analysis of kinetic GIWAXS/GISAXS studies of thin films. It processes data acquired with arbitrarily rotated detectors and performs vertical, horizontal, azimuthal and radial cuts in reciprocal space. It further allows crystallographic indexing and GIWAXS pattern simulation, and provides various plotting and export functionalities. Customized scripting offers a one-step solution to reduce, process, analyze and export findings of large in situ and operando data sets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel A. Reus
- Chair for Functional Materials, Department of Physics, TUM School of Natural Sciences, Technical University of Munich, James-Franck-Straße 1, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Lennart K. Reb
- Chair for Functional Materials, Department of Physics, TUM School of Natural Sciences, Technical University of Munich, James-Franck-Straße 1, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - David P. Kosbahn
- Chair for Functional Materials, Department of Physics, TUM School of Natural Sciences, Technical University of Munich, James-Franck-Straße 1, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Stephan V. Roth
- Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestraße 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
- Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Teknikringen 56–58, 100 44 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Peter Müller-Buschbaum
- Chair for Functional Materials, Department of Physics, TUM School of Natural Sciences, Technical University of Munich, James-Franck-Straße 1, 85748 Garching, Germany
- Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Zentrum (MLZ), Technical University of Munich, Lichtenbergstraße 1, 85748 Garching, Germany
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Pula P, Leniart AA, Krol J, Gorzkowski MT, Suster MC, Wrobel P, Lewera A, Majewski PW. Block Copolymer-Templated, Single-Step Synthesis of Transition Metal Oxide Nanostructures for Sensing Applications. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2023; 15:57970-57980. [PMID: 37644616 PMCID: PMC10739603 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c10439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
The synthesis of transition metal oxide nanostructures, thanks to their high surface-to-volume ratio and the resulting large fraction of surface atoms with high catalytic activity, is of prime importance for the development of new sensors and catalytic materials. Here, we report an economical, time-efficient, and easily scalable method of fabricating nanowires composed of vanadium, chromium, manganese, iron, and cobalt oxides by employing simultaneous block copolymer (BCP) self-assembly and selective sequestration of metal-organic acetylacetonate complexes within one of the BCP blocks. We discuss the mechanism and the primary factors that are responsible for the sequestration and conformal replication of the BCP template by the inorganic material that is obtained after the polymer template is removed. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) studies indicate that the metal oxidation state in the nanowires produced by plasma ashing the BCP template closely matches that of the precursor complex and that their structure is amorphous, thus requiring high-temperature annealing in order to sinter them into a crystalline form. Finally, we demonstrate how the developed nanowire array fabrication scheme can be used to rapidly pattern a multilayered iron oxide nanomesh, which we then used to construct a prototype volatile organic compound sensor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Przemyslaw Pula
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Warsaw, Warsaw 02093, Poland
- Biological
and Chemical Research Centre, University
of Warsaw, Warsaw 02089, Poland
| | | | - Julia Krol
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Warsaw, Warsaw 02093, Poland
| | - Maciej T. Gorzkowski
- Biological
and Chemical Research Centre, University
of Warsaw, Warsaw 02089, Poland
| | - Mihai C. Suster
- Department
of Physics, University of Warsaw, Warsaw 02093, Poland
| | - Piotr Wrobel
- Department
of Physics, University of Warsaw, Warsaw 02093, Poland
| | - Adam Lewera
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Warsaw, Warsaw 02093, Poland
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Jung FA, Papadakis CM. Strategy to simulate and fit 2D grazing-incidence small-angle X-ray scattering patterns of nanostructured thin films. J Appl Crystallogr 2023; 56:1330-1347. [PMID: 37791363 PMCID: PMC10543672 DOI: 10.1107/s1600576723006520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Grazing-incidence small-angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS) is a widely used method for the characterization of the nanostructure of supported thin films and enables time-resolved in situ measurements. The 2D scattering patterns contain detailed information about the nanostructures within the film and at its surface. However, this information is distorted not only by the reflection of the X-ray beam at the substrate-film interface and its refraction at the film surface but also by scattering of the substrate, the sample holder and other types of parasitic background scattering. In this work, a new, efficient strategy to simulate and fit 2D GISAXS patterns that explicitly includes these effects is introduced and demonstrated for (i) a model case nanostructured thin film on a substrate and (ii) experimental data from a microphase-separated block copolymer thin film. To make the protocol efficient, characteristic linecuts through the 2D GISAXS patterns, where the different contributions dominate, are analysed. The contributions of the substrate and the parasitic background scattering - which ideally are measured separately - are determined first and are used in the analysis of the 2D GISAXS patterns of the nanostructured, supported film. The nanostructures at the film surface and within the film are added step by step to the real-space model of the simulation, and their structural parameters are determined by minimizing the difference between simulated and experimental scattering patterns in the selected linecuts. Although in the present work the strategy is adapted for and tested with BornAgain, it can be easily used with other types of simulation software. The strategy is also applicable to grazing-incidence small-angle neutron scattering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian A. Jung
- TUM School of Natural Sciences, Physics Department, Soft Matter Physics Group, Technical University of Munich, James-Franck-Straße 1, Garching 85748, Germany
| | - Christine M. Papadakis
- TUM School of Natural Sciences, Physics Department, Soft Matter Physics Group, Technical University of Munich, James-Franck-Straße 1, Garching 85748, Germany
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Innocenzi P. Mesoporous ordered films via self-assembly: trends and perspectives. Chem Sci 2022; 13:13264-13279. [PMID: 36507165 PMCID: PMC9682886 DOI: 10.1039/d2sc04828k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The synthesis of ordered mesoporous films via self-assembly represents one of the main accomplishments in nanoscience. In fact, controlling the complex chemical-physical phenomena that govern the process triggered by the solvent's fast evaporation during film deposition has represented a challenging task. Several years after the first articles on the subject, the research in the field entered a new stage. New advanced applications based on the peculiar properties of mesoporous films are envisaged while basic research is still going on, especially to clarify the mechanism behind self-organization in a spatially defined environment and the physics and chemistry in mesoscale porosity. This review has been dedicated to analysing the main trends in the fields and the perspective for future developments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Plinio Innocenzi
- Laboratory of Materials Science and Nanotechnology (LMNT), Department of Biomedical Sciences, CR-INSTM, University of SassariViale San Pietro 43/BSassari 07100Italy,Department of Chemistry, University of United Arab Emirates, Al Ain. United Arab EmiratesUnited Arab Emirates
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