In situ GISAXS investigation of gold sputtering onto a polymer template

High Aspect Ratio Nanoscale Pores through BCP-Based Metal Oxide Masks and Advanced Dry Etching

The reliable and regular modification of the surface properties of substrates plays a crucial role in material research and the development of functional surfaces. A key aspect of this is the development of the surface pores and topographies. These can confer specific advantages such as high surface area as well as specific functions such as hydrophobic properties. Here, we introduce a combination of nanoscale self-assembled block-copolymer-based metal oxide masks with optimized deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) of silicon to permit the fabrication of porous topographies with aspect ratios of up to 50. Following the evaluation of our procedure and involved parameters using various techniques, such as AFM or SEM, the suitability of our features for applications relying on high light absorption as well as efficient thermal management is explored and discussed in further detail.

State of the art of ultra-thin gold layers: formation fundamentals and applications

Fabrication of ultra-thin gold (Au) layers (UTGLs) has been regarded as the key technique to achieve applications with tunable optical response, flexible sensors and electronic devices. Various strategies have been developed to optimize the wetting process of Au, resulting in the formation of UTGLs at a minimum thickness. The related studies on UTGLs attracted huge attention in recent years. On the one hand, the growth processes of UTGLs on different substrates were in-depth probed by advanced in situ characterization techniques and the effects of optimization strategies on the growth of UTGLs were also revealed. On the other hand, based on the understanding of the growth behavior and the assistance of optimization strategies, various applications of UTGLs were realized based on optical/plasmon responses, surface-enhanced Raman scattering and as electrodes for various sensors and electronic devices, as well as being seed layers for thin film growth. In this focused review, both the fundamental and practical studies on UTGLs in the most recent years are elaborated in detail. The growth processes of UTGLs revealed by in situ characterization techniques, such as grazing-incidence small-angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS), as well as the state of the art of UTGL-based applications, are reviewed.

Tailoring the Optical Properties of Sputter-Deposited Gold Nanostructures on Nanostructured Titanium Dioxide Templates Based on In Situ Grazing-Incidence Small-Angle X-ray Scattering Determined Growth Laws

Gold/titanium dioxide (Au/TiO₂) nanohybrid materials have been widely applied in various fields because of their outstanding optical and photocatalytic performance. By state-of-the-art polymer templating, it is possible to make uniform nanostructured TiO₂ layers with potentially large-scale processing methods. We use customized polymer templating to achieve TiO₂ nanostructures with different morphologies. Au/TiO₂ hybrid thin films are fabricated by sputter deposition. An in-depth understanding of the Au morphology on the TiO₂ templates is achieved with in situ grazing-incidence small-angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS) during the sputter deposition. The resulting Au nanostructure is largely influenced by the TiO₂ template morphology. Based on the detailed understanding of the Au growth process, characteristic distances can be selected to achieve tailored Au nanostructures at different Au loadings. For selected sputter-deposited Au/TiO₂ hybrid thin films, the optical response with a tailored localized surface plasmon resonance is demonstrated.

Following in Situ the Deposition of Gold Electrodes on Low Band Gap Polymer Films

Metal top electrodes such as gold are widely used in organic solar cells. The active layer can be optimized by modifications of the polymer band gap via side-chain engineering, and low band gap polymers based on benzodithiophene units such as PTB7 and PTB7-Th are successfully used. The growth of gold contacts on PTB7 and PTB7-Th films is investigated with in situ grazing incidence small-angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS) and grazing incidence wide-angle X-ray scattering (GIWAXS) during the sputter deposition of gold. From GIWAXS, the crystal structure of the gold film is determined. Independent of the type of side chain, gold crystals form in the very early stages and improve in quality during the sputter deposition until the late stages. From GISAXS, the nanoscale structure is determined. Differences in terms of gold cluster size and growth phase limits for the two polymers are caused by the side-chain modification and result in a different surface coverage in the early phases. The changes in the diffusion and coalescence behavior of the forming gold nanoparticles cause differences in the morphology of the gold contact in the fully percolated regime, which is attributed to the different amount of thiophene rings of the side chains acting as nucleation sites.

Correlating Nanostructure, Optical and Electronic Properties of Nanogranular Silver Layers during Polymer-Template-Assisted Sputter Deposition

Tailoring the optical and electronic properties of nanostructured polymer-metal composites demonstrates great potential for efficient fabrication of modern organic optical and electronic devices such as flexible sensors, transistors, diodes, or photovoltaics. Self-assembled polymer-metal nanocomposites offer an excellent perspective for creating hierarchical nanostructures on macroscopic scales by simple bottom-up processes. We investigate the growth processes of nanogranular silver (Ag) layers on diblock copolymer thin film templates during sputter deposition. The Ag growth is strongly driven by self-assembly and selective wetting on the lamella structure of polystyrene-block-poly(methyl methacrylate). We correlate the emerging nanoscale morphologies with collective optical and electronic properties and quantify the difference in Ag growth on the corresponding homopolymer thin films. Thus, we are able to determine the influence of the respective polymer template and observe substrate effects on the Ag cluster percolation threshold, which affects the insulator-to-metal transition (IMT). Optical spectroscopy in the UV-vis regime reveals localized surface plasmon resonance for the metal-polymer composite. Their maximum absorption is observed around the IMT due to the subsequent long-range electron conduction in percolated nanogranular Ag layers. Using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, we identify the oxidation of Ag at the acrylate side chains as an essential influencing factor driving the selective wetting behavior in the early growth stages. The results of polymer-templated cluster growth are corroborated by atomic force microscopy and field emission scanning electron microscopy.

Vertical Orientation of Nanocylinders in Liquid-Crystalline Block Copolymers Directed by Light

The microphase-separated nanostructures of block copolymers are ideal nanotemplates for advanced fabrication, but they are greatly limited by the rapid and precise manipulation especially at room temperature. Here we report one method of light-directed regulation of nanostructures in thin films of liquid-crystalline diblock copolymers containing azobenzene units as photoresponsive mesogens. The in-plane orientated nanocylinders in thin film can be light-directed into out-of-plane on a time scale of seconds at room temperature. This fast regulation is beneficial from the fast process of photoinduced phase transition of the mesogenic block from liquid crystal to disordered isotropic phase. Several influence factors like the molecular weight of polymer, film thickness, light intensity, and relative humidity were studied in the light-directed processes. In addition, the photoregulated nanostructures demonstrate their capability of being photopatterned and further used as nanotemplates for fabrication of nanoparticles. The light-directed method shows noncontact, precise, and reversible features, enabling it to find further applications in fast control of nanostructures for nanofabrication and nanoengineering.

Investigating Polymer-Metal Interfaces by Grazing Incidence Small-Angle X-Ray Scattering from Gradients to Real-Time Studies

Tailoring the polymer-metal interface is crucial for advanced material design. Vacuum deposition methods for metal layer coating are widely used in industry and research. They allow for installing a variety of nanostructures, often making use of the selective interaction of the metal atoms with the underlying polymer thin film. The polymer thin film may eventually be nanostructured, too, in order to create a hierarchy in length scales. Grazing incidence X-ray scattering is an advanced method to characterize and investigate polymer-metal interfaces. Being non-destructive and yielding statistically relevant results, it allows for deducing the detailed polymer-metal interaction. We review the use of grazing incidence X-ray scattering to elucidate the polymer-metal interface, making use of the modern synchrotron radiation facilities, allowing for very local studies via in situ (so-called "stop-sputter") experiments as well as studies observing the nanostructured metal nanoparticle layer growth in real time.

Spontaneous, Solvent-Free, Polymer-Templated, Solid-Solid Transformation of Thin Metal Films into Nanoparticles

Metal nanoparticles have unusual optical, electronic, sensing, recognition, catalytic, and therapeutic properties. They are expected to form the basis of many of the technological and biological innovations of this century. A prerequisite for future applications using nanoparticles as functional entities is control of the shape, size, and homogeneity of these nanoparticles and of their interparticle spacing and arrangement on surfaces, between electrodes, or in devices. Here, we demonstrate that thin films of gold, silver, and copper sputter-deposited onto the surface of an organic polymer poly[[1,1':4',1″-terphenyl]-4,4″-diyl(2-bromo-1-carboxyethylidene)] (PTBC) undergo spontaneous solid-solid transformation into nanoparticles. Furthermore, we show that, by varying the thickness of the films, the volume-to-surface ratio of the polymer substrate, and the amount of plasticizer, it is possible to control the rate of transformation and the morphology of the nanoparticles formed. PTBC containing Au nanoparticles was found to enhance the cell adhesion and proliferation. To the best of our knowledge, our findings constitute the first experimental evidence of spontaneous, room-temperature, solid-solid transformation of metal films sputtered onto the surface of an organic polymeric substrate into nanoparticles (crystals).

Engineered Asymmetric Composite Membranes with Rectifying Properties

Asymmetric composite membranes with rectifying properties are developed by grafting pH-stimulus-responsive materials onto the top layer of the composite structure, which is prepared by two novel block copolymers using a phase-separation technique. This engineered asymmetric composite membrane shows potential applications in sensors, filtration, and nanofluidic devices.

Real-Time Monitoring of Morphology and Optical Properties during Sputter Deposition for Tailoring Metal-Polymer Interfaces

The reproducible low-cost fabrication of functional metal-polymer nanocomposites with tailored optoelectronic properties for advanced applications remains a major challenge in applied nanotechnology. To obtain full control over the nanostructural evolution at the metal-polymer interface and its impact on optoelectronic properties, we employed combined in situ time-resolved microfocus grazing incidence small angle X-ray scattering (μGISAXS) with in situ UV/vis specular reflectance spectroscopy (SRS) during sputter deposition of gold on thin polystyrene films. On the basis of the temporal evolution of the key scattering features in the real-time μGISAXS experiment, we directly observed four different growth regimes: nucleation, isolated island growth, growth of larger aggregates via partial coalescence, and continuous layer growth. Moreover, their individual thresholds were identified with subnanometer resolution and correlated to the changes in optical properties. During sputter deposition, a change in optical reflectivity of the pristine gray-blue PS film was observed ranging from dark blue color due to the presence of isolated nanoclusters at the interface to bright red color from larger Au aggregates. We used simplified geometrical assumptions to model the evolution of average real space parameters (distance, size, density, contact angle) in excellent agreement with the qualitative observation of key scattering features. A decrease of contact angles was observed during the island-to-percolation transition and confirmed by simulations. Furthermore, a surface diffusion coefficient according to the kinetic freezing model and interfacial energy of Au on PS at room temperature were calculated based on a real-time experiment. The morphological characterization is complemented by X-ray reflectivity, optical, and electron microscopy. Our study permits a better understanding of the growth kinetics of gold clusters and their self-organization into complex nanostructures on polymer substrates. It opens up the opportunity to improve nanofabrication and tailoring of metal-polymer nanostructures for optoelectronic applications, organic photovoltaics, and plasmonic-enhanced technologies.

High-Resolution Metal Nanopatterning by Means of Switchable Block Copolymer Templates

In this review, recent developments in the fabrication of hexagonal and parallel ordered arrays of metallic nanodomains on a substrate are described. We focus on the nanopatterning approach by means of switchable block copolymer thin films. This approach is highly advantageous, because it can lead to extremely regular patterns with metal subunits of only a few nanometers in diameter and center-to-center distances of tens of nanometers. Hence, the resulting 1D or 2D periodic arrays of metal nanodots and nanowires on silicon substrates can be fabricated with extremely high unit densities and on very large areas. The templated deposition of presynthesized metal nanoparticles on functional block copolymers is described in detail. Current challenges are discussed and an outlook for further developments is given.

Patterned Diblock Co-Polymer Thin Films as Templates for Advanced Anisotropic Metal Nanostructures

We demonstrate glancing-angle deposition of gold on a nanostructured diblock copolymer, namely polystyrene-block-poly(methyl methacrylate) thin film. Exploiting the selective wetting of gold on the polystyrene block, we are able to fabricate directional hierarchical structures. We prove the asymmetric growth of the gold nanoparticles and are able to extract the different growth laws by in situ scattering methods. The optical anisotropy of these hierarchical hybrid materials is further probed by angular resolved spectroscopic methods. This approach enables us to tailor functional hierarchical layers in nanodevices, such as nanoantennae arrays, organic photovoltaics, and sensor electronics.

Templating growth of gold nanostructures with a CdSe quantum dot array

In optoelectronic devices based on quantum dot arrays, thin nanolayers of gold are preferred as stable metal contacts and for connecting recombination centers. The optimal morphology requirements are uniform arrays with precisely controlled positions and sizes over a large area with long range ordering since this strongly affects device performance. To understand the development of gold layer nanomorphology, the detailed mechanism of structure formation are probed with time-resolved grazing incidence small-angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS) during gold sputter deposition. Gold is sputtered on a CdSe quantum dot array with a characteristic quantum dot spacing of ≈7 nm. In the initial stages of gold nanostructure growth, a preferential deposition of gold on top of quantum dots occurs. Thus, the quantum dots act as nucleation sites for gold growth. In later stages, the gold nanoparticles surrounding the quantum dots undergo a coarsening to form a complete layer comprised of gold-dot clusters. Next, growth proceeds dominantly via vertical growth of gold on these gold-dot clusters to form an gold capping layer. In this capping layer, a shift of the cluster boundaries due to ripening is found. Thus, a templating of gold on a CdSe quantum dot array is feasible at low gold coverage.

Functional materials analysis using in situ and in operando X-ray and neutron scattering

In situ and in operando studies are commonplace and necessary in functional materials research. This review highlights recent developments in the analysis of functional materials using state-of-the-art in situ and in operando X-ray and neutron scattering and analysis. Examples are given covering a number of important materials areas, alongside a description of the types of information that can be obtained and the experimental setups used to acquire them.

A customizable software for fast reduction and analysis of large X-ray scattering data sets: applications of the new DPDAK package to small-angle X-ray scattering and grazing-incidence small-angle X-ray scattering

X-ray scattering experiments at synchrotron sources are characterized by large and constantly increasing amounts of data. The great number of files generated during a synchrotron experiment is often a limiting factor in the analysis of the data, since appropriate software is rarely available to perform fast and tailored data processing. Furthermore, it is often necessary to perform online data reduction and analysis during the experiment in order to interactively optimize experimental design. This article presents an open-source software package developed to process large amounts of data from synchrotron scattering experiments. These data reduction processes involve calibration and correction of raw data, one- or two-dimensional integration, as well as fitting and further analysis of the data, including the extraction of certain parameters. The software, DPDAK (directly programmable data analysis kit), is based on a plug-in structure and allows individual extension in accordance with the requirements of the user. The article demonstrates the use of DPDAK for on- and offline analysis of scanning small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) data on biological samples and microfluidic systems, as well as for a comprehensive analysis of grazing-incidence SAXS data. In addition to a comparison with existing software packages, the structure of DPDAK and the possibilities and limitations are discussed.

From atoms to layers: in situ gold cluster growth kinetics during sputter deposition

The adjustment of size-dependent catalytic, electrical and optical properties of gold cluster assemblies is a very significant issue in modern applied nanotechnology. We present a real-time investigation of the growth kinetics of gold nanostructures from small nuclei to a complete gold layer during magnetron sputter deposition with high time resolution by means of in situ microbeam grazing incidence small-angle X-ray scattering (μGISAXS). We specify the four-stage growth including their thresholds with sub-monolayer resolution and identify phase transitions monitored in Yoneda intensity as a material-specific characteristic. An innovative and flexible geometrical model enables the extraction of morphological real space parameters, such as cluster size and shape, correlation distance, layer porosity and surface coverage, directly from reciprocal space scattering data. This approach enables a large variety of future investigations of the influence of different process parameters on the thin metal film morphology. Furthermore, our study allows for deducing the wetting behavior of gold cluster films on solid substrates and provides a better understanding of the growth kinetics in general, which is essential for optimization of manufacturing parameters, saving energy and resources.

Cobalt nanoparticles growth on a block copolymer thin film: a time-resolved GISAXS study

Cobalt sputter deposition on a nanostructured polystyrene-block-poly(ethylene oxide), P(S-b-EO), template is followed in real time with grazing incidence small-angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS). The polymer template consists of highly oriented parallel crystalline poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) domains that are sandwiched between two polystyrene (PS) domains. In-situ GISAXS shows that cobalt atoms selectively decorate the PS domains of the microphase-separated polymer film and then aggregate to form surface metal nanopatterns. The polymer template is acting as a directing agent where cobalt metal nanowires are formed. At high metal load, the characteristic selectivity of the template is lost, and a uniform metal layer forms on the polymer surface. During the early stage of cobalt metal deposition, a highly asymmetric nanoparticles agglomeration is dominating structure formation. The cobalt nanoparticles mobility in combination with the high tendency of the nanoparticles to coalescence and to form immobile large-sized particles at the PS domains are discussed as mechanisms of structure formation.

Charge storage and electron transport properties of gold nanoparticles decorating a urethane-methacrylate comb polymer network

We propose enhanced charge storage capacity of nanoparticles based polymer films. A flat band voltage window varying from 5-7 V is obtained leading to a trapped charge density of the order of 10(13) cm(-2). These results vary for two distinct morphologies obtained due to decoration of a urethane-methacrylate comb polymer (UMCP) network by gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). Films have been further investigated for morphology, optical, charge storage, and electron transport properties using techniques like scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), absorption spectroscopy (UV-Vis), scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy (STM/STS) and capacitance versus voltage (C-V) measurements. SEM and AFM confirm either the deposition of AuNPs inside the UMCP network or the formation of ring like structures depending on the deposition sequence. STS measurements performed on both films are compared with bare UMCP and AuNPs films. Current versus voltage (I-V) characteristics so obtained are discussed in the light of electron transport mechanisms in such materials.

A new highly automated sputter equipment for in situ investigation of deposition processes with synchrotron radiation

HASE (Highly Automated Sputter Equipment) is a new mobile setup developed to investigate deposition processes with synchrotron radiation. HASE is based on an ultra-high vacuum sputter deposition chamber equipped with an in-vacuum sample pick-and-place robot. This enables a fast and reliable sample change without breaking the vacuum conditions and helps to save valuable measurement time, which is required for experiments at synchrotron sources like PETRA III at DESY. An advantageous arrangement of several sputter guns, mounted on a rotative flange, gives the possibility to sputter under different deposition angles or to sputter different materials on the same substrate. The chamber is also equipped with a modular sample stage, which allows for the integration of different sample environments, such as a sample heating and cooling device. The design of HASE is unique in the flexibility. The combination of several different sputtering methods like standard deposition, glancing angle deposition, and high pressure sputter deposition combined with heating and cooling possibilities of the sample, the large exit windows, and the degree of automation facilitate many different grazing incidence X-ray scattering experiments, such as grazing incidence small and wide angle X-ray scattering, in one setup. In this paper we describe in detail the design and the performance of the new equipment and present the installation of the HASE apparatus at the Micro and Nano focus X-ray Scattering beamline (MiNaXS) at PETRA III. Furthermore, we describe the measurement options and present some selected results. The HASE setup has been successfully commissioned and is now available for users.

Growth and morphology of sputtered aluminum thin films on P3HT surfaces

Growth and morphology of an aluminum (Al) contact on a poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) thin film are investigated with X-ray methods and related to the interactions at the Al:P3HT interface. Grazing incidence small-angle scattering (GISAXS) is applied in situ during Al sputter deposition to monitor the growth of the layer. A growth mode is found, in which the polymer surface is wetted and rapidly covered with a continuous layer. This growth type results in a homogeneous film without voids and is explained by the strong chemical interaction between Al and P3HT, which suppresses the formation of three-dimensional cluster structures. A corresponding three stage growth model (surface bonding, agglomeration, and layer growth) is derived. X-ray reflectivity shows the penetration of Al atoms into the P3HT film during deposition and the presence of a 2 nm thick intermixing layer at the Al:P3HT interface.

Time-resolved ultrathin cobalt film growth on a colloidal polymer template

Cobalt (Co) sputter deposition onto a colloidal polymer template is investigated using grazing incidence small-angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). SEM and AFM data picture the sample topography, GISAXS the surface and near-surface film structure. A two-phase model is proposed to describe the time evolution of the Co growth. The presence of the colloidal template results in the correlated deposition of an ultrathin Co film on the sample surface and thus in the creation of Co capped polystyrene (PS) colloids. Well below the percolation threshold, the radial growth is restricted and only height growth is observed.

Structure/processing relationships of highly ordered lead salt nanocrystal superlattices

We investigated the influence of processing conditions, nanocrystal/substrate interactions and solvent evaporation rate on the ordering of strongly interacting nanocrystals by synergistically combining electron microscopy and synchrotron-based small-angle X-ray scattering analysis. Spin-cast PbSe nanocrystal films exhibited submicrometer-sized supracrystals with face-centered cubic symmetry and (001)(s) planes aligned parallel to the substrate. The ordering of drop-cast lead salt nanocrystal films was sensitive to the nature of the substrate and solvent evaporation dynamics. Nanocrystal films drop-cast on rough indium tin oxide substrates were polycrystalline with small grain size and low degree of orientation with respect to the substrate, whereas films drop-cast on flat Si substrates formed highly ordered face-centered cubic supracrystals with close-packed (111)(s) planes parallel to the substrate. The spatial coherence of nanocrystal films drop-cast in the presence of saturated solvent vapor was significantly improved compared to films drop-cast in a dry environment. Solvent vapor annealing was demonstrated as a postdeposition technique to modify the ordering of nanocrystals in the thin film. Octane vapor significantly improved the long-range order and degree of orientation of initially disordered or polycrystalline nanocrystal assemblies. Exposure to 1,2-ethanedithiol vapor caused partial displacement of surface bound oleic acid ligands and drastically degraded the degree of order in the nanocrystal assembly.

Polymer-template-assisted growth of gold nanowires using a novel flow-stream technique

By utilizing a fluidic device, a gold nanoparticle dispersion is cast onto a nanostructured polymer template using solution subjected to hydrodynamic flow. With in situ grazing incidence small-angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS), the progressive gold deposition from a stream of gold solution onto the polymer template of a diblock copolymer with parallel cylinder morphology arranged into powder-like domains is investigated. The continuously flowing solution causes a systematic increase in the X-ray contrast between both of the microphase-separated blocks of the block copolymer film, indicating flow-induced selective gold immobilization on one block. Both in situ GISAXS data and atomic force microscopy of the metal-deposited polymer film prove the 1D coalescence of nanoparticles into continuous nanowires. With additional gold nanoparticle upload by the continuous flow-stream method, the selectivity of the nanoparticle deposition diminishes as a result of the formation of a pseudo uniform gold layer. Consequently, this flow-stream deposition technique introduces an easy alternative method to the vapor deposition technique for surface gold nanopatterning.

Depth profiling of polymer films with grazing-incidence small-angle X-ray scattering

A model-free method of reconstructing depth-specific lateral scattering from incident-angle-resolved grazing-incidence small-angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS) data is proposed. The information on the material which is available through variation of the X-ray penetration depth with incident angle is accessed through reference to the reflected branch of the GISAXS process. Reconstruction of the scattering from lateral density fluctuations is achieved by solving the resulting Fredholm integral equation with minimal a priori information about the experimental system. Results from simulated data generated for hypothetical multilayer polymer systems with constant absorption coefficient are used to verify that the method can be applied to cases with large X-ray penetration depths, as typically seen with polymer materials. Experimental tests on a spin-coated thick film of a blend of diblock copolymers demonstrate that the approach is capable of reconstruction of the scattering from a multilayer structure with the identification of lateral scattering profiles as a function of sample depth.

GIUSAXS and AFM studies on surface reconstruction of latex thin films during thermal treatment

The structural evolution of a single-layer latex film during annealing was studied via grazing incidence ultrasmall-angle X-ray scattering (GIUSAXS) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The latex particles were composed of a low-Tg (-54 degrees C) core (n-butylacrylate, 30 wt %) and a high-Tg (41 degrees C) shell (t-butylacrylate, 70 wt %) and had an overall diameter of about 500 nm. GIUSAXS data indicate that the q(y) scan at q(z) = 0.27 nm(-1) (out-of-plane scan) contains information about both the structure factor and the form factor. The GIUSAXS data on latex films annealed at various temperatures ranging from room temperature to 140 degrees C indicate that the structure of the latex thin film beneath the surface changed significantly. The evolution of the out-of-plane scan plot reveals the surface reconstruction of the film. Furthermore, we also followed the time-dependent behavior of structural evolution when the latex film was annealed at a relatively low temperature (60 degrees C) where restructuring within the film can be followed that cannot be detected by AFM, which detects only surface morphology. Moreover, compared to AFM studies GIUSAXS provides averaged information covering larger areas.

In situ GISAXS study of gold film growth on conducting polymer films

The growth of a thin gold film on a conducting polymer surface from nucleation to formation of a continuous layer with a thickness of several nanometers is investigated in situ with grazing incidence small-angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS). Time resolution is achieved by performing the experiment in cycles of gold deposition on poly(N-vinylcarbazole) (PVK) and subsequently recording the GISAXS data. The 2D GISAXS patterns are simulated, and morphological parameters of the gold film on PVK such as the cluster size, shape, and correlation distance are extracted. For the quantitative description of the cluster size evolution, scaling laws are applied. The time evolution of the cluster morphology is explained with a growth model, suggesting a cluster growth proceeding in four steps, each dominated by a characteristic kinetic process: nucleation, lateral growth, coarsening, and vertical growth. A very limited amount of 6.5 wt % gold is observed to be incorporated inside a 1.2-nm-thick enrichment layer in the PVK film.

A compact UHV deposition system for in situ study of ultrathin films via hard x-ray scattering and spectroscopy

We report on a compact ultrahigh vacuum deposition system developed for in situ experiments using hard x rays. The chamber can be mounted on various synchrotron beamlines for spectroscopic as well as scattering experiments in grazing incidence geometry. The deposition process is completely remotely controlled and an ellipsometer is available for online monitoring of the layer growth process. The unique sample position in the chamber allows one to perform deposition, grazing incidence x-ray experiments, and ellipsometry measurements at the same time, enabling to correlate the x-ray analysis with parameters of the growth process. Additionally, the setup can be used to study in situ chemical and structural changes in an element specific manner by x-ray absorption spectroscopy. The flexibility and versatility of the system brings new possibilities to study the chemistry and structure of surfaces and interfaces in thin films systems during their formation.