Characterization, film first check

When a batch-type deposition system is first opened to the ambient environment, much can be learned about the properties of the deposited film by carefully looking at the surfaces while the substrate(s) is still in the fixture. This characterization is called the first check . Things to look for include ... 

Characterization, first check The determination of some film properties, such as color, after the fixture has returned to atmospheric pressure but before the substrates have been removed from the fixture. See also Position equivalency. 

The first studies by UV-visible transmission spectroscopy were carried out using an optically transparent electrode (OTE) such as indium oxide [140,141]. Unfortunately an OTE does not allow the nature and the structure of the electrode material to be changed and these play a key role in electrocatalytic processes. Only reflectance spectroscopy is able to investigate in situ, various electrode materials [142], This was effectively checked for the first time with cobalt porphyrin-doped polypyrrole films using the electroreflectance technique [106,143]. This allowed the characterization of the redox properties of the modified PPy electrode and the determination of the redox potential of the Co"VCo" couple. The catalytic effect towards the ORR was also... 

Regardless of the type of analysis needed, there are a few questions that are to be answered before the particle characterization is initiated. First, one should check if the dispersion is film forming at room temperature. Second, is the particle size in the analytical range of an optical microscope, that is, larger than 2 p,m Lastly, does the sample polymer contain any stainable chemical groups The outcome of these questions will determine the extent of sample preparation needed and by knowing which techniques are available for a particular sample, a lot effort and time can be saved. 

---