Characterization, film precision

It should be noted that precise structure characterization of CNx films still remains somewhat difficult. Therefore, in order to obtain a convincing information, it is suggested to apply at least two independent methods for studying the structure of CNx film and moreover, the results derived should be mutually consistent [57]. 

The sensing methods summarized thus far are intended for absorption detection of molecules in the ambient, but molecules (or indeed thin films) on the microresonator surface can also be detected. In particular, if the surface is covered to such an extent that the optical energy absorbed heats the microresonator, the resulting thermal bistability in the frequency-scan response can be used to determine the absorption and/or thickness of the thin-film coating. This and surface characterization by measurement of the thermal accommodation coefficient were described in Sect. 5.5. These methods offer quite precise measurement, provided that certain reasonable and easily implemented assumptions are satisfied. 

The preparation and characterization of these colloids have thus motivated a vast amount of work (17). Various colloidal methods are used to control the size and/or the polydispersity of the particles, using reverse (3) and normal (18,19) micelles, Langmuir-BIodgett films (4,5), zeolites (20), two-phase liquid-liquid system (21), or organometallic techniques (22). The achievement of accurate control of the particle size, their stability, and a precisely controllable reactivity of the small particles are required to allow attachment of the particles to the surface of a substrate or to other particles without leading to coalescence and hence losing their size-induced electronic properties. It must be noted that, manipulating nearly monodis-persed nanometer size crystallites with an arbitrary diameter presents a number of difficulties. 

Thin-Film Elemental Analyses for Precise Characterization of Minerals... 

Anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV) with the tubular mercury graphite electrode (TMGE) possesses adequate sensitivity and precision under repeated use to characterize zinc in San Diego Bay water. The TMGE, made by electrolysis of a mercuric nitrate solution to form a thin mercury film inside a graphite tube, is described elsewhere (I). 

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