Electrical interface characterization

For characterization purposes the most useful form of external modulation is electromodulation, because it provides the sharpest structure (third derivative of R in bulk or thin films) and is sensitive to surface or interface electric fields. The most widely used contacdess mode of electromodulation is termed Photoreflectance (PR) 5.7.8... 

Surface forces measurement is a unique tool for surface characterization. It can directly monitor the distance (D) dependence of surface properties, which is difficult to obtain by other techniques. One of the simplest examples is the case of the electric double-layer force. The repulsion observed between charged surfaces describes the counterion distribution in the vicinity of surfaces and is known as the electric double-layer force (repulsion). In a similar manner, we should be able to study various, more complex surface phenomena and obtain new insight into them. Indeed, based on observation by surface forces measurement and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, we have found the formation of a novel molecular architecture, an alcohol macrocluster, at the solid-liquid interface. 

By using Hg-electrode-based junctions, the electrical properties of the highly conjugated units of hexa-pen-hexabenzocoronene (HBC) have been characterized [171]. The HBC unit was anchored to the Au metal surface in an Hg-based junction by a decanonanethiol tether (C19), as depicted in Fig. 9. Comparison of the electrical behaviour of three different junctions, whose interfaces are schematized... 

Despite these arguments and the conceptual attractiveness of the procedure which is sketched in Fig. 1 convincing evidence for the relevance of a particular gas phase adsorption experiment can only be obtained by direct comparison to electrochemical data The electrode potential and the work function change are two measurable quantities which are particularly useful for such a comparison. In both measurements the variation of the electrostatic potential across the interface can be obtained and compared by properly referencing these two values 171. Together with the ionic excess charge in the double layer, which in the UHV experiment would be expressed in terms of coverage of the ionic species, the macroscopic electrical properties of the interracial capacitor can thus be characterized in both environments. 

Although a family of OgS - Jig8 values are allowed under Equation 7 the actual equilibrium state of the oxide/solution interface will be determined by the dissociation of the surface groups and the properties of the electrolyte or the diffuse double layer near the surface. For surfaces that develop surface charges by different mechanisms such as for semiconductor, there will be an equation of state or charge-potential relationship that is analogous to Equation 7 which characterizes the electrical response of the surface. 

Mass spectrometry is a sensitive analytical technique which is able to quantify known analytes and to identify unknown molecules at the picomoles or femto-moles level. A fundamental requirement is that atoms or molecules are ionized and analyzed as gas phase ions which are characterized by their mass (m) and charge (z). A mass spectrometer is an instrument which measures precisely the abundance of molecules which have been converted to ions. In a mass spectrum m/z is used as the dimensionless quantity that is an independent variable. There is still some ambiguity how the x-axis of the mass spectrum should be defined. Mass to charge ratio should not lo longer be used because the quantity measured is not the quotient of the ion s mass to its electric charge. Also, the use of the Thomson unit (Th) is considered obsolete [15, 16]. Typically, a mass spectrometer is formed by the following components (i) a sample introduction device (direct probe inlet, liquid interface), (ii) a source to produce ions, (iii) one or several mass analyzers, (iv) a detector to measure the abundance of ions, (v) a computerized system for data treatment (Fig. 1.1). 

Jambor, J.L. Dutrizac, J.E. (1998) Occurrence and constitution of natural and synthetic fer-rihydrite, a widespread iron oxyhydroxide. Chem. Rev. 98 2549-2585 James, R.O. ElealyT.W. (1972) Adsorption of hydrolyzable metal ions at the oxide-water interface. Ill A thermodynamic model of adsorption. J. Colloid Interface Sci. 40 65-81 James, R.O. Parks, G.A. (1982) Characterization of aqueous colloids by their electrical double layer and intrinsic surface chemical properties. Surface Colloid Sci. 12 119-126... 

There are of course many other similarities and differences, and some of them are listed in Table 5.1 without further explanations. In general, STM is very versatile and flexible. Especially with the development of the atomic force microscope (AFM), materials of poor electrical conductivity can also be imaged. There is the potential of many important applications. A critically important factor in STM and AFM is the characterization of the probing tip, which can of course be done with the FIM. FIM, with its ability to field evaporate surface atoms and surface layers one by one, and the capability of single atom chemical analysis with the atom-probe FIM (APFIM), also finds many applications, especially in chemical analysis of materials on a sub-nanometer scale. It should be possible to develop an STM-FIM-APFIM system where the sample to be scanned in STM is itself an FIM tip so that the sample can either be thermally treated or be field evaporated to reach into the bulk or to reach to an interface inside the sample. After the emitter surface is scanned for its atomic structure, it can be mass analyzed in the atom-probe for one atomic layer,... 

Cadmium sulfide particulate films, generated in thicknesses of 300 50 A at arachidic acid (AA) monolayer interfaces, have been characterized in situ by STM under potentiostatic control [644], Electrical contact was made between the tip of the STM, acting as the working electrode (WE), which was in contact with the CdS particulate film floating on aqueous 0.30 M NaCl, and the reference (RE) and counter (CE) electrodes, placed in the subphase (Fig. 112) [644]. A well-defined single-reduction wave at about — 1.15 V was observed. Prolonged exposure to room light shifted the reduction peak to — 0.85 V. Electrical and photoelectrical characterizations have also been performed on Ti-foil-supported, 5000-A-thick CdS particulate films in an electrochemical cell (Fig. 113) [644]. The Ti foil was used as the WE, while the RE and CE were placed into 0.50 M... 

Electrochemical reactions are heterogeneous chemical reactions accompanied by electrical charge transfer across the interface. Besides ordinary variables of chemical kinetics, such as concentration, temperature, etc., electrochemical kinetics is characterized by an additional independent variable, electrode potential. The rate of electrochemical processes may vary quite significantly (exponentially) with the electrode potential. 

---