Film structure

The material of interest is dissolved in a volatile solvent, spread on the surface and allowed to evaporate. As the sweep moves across, compressing the surface, the pressure is measured providing t versus the area per molecule, a. Care must be taken to ensure complete evaporation [1] and the film structure may depend on the nature of the spreading solvent [78]. When the trough area is used to calculate a, one must account for the area due to the meniscus [79]. Barnes and Sharp [80] have introduced a remotely operated barrier drive mechanism for cleaning the water surface while maintaining a closed environment. 

Figure IV-10 illustrates how F may vary with film pressure in a very complicated way although the v-a plots are relatively unstructured. The results correlated more with variations in film elasticity than with its viscosity and were explained qualitatively in terms of successive film structures with varying degrees of hydrogen bonding to the water substrate and varying degrees of structural regularity. Note the sensitivity of k to frequency a detailed study of the dispersion of k should give information about the characteristic relaxation times of various film structures.

For bulk structural detemiination (see chapter B 1.9). the main teclmique used has been x-ray diffraction (XRD). Several other teclmiques are also available for more specialized applications, including electron diffraction (ED) for thin film structures and gas-phase molecules neutron diffraction (ND) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) for magnetic studies (see chapter B1.12 and chapter B1.13) x-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) for local structures in small or unstable samples and other spectroscopies to examine local structures in molecules. Electron microscopy also plays an important role, primarily tlirough unaging (see chapter B1.17). 

Peterson I R 1987 Langmuir-Blodgett films structure and application J. Mol. Electron. 3 103-11... 

Goldstein A N 1996 The melting of silicon nanocrystals submicrometre thin-film structures derived from nanocrystal precursors Appi. Phys. A 62 33... 

Sputtered Neutral Mass Spectrometry (SNMS) is the mass spectrometric analysis of sputtered atoms ejected from a solid surface by energetic ion bombardment. The sputtered atoms are ionized for mass spectrometric analysis by a mechanism separate from the sputtering atomization. As such, SNMS is complementary to Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS), which is the mass spectrometric analysis of sputtered ions, as distinct from sputtered atoms. The forte of SNMS analysis, compared to SIMS, is the accurate measurement of concentration depth profiles through chemically complex thin-film structures, including interfaces, with excellent depth resolution and to trace concentration levels. Genetically both SALI and GDMS are specific examples of SNMS. In this article we concentrate on post ionization only by electron impact. 

Complete elemental analysis of complex thin-film structures to several pm depth, with excellent depth resolution... 

If the secondary ion component is indeed negligible, the measured SNMS ion currents will depend only on the ionizing mode, on the atomic properties of the sputtered atoms, and on the composition of the sputtered sample. Matrix characteristics will have no effect on the relative ion currents. SNMS analysis also provides essentially complete coverage, with almost all elements measured with equal facility. All elements in a chemically complex sample or thin-film structure will be measured, with no incompleteness due to insensitivity to an important constituent element. Properly implemented SNMS promises to be a near-universal analytical method for solids analysis. 

The SIMS analytical ion signal of a specific element or isotope also can be enhanced by selective ionization of particular atoms, and the detection limit for that element thereby improved. This mode of SNMS is important to specific applications, but it lacks the generality inherent in nonselective SNMS methods. The focus of this article will be on the methods for obtaining complete, accurate, and matrix-independent compositions of chemically complex thin-film structures and materials. 

Figure 7 Quantitative high depth resolution profile of the major elements in the thin-film structure of Al /TIN /Si, comparing the annealed and unannealad structures to determine the extent of interdiffusion of the layers. The depth profile of the unannealed sample shows excellent depth resolution (a). The small amount of Si in the Al is segregated toward the Al/TiN interface. After annealing, significant Ti has diffused into the Al layer and Al into the TIN layer, but essentially no Al has diffused into the Si (b). The Si has become very strongly localized at the Al / TIN interface.

In summary, the forte of SNMS is the measurement of accurate compositional depth profiles with high depth resolution through chemically complex thin-film structures. Current examples of systems amenable to SNMS are complex III-IV laser diode structures, semiconductor device metallizations, and magnetic read-write devices, as well as storage media. 

Figure 9 AES depth profiies of muitiiayer Cr/ Ni thin film structures on a smooth substrate using a 5-keV Ar primary beam without rotation of the sample during bombardment (a), and with rotation (b). ...

Fig. 2.27. AES sputter-depth profiles of the 0 -Al2O3-Ti thin-film structure on a smooth Si substrate covered with a TIN thin-film diffusion barrier, (A) as-deposited, (B) after heating to 500 °C, (C) after heating to 580 °C [2.147],...

Primers for protective coatings may be divided into three broad classes based on the mechanism of substrate protection barrier primers that function by preventing the ingress of moisture and electrolytes, primers that protect the substrate galvanically in the presence of electrolytes, and primers that contain electrochemical inhibitors to passivate the substrate. Each of these approaches requires a distinct primer film structure due to the different mechanisms of protection. 

The ratio PVC/CPVC (or reduced CPVC) is a simple but profound index of primer film structure that is perhaps the most important parameter in all of paint technology [70]. The relationship of the reduced CPVC to film structure can be appreciated by reference to Fig. 8. This figure shows a representation of a dry primer film with a range of pigment volume fraction that increases from left to right. 

Fig. 9. Barrier primer film structure as a function of PVC. From ref. [70].

We observe that association leads to pronounced differences in the behavior of the system. In particular, we find that for the thick film the increase of the association energy leads to the increase of the height of the first local density peak. In contrast, the height of the local density maximum decreases at the region of small adsorption (below the prewetting transition). One can say that for increasing association energy the film structure becomes more ordered and its layered structure is more visible. 

Tichy, J. A., Ultra Thin Film Structured Tribology," Proc. 1 st Int. Symp. Tribol. 19-23 Oct, 1993, Beijing, pp. 48-57. 

Miyake, S., Sekine, Y., Noshiro, J., and Watanabe, S., Low-Friction and Long-Life Solid Lubricant Films Structured of Nanoperiod Tungsten Disulfide and Molybdenum Disulfide Multilayer, Jpn. J. Appl. Rhys., Vol. 43, 2004, pp. 4338-4343. 

X-ray diffraction has been applied to spread monolayers as reviewed by Dutta [67] and Als-Nielsen et al. [68], The structure of heneicosanoic acid on Cu and Ca containing subphases as a function of pH has been reported [69], as well as a detailed study of the ordered phases of behenic acid [70], along with many other smdies. Langmuir-Blod-gett films have also been studied by x-ray diffraction. Some recent studies include LB film structure just after transfer [71], variations in the structure of cadmium stearate LB films with temperature [72], and characterization of the structure of cadmium arachidate LB films [73], X-ray [74,75] and neutron reflectivity [76,77] data on LB films can be used to model the density profile normal to the interface and to obtain values of layer thickness and roughness. 

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