Ultrathin phase separation, applications

Dewetting (304-306) and phase separation phenomena are also amenable to in situ real-time SFM stndies. As shown by Jacobs and co-workers, the dewetting of PS on an oxidized silicon wafer can be followed in situ at elevated temperatures. These observations are nseful to develop a better imderstanding for film stability necessary in many modem applications of polymer ultrathin films in miniaturized electronic and microfluidic device applications. 

As discussed in Section 2.23.1.2, one of the advantages of AFM over electron miaoscopy is that it enables 3D imaging of untreated samples in a physically relevant environment. Given the surface nature of the technique, initial AFM studies of phase separation processes in polymer mixtures have been primarily focused on thin or ultrathin films. " " The confinement in a film and component segregation to the interfaces have been shown to have a profound effect in both spinodal decomposition, and nucleation and growth processes of the phase separation. The spectrum of AFM applications has been extended to bulk phase separation of polymer mixtures using conventional and oblique microtoming of polymer blend films. 

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