Jonathan M. Bobbitt

High angular-resolution automated visible-wavelength scanning angle Raman microscopy.

A scanning angle (SA) Raman microscope with 532-nm excitation is reported for probing chemical content perpendicular to a sample interface. The instrument is fully automated to collect Raman spectra across a range of incident angles from 20.50 to 79.50° with an angular spread of 0.4±0.2° and an angular uncertainty of 0.09°. Instrumental controls drive a rotational stage with a fixed axis of rotation relative to a prism-based sample interface mounted on an inverted microscope stage. Three benefits of SA Raman microscopy using visible wavelengths, compared to near infrared wavelengths are: (i) better surface sensitivity; (ii) increased signal due to the frequency to the fourth power dependence of the Raman signal, and the possibility for resonant enhancement; (iii) the need to scan a reduced angular range to shorten data collection times. These benefits were demonstrated with SA Raman measurements of thin polymer films of polystyrene or a diblock copolymer of polystyrene and poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl). Thin film spectra were collected with a signal-to-noise ratio of 30 using a 0.25 s acquisition time.

Fourier Transform-Plasmon Waveguide Spectroscopy: A Nondestructive Multifrequency Method for Simultaneously Determining Polymer Thickness and Apparent Index of Refraction

Fourier transform (FT)-plasmon waveguide resonance (PWR) spectroscopy measures light reflectivity at a waveguide interface as the incident frequency and angle are scanned. Under conditions of total internal reflection, the reflected light intensity is attenuated when the incident frequency and angle satisfy conditions for exciting surface plasmon modes in the metal as well as guided modes within the waveguide. Expanding upon the concept of two-frequency surface plasmon resonance developed by Peterlinz and Georgiadis [Opt. Commun. 1996, 130, 260], the apparent index of refraction and the thickness of a waveguide can be measured precisely and simultaneously by FT-PWR with an average percent relative error of 0.4%. Measuring reflectivity for a range of frequencies extends the analysis to a wide variety of sample compositions and thicknesses since frequencies with the maximum attenuation can be selected to optimize the analysis. Additionally, the ability to measure reflectivity curves with both p- and s-polarized light provides anisotropic indices of refraction. FT-PWR is demonstrated using polystyrene waveguides of varying thickness, and the validity of FT-PWR measurements are verified by comparing the results to data from profilometry and atomic force microscopy (AFM).

Large Scale Synthesis of Colloidal Si Nanocrystals and their Helium Plasma Processing into Spin-On, Carbon-Free Nanocrystalline Si Films

This paper describes a simple approach to the large-scale synthesis of colloidal Si nanocrystals and their processing into spin-on carbon-free nanocrystalline Si films. The synthesized silicon nanoparticles are capped with decene, dispersed in hexane, and deposited on silicon substrates. The deposited films are exposed to nonoxidizing room-temperature He plasma to remove the organic ligands without adversely affecting the silicon nanoparticles to form crack-free thin films. We further show that the reactive ion etching rate in these films is 1.87 times faster than that for single-crystalline Si, consistent with a simple geometric argument that accounts for the nanoscale roughness caused by the nanoparticle shape.

Calcination does not remove all carbon from colloidal nanocrystal assemblies

Removing organics from hybrid nanostructures is a crucial step in many bottom-up materials fabrication approaches. It is usually assumed that calcination is an effective solution to this problem, especially for thin films. This assumption has led to its application in thousands of papers. We here show that this general assumption is incorrect by using a relevant and highly controlled model system consisting of thin films of ligand-capped ZrO2 nanocrystals. After calcination at 800 °C for 12 h, while Raman spectroscopy fails to detect the ligands after calcination, elastic backscattering spectrometry characterization demonstrates that ~18% of the original carbon atoms are still present in the film. By comparison plasma processing successfully removes the ligands. Our growth kinetic analysis shows that the calcined materials have significantly different interfacial properties than the plasma-processed counterparts. Calcination is not a reliable strategy for the production of single-phase all-inorganic materials from colloidal nanoparticles.Synthesis of all-inorganic nanomaterials often relies on organic templates, which are assumed to then be fully removed by calcination. Here, the authors use elastic backscattering spectroscopy to challenge this assumption, finding that calcination leaves behind considerable carbon content that can severely affect material function.