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Automated self-assembly and electrical characterization of nanostructured films

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Abstract

Significant progress in nanoscience was achieved through the development of methods and instruments to better comprehend nanoscale properties. We present here a methodology and automated setup to measure layer-by-layer films capacitance in the air immediately after poly-electrolytes adsorption. It presents high accuracy (~0.01 pF) to check the capacitance stabilization during spontaneous drying process in the air, with sensitivity to show electrical signal alternation accordingly to the outermost polyelectrolyte layer. Besides, a linear trend in capacitance was observed similar to UV-vis measurements. This method allows analyzing films electrical properties, affording better choice of materials, thickness, and molecular architecture.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to FAPESP (2014/03691-7), CNPq, and CAPES for financial support, and Microfabrication Laboratory in Brazilian Nanotechnology National Laboratory for the experimental support.

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Correspondence to Varlei Rodrigues.

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Hensel, R.C., Rodrigues, K.L., Pimentel, V.d.L. et al. Automated self-assembly and electrical characterization of nanostructured films. MRS Communications 8, 283–288 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1557/mrc.2018.47

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/mrc.2018.47

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