TY - CONF A1 - Hertwig, Andreas T1 - Determining thermal transitions in thin polymer layers by means of spectroscopic ellipsometry N2 - Thin polymer layers have enormous technical significance as polymer coatings on materials are very cost-effective for tailoring properties of surfaces. Apart from technical aspects in their use, thin polymer layers can be used to determine dimensional aspects in properties of material, such as confinement effects. In this work, we investigated several different polymer layer materials and determined their glass transition region by means of temperature-dependent spectroscopic ellipsometry. We have optimised our fitting procedure of the ellipsometric data produced in temperature ramp experiments. By this, we could measure the dependence of Tg on the layer thickness in a wide variety of thickness values, proving the existence of confinement effects in the investigated systems. We compare numerical methods for determining the location of the glass transition and discuss the possibilities of different analysis methods when determining thermal transitions. We also discuss the simultaneous existence of these transitions and annealing effects and the implications on the accuracy of the determined data. T2 - 12th Workshop Ellipsometry 2023 CY - Prague, Czech Republic DA - 18.09.2023 KW - Thin Films KW - Polymers KW - Ellipsometry KW - Themal Transitions PY - 2023 AN - OPUS4-58413 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Ermilova, Elena T1 - Modell based ellipsometry standards for different application cases and their application for real non-ideal systems N2 - Ellipsometry enables the investigation of material properties over a broad spectral range. As a fast and non-destructive method, it is widely used in industry for quality assurance. Despite the wide application of ellipsometry and its high industrial relevance there are some material-specific standards and there have been no generally accepted standards dealing with model validation and measurement uncertainties. The first German standard DIN50989-1: 2018 Ellipsometry – Part1: Principles (currently international standard ISO 23131: 2021) marks the beginning of a 6-part standard series for ellipsometry, which was developed under consideration of GUM. T2 - International Conference on Spectroscopic Ellipsometry (ICSE-9) CY - Beijing, China DA - 22.05.2022 KW - Spectroscopic and imaging ellipsometry KW - Standards KW - Uncertainties PY - 2022 AN - OPUS4-56698 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Ermilova, Elena T1 - Hybrid optical measurement technique for detection of defects in epitaxially grown 4H-SiC layers N2 - Recent developments in power electronics require the use of new wide bandgap compound semiconductors. Silicon carbide (SiC) is one of the most promising materials for power electronics due to its outstanding properties and commercial availability. Some types of defects in the SiC substrates or homoepitaxial SiC layers can affect the performance of electronic devices in a serious manner or make its operation even impossible. Optical methods such as imaging ellipsometry (IE) and white light interference microscopy (WLIM) were applied for fast and non-contact investigation of defects in the epitaxially grown 12 µm 4H-SiC layers on 4H- SiC substrates. T2 - EOS Annual Meeting (EOSAM 2022) CY - Porto, Portugal DA - 12.09.2022 KW - Imaging ellipsometry KW - White light interference microscopy KW - Epitaxially grown 4H-SiC layers KW - Wide bandgap compound semiconductors PY - 2022 AN - OPUS4-56705 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Scholtz, Lena T1 - Luminescent, nanoparticle-loaded polymer microparticles - comparing synthesis routes N2 - Our comparison showed that the route used for the synthesis of luminescent, NP-loaded PSMPs can play a significant role for the luminescence properties, as well as the number of accessible SFGs, and hence subsequent functionalization. This should be considered for future applications. T2 - Bunsen-Tagung 2023 CY - Berlin, Germany DA - 05.06.2023 KW - Fluorescence KW - Polymerization KW - Microbeads KW - Quantum dots KW - Comparison PY - 2023 AN - OPUS4-57628 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Hodoroaba, Vasile-Dan T1 - Chemical Nanoscale Analysis of Mesoporous Mixed IrOx-TiOx Thin Films N2 - Porous films play an important role particularly in energy applications like photovoltaics, electrolysis or batteries. Thin film properties such as thickness, chemical composition, crystallinity of the framework, and porosity define the activity of the porous films. The accurate morpho-chemical characterisation of mesoporous thin films is a challenging analytical task which requires the consideration of new analytical approaches based on the combination of data of different methods able to address the structure and chemical composition at the nanoscale. In this contribution we characterise thin mesoporous iridium-titanium mixed oxide film properties by Electron Probe Microanalysis (EPMA) with Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) at an SEM applied in a dedicated “thin film analysis” approach. Thus, the film mass deposition, film thickness and the film density can be determined. Further, by dividing the measured film density to an assumed (theoretical) metal oxide framework (skeletal) density, the thin film porosity can be extracted, too. In order to assess the homogeneity of the thin film properties like the chemical composition, Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) and Auger Electron Spectrometry are applied in the depth profiling mode, so that possible in-depth gradients are detected. Lateral inhomogeneities in the chemical composition and structure of the thin mesoporous films are also identified by applying the same methods in the line-scan or mapping mode, which can be further combined with in-depth sputtering for 3D information. The role of the spatial resolution of the analytical methods considered, which can go down well below 100 nm, will be highlighted. T2 - MaterialsWeek 2024 CY - Limassol, Cyprus DA - 17.06.2024 KW - Thin films KW - Mesoporous KW - IR oxide KW - Ti oxide KW - Porosity PY - 2024 AN - OPUS4-60452 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Matthews, Lauren T1 - Approaches to Surface Analysis of Modified Quartz Nanopipettes N2 - Nanopipettes are a type of solid-state nanopore with needle-like geometry. Their applications range from imaging, sensing, diagnostics, and use as injectors. The response of nanopipette sensors is highly dependent on the size, geometry and chemical properties of the sensing region. As they are increasingly tuned and modified for specific analytes, a better understanding of the surface chemistry and morphology of the inner channel is necessary. With the aim of developing a comprehensive approach for characterisation of such nanopipettes, this research focuses on combining surface-sensitive analysis methods with advanced sample preparation techniques. Quartz substrates were modified by gas phase silanization, a well-utilised technique in the field to enhance performance of nanopipettes, and further functionalised with a metal bis thiolate complex, to aid in chemical analysis. The sample characterisation involved scanning electron microscopy (SEM), low-energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX), time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES). Using focused ion beam (FIB) milling under gentle conditions, the inner surface of quartz nanopipettes was exposed whilst preserving the integrity of the overall structure (see figure). Owing to the challenging analysis conditions, modification and analysis of flat quartz substrates has been performed in parallel for optimisation purposes. The results demonstrate the first steps towards full characterisation of nanopipettes at the nanoscale, notably with access to the inner channel. The methods used here can be applied to gain further understanding of the response of these sensors to complex analytes and allow for the study of different surface functionalisations at the all-important sensing region. T2 - European Conference on Applications of Surface and Interface Analysis (ECASIA 2024) CY - Gothenburg, Sweden DA - 09.06.2024 KW - Quartz nanopipettes KW - Nanopipette modification KW - Silanization KW - Surface analysis KW - Focussed ion beam PY - 2024 AN - OPUS4-60447 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Schusterbauer, Robert T1 - Correlative chemical imaging to reveal the nature of different commercial graphene materials N2 - Since the original report in 2004 by Novoselov and Geim, Graphene gained incredible attention due to its fascinating properties. In the past 20 years, the synthesis and functionalization of graphene has evolved significantly[3]. Different synthesis techniques were developed which led to other graphenerelated materials such as graphene oxide (GO) or elemental-doped graphene. Further chemical functionalization can enhance but also alter or reduce specific properties of the graphene. To reveal the nature of these materials a proper physico‑chemical characterization with different analytical techniques is crucial. Single-layer GO flakes kindly provided by Graphenea (Spain) were prepared for systematic image analysis. These flakes were disposed on an alignment-marked SiO2 substrate and correlatively imaged by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) and Raman spectroscopy. The high lateral resolution and/ or extreme surface sensitivity of the mentioned techniques is necessary to explore monolayers. The ToF-SIMS images match well with the SEM and AFM images and provide information about the chemistry. With 2D Raman spectroscopy it is possible to differentiate between the number of stacked single-layer flakes. This is visualized in a 3D image (Figure b). Well-defined GO flakes could be used as a reference material for imaging of graphene-like structures but also of other types of 2D materials. In addition to these monolayer GO flakes, commercial graphene-containing inks (Haydale) with a more complex morphology were also correlatively imaged. ToF-SIMS and SEM images were merged to identify the origin of different chemical fragments. The findings correlate closely with the expectation that the specific functionalizations (with fluorine and nitrogen as marker elements) are present only on the graphene flakes as presumed from the SEM images. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) supports these results, yet with a much lower sensitivity compared to ToF-SIMS. T2 - ECASIA 2024 CY - Gothenburg, Sweden DA - 09.06.2024 KW - Correlative imaging KW - ToF-SIMS KW - SEM KW - Graphene oxide flakes KW - Raman PY - 2024 AN - OPUS4-60680 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - John, Elisabeth T1 - Exploring the SIMS Matrix Effect in High-Entropy Alloy Thin-Films N2 - Compared with traditional alloys, which typically consist of one or two main elements and small amounts of secondary elements, High Entropy Alloys (HEA) are characterized by the presence of multiple principal elements in almost equal proportions. This unique composition results in a high degree of disorder at the atomic level, leading to exceptional mechanical, physical, and often unexpected properties. HEAs have garnered significant attention in materials science and engineering due to their potential applications in a wide range of industries, from aerospace and automotive to electronics and renewable energy. Analyzing materials composed of multiple elements with spectroscopic techniques such as X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), Auger-Electron Spectroscopy (AES) or Electron Probe Microanalysis (EPMA), can be challenging due to spectral overlap. This challenge reaches its peak if neighboring 3d elements are present, as it is the case for the famous Cantor alloy which is composed of Cr, Mn, Fe, Co and Ni. Moreover, each analytical method introduces its own set of challenges, e.g., the strong secondary fluorescence effect for neighbor elements in EPMA, thus, making the accurate elemental quantification in such materials difficult. If the material is available as thin film, additional constraints are inherently present. To provide a reference material for these analytical challenges HEAs are excellent candidates. Currently, there is no thin film reference available containing more than two elements. Our goal is to prepare thin films with a homogeneous thickness and defined, homogenous chemical composition to be analyzed by various methods dedicated to surface analysis. ToF-SIMS is an excellent method for the (3D) analysis of thin films, however due to the dependence of element ion yield on the surrounding chemical state i.e., the matrix effect, it is considered a non-quantitative method. In HEAs the elements are each present in a homogenous matrix which makes these materials interesting for investigation of the matrix effect. Moreover, we evaluate methods to minimize the disturbances of oxygen enhancement during the beginning of the sputter analysis and the effect of recoil mixing at the film/substrate interface with the aim to measure accurate depth profiles. T2 - SIMS 24 CY - La Rochelle, France DA - 09.09.2024 KW - High-entropy alloy KW - ToF-SIMS KW - Matrix Effect PY - 2024 AN - OPUS4-62511 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Fernandez-Poulussen, D. A1 - Hodoroaba, Vasile-Dan T1 - Holistic, reliable and practical Characterization Framework for Graphene Family Materials, a correlated approach including Imaging based techniques N2 - ACCORDs is an Horizon Europe project working in the development of an imaging-based characterization framework (ACCORDs framework) for the holistic correlative assessment of Graphene Family Materials (GFMs) as a representative of 2D nanomaterials (NMs) to assess and predict 2D NMs health and environmental risks. The ACCORDs framework will operationalise safe and sustainable by design (SSbD) strategies proposed in past or ongoing H2020 projects or within OECD by correlating low-, medium-, and high-resolution physico-chemical-biological imaging-based methods with non-imaging methods in a tiered approach. ACCORDs will deliver the ACCORDs framework and user guidance, new imaging-based characterisation methods, reference in vitro tests, new reference 2D NMs for different matrices, a new minimum information reporting guideline for FAIR data sharing and reuse of images as well as an atlas with reference images for diagnostics of compromised safety of GFMs/GFM products. The new guidelines and standard proposals will be submitted to standardisation bodies to allow creation of regulatory ready products. The novelty of ACCORDs is in translating the principles of medical imaging-based diagnostics to 2D material hazard diagnostics. ACCORDs will accelerate industrial sectors in the area of aviation, marine construction, drone production, flexible electronics, photovoltaics, photocatalytics and print inks-based sensors. The value ACCORDs proposes to the graphene industry are practical, easy, imaging-based tools for GFM quality monitoring next to the production line with a possibility to be correlated with advanced highresolution imaging characterization methods in case hazard i.e. deviation from controls (benchmark values) are diagnosed. The ACCORDs framework and tools will contribute to the European Green Deal by addressing the topic: “Graphene: Europe in the lead” and to a new European strategy on standardization, released on 2nd February, 2022 T2 - Joint Regulatory Risk Assessors Summit – Advancing Safety & Sustainability Assessments of Advanced Materials CY - Paris, France DA - 19.06.2025 KW - Graphene-related 2D materials (GR2M) KW - Imaging KW - SSbD KW - ACCORDs PY - 2025 UR - https://macrame-project.eu/macrame-meetings-workshops/jointrras/#Agenda AN - OPUS4-63660 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Matthews, Lauren T1 - Approaches to Surface Analysis of Modified Quartz Nanopipettes N2 - Nanopipettes are a type of solid-state nanopore with needle-like geometry. Their applications range from imaging, sensing, diagnostics, and use as injectors. The response of nanopipette sensors is highly dependent on the size, geometry and chemical properties of the sensing region. As nanopipettes are increasingly tuned and modified for specific analytes, a better understanding of the surface chemistry and morphology of the inner channel is necessary. For exploring these effects, quartz nanopipettes were modified by gas phase silanization, a well-utilised technique in the field to enhance performance of nanopipettes, and further functionalised with a metal bis thiolate complex, to aid in chemical analysis. The inner channel of the sensing region was exposed with focused ion beam (FIB) milling as a dedicated sample preparation method for nanoscale surface analysis. The sample characterisation involved scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and low-energy energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The results demonstrate the first steps towards full characterisation of nanopipettes at the nanoscale, notably with access to the inner channel. The methods used here can be applied to gain further understanding of the response of these sensors to complex analytes, and allow for the study of different surface functionalisation at the all-important sensing region. T2 - 2024 Spring Meeting of the European Materials Research Society (E-MRS) CY - Strasbourg, France DA - 27.05.2024 KW - Nanopipettes KW - FIB KW - Surface analysis KW - Surface modification KW - Silanisation PY - 2024 AN - OPUS4-60449 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - del Giorgio, Elena T1 - Visible and NIR emissive lanthanide(III) surfaces for new luminescent materials N2 - Luminescent lanthanides(III) offer exceptional optical properties that can overcome issues often encountered with other fluorophores (e.g. organic dyes). Their long lifetimes up to milliseconds, low photobleaching and sharp and characteristic emission peaks make the lanthanides extremely valuable for the development of advanced luminescent materials. Previous work on Ru(II) and Ir(III) gold surfaces further highlights the potential of employing the luminescence of metal complexes for the fabrication of sensing platforms and devices. Here, we incorporate visible and NIR-emitting lanthanide(III) complexes Ln2L3 (Ln = Eu(III), Nd(III), Yb(III)) to gold and plasmonic surfaces, translating the unique optical properties of the lanthanides(III) to practical devices. The Ln2L3 complexes are deposited on the surfaces with different methods, ranging from polymer aided physisorption to the covalent attachment on the gold surface. Furthermore, we exploit the high sensitivity to the coordination environment of lanthanides(III) to design and prepare a sensing platform. T2 - 17th Conference on Methods and Applications in Fluorescence (MAF 2022) CY - Göteborg, Sweden DA - 11.09.2022 KW - Luminescent materials KW - Lanthanide(III) KW - Surface morphology KW - AFM KW - SEM/EDS PY - 2022 UR - https://maf2022.com/ AN - OPUS4-56126 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -