Controlling the domain size and degree of crystallization in organic films is highly important for electronic applications such as organic photovoltaics, but suitable nanoscale mapping is very difficult. Here we apply infrared-spectroscopic nano-imaging to directly determine the local crystallinity of organic thin films with 20-nm resolution. We find that state-of-the-art pentacene films (grown...

In this study, Ga₂O₃-doped ZnO (GZO) thin films were deposited on glass and flexible polyimide (PI) substrates at room temperature (300 K), 373 K, and 473 K by the radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering method. After finding the deposition rate, all the GZO thin films with a nano-scale thickness of about 150 ± 10 nm were controlled by the deposition time. X-ray diffraction patterns indicated...

The article deals with the preparation, properties and the usage of polymer barrier films. The problem of exfoliation and dispersion of the filler in the polymer matrix and mechanical properties of barrier films is discussed. This problem is connected with the use of nanofiller either in the polymer matrix or on the surface of prepared films. Together the evaluating comparison of used nanofille...

The possibilities of using newly developed nano- and micro-thin films in biomedicine are intensively studied at the present time. Many research institutions are looking for ways to evaluate mechanical properties of these films. One of the most important and frequently studied characteristics is practical adhesion. A very important method for evaluating the practical adhesion strength is scratch...

We have attempted to clarify possible domain-wall processes present in the recently reported large ballistic magnetoresistance effects in nano-contacts. To that effect we have used e-beam lithography applied to epitaxial Ni films to fabricate nano-bridges in more controlled geometry than electrochemical deposition. Our preliminary results indicate that magnetic domains do play a role in the mag...

Surface-confined ultra-thin polyrotaxane (PRX)-based films with tunable composition, surface topology and swelling characteristics were prepared by solid-state continuous assembly of polymers (ssCAP). The PRX-based films supported cell attachment, and their degradation in biological media could be tuned. This study provides a versatile nano-coating technology with potential applications in biom...

BACKGROUND Highly hydrophobic surfaces can have very low surface energy and such low surface energy biological interfaces can be obtained using fluorinated coatings on surfaces. Deposition of biocompatible organic films on solid-state surfaces is attained with techniques like plasma polymerization, biomineralization and chemical vapor deposition. All these require special equipment or harsh che...

The effect of the number of amino acid residues in L-glycyl-L-glycine and L-glycyl-L-glycylL-glycine on thermal stability of powders, the sorption properties and surface morphology of thin films has been found. Dipeptide forms the film coated with disk-shaped nano-objects on the hydrophilic substrate, while tripeptide self-organizes to the film coated with nano-crystals on the hydrophobic subst...

The optical, structural and charge transport properties of solution-processed films of copper(I) thiocyanate (CuSCN) are investigated in this work. As-processed CuSCN films of ~20 nm in thickness are found to be nano-crystalline, highly transparent and exhibit intrinsic hole transporting characteristics with a maximum field-effect mobility in the range of 0.01-0.1 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1).

Nano-sized Ag(111) islands were first prepared by using molecular beam epitaxy technique on dilutedhydrofluoric acid etched Si(111) substrate. Epitaxial Co films were then grown onto the Ag films at 100 °C to decrease interdiffusion. The Ag buffer layer designed to form isolated islands with {111} sidewalls on the Si(111) substrate, and provided Co films (111) texture growth to study the correl...