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Thin organic films by atmospheric-pressure ion deposition

Nature Materials volume 3, pages 323–329 (2004)Cite this article

Abstract

Interest in thin films of functional organic materials has increased enormously in recent years because of the wide range of possible applications. Here we report an experimental setup for processing various organic materials into thin structured films under atmospheric pressure. The technique is based on an electrospray process. Microdroplets are initially formed and dried, generating ions that are extracted by electrostatic lenses. Thin structured films are then produced by the deposition of the resulting ion beam onto a moveable target. The technique offers several interesting features, including precise control of film thicknesses. We have also made experiments to investigate structured deposition, this being the first step towards the production of thin films where in all three dimensions the chemical composition can be chosen at will. This might provide a simple approach towards creating thin structured films and composites that are currently unattainable.

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Figure 1: Atmospheric-pressure ion deposition (APID).
Figure 2: Simulation of ion trajectories with SIMION 7.0.
Figure 3: High-quality thin films.
Figure 4: Three-dimensionally structured films of polymer 1.

(Image credit: Bettmann/Corbis.)

Figure 5: Multi-component systems of materials with comparable solubility.
Figure 6: APID as a technique for molecular electronics.

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Acknowledgements

We thank J. Albering (Institute for Technology of Inorganic Materials, Graz University of Technology) for assistance with AFM measurements, E. Zojer, A. Pogantsch and S. Rentenberger for experiments towards OLEDs, and the Austrian Science Fund (SFB Electroactive Materials, F922; project P13962-CHE) for financial support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Chemistry and Technology of Organic Materials, Graz University of Technology, Stremayrgasse 16, Graz, A-8010, Austria

    Robert Saf, Marian Goriup, Thomas Steindl, Thomas E. Hamedinger, Daniel Sandholzer & Gertraude Hayn

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  1. Robert Saf
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Correspondence to Robert Saf.

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Saf, R., Goriup, M., Steindl, T. et al. Thin organic films by atmospheric-pressure ion deposition. Nature Mater 3, 323–329 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1038/nmat1117

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