Abstract
Growth front scaling aspects are investigated for PPV-type oligomer thin films vapor- deposited onto silicon substrates at room temperature. For film thickness d~15-300 nm, commonly used in optoelectronic devices, correlation function measurement by atomic force microscopy yields roughness exponents in the range H=0.45±0.04, and an rms roughness amplitude which evolves with film thickness as a power law σ dβ with β=0.28±0.05. The non-Gaussian height distribution and the measured scaling exponents (H and β) suggest a roughening mechanism close to that described by the Kardar-Parisi-Zhang scenario.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
P. Meakin, Fractals, Scaling, and Growth Far from Equilibrium (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1998) see also here p. 408; J. Krim and G. Palasantzas, Int. J. of Mod. Phys. B 9, 599 (1995); A.-L. Barabási and H. E. Stanley, Fractal Concepts in Surface Growth (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1995).
Polymers for Electronic and Photonic Applications, edited by C.P. Wong (Academic Press, Boston, 1993); T.-M. Lu and J. A. Moore, Mat. Res. Soc. Bull. 20, 28 (1997).
G. W. Collins, S. A. Letts, E. M. Fearon, R. L. McEachern, and T. P. Bernat, Phys. Rev. Lett. 73, 708 (1994).
F. Biscarini, P. Samorí, O. Greco, and R. Zamboni, Phys. Rev. Lett. 78, 2389 (1997); F. Biscarini, R. Zamboni, P. Samori, P. Ostoja, C. Taliani, Phys. Rev. B 52, 14868 (1995).
Y.-P. Zhao, J. B. Fortin, G. Bonvallet, G.-C. Wang and T.-M. Lu, Phys. Rev. Lett. 85, 3229 (2000).
P. F. van Hutten, V. V. Krasnikov, and G. Hadziioannou, Acc. Chem. Res. 32, 257 (1999).
H. Sirringhaus, P. J. Brown, R. H. Friend, M. M. Nielsen, K. Bechgaard, B.M.W. Langeveld-Voss, A. J. Spiering, R. A. J. Janssen, P. Herwig, D. M. de Leeuw, Nature 401, 685 (1999).
Semiconducting Polymers: Chemistry, Physics and Engineering, edited by G. Hadziioannou and P.F. van Hutten (Wiley-VCH, Weinheim, 2000).
H. J. Brouwer, V. V. Krasnikov, T. A. Pham, R. E. Gill, P. F. van Hutten, and G. Hadziioannou, Chemical Phys. 65, 227 (1998).
D. Tsamouras, W. Geens, P. F. van Hutten, J. Poortmans, and G. Hadziioannou, Polym. Mater. Sci. Eng. 83, 293 (2000). For the technique of thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) see A. Blaezek, Thermal Analysis (Van Nostrand Reinhold, London, 1972); B. Dickens, J.H. Flynn in Polymer Characterization: Spectroscopic, Chromatographic, and Physical Instrumental Methods edited by C.D. Craver (American Chemical Society, Washington D.C., 1983).
R. E. Gill, A. Meetsma, and G. Hadziioannou, Adv. Mater. 8, 212 (1996).
See for example D. Sarid, Scanning Force Microscopy with Applications to Electric, Magnetic and Atomic Forces, Revised Edition (Oxford University Press, New York, 1994).
G. Palasantzas, Phys. Rev. E 56, 1254 (1997).
G. Palasantzas and J. Krim, Phys. Rev. Lett. 73, 3564 (1994).
W. E. Wolf and J. Villain, Europhys. Lett. 13, 389 (1990).
Z. -W. Lai and S. Das Sarma, Phys. Rev. Lett. 66, 2348 (1991).
M. Kardar, G. Parisi, and Y. C. Zhang, Phys. Rev. Lett. 56, 889 (1986). For skewed distribution aspects in Directed Polymer Problems in Random Media (DPRM) related to KPZ growth see also T. Halpin-Heally, Phys. Rep. 254, 215 (1995).
M. Forest and L. -H. Tang, Phys. Rev. Lett. 64, 1405 (1991).
J. Aue and J. Th. M. De Hosson, Appl. Phys. Lett. 71, 1347 (1997).
F. Biscarini, P. Samori, A. Lauria, P. Ostoja, R. Zamboni, C. Taliani, P. Viville, R. Lazzaroni, and J. L. Bredas, Thin Sol. Films 284-285, 439 (1996).
G. Palsantzas, Z. P. Zhao, G. -C. Wang, T. -M. Lu, J. Barnas, and J. Th. M. De Hosson, Phys. Rev. B 61, 11109 (2000).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Tsamouras, D., Palasantzas, G., De Hosson, J.T.M. et al. Growth Front Roughening of Room Temperature Deposited Oligomer Thin Films. MRS Online Proceedings Library 648, 620 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1557/PROC-648-P6.20
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/PROC-648-P6.20