Supplement for Women, Minority, and Handicapped Under- graduates: Enhanced Sensitivity Chemical Microsensors Fabricated from Polymeric Phtalocyanine L-B Films

本研究的长期目标是批判性地研究Langmuir-Blodgett （L-B）薄膜及其前体单层的结构和形态与性能之间的关系，以确定获得具有改进性能的L-B薄膜用于化学微传感器的先决条件。通过酞菁L-B膜的电荷传输对酞菁单位的形态或组织极为敏感。因此，为了优化多层膜的电响应性能，表征和控制多层膜的形貌是至关重要的。本项目的重点是通过进一步开发和应用原位光学诊断技术，特别是激光荧光技术，来监测单层和L-B薄膜的微均匀性和形态，从而表征单层和L-B薄膜。通过仔细控制和确定酞菁膜的形态和结构，研究人员将处于一个独特的位置，以确定传感器响应和L-B膜形态之间的关系。基于Langmuir-Blodgett （L-B）技术沉积在平面微电极阵列上的非常薄的有机半导体薄膜的化学电阻器技术的发展，为检测工业和技术上重要的化学气体提供了提高灵敏度的优势。这个项目是成功的，应该有助于改进气敏膜的设计，用于各种应用。

The long-term goal of this research is to critically examine the relationship between the performance properties and the structure and morphology of Langmuir-Blodgett (L-B) films and their precursor monolayers in order to determine the prerequisite conditions for obtaining L-B films having improved properties for use as chemical microsensors. The transport of electronic charge through a phthalocyanine L-B film is extremely sensitive to the morphology or organization of the phthalocyanine units. Therefore, it is essential to characterize and control the morphology of the multilayer film in order to optimize the electrical response performance. Attention in this project focuses on characterizing monolayer and L-B films by further developing and applying in-situ optical diagnostic techniques, in particular, laser fluorescence techniques, to monitor the monolayer microhomogeneity and morphology. By carefully controlling and determining the morphology and structure of the phthalocyanine films, the investigators will be in a unique position to determine the relationship between sensor response and L-B film morphology. The development of chemiresistor technology based on very thin organic semiconductor films deposited onto planar microelectrode arrays by the Langmuir-Blodgett (L-B) technique offers the advantage of enhanced sensitivity to detect chemical gases of industrial and technological importance. This project, is successful, should help in the design of improved gas-sensitive films for a variety of applications.