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严格考察朗缪尔-布洛杰特(L-B)薄膜及其前驱体单分子膜的结构和形貌与性能之间的关系，以确定获得性能改善的用作化学微传感器的L-B薄膜的先决条件。通过酞菁L-B膜的电子电荷的传输对酞菁单元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，对多层膜的形貌进行表征和控制是至关重要的。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的微均匀性和形貌，从而表征单层和L-B薄膜。通过仔细控制和确定酞菁薄膜的形貌和结构，研究人员将处于独特的地位，能够确定传感器响应与L-B薄膜形貌之间的关系。基于朗缪尔-布洛杰特(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技术的发展，为检测具有工业和技术重要性的化学气体提供了提高灵敏度的优势。该项目是成功的，应该有助于设计用于各种应用的改进的气敏薄膜。

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.