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

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

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.