Major Characterization Facilities

• Scanning probe microscope facility
• Optical tweezer facility
• Quartz crystal microbalance
• Self-nulling ellipsometers
• Optical microscopes
• Dynamic light scattering spectrometer
• Cryo-transmission electron microscope
• Scanning confocal laser microscope
• Phase modulation Fourier transform infrared spectrometer
• Raman microprobe spectrometer
• Infrared microscope
• Optical profiler
  
• Differential pressure experiment

Sample Preparation Facilities

• Spincoater
• Laminar flow cabinet
• Ultrapure water facility
• Vacuum ovens
• UV/ozone cleaner
• Plasma cleaner
• CO₂ snow cleaner
• High temperature oven
• Microbiology facilities

Differential Pressure Experiment

We have developed a sensitive experiment which allows the measurement of the growth of holes in thin freely-standing polymer films at elevated temperatures. In the experiment, a constant small pressure difference is applied and maintained across the freely-standing film. The formation and growth of holes at elevated temperatures is detected as a flow of air through the film.

Differential pressure experiment: Schematic diagram