The ellipsometry versatility in the study of sol-gel films

Gärtner, M.; Stoica, M.; Nicolescu, M.; Stroescu, Hermine

doi:10.1007/s10971-021-05504-2

Cited by 8 publications

(2 citation statements)

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“…At the current stage, this technique presents advantages and drawbacks with respect to the most commonly employed UV-vis-NIR ellipsometry. [26] We summarize these features in films (contraction, volume loss) and the evolution of the optical properties in the respective spectral ranges. In addition to these features, the main advantage of IR ellipsometry is that it provides direct information about the chemical evolution of the films.…”

Section: ) Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…While a universal technique doesn't exist, some methods exhibit good potential in terms of versatility under environmental conditions; for instance, UV-visible spectroscopic ellipsometry is probably the most powerful characterization method to probe the formation and the properties of optical films. [24][25][26] Briefly, the technique consists of (i) measuring the change in polarization of light reflected by a surface and (ii) applying optical models to determine the refractive index dispersion n() and the thickness h of the films. Since the measurement is fast and non-destructive, it allows the determination of n() and thickness vs time under controlled atmosphere, [17,27] temperature, [28] irradiation, [29] liquid biological media [30] (and combinations of these).…”

Section: ) Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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In situ infrared spectroscopic ellipsometry as a tool to probe the formation of sol–gel based mesoporous films

Amyar,

Byun,

Besbes

et al. 2023

J Sol-Gel Sci Technol

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Probing the formation of sol-gel mesoporous films and characterizing them under environmental/in-operando conditions represents an important challenge to optimize their performances. Obtaining a complete picture of the system usually requires a combination of multiple techniques. In this work, we introduce in situ infrared (IR) ellipsometry equipped with an environmental chamber as a tool to follow simultaneously the evolution of structural, optical and chemical properties during the formation of sol-gel derived mesoporous films. As a case study, we investigate the formation of mesoporous TiO2 by comparing a conventional thermal treatment and a low-temperature annealing by UV irradiation. In both cases, the structural optical and chemical evolution could be monitored during the IR ellipsometric experiment. Interestingly, UV-annealing allows the fabrication of mesoporous TiO2 films at low temperatures enabling the formation of plasmonic mesoporous composites. At last, we critically discuss the advantages and drawbacks of IR ellipsometry for in situ investigations compared to conventional UV-visible ellipsometry by providing additional insights for future developments.

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Section: ) Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%