Project name: Novel hybrid metal-organic and polymeric thin film materials for sensor development

Contract no. 12/05.10.2011

Project code: PN-II-RU-TE-2011-3-0301

PN II Program Name: Human Resources

Subprogram: Research projects for the stimulation of the forming of young independent research teams

Contracting authority: Executive Agency for Higher Education, Research, Development and Innovation Funding

Research team:

Dr. Andrei ROTARU (CS III)
Dr. Marius DUMITRU-GRIVEI (CS)
Drd. Anca NEDELCEA (CS) 
Dr. Nicu SCARISOREANU (CS III)
Dr. Catalin GOLDNER-CONSTANTINESCU (CS III, project director)

Coordinator: National Institute for Lasers, Plasma, and Radiation Physics

Project summary:

This project is an intention to create structures of special materials, such as conducting polymers and hybrid metal-organics; the reasons we intend to use such materials is because these are easy to develop through chemical procedures that are already known, and are subsequently suitable to laser and plasma processing for thin film development (thicknesses may vary from tens of Ångstroms up to few hundred nanometers). In order to develop good quality thin films and/or nanostructures of polymeric and/or hybrid metal-organics, a modern and versatile technique will be used in order to achieve the goals of this project: matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation, or MAPLE. This technique gives the possibility to develop nano- and micro-structured multilayers of such materials that would otherwise be difficult to obtain, due to solvent- or substrate-thin film incompatibility. MAPLE also gives excellent control in thickness, structure and stoichiometry, even when a compositional gradient is needed or in nanostructures.

The scientific and technological objectives we need to achieve in order to reach our final goal are the following:
• A comprehensive approach towards designing the structures: the design and parametric studies on the materials are to be performed baring in mind data that is already available in the literature and the data we already have published on this subject. The designed structures will consider the MAPLE experimental conditions and will tackle the physical limitations that may appear by adjusting the shape, size, and multilayer structure depending on the feedback of the preliminary tests.
• Thin film depositions by MAPLE technique and improvement of the deposition procedure: there will be two approaches in choosing the material types that will be considered for the realization of the structures in this project: 1.) Alternating layers of different doping conducting polymers (e.g. polyaniline), and 2.) Alternating layers of hybrid metal-organic materials with polymeric structures. For each of these materials, we will mostly use silicon, but also quartz and ITO covered glass substrates, since these are well suited for practical applications. Deliverables: thin film structures for sensing devices; a new design in the MAPLE setup and registered request for invention patent.
• Thermal analysis (TA) of the materials and studies of the surface and interface morphology; determination of averaged optical coefficients by correlating results from atomic force microscopy (AFM) and spectroscopic-ellipsometry (SE) measurements. Additionally, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) can be performed, should there be a particular need for such characterizations. Dielectric spectroscopy (DS) will give information on the quality and parameters of the designed structures before constructing the sensing devices. Deliverables: sensor prototypes; registered request for invention patent. Generated knowledge: scientific publications and conference participations.

Dissemination:

Publications

1. Catalin Constantinescu, Valentin Ion, Aurelian C. Galca, Maria Dinescu, "Morphological, optical and electrical properties of samarium oxide thin films", Thin Solid Films 520 (2012) 6393–6397, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tsf.2012.06.049
2. Catalin Constantinescu, Andreea Matei, Iulian Ionita, Valentin Ion, Valentina Marascu, Maria Dinescu, Cristina Vasiliu, Ana Emandi, "Azo-derivatives thin films grown by matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation for non-linear optical applications", Applied Surface Science 302 (2014) 69–73, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.apsusc.2013.12.068
3. Andreea Matei, Catalin Constantinescu, Bogdana Mitu, Valentina Marascu, Valentin Ion, Iulian Ionita, Anne-Patricia Alloncle, Philippe Delaporte, Ana Emandi, Maria Dinescu, "Laser printed thin films of azo-derivative compounds for non-linear optical applications",  Applied Surface Science (2014) http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.apsusc.2014.11.022
4. Catalin Constantinescu, Andrei Rotaru, Anca Nedelcea, Maria Dinescu, "Thermal behaviour and thin film deposition by MAPLE technique of functional polymeric materials with potential use in optoelectronics”, Materials Science in Semiconductor Processing 30 (2015) 242–249, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.mssp.2014.10.011
5. Catalin Constantinescu, Ludovic Rapp, Petre Rotaru, Philippe Delaporte, Anne-Patricia Alloncle, "Pulsed laser processing of poly(3,3'''-didodecyl quarter thiophene) semiconductor for organic thin film transistors", Chemical Physics 450-451 (2015) 32–38, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chemphys.2015.02.004

Conference participations

1. "Thermal stability and thin films deposition of some polymeric materials with use in optoelectronic and sensor devices", C. Constantinescu, A. Rotaru, A. Nedelcea, P. Rotaru, M. Dinescu, presented at the E-MRS 2012 SPRING MEETING, 14-18 May 2012, Strasbourg, France (POSTER)
2. "Azo-derivatives thin films grown by matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation", A. Matei, C. Constantinescu, I. Ionita, V. Ion, M. Dinescu, R. Iordanescu, I. Feraru, I.C. Vasiliu, A. Emandi, presented at the E-MRS 2013 SPRING MEETING, 26-31 May 2013, Strasbourg, France (POSTER)
3. "Optical properties of azoderivative/ polymer thin films deposited by MAPLE", V. Ion, A. Matei, M. Filipescu, C. Constantinescu, B. Mitu, M. Dinescu, I.C. Vasiliu, A. Emandi, Conference on Laser Ablation (COLA), Ischia, Italia, 6-11 Octombrie 2013 (POSTER)
4. "Laser printed thin films of organometallic and azo-derivative compounds for non-linear optical applications", A. Matei, C. Constantinescu, B. Mitu, V. Marascu, V. Ion, I. Ionita, A. Emandi, A.P. Alloncle, P. Delaporte, M. Dinescu, presented at the E-MRS 2014 SPRING MEETING, 26-30 May 2014, Lille, France (POSTER)
5. "Green nanotechnology in materials science: organic electronics, nanostructuration and laser processing", C. Constantinescu, presented at the "Renewable Energy Systems and Green Nanotechnologies for a Clean Environment" / ECO-ENE 2014, 22-24 July 2014, Palemo, Italy (invited lecture)"
6. "Lead-free ceramics for electronic and energetic purposes", A. Rotaru, presented at the "Renewable Energy Systems and Green Nanotechnologies for a Clean Environment" / ECO-ENE 2014, 22-24 July 2014, Palemo, Italy (invited lecture)"
7. Workshop on "X-ray Scattering Methods for Thin Film Characterization" (attendee: M. Dumitru), organized by the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics of the Charles University in Prague and PANalytical B.V., NL; 25-26 September 2014, Prague, Czech Republic"
 

Collaborations:

1. Aix-Marseille Université / CNRS, LP3 laboratory (UMR 7341), 163 av. de Luminy, F-13288 Marseille cedex 9, FRANCE
2. Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Institute of Electronics, 72 Tzarigradsko St., BG-1784, Sofia, BULGARIA
3. University of Bucharest, Faculty of Chemistry, Department of Inorganic Chemistry, 90-92 Panduri Street, RO-050663 Bucharest, ROMANIA
4. University of Craiova, Faculty of Physics, 13 A.I. Cuza St., Craiova RO-200585, Dolj, ROMANIA
5. University of Bucharest, Faculty of Physiscs, 405 Atomistilor St., Magurele RO-077125, Bucharest, ROMANIA
6. INOE 2000 - National Institute for Optoelectronics, 1 Atomistilor St., Magurele RO-077125, Bucharest, ROMANIA

First stage - 15.12.2011 (click for the scientific report)

Value of first stage: 96,000 lei
 

Second stage - 15.12.2012 (click for the scientific report)

Value of second stage: 226,000 lei
 

Third stage - 15.12.2013 (click for the scientific report, 2011-2013)

Value of third stage: 222,000 lei
 

Fourth stage - 03.10.2014 (click for the scientific report, 2011-2014)

Value of fourth stage: 167,000 lei