Equipment in our Labs

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Plasma Reactors

Below is a dual mode, microwave (MW) and low frequency (LF) plasma reactor [PLASMAtech, Erlanger, KY]. It can be operated in a batch or continuous

PlasmaTech Reactor	View of PlasmaTech Reactor Chamber

Recently, a time-of-flight mass spectrometer (TOF-MS), residual gas analyzer (RGA), and optical emission spectrometer (OES) were added to this reactor, as shown below:

Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer and Residual Gas Analyzer

We also have the capability to do IR and XPS of plasma treated surfaces in-situ (without exposing the samples to atmosphere. This equipment is very important to the study of the structure of interfaces, as exposure to atmosphere alters the chemistry.

Reactor with In-situ IR	Reactor with In-situ XPS

We have two more plasma reactors used to deposit films, etch and functionalize surfaces shown below:

Microwave Power Plasma Reactor	Radio Frequency Power Plasma Reactor

Spectroscopic Characterization Tools

We use many different characterization tools to investigate the surfaces that we engineer. Infrared and Raman spectroscopy enables us to investigate the chemical bonding present in a material. XPS allows us to determine the chemical composition of a surface (top 10 nm). The variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometer is also useful to determine film thickness and refractive index.

Nicolet Infrared and Raman Spectrometer, with reflection and attenuated total reflection accessories.

Perkin Elmer X-ray photoelectron spectrometer

Variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometer (VASE)

Raman spectrometer

Other Equipment

Polymer injection molder

Contact angle goniometer and tensiometer

Scratch Tester

We also have use of all the facilities at the Materials Characterization Center.