 |
|
A new wrinkle in thin film science
August 08, 2007Simple, inexpensive way to measure material properties could impact cosmetics, coating and nanoelectronic industries
A remarkably simple experiment devised by scientists yields important information about the mechanical properties of thin films--nanoscopically thin layers of material that are deposited onto a metal, ceramic or semiconductor base.
The research results, funded by the National Science Foundation and performed at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst Materials Research Science and Engineering Center, appears in the August 3, 2007, issue of Science.
The findings impact a broad range of scientific disciplines and applications, from cosmetics to coatings, to micro- and nanoelectronics. Understanding the mechanical properties of thin films is essential to their performance and optimization.
Until now, determining the mechanical properties of these thin films was either an expensive and time-consuming endeavor, requiring powerful microscopes to view the films, or scientists examined composite structures and made uncertain assumptions. This new research will give scientists a simple way to access the material properties of most thin films.
"As we delve more into the nanotechnology, it becomes increasingly important to know if the material properties of ultrathin films differ from their properties in the bulk," said Thomas Russell, a program director in the Polymer Science and Engineering Department at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. "Everyday we see examples where a material's dimensions can change its properties. Aluminum foil is flexible, whereas a bar of aluminum is not. But what happens when a film's thickness approaches molecular dimensions" These experiments give us a simple, inexpensive way to measure mechanical properties of films that are only tens of nanometers thick."
Russell and his colleagues use a low-power optical microscope to observe what happens when they place a tiny drop of water on thin film as it floats in a Petri dish of water. The "capillary tension" of the drop of water produces a starburst of wrinkles in the film. The number and length of the wrinkles are determined by the elasticity and thickness of the film.
In some of the materials studied, the wrinkles in the ultrathin polymer films vanished with time, unlike the skin of a dried fruit or the crumpled hood of your car after an accident. This vanishing provides insight into the relaxation process of an ultrathin film by yielding information on the way polymer chains move in the highly confined geometry.
National Science Foundation
The findings impact a broad range of scientific disciplines and applications, from cosmetics to coatings, to micro- and nanoelectronics. Understanding the mechanical properties of thin films is essential to their performance and optimization.
Until now, determining the mechanical properties of these thin films was either an expensive and time-consuming endeavor, requiring powerful microscopes to view the films, or scientists examined composite structures and made uncertain assumptions. This new research will give scientists a simple way to access the material properties of most thin films.
"As we delve more into the nanotechnology, it becomes increasingly important to know if the material properties of ultrathin films differ from their properties in the bulk," said Thomas Russell, a program director in the Polymer Science and Engineering Department at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. "Everyday we see examples where a material's dimensions can change its properties. Aluminum foil is flexible, whereas a bar of aluminum is not. But what happens when a film's thickness approaches molecular dimensions" These experiments give us a simple, inexpensive way to measure mechanical properties of films that are only tens of nanometers thick."
Russell and his colleagues use a low-power optical microscope to observe what happens when they place a tiny drop of water on thin film as it floats in a Petri dish of water. The "capillary tension" of the drop of water produces a starburst of wrinkles in the film. The number and length of the wrinkles are determined by the elasticity and thickness of the film.
In some of the materials studied, the wrinkles in the ultrathin polymer films vanished with time, unlike the skin of a dried fruit or the crumpled hood of your car after an accident. This vanishing provides insight into the relaxation process of an ultrathin film by yielding information on the way polymer chains move in the highly confined geometry.
National Science Foundation
Film Current Events and Film News RSSSuper-Tough Sunshield to Fly on the James Webb Space Telescope
Imagine sunglasses that can withstand the severe cold and heat of space, a barrage of radiation and high-speed impacts from small space debris. They don't exist, but Northrop Grumman engineers have created a Sunshield for NASA's James Webb Space Telescope that can withstand all of those elements. The space telescope needs a Sunshield to block heat from the sun so its cameras and instruments can operate properly a million miles from the Earth, when it launches in 2013.
Lead-flapping objects experience less wind resistance than their trailing counterparts
It is commonly known that racing cars and bicyclists can reduce air resistance by following closely behind a leader, but researchers from New York University and Cornell University have found the opposite is true with flapping objects, such as flags.
Very cold ice films in laboratory reveal mysteries of universe
The universe is full of water, mostly in the form of very cold ice films deposited on interstellar dust particles, but until recently little was known about the detailed small scale structure.
Hydrogen tank lighter than battery
Dutch-sponsored researcher Robin Gremaud has shown that an alloy of the metals magnesium, titanium and nickel is excellent at absorbing hydrogen.
Major Source of Radon Exposure Overlooked at Former Ohio Uranium Processing Plant
University of Cincinnati (UC) scientists say that a recent scientific study of a now-closed uranium processing plant near Cincinnati has identified a second, potentially more significant source of radon exposure for former workers.
Potent greenhouse gas more prevalent in atmosphere than previously assumed
A powerful greenhouse gas is at least four times more prevalent in the atmosphere than previously estimated, according to a team of researchers at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego.
Denser computer chips possible with plasmonic lenses that 'fly'
Engineers at the University of California, Berkeley, are reporting a new way of creating computer chips that could revitalize optical lithography, a patterning technique that dominates modern integrated circuits manufacturing.
Magic solar milestone reached
UNSW's ARC Photovoltaic Centre of Excellence has again asserted its leadership in solar cell technology by reporting the first silicon solar cell to achieve the milestone of 25 per cent effiency.
Better beer: college team creating anticancer brew
College students often spend their free time thinking about beer, but a group of Rice University students are taking it to the next level. They're using genetic engineering to create beer that contains resveratrol, a chemical in wine that's been shown to reduce cancer and heart disease in lab animals.
Paperwork: Buckypapers clarify electrical, optical behavior of nanotubes
Using highly uniform samples of carbon nanotubes-sorted by centrifuge for length-materials scientists at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have made some of the most precise measurements yet of the concentrations at which delicate mats of nanotubes become transparent, conducting sheets.
More Film Current Events and Film News Articles
 | The Film Club: A Memoir by David Gilmour "I loved David Gilmour's sleek, potent little memoir, The Film Club. It's so, so wise in the ways of fathers and sons, of movies and movie-goers, of love and loss." --- Richard Russo, Pulitzer Prize winning author of Empire Falls"If all sons had dads like David Gilmour, then Oedipus would be a forgotten legend and Father's Day would be a worldwide film festival."--Sean Wilsey, author of Oh... |
 | The Art of Watching Films with Tutorial CD-ROM by Joe Boggs, Dennis Petrie This introduction to film appreciation uses both contemporary and classic movies to help students develop critical skills in the analysis and evaluation of film. By suggesting what to look for and how to look for it, the text challenges students to sharpen their powers of observation, establish habits of perceptive watching, and discover complex aspects of film art that will further enhance their... |
 | The New Biographical Dictionary of Film: Expanded and Updated by David Thomson For almost thirty years, David Thomson’s Biographical Dictionary of Film has been not merely “the finest reference book ever written about movies” (Graham Fuller, Interview), not merely the “desert island book” of art critic David Sylvester, not merely “a great, crazy masterpiece” (Geoff Dyer, The Guardian), but also “fiendishly seductive” (Greil Marcus, Rolling Stone).This new... |
 | The Independent Film Producer's Survival Guide: A Business and Legal Sourcebook by Gunnar Erickson, Mark Halloran, Harris Tulchin In this comprehensive guidebook, three experienced entertainment lawyers tell you everything you need to know to produce and market an independent film—from the development process to deal making, financing, setting up the production, hiring directors and actors, securing location rights, acquiring music, calculating profits, digital moving making, distribution, and marketing your movie. This... |
 | "Have You Seen . . . ?": A Personal Introduction to 1,000 Films by David Thomson In 1975, David Thomson published his Biographical Dictionary of Film, and few film books have enjoyed better press or such steady sales.Now, thirty-three years later, we have the companion volume, a second book of more than 1,000 pages in one voice—that of our most provocative contemporary film critic and historian.Juxtaposing the fanciful and the fabulous, the old favorites and the forgotten,... |
 | The Complete Film Production Handbook, Third Edition (Book & CD-ROM) by Eve Light Honthaner The Complete Film Production Handbook is a comprehensive step-by-step guide covering the essentials of the business, from checklists and sample pre-production and post production schedules to contracts and company policies relating to insurance, talent management, and even customs and immigration details. The book contains all of the many necessary forms including SAG, DGA, and WGA forms,... |
 | The Film Encyclopedia 6e: The Complete Guide to Film and the Film Industry (Film Encyclopedia) by Ephraim Katz Ephraim Katz's The Film Encyclopedia is the most comprehensive single-volume encyclopedia on film and is considered the undisputed bible of the film industry. Completely revised and updated, this sixth edition features more than 7,500 A-Z entries on the artistic, technical, and commercial aspects of moviemaking, including: Directors, producers, actors, screenwriters, and cinematographers Styles,... |
 | Complete Guide to Film Scoring by Richard Davis An essential resource for both students and professionals, offering shrewd insight into the business, process, and art of writing music for film and TV. Interviews with top film scoring professionals add the priceless insight of the wisdom that comes with... |
 | A Short Guide to Writing about Film (Short Guides Series) by Timothy Corrigan Doubling an introduction to film study and a practical writing guide, this brief text introduces students to film terms and the major film theories, enabling them to write more critically. Examples from newer movies provide a fresh list of references for students introduced to film study and writing films. The author presents several approaches to film analysis and writing about film–auteurs,... |
 | The Eye is Quicker: Film Editing: Making A Good Film Better by Richard D. Pepperman The most comprehensive book on the principles, methods, and strategies vital to the creative art of film... |
| © 2008 BrightSurf.com |