Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference:	GR/L18709/01
Title:	THE CHARACTERIZATION OF REFRACTIVE INDEX IN THIN FILMS TO NANOMETRE SPATIAL RESOLUTION
Principal Investigator:	Roberts, Professor C
Other Investigators:	Davies, Professor M Tendler, Professor S
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Department:	Sch of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Organisation:	University of Nottingham
Scheme:	Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts:	30 September 1996	Ends:	29 September 1997	Value (£):	26,824
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:	Optical Phenomena
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:	Chemicals
Related Grants:
Panel History:
Summary on Grant Application Form
The nanoscale characterisation of thin films by radiative and probe based methods has become increasingly important across a wide range of fundamental and applied fields, including semiconductor applications, optical coatings, sensors and data storage media. Presently numerous techniques exist to characterise surface composition, chemistry and topography at, or close to, the nanoscale. We propose to employ a novel combined atomic force microscope/surface plasmon resonance facility, which simultaneously utilises both a radiative and a probe approach, to interrogate of the optical properties of thin films at the nanometre scale. The proposed method will enable two-dimensional nanometre resolution maps of dielectric properties/refractive index to be produced for thin films (150 nm) of a wide range of materials (eg, metals, semiconductors, polymers, organic molecular systems). The possibility of providing non-destructive refractive index depth profiling will also be investigated. An empirical theory, based upon classical plasmon propagation models, will be developed to facilitate data interpretation.We have expertise in the employment of advanced analytical instruments for the characterisation of a range of surface properties at the micron and nanometre scale and the resources in sample preparation and state-of-the-art computational modelling/analysis that will be required in this project.
Key Findings
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Organisation Website:	http://www.nottingham.ac.uk