Quasi in situ scanning force microscope with an automatic operated reaction chamber.

We describe the design and performance of a quasi in situ scanning force microscope with an automatic operated reaction chamber. The design provides a repetitive hermetically sealed sample environment for successive processing. The reaction chamber is based on a combination of a flexure-guided cover, a piezo-positioning system and a force applicator system.

Electric field alignment of a block copolymer nanopattern: direct observation of the microscopic mechanism.

Using quasi-in-situ scanning force microscopy we study the details of nanopattern alignment in ABC terblock copolymer thin films in the presence of an in-plane electric field. Because of the surface interactions and electric field the lamellae are oriented both perpendicular to the plane of the film and parallel to the electric field. We identified two distinct defect types which govern the orientation mechanism.

Large scale alignment of a lamellar block copolymer thin film via electric fields: a time-resolved SFM study.

We have devised a novel route towards a nanoscopically striped surface pattern with long range order the self-assembly of an ABC triblock terpolymer thin film exposed to an in-plane electric field. the interplay between surface interactions and the effect of the electric field the lamellae were oriented both perpendicular to the plane of the film and parallel to the electric field. Moreover, quasi scanning force microscopy measurements were used to follow the reorientation process as a function of time and to yield insight into the microscopic steps eventually leading to the ordered microdomain structure.

Dynamics of ferrocene in AlPO4-5 single crystals probed by nuclear forward scattering.

We have investigated the dynamics of ferrocene in the channels of single crystals of AlPO(4)-5, using nuclear forward scattering. Around 150 K, rotational dynamics sets in, which is strongly anisotropic up to 235 K. Assuming planar rotation of the ferrocene molecules within the channels we obtained an activation energy of (8.