MODIFICATION AND REPLICATION OF INTRICATE 3D STRUCTURES WITH THIN FILMS COMPRISED OF COMPLEX OXIDES

Abstract

The use of multicomponent oxides provides new opportunities for replica functionality, but introduces new complications in controlling phase. Five research areas will be presented. First, robotic coating systems were designed and fabricated to facilitate this research. Second freestanding photoluminescent lanthanide-doped oxide replicas of optically active biological templates were synthesized via layer-by-layer (LbL) surface sol-gel (SSG) deposition and subsequent morphology-preserving thermal treatments to create structures with tailorable optical response. Third, freestanding ferroelectric replicas of bio-organic templates were produced via LbL SSG deposition and controlled atmosphere thermal treatments for tailorable electrostatic adhesion. Fourth, the deposition kinetics of the SSG coating process using a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) was investigated for commonly used precursors. This work will help guide future research on SSG thin film coatings and replication. Finally, a synthetic inverse opal structure was coated with the SSG method to demonstrate the use of the coatings on inorganic templates.