@article{SchlemmerBetzBerchtoldetal.2009, author = {Schlemmer, Christian and Betz, Wolfgang and Berchtold, Bernd and R{\"u}he, J{\"u}rgen and Santer, Svetlana}, title = {The design of thin polymer membranes filled with magnetic particles on a microstructured silicon surface}, issn = {0957-4484}, doi = {10.1088/0957-4484/20/25/255301}, year = {2009}, abstract = {In this paper we present the fabrication and characterization of polymer nanomembranes filled with magnetic nanoparticles and attached covalently to a periodic array of free-standing silicon walls, forming an array of micro- channels with the membrane as a cover. The width of a micro-channel of about 1.4 mu m sets a characteristic lateral size and the thickness of the polymer membrane ranges between 100 and 300 nm. The membrane is made of cross-linked hydrophilic polymers possessing a Young's modulus of only a few MPa. The presence of the magnetic particles within the membrane makes the film responsive to external magnetic fields. The mechanical and magnetic properties of the membrane are characterized by bulge tests and with atomic force microscopy.}, language = {en} } @article{FilimonKopfBalloutetal.2010, author = {Filimon, Marlena and Kopf, Ilona and Ballout, Fuad and Schmidt, Dietrich A. and Bruendermann, Erik and R{\"u}he, J{\"u}rgen and Santer, Svetlana and Havenith, Martina}, title = {Smart polymer surfaces : mapping chemical landscapes on the nanometre scale}, issn = {1744-683X}, doi = {10.1039/C0sm00098a}, year = {2010}, abstract = {We show that Scattering Infrared Near-field Microscopy (SNIM) allows chemical mapping of polymer monolayers that can serve as designed nanostructured surfaces with specific surface chemistry properties on a nm scale. Using s- SNIM a minimum volume of 100 nm x 100 nm x 15 nm is sufficient for a recording of a "chemical'' IR signature which corresponds to an enhancement of at least four orders of magnitudes compared to conventional FT-IR microscopy. We could prove that even in cases where it is essentially difficult to distinguish between distinct polymer compositions based solely on topography, nanophase separated polymers can be clearly distinguished according to their characteristic near-field IR response.}, language = {en} } @article{ZakrevskyyKopyshevLomadzeetal.2011, author = {Zakrevskyy, Yuriy and Kopyshev, Alexey and Lomadze, Nino and Morozova, Elena and Lysyakova, Liudmila and Kasyanenko, Nina and Santer, Svetlana}, title = {DNA compaction by azobenzene-containing surfactant}, series = {Physical review : E, Statistical, nonlinear and soft matter physics}, volume = {84}, journal = {Physical review : E, Statistical, nonlinear and soft matter physics}, number = {2}, publisher = {American Physical Society}, address = {College Park}, issn = {1539-3755}, doi = {10.1103/PhysRevE.84.021909}, pages = {9}, year = {2011}, abstract = {We report on the interaction of cationic azobenzene-containing surfactant with DNA investigated by absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, and atomic force microscopy. The properties of the surfactant can be controlled with light by reversible switching of the azobenzene unit, incorporated into the surfactant tail, between a hydrophobic trans (visible irradiation) and a hydrophilic cis (UV irradiation) configuration. The influence of the trans-cis isomerization of the azobenzene on the compaction process of DNA molecules and the role of both isomers in the formation and colloidal stability of DNA-surfactant complexes is discussed. It is shown that the trans isomer plays a major role in the DNA compaction process. The influence of the cis isomer on the DNA coil configuration is rather small. The construction of a phase diagram of the DNA concentration versus surfactant/DNA charge ratio allows distancing between three major phases: colloidally stable and unstable compacted globules, and extended coil conformation. There is a critical concentration of DNA above which the compacted globules can be hindered from aggregation and precipitation by adding an appropriate amount of the surfactant in the trans configuration. This is because of the compensation of hydrophobicity of the globules with an increasing amount of the surfactant. Below the critical DNA concentration, the compacted globules are colloidally stable and can be reversibly transferred with light to an extended coil state.}, language = {en} } @article{KoenigGoldenbergKulikovskaetal.2011, author = {Koenig, Tobias and Goldenberg, Leonid M. and Kulikovska, Olga and Kulikovsky, Lazar and Stumpe, Joachim and Santer, Svetlana}, title = {Reversible structuring of photosensitive polymer films by surface plasmon near field radiation}, series = {Soft matter}, volume = {7}, journal = {Soft matter}, number = {9}, publisher = {Royal Society of Chemistry}, address = {Cambridge}, issn = {1744-683X}, doi = {10.1039/c0sm01164a}, pages = {4174 -- 4178}, year = {2011}, abstract = {We report on the fabrication and characterisation of a novel type of hybrid azo-modified photosensitive polymer film with a nanoscale metallic structuring integrated into the substrate. The metal structures permit to generate surface plasmon near fields when irradiated by UV-light from the rear without directly illuminating the polymer. This allows establishment of a localized, complex-shape intensity distribution at sub-wavelength resolution with a corresponding impact on the photosensitive polymer. The possibilities of exploiting this setup are manifold. We find that just by using the change of polarization of the incident light as means of control, the topography can be driven to change between various patterns reversibly. These results are confirmed by numerical simulations and compared with in situ recorded topography changes.}, language = {en} } @article{KoepfHarderReicheetal.2011, author = {K{\"o}pf, Michael H. and Harder, Heiko and Reiche, J{\"u}rgen and Santer, Svetlana}, title = {Impact of temperature on the LB patterning of DPPC on Mica}, series = {Langmuir}, volume = {27}, journal = {Langmuir}, number = {20}, publisher = {American Chemical Society}, address = {Washington}, issn = {0743-7463}, doi = {10.1021/la202728t}, pages = {12354 -- 12360}, year = {2011}, abstract = {The influence of the subphase temperature on the stripe pattern formation during Langmuir-Blodgett transfer (LB patterning) is investigated in a combined experimental and theoretical study. According to our experiments on the LB transfer of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) on planar mica substrates, even small temperature changes between 21.5 and 24.5 degrees C lead to significant changes in the monolayer patterns. For a constant surface pressure and dipper speed, the width of the stripes and the overall spatial period of the patterns increase with increasing subphase temperature. Because the stripe patterns are ascribed to alternating monolayer domains in the liquid-expanded and the liquid-condensed phases, the working regime for the formation of stripes is found to depend strongly on the respective surface pressure-area isotherm. These experimental findings are in accordance with the results of a theoretical investigation based on a model that takes hydrodynamics and the monolayer thermodynamics into account.}, language = {en} } @article{SchuhLomadzeRueheetal.2011, author = {Schuh, Christian and Lomadze, Nino and R{\"u}he, J{\"u}rgen and Kopyshev, Alexey and Santer, Svetlana}, title = {Photomechanical degrafting of Azo-functionalized Poly(methacrylic acid) (PMAA) brushes}, series = {The journal of physical chemistry : B, Condensed matter, materials, surfaces, interfaces \& biophysical chemistry}, volume = {115}, journal = {The journal of physical chemistry : B, Condensed matter, materials, surfaces, interfaces \& biophysical chemistry}, number = {35}, publisher = {American Chemical Society}, address = {Washington}, issn = {1520-6106}, doi = {10.1021/jp2041229}, pages = {10431 -- 10438}, year = {2011}, abstract = {We report on the preparation and characterization of photosensitive polymer brushes. The brushes are synthesized through polymer analogous attachment of azobenzene groups to surface-attached poly(methacrylic acid) (PMAA) chains. The topography of the photosensitive brushes shows a strong reaction upon irradiation with UV light. While homogeneous illumination leaves the polymer topography unchanged, irradiation of the samples with interference patterns with periodically varying light intensity leads to the formation of surface relief gratings (SRG). The height of the stripes of the grating can be controlled by adjusting the irradiation time. The SRG pattern can be erased through solvent treatment when the periodicity of the stripe pattern is less than the length of the fully stretched polymer chains. In the opposite case, photomechanical scission of receding polymer chains is observed during SRG formation, and the inscribed patterns are permanent.}, language = {en} } @article{LomadzeKopyshevRueheetal.2011, author = {Lomadze, Nino and Kopyshev, Alexey and R{\"u}he, J{\"u}rgen and Santer, Svetlana}, title = {Light-Induced chain scission in photosensitive polymer brushes}, series = {Macromolecules : a publication of the American Chemical Society}, volume = {44}, journal = {Macromolecules : a publication of the American Chemical Society}, number = {18}, publisher = {American Chemical Society}, address = {Washington}, issn = {0024-9297}, doi = {10.1021/ma201016q}, pages = {7372 -- 7377}, year = {2011}, abstract = {We report on a process inducing photomechanical fracture of chemical bonds in photosensitive PMAA polymer brushes. The photosensitive PMAA polymer brushes were prepared by covalent attachment of azobenzene groups to poly(methylacrylic acid) (PMAA) chains generated by surface-initiated polymerization. While homogeneous irradiation leaves the polymer topography unchanged, the azo-PMAA brushes show a strong response upon irradiation with UV interference patterns. The photoisomerization process in the surface-attached polymer films results in the irreversible formation of surface relief gratings (SRG), which are strongly enhanced upon washing with a good solvent for the polymer. The photomechanical forces during mass transport induced by the irradiation lead to the scission of covalent bounds and accordingly to a degrafting of the polymer chains in areas where the polymer is receding from. It is observed that the number of ruptured chains depends strongly on the amount of azo side chains in the polymer.}, language = {en} } @article{FilimonKopfSchmidtetal.2011, author = {Filimon, Marlena and Kopf, Ilona and Schmidt, Dietrich A. and Bruendermann, Erik and R{\"u}he, J{\"u}rgen and Santer, Svetlana and Havenith, Martina}, title = {Local chemical composition of nanophase-separated polymer brushes}, series = {Physical chemistry, chemical physics : a journal of European Chemical Societies}, volume = {13}, journal = {Physical chemistry, chemical physics : a journal of European Chemical Societies}, number = {24}, publisher = {Royal Society of Chemistry}, address = {Cambridge}, issn = {1463-9076}, doi = {10.1039/c0cp02756a}, pages = {11620 -- 11626}, year = {2011}, abstract = {Using scattering scanning nearfield infrared microscopy (s-SNIM), we have imaged the nanoscale phase separation of mixed polystyrene-poly(methyl methacrylate) (PS-PMMA) brushes and investigated changes in the top layer as a function of solvent exposure. We deduce that the top-layer of the mixed brushes is composed primarily of PMMA after exposure to acetone, while after exposure to toluene this changes to PS. Access to simultaneously measured topographic and chemical information allows direct correlation of the chemical morphology of the sample with topographic information. Our results demonstrate the potential of s-SNIM for chemical mapping based on distinct infrared absorption properties of polymers with a high spatial resolution of 80 nm x 80 nm.}, language = {en} } @article{MalyarGorinStetsyuraetal.2012, author = {Malyar, I. V. and Gorin, D. A. and Stetsyura, S. V. and Santer, Svetlana}, title = {Effect of a nanodimensional polyethylenimine layer on current-voltage characteristics of hybrid structures based on single-crystal silicon}, series = {Journal of electronic materials}, volume = {41}, journal = {Journal of electronic materials}, number = {12}, publisher = {Springer}, address = {New York}, issn = {0361-5235}, doi = {10.1007/s11664-012-2266-4}, pages = {3427 -- 3435}, year = {2012}, abstract = {In this paper the study of the tunneling current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of silicon surfaces with n- and p-type conductivity as a function of roughness in the presence of an adsorbed insulating layer of polyethylenimine (PEI) is presented. A new approach is proposed for analysis of the tunnel current-voltage characteristics of a metal-insulator-semiconductor structure based on the combination of two models (Simmons and Schottky). Such joint analysis demonstrates the effect of surface states and evaluates changes in the band bending and electron affinity after the deposition of the polyelectrolyte layer on the semiconductor surface. As a result, we are able to differentiate between the equilibrium tunnel barrier (q phi (0)) and the barrier height (q phi (B)). It is shown that the deposition of the polymer leads to an increase of the equilibrium tunnel barrier by more than 250 meV, irrespective of the roughness and the conductivity type of the silicon substrate. The PEI deposition also leads to changes in the barrier height (less than 25 meV) that are smaller than the equilibrium tunnel barrier changes, indicating pinning of the Fermi level by the electron surface states that are energetically close to it. These surface states can trap charge carriers, a process leading to the formation of a depletion region and band bending on the semiconductor surface. Moreover, the change in the barrier height q Delta phi (B) depends on the conductivity type of the semiconductor, being positive for n-type and negative for p-type, in contrast to q Delta phi (0), which is positive for all substrates. The change is explained by capture of electrons preferably from the semiconductor space-charge region in the presence of a cationic polyelectrolyte, e.g., PEI.}, language = {en} } @article{ZakrevskyyRichterZakrevskaetal.2012, author = {Zakrevskyy, Yuriy and Richter, Marcel and Zakrevska, Svitlana and Lomadze, Nino and von Klitzing, Regine and Santer, Svetlana}, title = {Light-controlled reversible manipulation of microgel particle size using azobenzene-containing surfactant}, series = {Advanced functional materials}, volume = {22}, journal = {Advanced functional materials}, number = {23}, publisher = {Wiley-VCH}, address = {Weinheim}, issn = {1616-301X}, doi = {10.1002/adfm.201200617}, pages = {5000 -- 5009}, year = {2012}, abstract = {The light-induced reversible switching of the swelling of microgel particles triggered by photo-isomerization and binding/unbinding of a photosensitive azobenzene-containing surfactant is reported. The interactions between the microgel (N-isopropylacrylamide, co-monomer: allyl acetic acid, crosslinker: N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide) and the surfactant are studied by UV-Vis spectroscopy, dynamic and electrophoretic light scattering measurements. Addition of the surfactant above a critical concentration leads to contraction/collapse of the microgel. UV light irradiation results in trans-cis isomerization of the azobenzene unit incorporated into the surfactant tail and causes an unbinding of the more hydrophilic cis isomer from the microgel and its reversible swelling. The reversible contraction can be realized by blue light irradiation that transfers the surfactant back to the more hydrophobic trans conformation, in which it binds to the microgel. The phase diagram of the surfactant-microgel interaction and transitions (aggregation, contraction, and precipitation) is constructed and allows prediction of changes in the system when the concentration of one or both components is varied. Remote and reversible switching between different states can be realized by either UV or visible light irradiation.}, language = {en} }