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Dorian Minkov, Kuniaki Nagayama
Chemical Changes of Evaporated a-C Films upon UV Ashing, Hydration, and Drying
Keywords: Evaporated a-C Films, Chemical Changes, UV Ashing, Hydration, and Drying, FTIR, Electron Microscopy Support
Evaporated amorphous carbon (a-C) films, used as a support in electron microscopy, are studied by FTIR spectroscopy. During preparation of biological specimens, such films are subject to UV ashing (UVA), hydration, and drying. The chemistry of evaporated a-C films is investigated, based on removing a very thin carbon layer by UVA, and measuring its absorbance spectrum. A simple model is proposed for analyzing such spectra. The peaks which are a result of UVA, of as-prepared a-C films, as well as of hydration and drying of such films are identified, and their behavior is discussed. The chemical reactions, arising during UVA, hydration, and drying of our evaporated a-C films, are determined. It is clarified, that these processes introduce chemical changes exclusively on the surface of our film, and not in its volume.
Zeitschrift für Physikalische Chemie, Oldenbourg Wissenschaftsverlag
Print ISSN: 0942-9352
Volume: 222, 01/2008
Pages: 81 - 101