Imaging Phase Separated Domains in Conducting Polymer Blend Films With Near-Field Scanning Optical Microscopy

Published

August 1, 2001

Author(s)

Jeeseong C. Hwang, Lori S. Goldner, Alamgir Karim, C L. Gettinger

Abstract

We report on the use of near-field scanning optical microscopy to study phase-separation in polymer films of polmer films of poly(styrene) and poly (3-octylthiophene). Transmission and transmitted fluorescence near-field scanning optical microscope (NSOM) images were taken to directly visualize intermediate steps of phase separation in a regime where small domain sizes prevent investigation by conventional microscopy. The interpretation of near-field data on samples with large or varying film thickness or topography are also discussed and a method for analyzing topographically induced artifacts in a quantitative way is suggested.

Citation

Applied Optics

Volume

40

Issue

No. 22

Pub Type

Journals

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Keywords

conductive blends, near surface optical microscopy, NSOM, phase separated films, poly (3-octylthiophene), polystyrene

Citation

Hwang, J. , Goldner, L. , Karim, A. and Gettinger, C. (2001), Imaging Phase Separated Domains in Conducting Polymer Blend Films With Near-Field Scanning Optical Microscopy, Applied Optics, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=851870 (Accessed October 11, 2025)