This project involves a Career Advancement Award to Julia E. Fulghum, Associate Professor of Chemistry at Kent State University. The PI is a recognized expert in X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and the purpose of this award is to enable her to spend a sabbatical leave at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Denver, Colorado, to learn sample preparation and data analysis for time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS). Both XPS and TOF-SIMS are surface analysis techniques and the information they provide is complimentary. The PI will be able to expand her XPS technique development to encompass TOF-SIMS imaging with emphasis on organic and insulating samples. Part of the work at NREL will involve studies on photovoltaic materials development. In addition, the PI will be able to add TOF-SIMS capability to her on-going research work on the surface chemistry of materials. The long-term goal is to add TOF-SIMS instrumentation capability in her own laboratory. The project is supported by the Analytical and Surface Chemistry Program and the Special Projects Office in the Chemistry Division. This project will enable Professor Julia E. Fulghum to examine the surface chemistry of important technological materials such as liquid crystals and photovoltaics using two complementary techniques: X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and time-of-flight-secondary ion mass spectrometry. Little work is available in the literature regarding such a comparison. Imaging is one aspect of the work and correlating information from both techniques will aid in understanding the artifacts and limitations of each of them. The results of the work will contribute to the development of solar cells for energy conversion and the technology of optical materials.
