• Broadband Dielectric Spectroscopy on
nanometer thin molecular layers• Suppression of artefacts ― evaporation ofcounter­electrodes no longer required• Nanostructured electrode arrangements with SiO2spacers• Includes dedicated sample holder to position andcontact the nanostructured electrodes, fitting into
the Novocontrol standard sample holders
BDS 1200 and ZGS (Alpha­A Active Sample Cell)• Sample holder allows easy operation withinseveral Novocontrol temperature control
environments (Quatro Cryosystem, Novocool
Cryosystem, Novotherm)• Additional tools included (vacuum tweezers etc.)

Novocontrol Technologies
GmbH & Co. KG
Aubachstr. 156410 Montabaur
Germany
Phone: +49 2602 9196690
Fax:+49 2602 91966933
e­mail: novo@novocontrol.de
web: http://www.novocontrol.de

NanoKitN a no Ki t

NOVOCONTROL
Introduction
A particular feature of the diel­ectric measurement technique is
its increase in sensitivity with de­creasing thickness of the sample
capacitor, i.e., less material yields
stronger signals.
For nanometric or even submole­cular layers of molecules in a ca­
pacitor­like arrangement, thisunique principal advantage, ho­wever, can be exploited only if
the technological challenge ofreproducibly applying an electricfield in a well­defined geometry isadequately solved.
Evidently the conventional ap­
proach, i.e., the direct evaporati­
on of a metal counter electrodeon the molecules under study, is
no longer feasible due to its highprobability of producing electric
shorts.
The Novocontrol Technologies
NanoKit opens a novel avenue tothe study of molecular relaxati­
ons and charge transport on na­
nometric length scales evendown to layers of isolated mole­cules anchored to a surface.

To this end, the NanoKit uses na­
nostructured electrode arrange­ments of highly insulating SiO2
spacers with typical heights of
60 nm. Highly doped (ρ≈0.002Ωcm) Si dice, cut out of ultraflat
wafers with an rms roughness ofabout 0.5 nm, are used as elec­
trodes.

NanoKitsample capacitor is completed
by covering the plane die which
carries the sample by the upper
die which is equipped with nano­structured insulating spacers.
Evidently preparations of this kindrequire appropriate conditions
provided by, e.g., clean rooms or
clean benches. Since the sur­face­to­volume ratio in nanome­
tric samples is extraordinarily
high, effects due to the adsorpti­
on of, e.g., water or organic pol­lutants from ambient air must be
considered with great care.

Conclusion

The Novocontrol NanoKit offers
the essential parts for a straight­
forward start into the preparationof nanometric thin film samples
appropriate for dielectric measu­
rements. Details of preparation
are described thoroughly, rende­
ring your sample preparations
and measurements a straightfor­ward procedure.

Measuring the dielectric proper­
ties of materials on nanometriclength scales requires particularattention to sample preparation.
Due to incomplete surface co­verage, applying metal electro­
des to ultra­thin film samples by
sputtering or evaporation fre­quently leads to shorts. Line broa­
dening in dielectric loss spectraof, e.g., thin polystyrene layerswith decreasing dimensions ap­
pears in samples with evapora­ted electrodes only. Samples
equipped with nanostructured
electrodes do not show any sucheffect.
The Novocontrol NanoKit offers all
essential parts to perform dielec­
tric measurements on ultrathin
film samples. Nanostructured
electrodes, sample holders, andfurther accessories of the Novo­
control NanoKit are seamlessly in­tegrated into the Novocontrol
system of sample cells and diel­ectric spectrometers.

NanoKit ContentReferences• various sets of dice covered
with nanostructures of different
heights• different cell geometries accor­
ding to the particular thicknessof the sample• sample holder specifically desi­
gned for measurements withnanostructured electrodes• equipment for handling andcleaning the dice.

• Serghei, A. and F. Kremer,Broadband dielectric studies on
the interfacial dynamics enab­
led by use of nanostructured
electrodes,Rev. Sci. Instrum. 79, 026101(2008).
• Serghei, A. and F. Kremer,
Metastable states of arrested
glassy dynamics, possibly mi­
micking confinement effects inthin polymer films,
Macromol. Chem. Phys. 209,810 (2008)• Serghei, A.; H. Huth, C. Schickand F. Kremer,
Glassy dynamics in thin polymer
layers having a free upper in­
terface,
Macromolecules 41 (10), 3636
(2008)

Operation Requirements

The molecules under study aredeposited on the substrate (pla­ne die) either by spin coating orby Dip­Pen­Nanolithography. TheCommercial systems are offered,e.g., by• spetec Ges. für Labor undReinraumtechnik mbH(www.spetec.de)• Bleymehl ReinraumtechnikGmbH (www.bleymehl.com)• erlab D.F.S S.A.S(http://captair.com)• Preparations of capacitors ofthicknesses down to 60 nm re­quire cleanroom conditions or
at least a flow box with filteredair.
• Filters of grade H14 recommen­ded (>99,995% of dust particlesremoved).