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arXiv · 2108.07191

Polymer Thin Films as Universal Substrates for Extreme Ultraviolet Absorption Spectroscopy of Molecular Transition Metal Complexes

Yusef Shari'ati·Josh Vura-Weis
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Abstract

Polystyrene and polyvinyl chloride thin films are explored as sample supports for extreme ultraviolet (XUV) spectroscopy of molecular transition metal complexes. Thin polymer films prepared by slip-coating are flat, smooth, and transmit much more XUV light than silicon nitride windows. Analytes can be directly cast onto the polymer surface, or codeposited within it. The M-edge x-ray absorption near-edge (XANES) spectra (40-90 eV) of eight archetypal transition metal complexes (M=Mn, Fe, Co, Ni) are presented to demonstrate the versatility of this method. The films are suitable for pump/probe transient absorption spectroscopy, as shown by the excited-state spectra of Fe(bpy)$_3^{2+}$ in two different polymer supports.

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Yusef Shari'ati, Josh Vura-Weis. 2021-08-16. Polymer Thin Films as Universal Substrates for Extreme Ultraviolet Absorption Spectroscopy of Molecular Transition Metal Complexes. https://arxiv.org/abs/2108.07191

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