High throughput characterisation and screening is possible because of the development of unique substrate arrays which allow all material compositions to be screened for particular required properties.
With Ilika’s MEMS micro-hotplate array, samples can be quickly heated to very high temperatures and various parameters then monitored - for example ; optical changes, conductivity changes, phase changes and gas absorption / desorption behaviours.
With the alternative E-chem array, the large number of films produced each have an electrical contact that allows them to be rapidly screened and characterised electrochemically.
The types of automated technique that can be undertaken for the examination of inorganic materials include :
Composition/ structure: SEM, EDS, XRD, AFM, TEM, Raman
Conductivity: 4-point probe, Van de Pauw
Optical: Ellipsometer
Thermal: IR Thermal Camera
Thickness: Profilometer, AFM
Phase Change IR Thermal Camera, Differential Scanning Calorimetry
Electrochemistry CV,Potential Step, Rotating Disc Studies