Exploiting transient phenomena for imaging with breath figures

Sasikumar, Harish and Varma, Manoj M (2017) Exploiting transient phenomena for imaging with breath figures. In: APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS, 110 (7).

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Abstract

Breath figures refer to the patterns formed when vapor condenses into the liquid phase on a surface, revealing heterogeneities in topography or chemical composition. These figures are composed of micro-droplets, which scatter light and produce optical contrast. Differences in hydrophobicity imposed by surface features or contaminants result in a difference in micro-droplet densities, which has been used in applications such as substrate independent optical visualization of single layer graphene flakes. Here, we show that transient phenomena, such as the pinning transition of micro-droplets condensed over a polymer surface, can be used to enhance the optical contrast even when the time averaged difference in micro-droplet densities is not substantial. Thus, this work opens a new way of visualizing surface heterogeneities using transient phenomena occurring during condensation or evaporation of micro-droplets as opposed to only using time averaged differences in wettability due to the surface features. Published by AIP Publishing.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Publication:	APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS
Publisher:	AMER INST PHYSICS, 1305 WALT WHITMAN RD, STE 300, MELVILLE, NY 11747-4501 USA
Additional Information:	Copy rights for this article belongs to the AMER INST PHYSICS, 1305 WALT WHITMAN RD, STE 300, MELVILLE, NY 11747-4501 USA
Department/Centre:	Division of Interdisciplinary Sciences > Centre for Nano Science and Engineering
Date Deposited:	07 Apr 2017 08:47
Last Modified:	16 Oct 2018 10:53
URI:	http://eprints.iisc.ac.in/id/eprint/56470

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