Fundamental Studies of Molecule-Surface Encounters Relevant to Molecular Adsorption, Size and Chemically Selective Collection, and Trace Identification/C and L (CBT)

We have addressed many fundamental scientific questions in order to better understand how molecules chemically and physically interact with a wide-variety of surfaces. Such improved understanding is needed as we seek to design, with intent, interfaces for the efficient adsorption, size- and chemically-selective collection, and trace identification of chemical and biological reagents that are present either naturally or not in our environment. We have used the scattering of atomic and molecular beams from well-characterized and intentionally-tailored surfaces, coupled with scanning probe microscopy and surface science analysis tools, to delineate atomic-level details of how molecules initially interact with complex surfaces, become adsorbed, exhibit mobility and organization that will depend on molecular size and chemistry with the interface, and, ultimately, be detected in trace quantities using highly-sensitive surface science, optical, or mass spectrometric methods. These studies have also given incisive information on how the physical and chemical nature of polymeric interfaces and SAMs vary as a function of surface temperature, and how these changes influence the probability of molecular adsorption and transport in the condensed phase. Finally, we have also examined the sticking and sizechemically-selective transport of molecules through porous nanostructured thin films, such as photo-modified and spatially-aligned diblock copolymers.