Fully automatic spray-LBL machine with monitoring the real time growth of multilayer films using quartz crystal microbalance

A fully automatic spray-LBL machine with monitoring the real time growth of multilayer films using Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM) techniques was newly developed. We established fully automatic spray layer-by-layer method by precisely controlling air pressure, solution flow, and spray pattern. The movement pattern towards the substrate during solution spraying allowed fabrication of a nano-scale, flat, thin film over a wide area. Optimization of spray conditions permitted fabrication of the flat film with high and low refractive indexes, and they were piled up alternatively to constitute a one-dimensional photonic crystal with near-infrared reflection characteristics. The heat shield effect of the near-infrared reflective film was also confirmed under natural sunlight. It was demonstrated that the fabrication using the automatic spray-LBL machine and real-time QCM monitoring allows the fabrication of optical quality thin films with precise thickness.