Thin film deposition techniques, such as dip coating, spin coating, and spray pyrolysis, are applied for the production of SiO2-, poly-(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA)-, and SiO2-/polyester-based “hybrid” matrices. The factors influencing the film properties are briefly discussed. The morphology of the films presented is studied by different microscopy techniques such as atomic force microscopy, electron (scanning and transmission) microscopy, and fluorescence microscopy. The composites based on SiO2-, PMMA-, and SiO2/polyster “hybrid” matrices possess the optical properties of the immobilized complexes of Ru(II) and Eu(III) with different organic ligands. The preparation of the PMMA matrix by the monomer methylmethacrylate polymerization (instead of using of PMMA solution) caused partial destruction of the less stable complexes and thereby a decrease in the fluorescence intensity.
Part of the book: Modern Technologies for Creating the Thin-film Systems and Coatings