Scanning electrode quartz crystal analysis Application to metal coatings

Abstract

Scanning electrode quartz crystal analysis (SEQCA) has been applied to the monitoring of quartz surfaces that are partially coated with gold. The lateral resolution for gold coatings is better than that for insulating coatings. The mass sensitivity in the centre region is better than that in the edge region. On the other hand, the lateral resolution is independent of the area and location of the gold coating. It may be possible to distinguish a conducting coating from an insulating one. Gold coatings can be located in NaCl solutions if the concentration is ⩽10 mM. The possibility of further improvement in lateral resolution is discussed.