Chemical sensing materials characterization by Kelvin probe technique

This paper deals first of all with an improvement of the Kelvin probe (KP) theory taking into consideration the series resistance of the input circuit . Then it illustrates a number of work function measurements performed on s elf-assembled monolayers interacting with varieties of analytes, and on Lan gmuir-Blodgett (LB) films of porphyrins of different thickness. The output intensities of the work function have been investigated and comments are gi ven of the results obtained. The link between the work function and thickne ss of material under test has been analyzed and discussed as a method for t he coverage factor estimation of absorbing surfaces. (C) 2000 Elsevier Scie nce B.V. All rights reserved.