Apparatus and method of research for creating and testing thin films

A combinatorial method for the research and development of films comprising:

• forming a parent library of members in a spatially addressable format, each member comprising a mixture of starting components;
• forming multiple films by (i) depositing, in liquid form, at least two samples on a surface of at least one substrate, wherein each sample is deposited on said at lest one substrate in generally spaced relationship with each other, so at to be at least partially discrete, and further wherein each sample comprises a member of the parent library, and (ii) subjecting the samples to a spreading force sufficient to spread the samples over the surface of the at least one substrate to form respective films thereon, wherein said film formation is achieved by one of the following:
• (a) depositing at least two liquid samples on the at least one substrate surface in generally spaced relationship with each other, such that each of the at least two samples are at least partially discrete from each other, and subjecting said liquid samples to a noncontact spreading force sufficient to cause each sample to spread over the at least one substrate surface to form respective films thereon, at least a portion of each film being discrete from one or more other films;
• or,
• (b) depositing at least two liquid samples on the surface of at least one substrate, such that each of the samples are at least partially discrete from each other, and directing a pressurized gas to impact said liquid samples to apply a spreading force thereto sufficient to cause the liquid samples to spread over the at least one substrate surface to form a respective film thereon;
• and,
• measuring each film for a property of interest.

A method for generating a database containing information relating to films, the method comprising:

• combining starting components to form a series of separate mixtures at known locations in a matrix of wells of a common receptacle;
• subjecting the starting component mixtures to conditions sufficient for a reaction to occur, thereby forming a parent library of reaction compounds;
• forming a film of one or more library members by depositing, in liquid form, at least two liquid samples from one or more of such members on a surface of at least one substrate and subjecting the samples to a spreading force sufficient to spread the samples over the surface of the at least one substrate to form a respective film thereof;
• measuring said films for multiple properties;
• and,
• collecting data associated with each film into a database, said data comprising data sets of data elements relating to film composition, including starting component mixture content and conditions for forming the library member from which said film was derived, conditions for forming said film, and the results of measuring said film.