Vapor deposited organic thin film in microgravity

Organic thin films have been grown in space by effusive ampoule physical vapor transport technique with different growth parameters for the source temperature, transport flux, substrate, seeding, and backfilling. Results described in this paper are based on data from the two United States Space Shuttle Endeavour flights, STS (Space Transportation System)-59 and STS-69, using the moderate temperature facility (MTF) for materials processing in space. The facility consists primarily of the effusive ampoule, in which the thin film growth process takes place, encased in two concentric aluminum cylinders with a vacuum space between them. The MTF has produced thin films of variable quality and thickness across 12 mm diameter substrates. The results are discussed with reference to the growth parameters.