Device arrays and methods for operation in aggressive solvents and for measurements of barrier properties of plurality of coatings

Abstract

Methods and devices are disclosed for measuring barrier properties of a barrier coating or coating arrays where each barrier coating has a small cross section. To reduce the edge effects in the measurements of barrier properties, measurements are made using a substrate which can be flat, cylindrical or spherical structure coated with a chemically sensitive layer, a solvent resistant layer and an array of barrier coatings. The coated substrate which can be flat, cylindrical or spherical is exposed to a material of interest that has the ability to produce an analyzable variation in the chemically sensitive layer, thereby providing the ability to detect an impact of the material of interest on the barrier coatings. In one variation, an optical radiation interacts with the substrate structure, a resulting initial optical radiation associated with the initial optical radiation and each barrier coating is detected, and any impacts on the coatings by the material of interest are correlated to a value of a barrier property for each of the array of barrier coatings.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The invention relates to devices and methods for determining barrier properties of coatings, and more particularly, to combinatorial barrier property screening devices and methods.

[0003] Coatings having barrier properties are used for many packaging and protective applications. The coatings, as barriers, typically separate a system, such as an electronic component, a part of an engineering structure or an article of food, from an environment. As such, the barrier properties of the coating define the permeability or resistance of the particular coating to a given material of interest. For example, typical barrier properties include the resistance of a coating to oxygen or to moisture.

[0004] In an effort to discover new and improved coating formulations, the analysis of new coatings is limited by the large sample sizes and long exposure time periods typically required for screening each new coating formulation. The large sample size and long exposure times to one or more materials of interest to test a coating formulation are generally required in order to detect the transport of the material of interest through the coating. Because the barrier properties of a coating may be high, only small amounts of the material of interest may penetrate the coating and/or it may take a long time for such penetration.

[0005] For example, the transport of oxygen through a coating is typically measured by exposing one side of the coating to oxygen, while nitrogen gas sweeps the other side of the coating to an oxygen detector. The detector measures the rate that oxygen comes through the coating. In order for the detector to receive a measurable amount of oxygen, a large sample size is utilized. The same approach is utilized for measurements of moisture permeability of coatings, where a water vapor detector is used instead. Besides the disadvantage of requiring a large surface area, another problem with this technique is the difficulty of mapping oxygen or/and water vapor transport of different spatial regions of the single coating or performing evaluation of multiple coatings with the same detection system simultaneously.

[0006] Another disadvantage of typical barrier coating measurement techniques is that the edges of the coating typically mischaracterize the measurement results if the cross section of the analyzed barrier coating is small. This “edge effect” provides another factor to account for in measuring and analyzing new coating formulations, thereby reducing the efficiency of the process.

[0007] The above needs in the art have been addressed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,383,815, which is incorporated herein by reference. That patent provides a new device and method which significantly improve the measurement of barrier properties of coatings.

[0008] Although the invention embodied in U.S. Pat. No. 6,383,815 represents a significant advance in the art of measuring barrier properties of new coatings, the method and device described therein is subject to a potential failing that might prevent optimal measurement of the barrier properties of new coatings.

[0009] Those skilled in the art are aware of the sensitivity of chemically sensing layers. The arrangement disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,383,815 does not provide optimum assurance of the non-contamination of the chemically sensing layer by the composition of the barrier coating. This uncertainty may compromise the reliability of measurements obtained by the device and method of that important disclosure.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] A new device and method has now been developed for measuring barrier properties of coatings in which contamination of the sensitive chemical sensing layer is avoided.

[0011] In accordance with the present invention a device for measurement of barrier properties of barrier coatings which includes at least one substrate which can be flat, cylindrical or spherical having an external surface is provided. A chemically sensitive layer responsive to the material of interest is disposed about the external surface of the at least one substrate which can be flat, cylindrical or spherical. A solvent resistant layer is disposed about the chemically sensitive layer. A predetermined number of barrier coatings are deposited on the solvent resistant layer. The barrier coatings each have a corresponding barrier property with respect to the material of interest. A light source, operable to propagate a wave within the at least one substrate which can be flat, cylindrical or spherical, as well as a detector, operable to measure impacts associated with the propagated wave and the impacts associated with the respective barrier property of each of the defined number of barrier coatings, is also provided. Finally, the device includes a correlator for correlating the measured impact with a value of the barrier property for each of the predefined number of barrier coatings.

[0012] In further accordance with the present invention a method for measuring barrier properties of coating arrays is provided wherein a chemically sensitive layer is applied to an exterior surface of at least one substrate which can be flat, cylindrical or spherical, wherein the chemically sensitive layer has at least one characteristic that changes in response to exposure to a material of interest. A solvent resistant layer is disposed about the chemically sensitive layer. Thereupon, a predetermined number of barrier coatings are applied to the solvent resistant layer wherein each of the predetermined number of barrier coatings have a barrier property with respect to the material of interest. A wave is transmitted through the at least one substrate which can be flat, cylindrical or spherical. The at least one coated substrate which can be flat, cylindrical or spherical is exposed to the material of interest. The impact associated with the transmitted wave and the material of interest is detected and that detected impact is correlated so that a value of the barrier property for each of the array of barrier coatings is obtained.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] The present invention may be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawings of which:

[0014] FIG. 1 presents a functional diagram of the various components of a substrate which can be flat, cylindrical or spherical device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

[0015] FIG. 2 is a flow diagram of a method for measuring properties of coating arrays in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

[0016] FIG. 3 presents a substrate which can be flat, cylindrical or spherical structure for measurements of barrier properties of an array of coatings in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

[0017] FIG. 4 shows an optical system for spatially resolved measurements of barrier properties of an array of coatings toward a vapor of interest in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and

[0018] FIG. 5 is a schematic representation of a screening system in accordance with the present invention as described in Working Examples 1 and 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] One embodiment of the present invention includes a system for evaluation of barrier properties of coatings applied to the surface of a substrate which can be flat, cylindrical or spherical and detected using optical time-of-flight (OTOF) information for a pulsed light or other wave propagated via the substrate. In an embodiment of the present invention, one or more barrier coatings are applied onto the surface of a dielectric substrate, which may be of any geometry. In one embodiment, the substrate preferably of a cylindrical geometry. In this embodiment, edge effects are reduced, provided that a coating is applied over the entire cross section of the cylindrical substrate provided that the length of the coating is much longer than the coating thickness.

[0020] Another embodiment of the present invention includes a system for evaluation of barrier properties of coatings applied to the surface of a substrate and detected using optical imaging information for a pulsed light or other wave interrogated the substrate. In an embodiment of the present invention, one or more barrier coatings are applied onto the surface of a substrate, which may be of any geometry. In one embodiment, the substrate is preferably of a spherical or any other three-dimensional geometry. In this embodiment, edge effects are eliminated, provided that a coating is applied over the entire substrate.

[0021] Yet another embodiment of the present invention includes a system for evaluation of barrier properties of coatings applied to the surface of a substrate and detected using optical imaging information for a pulsed light or other wave interrogated the substrate. In an embodiment of the present invention, each barrier coating in the arrays of barrier coatings is applied onto the surface of a substrate, which may be of any geometry. In one embodiment, the substrate is preferably of a spherical or any other three-dimensional geometry. In this embodiment, edge effects for each individual barrier coating are eliminated, provided that a coating is applied over the entire respective spherical substrate.

[0022] References will now be made in detail to embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

[0023] FIG. 1 presents a functional diagram of the various components of an embodiment of the present invention for analyses using a substrate with applied barrier coatings. In FIG. 1, the substrate having a plurality of barrier coatings 1 is coupled to a light source 4 that transmits light to the substrate. A detector 8 detects the propagated light within the substrate with the applied barrier coating 1. In a preferred embodiment, a separate display device 11, such as a personal computer, digitizing oscilloscope or another type of display, is coupled to the detector 8 for displaying the detected light. With, for example, a chemical, solvent, or other material of interest 6 exposed to the barrier coated substrate 1, an impact on or variation in the barrier coating that affects the propagated light is detectable by the detector 8. Such detection is then used to determine the barrier properties of the coatings with improved precision. In an alternate embodiment, a similar set-up may be utilized but with one of the plurality of barrier coatings applied to a corresponding one of a plurality of substrates each connected to the light source, such that a single coating is deposited on each substrate.

[0024] The principle of operation is as follows. When a pulse of light at probe wavelength λ1 is launched into a substrate, analytical information can be derived from the portion of light which is returned to the launch end of the substrate. The analytical signal might be the Rayleigh backscatter at wavelength 1 or luminescence emission at a different wavelength. The Rayleigh and luminescence signals are modulated by variations in concentration of the material of interest at the substrate-sensing layer interface.

[0025] The Rayleigh scattering usually originates from microscopic inhomogeneities in the substrate material. These inhomogeneities cause spatial fluctuations in the refractive index of the substrate and generate reflections of light guided in the substrate. A portion of the scattered light is recaptured by the substrate numerical aperture in the reverse direction.

[0026] In a device for measurements of barrier properties of coating arrays made from a dielectric substrate such as, for example, a multimode or single mode waveguide and coated with a chemically sensitive layer, detection of a material of interest transported through the barrier coating can be based on Rayleigh backscatter. It can utilize either variations in the refractive index or absorption coefficient of the chemically sensitive layer on the substrate. These variations modulate the intensity of the backscatter signal because of losses in the evanescent field. If the chemically sensitive layer on the substrate is doped with a fluorophore, the evanescent wave will excite the fluorophore at the substrate/sensing layer interface. Half of the luminescence emission recaptured by the substrate numerical aperture will be guided toward the launch end of the substrate. Alternatively, the wave resulting from the interaction of the propagated wave and the coating/sensor combination may be detected and its characteristics may be measured at the end of the substrate opposite the launching end.

[0027] To obtain information about the location of a material of interest, that is, where a change in the backpropagated radiation occurs (as measured from the launch end of the substrate which can be flat, cylindrical or spherical), the level of the returned signal is monitored as a function of the time delay between the launched and returned light pulse. See, e.g., R. A. Potyrailo and G. M. Hieftje, “Optical Time-of-Flight Chemical Detection: Spatially Resolved Analyte Mapping with Extended-Length Continuous Chemically Modified Optical Fibers,” Anal. Chem. 70, 1453-1461 (1998) The relation between the location l of interest along the A substrate which can be flat, cylindrical or spherical and the time t required for the light pulse to propagate forward and backward to this location is given by:

t=l (nf+nb)/c,  (1)

[0028] where c is the velocity of light in vacuum, and nf and nb are the refractive indices of the substrate which can be flat, cylindrical or spherical at the wavelengths of the forward (excitation wavelength) and backward (analytical wavelength) propagated pulses.

[0029] To increase the signal level and to improve the signal-to-noise ratio (SIN), repetitive light pulses should be used. However, only a single pulse should propagate in the substrate which can be flat, cylindrical or spherical at a given time to avoid signal overlap. Thus, the maximum pulse repetition rate Fmax is limited by the length L of the A substrate which can be flat, cylindrical or spherical and is given by

F max =c /(nf+nb)L.  (2)

[0030] The returned signal in an OTOF measurement system was first formulated for Rayleigh backscatter and then for Raman backscatter. If the relationship is generalized also for luminescence detection, the backpropagated impulse response from a distance l along the substrate which can be flat, cylindrical or spherical excited by a δ-pulse is given by

P (l)=rPoS(l)exp {−∫[αf(z)+αb(z)]dz}  (3)

[0031] where Po is the excitation power in the input pulse coupled into the substrate which can be flat, cylindrical or spherical, r is the ratio of the transmitted to the reflected optical power in the beamsplitter, S is a constant that depends on the local numerical aperture (NA) of the substrate which can be flat, cylindrical or spherical, the luminescence quantum yield of the immobilized fluorophore (in a luminescence-based sensor), or on the Rayleigh and Raman scattering parameters of the substrate which can be flat, cylindrical or spherical (in a scattering-based device), and αf(z) and αb(z) are the attenuation coefficients of the forward and backward traveling pulses, respectively. In luminescence-based devices, both αf and αb have two components, one each for the excitation and emission wavelengths.

[0032] The response of an OTOF device based on attenuation detection is a convolution of the ideal impulse response described by eq 3 and the temporal profile Rex(t) of the excitation pulse width τex. By using a transformation of variables l→t given by eq 1, the response Patt(t) of an attenuation-based OTOF device can be expressed as

P att (t)=P(t)Rex(t),  (4)

[0033] where denotes convolution. Similarly, the response Pfl(t) of a luminescence-based OTOF device is given by

P fl (t)=P(t)Rex(t)Rem(t)  (5)

[0034] where R em(t) is the impulse response of the immobilized fluorophore (i.e. an exponential decay having a time constant equal to the luminescence lifetime τem of the fluorophore).

[0035] In a device based on a statically quenched immobilized fluorophore, τem is constant. The output signal of such a device is a function of the attenuation coefficient of the immobilized fluorophore. This functional dependence is similar to that of an attenuation (absorption-based) device.

[0036] A device based on dynamic luminescence quenching of an immobilized fluorophore does not exhibit a change in attenuation coefficient upon exposure to a quencher. Rather, the luminescence lifetime τem and emission intensity I are a function of the quencher concentration [Q] as described by the Stem-Volmer equation:

I o /I=τ o em /τem=1+Ksv[Q]  (6)

[0037] where Io and τoem are the emission intensity and luminescence lifetime of the fluorophore in the absence of the quencher and KSV is the Stem-Volmer quenching constant.

[0038] FIG. 2 is a flow diagram of a method for measuring barrier properties of coating arrays in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, in an embodiment of the present invention, a sensor layer such as a chemically sensitive layer is initially applied to a substrate (Block 21). The substrate includes, for example, an optical fiber made of quartz, a polymer, or other types of dielectric materials commonly used to manufacture optical fibers. Such a substrate is available as optical fibers of different diameters of fiber core, typically ranging from about 2 micron to about 2000 micron. Other types of substrates include flat or curved 2-dimensional substrates made of vapor impermeable materials such as glass, quartz, metals, semiconductors, etc. Yet other types of substrates include three-dimensional substrates such as spheres, ellipsoids, and the like made of vapor impermeable materials such as glass, quartz, metals, semiconductors, etc.

[0039] The chemically sensitive layer is a material that is responsive to exposure to a material of interest for which a coating is designed to provide a barrier, and for which the response is measurable by a detecting device. After coating with the chemically sensitive layer, a film of a solvent resistant layer is disposed on the chemically sensitive layer. (Block 22)

[0040] The solvent resistant layer is inert to the composition of the chemically sensitive layer and to the composition of the barrier coatings, discussed below. As such, chemical interaction between the composition of the barrier coating and the composition of the chemical sensitive layer, which could effect the sensitivity and accuracy of the measurement of the barrier property of interest of the barrier coating, is avoided.

[0041] Among the solvent resistant layers that are particularly suited to this application is a random copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene (TEF) and perfluoro-2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxole (PDD). This copolymer is available commercially under its tradename, Teflon AF®, manufactured by DuPont. Films from this copolymer are not soluble in common polar and nonpolar solvents such as water, ethanol, acetone, chloroform, toluene, benzene and the like.

[0042] Depending on the solvent required for the barrier coatings, other materials could be useful as solvent resistant layers that protect the sensing layer from degradation by the solvent-containing barrier coating formulation. For example, if a barrier coating is dissolved in a nonploar solvent for deposition, than a solvent resistant layer that protects the sensing layer from degradation by the solvent-containing barrier coating formulation can be deposited from a polar solution. As a polymer matrix, for such solvent resistant layer, a variety of polymers can be applicable for example, polyvinyl acetate (PVA), Nafion, and others.

[0043] In another example, if a barrier coating is dissolved in a polar solvent for deposition, than a solvent resistant layer that protects the sensing layer from degradation by the solvent-containing barrier coating formulation can be easily deposited from a nonpolar solution. As a polymer matrix for such solvent resistant layer, a variety of polymers can be applicable for example, polycarbonate, poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA), polystyrene and others.

[0044] In applying a film of a solvent resistant layer where the material is a fluoropolymer of the type exemplified by a copolymer of TEF and PDD, it is particularly preferred that this film layer be applied as a polymeric solution. Perfluoro(2-butyl tetrahydrofuran), is particularly preferred as the solvent of this polymeric solution. This polymer solution can be applied to and deposited on a substrate by dip-coating, spin-coating, spraying, brushing and the like.

[0045] In addition to the particularly preferred embodiment where a copolymer of TEF and PDD, marketed commercially as Teflon AF®, is utilized other preferred solvent resistant layers that can be employed include copolymers of TEF and PDD having varying molar ratios. Other fluoropolymers, particularly amorphous fluoropolymers, may also be utilized in this application. Thus, such amorphous polymers as a terpolymer of TFE, PDD and a third comonomer, dipolymers or terpolymers of PDD and one or two additional comonomers, and amorphous homopolymers and copolymers formed by cyclic polymerization may be utilized.

[0046] Examples of useful solvent resistant layers within the class of the above-mentioned polymers include copolymers of PDD and perfluoroolefins, copolymers of PDD and perfluoro(alkyl vinyl ethers) and copolymers of PDD and perfluoro(butenyl vinyl ethers).

[0047] After coating with a solvent resistant layer, one or more barrier coatings are then applied to the substrate (Block 23). Materials for barrier coatings include, but are not limited to, organic and inorganic materials, blends, composites, and their combinations, oxides, nitrides and oxinitrides of silicon, aluminum, zinc, boron and other metals, ceramics, polyvinyl alcohol, ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymers, polyvinyl dichloride, different types of nylon, cellophane, polyethylene terephtalate, PVC, PCTFE, polypropylene, combinations thereof as well as other similar materials typically used to provide a barrier to transport of a given material of interest. Materials for barrier coatings are also those being developed using combinatorial chemistry and high throughput screening approaches. Further, the predetermined number of barrier coatings may include one coating, or a plurality of different barrier coatings. A barrier coating has a set of parameters that may be varied, the parameters including composition, thickness, and coating preparation conditions such as environment, method, curing, and other parameters. Each barrier coating on the substrate may have a small cross-section and length along the axis of the substrate. In general, the cross-section or thickness of each coating may be in the range of about 0.1 nanometers to about 100 micrometers, particularly in the range of about 1 nanometer to about 10 micrometers, and more particularly in the range of about 10 nanometers to about 5 micrometers. The length along the substrate of each barrier coating may be in the range of about 1 millimeter to about 10 meters, particularly in the range of about 5 millimeters to about 1 meter, and more particularly in the range of about 1 centimeter to about 50 centimeters. The edge effects which would normally provide inaccurate results are eliminated by measuring the detected light within the substrate.

[0048] In general, if a substrate is used in the form of a three-dimensional substrate such as sphere, etc, the cross-section or thickness of each coating may be in the range of about 0.1 nanometers to about 100 micrometers, particularly in the range of about 1 nanometer to about 10 micrometers, and more particularly in the range of about 10 nanometers to about 5 micrometers. The cross-section of the substrate of each barrier coating may be in the range of about 0.01 millimeter to about 5 meters, particularly in the range of about 0.1 millimeters to about 2.5 meters, and more particularly in the range of about 1 millimeter to about 1 meter. The edge effects which would normally provide inaccurate results are eliminated by measuring the detected light.

[0049] Generally, an analysis is made of the barrier properties of each coating such as susceptibility to penetration/transport or permeability to a material of interest 6 to which the coatings 1 are exposed. After initially applying the barrier coatings to the a substrate which can be flat, cylindrical or spherical (Block 23), optical radiation is provided that interacts with the substrate, chemically sensitive films, solvent-resistant coating and barrier coating and the impact on the optical radiation is detected (Block 24). For example, the optical radiation has associated initial characteristics, such as frequency, amplitude and phase, as it is interacted with the substrate/sensor/coating combination. As the optical radiation interacts with a given coating/sensor combination, the initial characteristics of the optical radiation may be changed and this change can be detected by measuring the resulting optical radiation. The difference between the initial characteristics of the optical radiation is referred to as the impact on the optical radiation. The initial measurement establishes a baseline measurement and verifies the initial state of each coating. The optical radiation may be measured by, for example, a photodetector coupled to an oscilliscope, or any other similar optical radiation measurement device.

[0050] Then, the same optical radiation interacts with the substrate/sensor/coating combination while the substrate/sensor/coating combination is exposed to the material of interest 6 (Block 25). For example, suitable materials of interest 6 include oxygen gas, liquid water, moisture or water vapor, organic and inorganic vapors, combinations thereof, and other similar materials in any phase, but preferably as a liquid or gas. One or more barrier coatings then becomes affected, such as through penetration by or transport of the material of interest through the coating (Block 26).

[0051] As a result of the interaction between the material of interest 6 (FIG. 1) with the chemically sensitive layer after transport of the material of interest through one or more barrier coatings 1, the propagated wave within the substrate which can be flat, cylindrical or spherical is impacted or the propagated wave causes a measurable impact, i.e. fluorescence (Block 27). The impact on the wave is defined as a measurable change in the wave, such as a variation in amplitude, frequency, polarization state, phase and temporal properties of the wave. The impact caused in the wave corresponds to and is correlated with a measurable change of the characteristics of the respective barrier coating. For example, the propagated wave may be affected by luminescence in the chemically sensitive layer caused by transport of the material of interest through the coating. The impact is determined relative to the initial state of the coating by comparing the measured result of the later-propagated with the measured result of the initially-propagated wave. The impacts of the later-propagated wave are detected (Block 28) and then correlated to a coating location (Block 29), and optionally displayed on a display device (see FIG. 1), such as a monitor coupled to a processor of a computer or on a display associated with the measurement device. Further, the impact is correlated to an amount of a barrier characteristic in such a way that the relative performance of each of the plurality of barrier coatings may be analyzed and compared to determine relative performance of each coating with respect to the material of interest.

[0052] Coatings 1 (FIG. 1) may be analyzed in this manner to measure a number of barrier properties. Suitable barrier properties include permeability and other similar barrier properties. Gas permeation properties of coatings are typically characterized by: either the steady state gas permeation rate, also called the transmission rate, defined as the volume of gas at standard temperature and pressure passing through a unit area of the coating per second divided by the pressure difference across the coating; or the steady state gas permeability defined as the permeation rate times the thickness of the coating. In the case of permeants (such as oxygen) that do not strongly interact with the coating, the permeability is a fundamental property of the coating, independent of coating thickness. In this case it is called intrinsic permeability.

[0053] The composition of the chemically sensitive layer varies depending on the particular barrier property and material of interest being analyzed. Characteristics of the chemically sensitive layer, such as absorption spectrum, refractive index, luminescence intensity, luminescence lifetime, luminescence spectrum, etc. may change upon exposure to the material of interest. The chemically sensitive layer is a film deposited onto the substrate which can be flat, cylindrical or spherical and responsive to a material of interest. The chemically sensitive layer can consist of an analyte-responsive material (such as inorganic or organic material) and optionally a chemical reagent. Upon exposure to the material of interest, the chemically sensitive layer is affected by the material of interest.

[0054] The optical property of the layer upon material sorption can be changed by the optical property of the material. For example, if a pure material absorbs radiation at a certain wavelength, then the chemically sensitive layer, after exposure to this material, will absorb radiation at the same wavelength proportionally to the material concentration in contact to the layer. If a pure material emits radiation at a certain wavelength, then the chemically sensitive layer after exposure to this material will emit radiation at the same wavelength proportionally to the material concentration in contact to the layer. Other optical parameters that can be altered upon contact with the analyte material are refractive index of the layer and the amount of light scattered or diffused by the layer. If the material does not possess the readily measurable optical property at a given concentration, the chemical reagent is selected to be incorporated into the layer. The chemical reagent changes its optical property (typically UV-visible-IR absorption and/or luminescence spectra).

[0055] A sensor layer comprises at least one class of chemically sensitive reagents. One class of reagents includes porphyrins. Examples of the porphyrins include but are not limited to tetraphenylporphyrin, metal porphyrins, such as platinum(II) octaethylporphyrin (Pt-OEP) and palladium(II) octaethylporphyrin (Pd-OEP), and others as described in P. Hartmann, W. Trettnak, “Effects of polymer matrices on calibration functions of luminescent oxygen sensors based on porphyrin ketone complexes,” Anal. Chem. 1996, 68, 2615-2620; A. Mills, A. Lepre, “Controlling the response characteristics of luminescent porphyrin plastic film sensors for oxygen,” Anal. Chem. 1997, 69, 4653-4659; Potyrailo, R. A.; Hieftje, G. M., Oxygen detection by fluorescence quenching of tetraphenylporphyrin immobilized in the original cladding of an optical fiber, Anal. Chim. Acta 1998, 370, 1-8.

[0056] Another class of reagents includes polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Examples and applications of this class of fluorophores are described by: I. B. Beriman, Handbook of luminescence spectra of aromatic molecules, Academic Press, New York, N.Y., 1971; O. S. Wolfbeis, Fiber Optic Chemical Sensors and Biosensors; O. S. Wolfbeis, Ed.; CRC Press: Boca Raton, Fla., 1991; Vol. 2; pp 19-53; Hobbs, S. E.; Potyrailo, R. A.; Hieftje, G. M., Scintillator light source for chemical sensing in the near-ultraviolet, Anal. Chem. 1997, 69, 3375-3379. Preferred fluorophores of this class include pyrene, pyrenebutyric acid, fluoranthene, decacyclene, diphenylanthracene, and benzo(g,h,I)perylene.

[0057] Another class of reagents includes a variety of long-wave absorbing dyes such as perylene dibutyrate, and heterocycles including fluorescent yellow, trypaflavin and other heterocycle compounds as described by: O. S. Wolfbeis, Fiber Optic Chemical Sensors and Biosensors; O. S. Wolfbeis, Ed.; CRC Press: Boca Raton, Fla., 1991; Vol. 2; pp 19-53.

[0058] Yet another group of reagents includes metal-organic complexes of ruthenium, osmium, iridium, gold and platinum as described by: O. S. Wolfbeis, Fiber Optic Chemical Sensors and Biosensors; O. S. Wolfbeis, Ed.; CRC Press: Boca Raton, Fla., 1991; Vol. 2; pp 19-53, J. N. Demas, B. A. Degraff, P. B. Coleman, “Oxygen sensors based on luminescence quenching,” Anal. Chem. 1999, 71, 793A-800A; J. N. Demas, B. A. DeGraff, “Design and applications of highly luminescent transition metal complexes,” Anal. Chem. 1991, 63, 829A-837A; A. Mills, A. Lepre, B. R. Theobald, E. Slade, B. A. Murrer, “Use of luminescent gold compounds in the design of thin-film oxygen sensors,” Anal. Chem. 1997, 69, 2842-2847; Potyrailo, R. A.; Hieftje, G. M., Use of the original silicone cladding of an optical fiber as a reagent-immobilization medium for intrinsic chemical sensors, Fresenius' J. Anal. Chem. 1999, 364, 32-40.

[0059] Yet another group of reagents includes solvatochromic dyes as extensively reviewed in, for example, C. Reichardt, Chemical Reviews, volume 94, pages 2319-2358 (1994). Preferred fluorescent solvatochromic dyes have a luminescence quantum yield of greater than about 0.01. Other characteristics of the dyes include positive and negative solvatochromism which corresponds to the bathochromic and hypsochromic shifts, respectively of the emission band with increasing solvent polarity. In addition to the solvent-induced spectral shifts of the emission spectra, some dyes exhibit the solvent-dependent ratio of emission intensities of two luminescence bands. One such solvatochromic dye is pyrene. Some examples of preferred solvatochromic dyes include 4-dicyanmethylene-2-methyl-6-(p-dimethylaminostyryl)-4H-pyran (DCM; CAS Registry No. 51325-91-8); 6-propionyl-2-(dimethylamino)naphthalene (PRODAN; CAS Registry No. 70504-01-7); 9-(diethylamino)-5H-benzo[a]phenoxazin-5-one (Nile Red; CAS Registry No. 7385-67-3); phenol blue; stilbazolium dyes; coumarin dyes; ketocyanine dyes, including CAS Registry No. 63285-01-8; Reichardt's dyes including Reichardt's betaine dye (2,6-diphenyl-4-(2,4,6-triphenylpyridinio)phenolate; CAS Registry No. 10081-39-7); merocyanine dyes, including merocyanine 540 (CAS Registry No. 62796-23-0); so-called π* dyes, including N,N-dimethyl-4-nitroaniline (NDMNA; CAS Registry No. 100-23-2) and N-methyl-2-nitroaniline (NM2NA; CAS Registry No. 612-28-2); and the like. Applications of solvatochromic dyes for monitoring of moisture are described for example in Sadaoka, Y.; Matsuguchi, M.; Sakai, Y.; Murata, Y. -U., Optical humidity sensor using Reichardt's betain dye-polymer composites, Chem. Lett. 1992, 53-56; Sadaoka, Y.; Sakai, Y.; Murata, Y., Optical humidity and ammonia gas sensors using Reichardt's dye-polymer composites, Talanta 1992, 39, 1675-1679; Potyrailo, R. A.; Hieftje, G. M., Use of the original silicone cladding of an optical fiber as a reagent-immobilization medium for intrinsic chemical sensors, Fresenius' J. Anal. Chem. 1999, 364, 32-40.

[0060] Yet another group of reagents includes calorimetric and luminescent acid-base and cationic reagents as extensively reviewed in, for example, Kolthoff, I. M. Acid-Base Indicators; The MacMillan Company: New York, 1937; Bacci, M.; Baldini, F.; Bracci, S., Spectroscopic behavior of acid-base indicators after immobilization on glass supports, Appl. Spectrosc. 1991, 45, 1508-1515; Sadaoka, Y.; Matsuguchi, M.; Sakai, Y.; Murata, Y. -U., Optical humidity sensing characteristics of Nafion-dyes composite thin films, Sens. Actuators B 1992, 7, 443-446; Sadaoka, Y.; Sakai, Y.; Murata, Y., Optical properties of cresyl violet-polymer composites for quantification of humidity and ammonia gas in ambient air, J. Mater. Chem. 1993, 3, 247-251; Zinger, B.; Shier, P., Spectroscopic studies of cationic dyes in Nafion, Preliminary investigation of a new sensor for hydrophilic contamination in organic solvents, Sens. Actuators B 1999, 56, 206-214; Haugland, R. P. Handbook of Fluorescent Probes and Research Chemicals; Molecular Probes: Eugene, Oreg., 1996. Some of these dyes are thymol blue, congo red, methyl orange, bromocresol green, methyl red, bromocresol purple, bromothymol blue, cresol red, phenolphthalein, SNAFL indicators, SNARF indicators, 8-hydroxypyrene-1,3,6-trisulfonic acid, fluorescein and its derivatives, oregon green, and a variety of dyes mostly used as laser dyes including rhodamine dyes, styryl dyes, cyanine dyes, and a large variety of other dyes. These reagents may also be referred to as pH reagents.

[0061] Yet another group of reagents includes oxygen-sensitive colorimetric reagents. Some reagents useful for colorimetric determinations of molecular oxygen are reviewed in Chemical Detection of Gaseous Pollutants; Ruch, W. E., Ed.; Ann Arbor Science Publishers: Ann Arbor, Mich., 1968. These include, among others, 2,4-diaminophenol dihydrochloride, manganous oxide, combination of manganous hydroxide and potassium iodide containing starch, ferrous salt in combination with methylene blue, reduced form of sodium anthraquinone-B-sulfonate, reduced form of ammonium anthraquinone-2-sulfonate, carbohydrate of Tschitschibabin, alkaline pyrogallol, and ammoniacal cuprous chloride. These and many other colorimetric reagents can be dispersed in a solid matrix, such as sol-gel, silica-gel and/or a polymer film, or dissolved in a suitable solvent.

[0062] Variation of the detectable property of a chemically sensitive film can be performed upon a change of refractive index of the film upon exposure to the material of interest, such as water vapor. Such moisture sensitive material can be a hydrogel. A hydrogel is a three dimensional network of hydrophilic polymers which have been tied together to form water-swellable but water insoluble structures. The term hydrogel is to be applied to hydrophilic polymers in a dry state (xerogel) as well as in a wet state as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,744,794.

[0063] There are a number of methods that may be used to tie these hydrogels together. First, tying via radiation or radical cross-linking of hydrophilic polymers, examples being poly(acrylic acids), poly(methacrylic acids), poly(hydroxyethylmethacrylates), poly(glyceryl methacrylate), poly(vinyl alcohols), poly(ethylene oxides), poly(acrylamides), poly(N-acrylamides), poly(N,N-dimethylaminopropyl-N′-acrylamide), poly(ethylene imines), sodium/potassium poly(acrylates), polysacharides e.g. xanthates, alginates, guar gum, agarose etc., poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) and cellulose based derivatives. Second, tying via chemical cross-linking of hydrophilic polymers and monomers, with appropriate polyfunctional monomers, examples include poly(hydroxyethylmethacrylate) cross-linked with suitable agents, the copolymerization of hydroxyethylmethacrylate monomer with dimethacrylate ester crosslinking agents, poly(ethylene oxide) based polyurethanes prepared through the reaction of hydroxyl-terminated poly(ethylene glycols) with polyisocyanates or by the reaction with diisocyanates in the presence of polyfunctional monomers such as triols, and cellulose derivates cross-linked with dialdehydes, diepoxides and polybasic acids. Third, tying via incorporation of hydrophilic monomers and polymers into block and graft copolymers, examples being block and graft copolymers of poly(ethylene oxide) with suitable polymers, poly(vinyl pyrrolidone)-co-polystyrene copolymers, polyurethanes and polyurethaneureas and polyurethaneureas based on poly(ethylene oxide), polyurethaneureas and poly(acrylonitrile)-co-poly(acrylic acid) copolymers, and a variety of derivatives of poly(acrylontriles), poly(vinyl alcohols) and poly(acrylic acids). Fourthly molecular complex formation between hydrophilic polymers and other polymers, examples being poly(ethylene oxides) hydrogel complexes with poly(acrylic acids) and poly(methacrylic acids). Last, tying via entanglement cross-linking of high molecular weight hydrophilic polymers, examples being hydrogels based on high molecular weight poly(ethylene oxides) admixed with polyfunctional acrylic or vinyl monomers.

[0064] Examples of applications of these materials are in Michie, W. C., Culshaw, B., Konstantaki, M.; McKenzie, I., Kelly, S., Graham, N. B., Moran, C., Distributed pH and water detection using fiber-optic sensors and hydrogels, J. Lightwave Technol. 1995, 13, 1415-1420; Bownass, D. C.; Barton, J. S.; Jones, J. D. C., Serially multiplexed point sensor for the detection of high humidity in passive optical networks, Opt. Lett. 1997, 22, 346-348; Michie, W. C.; Graham, N. B.; Culshaw, B.; Gardiner, P. T.; Moran, C., Apparatus for detecting aqueous environments, U.S. Pat. No. 5,744,794 (1995).

[0065] Chemically sensitive reagents are incorporated into a sensor layer formed from film-forming polymeric and/or inorganic material. The material for the sensor layer may affect the detection properties such as selectivity, sensitivity, and limit of detection. Thus, suitable material for the sensor layer is selected from polymeric and/or inorganic material capable of providing required response time, material of interest permeability, material of interest solubility, degree of transparency and hardness, and other similar characteristics relevant to the material of interest and the desired barrier property to be analyzed.

[0066] In general, the sensor layer has a response time in the range of about 1 microsecond-60 minutes, particularly in the range of about 1 millisecond-10 minutes, and more particularly in the range of about 1 second-1 minute.

[0067] In general, the permeability of the barrier coating to material of interest is in the range of about 0.0001-100 cm3 mm/m2 day atm, particularly in the range of about 0.001-10 cm3 mm/m2 day atm, and more particularly in the range of about 0.005-5 cm3 mm/m2 day atm.

[0068] In general, the sensor layer has a thickness in the range of about 0.001 micrometer-1000 micrometers, particularly from about 0.01 micrometer-500 micrometers, and more particularly in the range of about 0.1 micrometer-200 micrometers.

[0069] For example, in general polymers that can be used as matrices for oxygen, water vapor, and other sensors can be divided into several classes as described by: S. A. Stem, B. Krishnakumar, S. M. Nadakatti, Physical Properties of Polymers Handbook; J. E. Mark, Ed.; AIP Press: New York, 1996; pp 687-700. Such classes include polyolefins, vinyl and vinylidene polymers, natural and synthetic rubbers, polyesters, polycarbonates, cellulose derivatives, fluoropolymers, polyorganosiloxanes, polynitriles, polyamides, polyimides, polyurethanes, polyoxides, polysulfones, polyacetylenes, polyacrylics.

[0070] More detailed examples of polymers are described by Freud, M. S.; Lewis, N. S., “A chemically diverse conducting polymer-based ‘electronic nose’”, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 1995, 92, 2652-2656; Albert, K. J.; Lewis, N. S.; Schauer, C. L.; Sotzing, G. A.; Stitzel, S. E.; Vaid, T. P.; Walt, D. R., “Cross-reactive chemical sensor arrays,” Chem. Rev. 2000, 1000, 2595-2626; Grate, J. W.; Abraham, H.; McGill, R. A. In “Handbook of Biosensors and Electronic Noses. Medicine, Food, and the Environment”; E. Kress-Rogers, Ed.; CRC Press: Boca Raton, Fla., 1997; pp 593-612; Grate, J. W.; Abraham, M. H., “Solubility interactions and the design of chemically selective sorbent coatings for chemical sensors and arrays,” Sens. Actuators B 1991, 3, 85-111; U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,010,616 and 6,093,308.

[0071] They include: conducting polymers such as poly(anilines), poly(thiophenes), poly(pyrroles), poly(acetylenes), etc.; main-chain carbon polymers such as poly(dienes), poly(alkenes), poly(acrylics), poly(methacrylics), poly(vinyl ethers), poly(vinyl thioethers), poly(vinyl alcohols), poly(vinyl ketones), poly(vinyl halides), poly(vinyl nitriles), poly(vinyl esters), poly(styrenes), poly(arylenes), etc.; main-chain acyclic heteroatom polymers such as poly(oxides), poly(carbonates), poly(esters), poly(anhydrides), poly(urethanes), poly(sulfonates), poly(siloxanes), poly(sulfides), poly(thioesters), poly(sulfones), poly(sulfonamides), poly(amides), poly(ureas), poly(phosphazenes), poly(silanes), poly(silazanes), etc.; and, main-chain heterocyclic polymers such as poly(benzoxazoles), poly(oxadiazoles), poly(benzothiazinophenothiazines), poly(benzothiazoles), poly(pyrazinoquinoxalines), poly(pyromellitimides), poly(quinoxalines), poly(benzimidazoles), poly(oxindoles), poly(oxoisoindolines), poly(dioxoisoindolines), poly(triazines), poly(pyridazines), poly(piperazines), poly(pyridines), poly(piperidines), poly(triazoles), poly(pyrazoles), poly(pyrrolidines), poly(carboranes), poly(oxabicyclononanes), poly(dibenzofurans), poly(phthalides), poly(acetals), poly(anhydrides), carbohydrates, etc.

[0072] Other types of matrices include: the copolymers, polymer blends, and physical mixtures or polymers with additives such as organic and inorganic pigments, conducting, semiconducting, and non-conducting particles; inorganic sol-gel materials produced by condensation reactions, these materials can be doped with organic components; and polyelectrolytes, such as high-density polyethylene grafted with poly(styrenesulfonic acid), Nafion, which is polytetrafluoroethylene grafted with perfluorosulfonic acid, and others.

[0073] The chemically sensitive layer is formed by incorporating the chemically sensitive reagents into the polymeric and/or inorganic material for the sensor layer. Incorporation of the chemically sensitive reagents may be carried out by dissolving a chemically sensitive reagent in a solution or suspension of polymeric and/or inorganic material in a suitable solvent and then the resultant solution or suspension is applied to a substrate to form a chemically sensitive layer using various methods using thin-film deposition techniques that are explained below. An optional step is curing or condensation reaction. Solvents can be either polar or non polar, including but not limited to water, ethanol, methanol, acetone, chloroform, toluene, benzene, and hexane.

[0074] Another method for incorporation of chemically sensitive reagents includes dissolving a chemically sensitive reagent in a suitable solvent and immersing a polymer or/and inorganic film into the reagent solution. The solvent is sorbed into or onto the film and some of the chemically sensitive reagent molecules become trapped in the film. Upon drying, curing, or condensation, the solvent is removed while the chemically sensitive reagent remains trapped in the film. Covalent attachment of the reagent to the film is also possible.

[0075] For example, for oxygen permeability, a suitable chemically sensitive layer includes a polymeric material, such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polystyrene (PS), polycarbonate (PC), poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), PMMA/CAB blends, poly(1-trimethylsilyl-1-propyne), fluoro-polymer such as poly(styrene-co-trifluoroethylmethacrylate) (poly-styrene-co-TFEM) and other fluoropolymers, sol-gels doped with an oxygen sensitive reagent, such as platinum or palladium porphyrins, such as platinum(II) octaethylporphyrin (Pt-OEP) and palladium(II) octaethylporphyrin (Pd-OEP); metal-organic complexes of ruthenium, osmium, iridium, gold and platinum; or other known similar materials.

[0076] Other suitable example of chemically sensitive layers include polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons such as pyrene, pyrenebutyric acid, fluoranthene, decacyclene, diphenylanthracene, and benzo(g,h,I)perylene, immobilized in a cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB), silicones, silicone blends, silicone copolymers, combinations thereof, and other similar materials.

[0077] Still other suitable example of chemically sensitive layers include solvatochromic, acid-base, and cationic dyes such as pyrene, 4-dicyanmethylene-2-methyl-6-(p-dimethylaminostyryl)-4H-pyran; 6-propionyl-2-(dimethylamino)naphthalene; 9-(diethylamino)-5H-benzo[a]phenoxazin-5-one; phenol blue; stilbazolium dyes; coumarin dyes; ketocyanine dyes, Reichardt's dyes; merocyanine dyes, thymol blue, congo red, methyl orange, bromocresol green, methyl red, bromocresol purple, bromothymol blue, cresol red, phenolphthalein, SNAFL dyes, SNARF dyes, 8-hydroxypyrene-1,3,6-trisulfonic acid, fluorescein and its derivatives, oregon green, and a variety of dyes mostly used as laser dyes including rhodamine dyes, styryl dyes, cyanine dyes, and a large variety of other dyes immobilized in an inorganic material such as sol-gel matrix or in a polymeric material, such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polystyrene (PS), polycarbonate (PC), poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), PMMA/CAB blends, fluoro-polymer such as poly(styrene-co-trifluoroethylmethacrylate) (poly-styrene-co-TFEM) and other fluoropolymers, cation exchange membranes such as Nafion, and others, combinations thereof, and other similar materials.

[0078] For example, the sensor layer may be exposed to varying concentrations of oxygen, water vapor, other inorganic and organic vapors and gases and their combinations at different ratios. For example, in measurements of oxygen barrier property, oxygen concentrations range from 0 to 100% by volume. Partial pressure of oxygen can range from 0 to 1 atmosphere. However, in order to accelerate penetration of oxygen, the partial pressure can be increased higher than 1 atmosphere and, depending on the equipment used, can be, for example 10 or 100 atmospheres or even higher.

[0079] In measurements of moisture barrier property, water vapor concentrations range from 0 to 100% by volume. Partial pressure of water vapor can range from 0 to 1 atmosphere. However, in order to accelerate penetration of water vapor, the partial pressure can be increased higher than 1 atmosphere and, depending on the equipment used, can be, for example 10 or 100 atmosphere or even higher.

[0080] The sensor layer may be exposed first to the atmosphere at which the coating deposition was performed, and then to nitrogen, oxygen, water vapor, or other inorganic or organic vapor or gas or their combinations at different ratios.

[0081] The change in the absorbance, refractive index, luminescence intensity, or lifetime of the regions of the sensor materials may be measured using a described system.

[0082] In one embodiment, the correlation of detection to impacted barrier coatings is determined via use of optical time-of-flight chemical detection (OTOF), otherwise known as spatially resolved mapping. Upon measurements of back-reflected light, this technique is known as optical time domain reflectometry (OTDR). With this technique, a pulse of light is periodically launched into the substrate which can be flat, cylindrical or spherical, and analytical information is derived from the amplitude and/or other characteristics of the returned portion of the light. In one embodiment, the amplitude of the returned light is modulated by variations in analyte concentration along the substrate which can be flat, cylindrical or spherical that occur due to penetration of a material of interest through a barrier coating applied to the substrate which can be flat, cylindrical or spherical. In particular, in one embodiment, information about the location of the variation in analyte concentration is obtained from the measured time delay between the launched and returned pulses of light.

[0083] To address drawbacks with this technique when absorbance of material of interest is detected in the UV-IR spectral ranges or when chemically sensitive colorimetric dyes are used with the basic OTOF sensing of this method, including low levels of detected backscatter signal, an embodiment of the present invention also includes use of absorption-modulated luminescence detection which raises signal levels of absorption-based sensors to levels found in luminescence-based sensors. With this approach, the luminescence intensity of an immobilized analyte-insensitive fluorophore is monitored by an analyte sensitive indicator as a function of absorbance caused by a second immobilized analyte-insensitive fluorophore.

[0084] Another potential drawback relating to OTOF sensing using detection of absorbance of material of interest in the UV-IR spectral ranges or using chemically sensitive colorimetric dyes and/or statically quenched fluorophores is the accumulative analyte-induced light attenuation. A local increase in evanescent-wave absorbance by an immobilized reagent or absorbance of the material of interest in the UV-IR spectral ranges leads to a drop in light intensity available for propagation farther down the A substrate which can be flat, cylindrical or spherical. The dynamic range can therefore be limited by high analyte concentrations along the substrate which can be flat, cylindrical or spherical. To address this limitation, dynamically quenched fluorophores are used with sensing. Sensors based on immobilized dynamically quenched fluorophores do not exhibit a change in attenuation coefficient upon exposure to a quencher. See, e.g., R. A. Potyrailo and G. M. Hieftge, “Spatially Resolved Analyte Mapping With Time-Of-Flight Optical Sensors,” Trends. Anal. Chem., vol. 17, 593-604 (1998).

[0085] The chemically sensitive layer, the solvent resistant layer and the barrier coatings are deposited on the substrate which can be flat, cylindrical or spherical using a number of methods and systems, such as by spraying, drawing, dipping and otherwise depositing the materials on the substrate which can be flat, cylindrical or spherical. A length of substrate which can be flat, cylindrical or spherical material is coatable with a chemically sensitive layer, followed by coating of the solvent resistant layer and then coating with adjacent layers of barrier coatings, such that an array of barrier coatings is formed upon the length of the substrate which can be flat, cylindrical or spherical material.

[0086] Thin-film deposition techniques in combination with physical masking techniques or photolithographic techniques can be used to apply a barrier coating layer onto the solvent resistant layer. Such thin-film deposition techniques can generally be broken down into the following four categories: evaporative methods, glow discharge processes, gas-phase chemical processes, and liquid-phase chemical techniques. Included within these categories are, for example, sputtering techniques, spraying techniques, laser ablation techniques, electron beam or thermal evaporation techniques, ion implantation or doping techniques, chemical vapor deposition techniques, as well as other techniques used in the fabrication of integrated circuits. All of these techniques can be applied to deposit highly uniform layers, i.e., thin-films, of the various coating materials on selected regions on the sensor layer. Moreover, by adjusting the relative geometries of the masks, the delivery source and/or the substrate, such thin-film deposition techniques can be used to generate uniform gradients at each reaction region on the substrate or, alternatively, over all of the reaction regions on the substrate. For an overview of the various thin-film deposition techniques which can be used in the methods of the present invention, see, for example, Ballantine, D. S., Jr.; White, R. M.; Martin, S. J.; Ricco, A. J.; Frye, G. C.; Zellers, E. T.; Wohltjen, H. “Acoustic Wave Sensors: Theory, Design, and Physico-Chemical Applications”, Chapter 6, Academic Press: San Diego, Calif., 1997; which are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.

[0087] In one embodiment, thin-films of the various barrier coating materials can be deposited onto the solvent resistant layer using evaporative methods in combination with physical masking techniques. Generally, in thermal evaporation or vacuum evaporation methods, the following sequential steps take place: (1) a vapor is generated by boiling or subliming a target material; (2) the vapor is transported from the source to a substrate; and (3) the vapor is condensed to a solid film on the substrate surface. Evaporants, i.e., target materials, which can be used in the evaporative methods cover an extraordinary range of chemical reactivities and vapor pressures and, thus, a wide vary of sources can be used to vaporize the target materials. Such sources include, for example, resistance-heated filaments, electron beams; crucible heated by conduction, radiation or rf-inductions; and arcs, exploding wires and lasers. In preferred embodiments of the present invention, thin-film deposition using evaporative methods is carried out using lasers, filaments, electron beams or ion beams as the source. Successive rounds of deposition, through different physical masks, using evaporative methods can be used to generate a library or array of barrier coatings on a sensory layer for detection of defects in the barrier coatings in combinatorial discovery of coating materials.

[0088] Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) is an evaporative method that can be used to grow epitaxial thin-films. In this method, the films are formed on single-crystal substrates by slowly evaporating the elemental or molecular constituents of the film from separate Knudsen effusion source cells (deep crucibles in furnaces with cooled shrouds) onto substrates held at temperatures appropriate for chemical reaction, epitaxy and re-evaporation of excess reactants. The Knudsen effusion source cells produce atomic or molecular beams of relatively small diameter which are directed at the heated substrate, usually silicon or gallium arsenide. Fast shutters are interposed between the source cells and the substrates. By controlling these shutters, one can grow superlattices with precisely controlled uniformity, lattice match, composition, dopant concentrations, thickness and interfaces down to the level of atomic layers.

[0089] In addition to evaporative methods, thin-films of the various barrier coating materials can be deposited onto the solvent resistant layer using glow-discharge processes in combination with physical masking techniques. The most basic and well known of these processes is sputtering, i.e., the ejection of surface atoms from an electrode surface by momentum transfer from bombarding ions to surface atoms. Sputtering or sputter-deposition is a term used by those of skill in the art to cover a variety of processes, all of which can be used in the methods of the present invention. One such process is RF/DC Glow Discharge Plasma Sputtering. In this process, a plasma of energized ions is created by applying a high RF or DC voltage between a cathode and an anode. The energy ions from the plasma bombard the target and eject atoms which are then deposited on a substrate, a sensor layer. Ion-Beam Sputtering is another example of a sputtering process which can be used to deposit thin-films of the various barrier coating materials on a substrate. Ion-Beam Sputtering is similar to the foregoing process except the ions are supplied by an ion source and not a plasma. It will be apparent to one of skill in the art that other sputtering techniques (e.g., diode sputtering, reactive sputtering, etc.) and other glow-discharge processes can be used in the methods of the present invention to deposit thin-films on a substrate and a sensor layer. Successive rounds of deposition, through different physical masks, using sputtering or other glow-discharge techniques, can be used to generate an array or library of barrier coatings on a sensor layer for detection of defects in the barrier coating for use of combinatorial discovery of coating materials.

[0090] In addition to evaporative methods and sputtering techniques, thin-films of the various barrier coating materials can be deposited onto the solvent resistant layer using Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) techniques in combination with physical masking techniques. CVD involves the formation of stable solids by decomposition of gaseous chemicals using heat, plasma, ultraviolet, or other energy source, or a combination of energy sources. Photo-Enhanced CVD, based on activation of the reactants in the gas or vapor phase by electromagnetic radiation, usually short-wave ultraviolet radiation, and Plasma-Enhanced CVD, based on activation of the reactants in the gas or vapor phase using a plasma, are two particularly useful chemical vapor deposition techniques. Successive rounds of deposition, through different physical masks, using CVD technique can be used to generate an array or library of barrier coatings on a sensor layer for detection of defects in the barrier coating in combinatorial discovery of coating materials.

[0091] In addition to evaporative methods, sputtering and CVD, thin-films of the various reactants can be deposited onto the solvent resistant layer using a number of different mechanical techniques in combination with physical masking techniques. Such mechanical techniques include, for example, spraying, spinning, dipping, draining, flow coating, roller coating, pressure-curtain coating, brushing, etc. Of these, the spray-on and spin-on techniques are particularly useful. Sprayers which can be used to deposit thin-films include, for example, ultrasonic nozzle sprayers, air atomizing nozzle sprayers and atomizing nozzle sprayer. In ultrasonic sprayers, disc-shaped ceramic piezoelectric transducers covert electrical energy into mechanical energy. The transducers receive electrical input in the form of a high-frequency signal from a power supply that acts as a combination oscillator/amplifier. In air atomizing sprayers, the nozzles intermix air and liquid streams to produce a completely atomized spray. In atomizing sprayers, the nozzles use the energy from a pressurized liquid to atomize the liquid and, in turn, produce a spray. Successive rounds of deposition, through different physical masks, using mechanical techniques, such as spraying, can be used to generate an array or library of barrier coatings on a circular sensor layer for detection of transport properties of barrier coatings in combinatorial discovery of coating materials.

[0092] The barrier coating suitably has a thickness from 0.1 nm to 100 micrometers, particularly from 1 nm to 10 micrometers, and more particularly from 10 nm to 5 micrometers.

[0093] In combinatorial discovery of coating materials for applications as barrier and other types of coatings, the rapid evaluation of permeability of coatings is needed. To provide methods and devices for measurements of barrier properties of multiple coatings with the reduced errors associated with the edge effects, in an embodiment of the present invention, an array of barrier coatings is deposited onto a cylindrical substrate flat, as shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 3 presents a cylindrical substrate 30 having an outer side surface coated with a chemically sensitive layer 31, solvent resistant layer 49 and an array of barrier coatings 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39. Preferably, each of the elements of the array of barrier coatings has a known predetermined different composition such that the measured variations in barrier coating performance may be correlated to the known variations in the coating composition. The array of barrier coatings are adjacently positioned lengthwise along the cylindrical substrate such that there is no space between the coatings, thereby eliminating edge effects in all three dimensions. For example, the barrier coatings may include a single coating having a varying composition lengthwise along the cylindrical substrate. Such a barrier coating may be formed, for example, by simultaneously depositing different combinations of different materials lengthwise along the cylindrical substrate, where a given material composition forming a barrier coating is mappable to a given position. Alternatively, if there is space between the array of coatings, then the edge effects are eliminated in two dimensions. An array of barrier coatings may also include situations when coating thickness is introduced as a variable parameter. An array of barrier coatings may also include situations when processing and reaction conditions of coating fabrication are introduced as variable parameters.

[0094] FIG. 4 shows one embodiment of an optical system 40 for spatially resolved measurements of barrier properties of an array of coatings 46 with regard to a material of interest 6. The system 40 performs the measurements utilizing the spatially resolved capability provided by an optical time-of-flight detection technique. FIG. 4 presents a light source 41 that pulses a wave of light through an optical fiber input 42 and a fiber optic coupler 43 into a chemically sensitive substrate 44 which can be flat, cylindrical or spherical. A substrate which can be flat, cylindrical or spherical 44 may have a structure similar to that of the cylindrical substrate 30 (see FIG. 3), including a chemically sensitive layer and an array of barrier coatings 46. Although shown as spaced apart along the length of the substrate which can be flat, cylindrical or spherical 44, the array of barrier coatings 46 may be positioned without any space in between each coating to eliminate edge effects in two or three dimensions. The array of barrier coatings 46 is exposed to one or more material(s) of interest 6 contained within a gas cell 45. A detector 47, such as a photodetector for measuring the pulsed light wave, is connected to the substrate which can be flat, cylindrical or spherical 44 to measure the effects on each barrier coating to the exposure to the material of interest 6. The system 40 may also include a display 48 connected to the detector 47 for graphically depicting the measurements of the detector. The display includes, for example, a personal computer (PC), a microcomputer, a minicomputer, a mainframe computer, or other device having a processor.

[0095] For example, the light source 41 may include a pulsed laser, or other suitable wave source such as those listed in the following Table 1.

TABLE 1
Useful Light/Wave Sources
Source                Spectral range of emission (nm)
Diode lasers          different diode lasers cover ranges from
                      400 to 1500 nm
Light emitting diodes different diodes cover ranges from 370 to 1500
Excimer lasers        157, 193, 248, 308, 351
Nitrogen laser        337
Nd: YAG laser         fundamental - 1064, frequency doubled - 532,
                      tripled - 355, quadrupled - 266
Ti: Sapphire laser    720-1000, frequency doubled 360-500
Dye lasers            360-990, frequency doubled 235 to 345

[0096] In an embodiment of the present invention, the substrate which can be flat, cylindrical or spherical includes, for example, a chemically sensitive layer of an oxygen sensitive material if oxygen barrier properties are of interest.

[0097] In another embodiment of the present invention, the substrate which can be flat, cylindrical or spherical includes a chemically sensitive layer of a moisture sensitive material if moisture barrier properties are of interest.

[0098] In an embodiment of the present invention, the substrate which can be flat, cylindrical or spherical includes, for example, a chemically sensitive layer of an oxygen and moisture sensitive material if combined oxygen and moisture barrier properties are of interest.

[0099] Other fluids, gases, vapors, or liquids are measurable by incorporating other chemical reagents into the material of the chemically sensitive layer.

[0100] The substrate which can be flat, cylindrical or spherical is preferably impermeable to the material of interest. Examples of cylindrical substrates, known as optical fibers, are shown in Table 2.

TABLE 2
Useful optical fiber cylindrical substrate which can be flat,
cylindrical or sphericals
	Fiber core material (and	Fiber cladding materials (and
Supplier	diameters, microns)	diameters, microns)
Polymicro	silica (125, 200, 400, 500, 700)	hard polymer (140, 220, 420, 520,
Technologies, Inc.,		740)
Phoenix, AZ	silica (300, 400, 600, 800)	silicone (450, 500, 700, 900)
Fiberguide	silica (200, 300, 400, 600,	silicone (300, 400, 500, 700,
Industries, Inc.,	800, 1000, 1500, 2000)	900, 1100, 1650, 2150)
Stirling, NJ
3M Specialty	silica (125, 200, 300, 400,	hard polymer (140, 230, 330,
Fibers, West	600, 800, 1000, 1500)	430, 630, 830, 1035, 1550)
Haven, CT	silica (200, 400, 600, 1000)	silicone (380, 600, 830, 1400)

[0101] The original fiber cladding can be chemically modified with a chemically sensitive reagent of interest as described by Potyrailo, R. A.; Hieftje, G. M., “Use of the original silicone cladding of an optical fiber as a reagent-immobilization medium for intrinsic chemical sensors,” Fresenius' J. Anal. Chem. 1999, 364, 32-40. Also, the fiber cladding can be removed using methods described in a Product Catalog “3M Power-Core Fiber Products” from Specialty Fibers, West Haven, Conn. and in Ruddy, V.; MacCraith, B. D.; Murphy, J. A., “Evanescent wave absorption spectroscopy using multimode fibers,” J. Appl. Phys. 1990, 67, 6070-6074, where cladding materials can be removed by applying available solvents.

[0102] The chemically sensitive material (reagent in a suitable matrix) can be deposited as described above.

[0103] For detection of the wave back-propagating in the substrate which can be flat, cylindrical or spherical, several possible detection system configurations can be used. In one detection system, light from a pulsed laser is launched into the substrate which can be flat, cylindrical or spherical through a beamsplitter by means of a lens. Backpropagated signal is collected with the same lens, redirected through the beamsplitter, and focused with another lens onto the entrance slit of a monochromator. Signal is monitored with a photomultiplier tube. A small portion of the laser light is directed to a fast photodiode by a mirror. The returned waveforms were recorded with a digitizing oscilloscope; the oscilloscope is triggered by the output from the fast photodiode. Each monitored waveform is averaged over several laser pulses, transferred to a computer, and analyzed using commercial software packages. Software packages for signal analysis are LabVIEW from National Instruments (Austin, Tex.), Matlab (The Mathworks Inc., Natick, Mass.), or others.

[0104] In addition to the cylindrical geometry for the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the substrate can be flat or spherical and may be of any cross-section or shape such that the coating continuously covers the outer surface, or where non-coated surfaces are arranged on a non-permeable substrate. Measurements of barrier properties are performable on different regions of the substrate using multiplexing techniques where each coating is deposited on a different substrate.

[0105] In addition to the application of indirect sensing methods that employ a chemically sensitive reagent to flag the presence and concentration of an optically inactive vapor, a variety of direct spectroscopic techniques are capable of being utilized. These optionally include, for example, ultraviolet (UV), near-infrared (near-IR), mid-IR methods, and luminescence and Raman spectroscopies. For example, permeation of water vapor through a barrier coating deposited onto a substrate is measurable in the near- and mid-IR spectral ranges. Also, pulsed excimer lasers emitting in the vacuum UV range can be used to probe for absorption of oxygen reaching the substrate.

[0106] Thus, in summary, methods and devices have been disclosed for measuring barrier properties of a barrier coating or coating arrays where each barrier coating has a small cross section. To reduce the edge effects in the measurements of barrier properties, measurements are made using a substrate structure coated with a chemically sensitive layer, a solvent resistant layer and an array of barrier coatings. The coated substrate is exposed to a material of interest to produce an analyzable variation in the chemically sensitive layer to detect an impact on the barrier coatings. In one variation, a propagated wave, such as pulsed light, is propagated within the substrate structure, and the impact on the propagated wave is detected and correlated to a value of a barrier property for each of the array of barrier coatings.

[0107] Example embodiments of the present invention will now been described. It will be appreciated that these examples are merely illustrative of the invention. Many variations and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

WORKING EXAMPLE 1

[0108] A screening system used in this invention included a white light source (450-W Xe arc lamp, SLM Instruments, Inc., Urbana, Ill., Model FP-024), a monochromator for selection of the excitation wave length (SLM Instruments, Inc., Model FP-092), and a CCD camera (Roper Scientific, Trenton, N.J. Model TE/CCD 1100 PF/UV). The excitation light was filtered out from being captured by the camera using a long pass optical filter (610-nm cut-off). FIG. 5 illustrates an example of an instrument used for spatial mapping of oxygen permability through a library of transparent coatings. A library of transparent coatings, solvent-resistant layer, sensor layer and substrate 102 are positioned in a gas cell 101. A light source 103 emits light through an excitation wavelength selection element 104. The excitation radiation 105 illuminates the library of transparent coatings, solvent-resistant layer, sensor layer, and substrate 102. The emission radiation 106 from the sensor layer is captured with an imaging detector 108 through an emission wavelength selection element 107. Data is collected at low partial pressure of oxygen 109 and at high partial pressure of oxygen 110. Data at high partial pressure of oxygen was collected at least twice over a certain period of time to determine the relative rate of fluorescence signal change for different barrier coatings. Results of mathematical image processing that included divisional operation 111 are analyzed to produce oxygen distribution map 112 and to coatings with different oxygen barrier properties 113.

[0109] For evaluation of oxygen-barrier properties of materials, oxygen-sensitive material was prepared and deposited onto a quartz substrate. The oxygen sensitive material was prepared by dissolving about 1 micromolar of platinum (II) octaethylporphyrin (Pt-OEP) in poly(1-trimethylsilyl-1-propyne) using chloroform as a common solvent for both components. The oxygen sensitive material was deposited onto the quartz substrate and formed a film with a thickness of about 1-10 micrometers. As a solvent-resistant layer, a random copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene (TFE) and perfluoro-2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxole (PDD), known as Teflon® AF, was used. For protection of the deposited oxygen-sensitive film, amphorous fluoropolymer was dissolved in perfluoro(2-butyl tetrahydrofuran), and a film 1-10 micrometers thick was deposited from a polymer solution onto the surface of the oxygen-sensitive film. Different polycarbonate copolymers were screened for their barrier properties. These materials were dissolved in chloroform and deposited as an array onto the quartz substrate that already had been coated with the oxygen-sensitive film and solvent resistant film. The variation parameters in the array were copolymer composition and thickness. The substrate was further positioned in a flow-through cell that had a quartz window for observation of the optical response to the oxygen sensitive film upon exposure of the array to variable concentrations of oxygen.

[0110] Measurements of the barrier properties of the deposited polycarbonate copolymer films were performed by observing the spatially-resolved changes in optical response of oxygen-sensitive film under different regions of the array containing different copolymers of different thickness to different levels of oxygen. These changes were observed by taking the ratio of images when the coating array was exposed to nitrogen (low partial pressure of oxygen) and oxygen (high partial pressure of oxygen).

[0111] To evaluate the resistance of the formed structure, that is, the sensor film covered with the Teflon® AF overlayer, the structure was exposed to a variety of solvents commonly employed in the deposition of barrier films. A determination was made of the degradation or adhesion loss of the sensor film or the Teflon® AF overlayer.

[0112] The results of these exposures are summarized in Table 1

Solvent                    Overlayer Performance
Hexane/toluene 9:1 mixture Stable
Chloroform                 Stable
n-Butylalcohol             Stable
Methanol                   Stable
Acetone                    Stable
Ethanol                    Stable
Methoxypropanol            Stable
Water                      Stable

[0113] In addition, an untypical solvent, ammonium hydroxide, a highly alkaline solvent, was similarly found to be stable. The only tested solvent which dissolved Teflon® AF, was perfluoro (2-butyl tetrahydrofuran).

Discussion of Results

[0114] The films of the present invention, made of amorphous fluoropolymers, as indicated in the results summarized in Table 1, were stable upon direct contact with a variety of common aggressive solvents. For example, chloroform, which dissolves conventional polymers, and gasoline simulators, e.g. hexane/toluene 9:1 ratio mixture, were stable as were other common solvents. Indeed, even highly dissolving solvents, such as ammonium hydroxide, an alkaline solvent that decomposes RTV silicone films, was found to be stable.

WORKING EXAMPLE 2

[0115] A screening system used in this example was identical to that in Working Example 1. For evaluation of oxygen-barrier properties of materials, an oxygen-sensitive material was prepared and deposited onto a quartz substrate in the fashion described in Working Example 1. As a solvent-resistant layer, a Nafion film was deposited for protection of the oxygen-sensitive film from the effects of the solvent used for deposition of oxygen barrier coatings. It was found that ranking of performance of barrier coatings of different copolymers of polycarbonate was similar in Working Examples 1 and 2.

Claims

1. A device for measurement of barrier properties of barrier coatings, the device comprising: at least one substrate having an external surface; a chemically sensitive layer disposed about the external surface of the at least one substrate, the chemically sensitive layer responsive to a material of interest; a solvent resistant layer disposed about the chemically sensitive layer; a predefined number of barrier coatings deposited onto the solvent resistant layer, each of the barrier coatings having a corresponding barrier property with respect to the material of interest; a light source operable to propagate a wave within the at least one substrate with optical radiation; a detector operable to measure impacts associated with the optical radiation, the impacts associated with the respective barrier property of each of the predefined number of barrier coatings; and a correlator for correlating the measured impact with a value of the barrier property for each of the predefined number of barrier coatings.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the predefined number of barrier coatings is one coating.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the predefined number of barrier coatings is a plurality of coatings comprising a combinatorial array.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the impacts are associated with a detected wave that is forward-propagated.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the impacts are associated with a detected wave that is back-propagated.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one substrate which can be flat, cylindrical or spherical comprises a cylindrical optical fiber and wherein each of the plurality of barrier coatings extend circumferentially about the cylindrical substrate.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the cylindrical optical fiber comprises a plurality of cylindrical optical fibers, wherein one of the plurality of barrier coatings is deposited on a corresponding one of the plurality of said cylindrical optical fibers.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one substrate which can be flat, cylindrical or spherical comprises a cylindrical optical fiber and wherein each of the plurality of barrier coatings extend circumferentially about the cylindrical optical fiber and are adjacently positioned lengthwise along the cylindrical optical fiber such that there is no space between the coatings.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the at least one cylindrical optical fiber comprises a cylindrical optical fibers wherein one of the plurality of barrier coatings is deposited on a corresponding cylindrical optical fiber.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one substrate comprises a three-dimensional structure and wherein each of a plurality of barrier coatings is deposited on an individual substrate, said substrate not having any edges.

11. The device of claim 10 wherein said three-dimensional structure is a sphere or an ellipsoid.

12. The device of claim 10 wherein at least two barrier coatings are deposited on said substrates.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of barrier coatings each have a different predetermined parameter and a predetermined location lengthwise along the substrate.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the predetermined parameter is selected from the group consisting of composition, thickness, and coating preparation and/or storing and/or application conditions.

15. The device of claim 1, wherein the impacts measured by the detector is selected from the group consisting of an amplitude, a frequency, a polarization state, a phase, a temporal property, and combinations thereof.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein the barrier property comprises permeability.

17. The device of claim 1, wherein the chemically sensitive layer comprises a fluorophore.

18. The device of claim 1, wherein the chemically sensitive layer comprises a calorimetric reagent.

19. The device of claim 1, wherein the chemically sensitive layer comprises a polymeric material.

20. The device of claim 1, wherein the chemically sensitive layer comprises an inorganic material.

21. The device of claim 1, wherein the chemically sensitive layer comprises a sol-gel material.

22. The device of claim 1, wherein the predetermined number of barrier coatings comprise inorganic materials.

23. The device of claim 1, wherein the predetermined number of barrier coatings comprise organic materials.

24. The device of claim 1, wherein the predetermined number of barrier coatings comprise organic and inorganic materials.

25. The device of claim 1, wherein the predetermined number of barrier coatings are selected from the group consisting of oxides, nitrides and oxinitrides of silicon, aluminum, zinc, boron and other metals, ceramics, polyvinyl alcohol, ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymers, polyvinyl dichloride, different types of nylon, acrylics, cellophane, silicones, polyethylene terephtalate, PVC, PCTFE, polypropylene, sol-gels, and combinations thereof.

26. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one substrate which can be flat, cylindrical or spherical, the chemically sensitive layer coating, and the predetermined number of barrier coatings comprise a substrate which can be flat, cylindrical or spherical structure; and the device further comprises a cell for containing the substrate structure and the material of interest.

27. The device of claim 1, wherein the wave propagated by the light source further comprises a pulsed wave associated with a given time, and wherein the correlator includes a processor for determining a variation between the pulsed wave and the impacted wave and for correlating the determined variation with one of the plurality of barrier coatings based on the given time of the pulsed wave.

28. The device of claim 1, wherein the material of interest is selected from the group consisting of oxygen, water, water vapor, organic and inorganic vapors and combinations thereof.

29. The device of claim 1, wherein the impacts on the propagated wave are associated with a change in a chemically sensitive layer characteristic selected from the group consisting of absorption spectrum, refractive index, luminescence intensity, luminescence lifetime, luminescence spectrum and combinations thereof.

30. The device of claim 1, wherein the chemically sensitive layer comprises a thin film having a thickness in the range of about 0.05 to about 1000 micrometers.

31. The device of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of barrier coatings comprises a thin film having a thickness in the range of about 0.1 nanometers to about 100 micrometers.

32. The device of claim 1, wherein the solvent resistant layer is a layer of a material that is permeable to an analyte of interest and is inert to the solvent used for deposition of barrier coatings.

33. The device of claim 1, wherein the propagated wave produced by the light source has a spectral range of emission from about 150 nanometer to about 2500 nanometers.

34. The device of claim 1, wherein the solvent resistant layer is a layer of a random copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and perfluoro-2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxide.

35. The device of claim 1, wherein the solvent resistant layer is a layer of a terpolymer of tetrafluoroethylene, perfluoro-2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxole and a third comonomer.

36. The device of claim 1, wherein the substrate is flat, cylindrical or spherical.

37. The device of claim 1, wherein the solvent resistant layer comprises polytetrafluoroethylene grafted with perfluorosulfonic acid.

38. The device of claim 1, wherein the solvent resistant layer is a layer of a copolymer selected from the group consisting of a copolymer of perfluoro-2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxole and a perfluoroolefin, a copolymer of perfluoro-2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxole and a perfluoro(alkyl vinyl ether) and a copolymer of perfluoro-2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxole and a perfluoro(butenyl vinyl ether).

39. A device for measurement of barrier properties of barrier coatings, the device comprising: at least one substrate extending lengthwise and having an external surface; a chemically sensitive layer disposed about the circumference of the external surface of at least a portion of the at least one substrate, the chemically sensitive layer responsive to a material of interest; a solvent resistant layer disposed about the chemically sensitive layer; a plurality of barrier coatings deposited onto the solvent resistant layer such that each coating extends about the at least one substrate, each of the barrier coatings having a corresponding barrier property with respect to the material of interest; a light source operable to propagate a pulsed wave associated with a given time within the at least one substrate; a detector operable to measure impacts associated with the propagated wave and associated with the respective barrier property of each of the plurality of barrier coatings; and a processor for determining a value of the barrier property associated with the measured impact and for correlating the value of the barrier property with each of the plurality of barrier coatings.

40. The device of claim 39, wherein the at least one substrate comprises a cylindrical optical fiber and wherein each of the plurality of barrier coatings extend circumferentially about the cylindrical optical fiber and are adjacently positioned lengthwise along the cylindrical optical fiber such that there is no space between the coatings.

41. The device of claim 39, wherein the impacts on the propagated wave measured by the detector is selected from the group consisting of an amplitude, a frequency, a polarization state, a phase, a temporal property, and combinations thereof.

42. The device of claim 39, wherein the barrier property comprises permeability.

43. The device of claim 39, wherein the at least one substrate, the chemically sensitive layer coating, the solvent resistant layer and the plurality of barrier coatings further comprises a cell for containing the substrate structure and the material of interest.

44. The device of claim 39, wherein the material of interest is selected from the group consisting of oxygen, moisture, water vapor, organic and inorganic vapors and combinations thereof.

45. The device of claim 39, wherein the impacts on the propagated wave are associated with a change in a chemically sensitive layer characteristic selected from the group consisting of absorption spectrum, refractive index, luminescence intensity, luminescence lifetime, luminescence spectrum and combinations thereof.

46. The device of claim 39, wherein the chemically sensitive layer comprises a polymeric or inorganic or composite material.

47. The device of claim 39, wherein the chemically sensitive layer comprises a polymeric material having a sufficient combination of response time, material of interest permeability, material of interest solubility, and degree of transparency and hardness relative to the material of interest and the analyzed barrier property.

48. The device of claim 39, wherein the chemically sensitive layer comprises a dynamically quenched luminescent reagent.

49. The device of claim 39, wherein the chemically sensitive layer comprises a statically quenched luminescent reagent.

50. The device of claim 39, wherein the chemically sensitive layer comprises a colorimetric reagent.

51. The device of claim 39, wherein the chemically sensitive layer comprises a combination of calorimetric and luminescent reagents.

52. The device of claim 39, wherein the chemically sensitive layer comprises a combination of an analyte-sensitive colorimetric reagent and an analyte-insensitive luminescent reagent.

53. The device of claim 39, wherein the chemically sensitive layer comprises a oxygen-sensitive reagent.

54. The device of claim 39, wherein the chemically sensitive layer comprises a moisture-sensitive reagent.

55. The device of claim 39, wherein the chemically sensitive layer comprises a luminescent reagent selected from the group consisting of a porphyrin, a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, a long-wave absorbing dye, a metal organic complex of ruthenium, a metal organic complex of osmium, a metal organic complex of iridium, a metal organic complex of gold, and a metal organic complex of platinum.

56. The device of claim 39, wherein the chemically sensitive layer comprises a solvatochromic reagent.

57. The device of claim 39, wherein the chemically sensitive layer comprises a pH reagent.

58. The device of claim 39, wherein the chemically sensitive layer comprises a thin film having a thickness in the range of about 0.5 to about 100 micrometers.

59. The device of claim 39, wherein each of the predefined number of barrier coatings comprises a thin film having a thickness in the range of about 1 nanometer to about 10 micrometers.

60. The device of claim 39, wherein the propagated wave produced by the light source has a spectral range of emission from about 150 nanometers to about 2500 nanometers.

61. The device of claim 39, wherein the solvent resistant layer is a material that prevents chemical interaction between the composition of the chemically sensitive layer and the compositions of the barrier coatings.

62. The device of claim 61, wherein the solvent resistant layer is a copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and perfluoro-2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxole.

63. The device of claim 39, wherein the at least one substrate comprises a three-dimensional structure and wherein each of a plurality of barrier coatings is deposited on an individual substrate, said substrate having no edges.

64. The device of claim 63 wherein said three-dimensional substrate is a sphere or an ellipsoid.

65. The device of claim 63 wherein at least two barrier coatings are disposed on said substrates.

66. The device of claim 39, wherein the substrate is flat, cylindrical or opherical.

67. The device of claim 39, wherein the solvent resistant layer is a Nafion polymer.

68. A method for measuring barrier properties of coating arrays, the method comprising: applying a chemically sensitive layer to an exterior surface of at least one substrate, where the chemically sensitive layer has at least one characteristic that changes in response to exposure to a material of interest; applying a solvent resistant layer about the chemically sensitive layer; applying a predefined number of barrier coatings to the solvent resistant layer, each of the predefined number of barrier coatings having a barrier property with respect to the material of interest; transmitting a wave through the at least one substrate; exposing the at least one coated substrate to the material of interest; detecting an impact associated with the propagated wave and the material of interest; and correlating the detected impact with a value of a barrier property for each of the array of barrier coatings.

69. The method of claim 68, where applying the barrier coatings to the solvent resistant layer further comprises applying each of the barrier coatings about the at least one substrate.

70. The method of claim 68, where the at least one substrate comprises a plurality of substrates and where one of the plurality of barrier coatings is deposited on a corresponding one of the plurality of substrates.

71. The method of claim 68, where applying the barrier coatings to the solvent resistant layer further comprises applying each of the barrier coatings about the solvent resistance layer in an abutting relationship.

72. The method of claim 71, where the at least one substrate comprises a plurality of substrates and where one of the plurality of barrier coatings is deposited on a corresponding one of the plurality of the substrates.

73. The method of claim 68, where the barrier property comprises permeability.

74. The method of claim 68, where the chemically sensitive layer comprises a luminescent reagent.

75. The method of claim 68, where the chemically sensitive layer comprises a polymeric material.

76. The method of claim 68, where the predefined number of barrier coatings are selected from the group consisting of oxides, nitrides and oxinitrides of silicon, aluminum, zinc, boron and other metals, ceramics, polyvinyl alcohol, ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymers, polyvinyl dichloride, different types of nylon, acrylics, cellophane, polyethylene terephtalate, PVC, PCTFE, polypropylene, sol-gels and combinations thereof.

77. The method of claim 68, further comprising containing the at least one substrate with the chemically sensitive layer coating, the solvent resistant layer and the predefined number of barrier coatings and the material of interest within a cell.

78. The method of claim 68, where the material of interest is selected from the group consisting of oxygen, water, moisture, water vapor, organic and inorganic vapors and combinations thereof.

79. The method of claim 68, where the impacts on the propagated wave are associated with a change in a chemically sensitive layer characteristic selected from the group consisting of absorption spectrum, refractive index, luminescence intensity, luminescence lifetime, luminescence spectrum and combinations thereof.

80. The method of claim 68, where detecting an impact associated with the propagated wave and the material of interest further comprises determining a difference in characteristic of a forward-propagated wave and an associated back-propagated wave.

81. The method of claim 68, wherein the solvent resistant layer is a layer of a copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and perfluoro-2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxole.

82. The method of claim 68, wherein the solvent resistant layer is a layer of a terpolymer of tetrafluoroethylene, perfluoro-2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxole and a third comonomer.

83. The method of claim 68, wherein the solvent resistant layer is a layer of a copolymer selected from the group consisting of a copolymer of perfluoro-2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxole and a perfluoroolefin, a copolymer of perfluoro-2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxole and a perfluoro(alkyl vinyl ether) and a copolymer of perfluoro-2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxole and a perfluoro(butenyl vinyl ether).

84. A method for measuring barrier properties of coating arrays, the method comprising: applying a chemically sensitive layer about the circumference of an exterior surface of at least one substrate, where the chemically sensitive layer has at least one characteristic that changes in response to exposure to a material of interest; applying a solvent resistant layer about the chemically sensitive layer; applying an array of barrier coatings to the solvent resistant layer such that the barrier coatings extend about the circumference of the at least one substrate, each of the array of barrier coatings having a barrier property with respect to the material of interest; transmitting a first wave through the at least one substrate; detecting a first resultant wave associated with the first wave and each of the array of barrier coatings; exposing the at least one substrate with the applied array of barrier coatings to the material of interest; transmitting a second wave through the at least one substrate which can be flat, cylindrical or spherical; detecting a second resultant wave associated with the second wave and each of the array of barrier coatings; determining an impact associated with a difference between the first resultant wave and the second resultant wave for each of the array of barrier coatings; and correlating the impact with a value of a barrier property for each of the array of barrier coatings.

85. The method of claim 84, where applying the barrier coatings to the solvent resistant layer further comprises applying each of the barrier coatings in an abutting relationship.

86. The method of claim 84, where the barrier property comprises permeability.

87. The method of claim 84, where the chemically sensitive layer comprises a luminescent reagent incorporated into a polymeric material.

88. The method of claim 84, where the chemically sensitive layer comprises a luminescent reagent incorporated into an inorganic material.

89. The method of claim 84, where the chemically sensitive layer comprises a calorimetric dye incorporated into a polymeric material.

90. The method of claim 84, where the chemically sensitive layer comprises a calorimetric dye incorporated into an inorganic material.

91. The method of claim 84, where the array of barrier coatings is selected from the group consisting of oxides, nitrides and oxinitrides of silicon, aluminum, zinc, boron and other metals, ceramics, polyvinyl alcohol, ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymers, polyvinyl dichloride, different types of nylon, acrylics, cellophane, polyethylene terephtalate, PVC, PCTFE, polypropylene, sol-gels and combinations thereof.

92. The method of claim 84, further comprising containing the at least one substrate with the chemically sensitive layer coating, the solvent resistant layer and the array of barrier coatings and the material of interest within a cell.

93. The method of claim 84, where the material of interest is selected from the group consisting of oxygen, water, moisture, water vapor, organic and inorganic vapors and combinations thereof.

94. The method of claim 84, where the impact is associated with a change in a chemically sensitive layer characteristic selected from the group consisting of absorption spectrum, refractive index, luminescence intensity, luminescence lifetime, luminescence spectrum and combinations thereof.

95. The method of claim 84, where the at least one substrate which can be flat, cylindrical or spherical comprises a plurality of substrates which can be flat, cylindrical or spherical, and where one of the plurality of barrier coatings is deposited on a corresponding one of the plurality of substrates which can be flat, cylindrical or sphericals.

96. The method of claim 84, where the solvent resistant layer is a material that prevents chemical interaction between the composition of the chemically sensitive layer and the compositions of the barrier compositions.

97. The method of claim 96, where the solvent resistant layer is applied as a polymeric solution.

98. The method of claim 97 wherein the polymeric solution comprises a copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and perfluoro-2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxide dissolved in perfluoro(2-butyl tetrahydrofuran).

99. The method of claim 98, wherein the polymeric solution is applied by dip-coating, spin-coating, spraying or brushing.

100. A method for measuring barrier properties of coating arrays comprising: applying a chemically sensitive layer, said chemically sensitive layer having at least one characteristic which changes in response to exposure to a material of interest, onto an exterior surface of at least one substrate; applying a solvent resistant layer to said chemically sensitive layer; applying a predetermined number of barrier coatings to said solvent resistant layer, each of said barrier coatings having a barrier property with respect to said material of interest; transmitting a wave through said at least one substrate; exposing said at least one substrate to said material of interest; detecting an impact associated with a propagated wave and said material of interest; and correlating said detected impact with a value of a barrier property for each of said array barrier coatings.

101. The method of claim 100, wherein said chemically sensitive layer is resistant to solvents used to dispose said barrier coatings.