Atomic composition and morphology of thin films of resveratrol deposited on oxidized silicon and polycrystalline gold surfaces

The atomic composition of films of a polyphenol antioxidant, namely, resveratrol (RVL), with a thickness of up to 50 nm thermally deposited on an oxidized silicon surface is studied by the method of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). It is found that the surface area of pores in the RVL film is about 15% of the total surface area. The results of studying the stability of the RVL films when their surface is treated with Ar$^+$ ions of 3 keV under the electric current of 1 $\mu$A passing through the sample for 30 s are given. The treatment gives rise to an increase in the area of pores to 30–40%, while the ratio of the concentration of C atoms to the concentration of O atoms in the RVL film both before and after the treatment of the surface with ions does not correspond to the chemical formula of RVL molecules. Using the method of atomic force microscopy (AFM) in contact mode with a scanning area size of about 10 $\times$ 10 $\mu$m, RVL coatings deposited on the oxidized silicon and polycrystalline Au surfaces are studied. It is found that the RVL films produce grainy and porous coatings on the substrate surfaces. The typical size of grains in the sample surface plane is 150–300 nm, and the characteristic elevation reaches 30 nm.