Elements of informatics for combinatorial solid-state materials science

Abstract

The main purpose of using combinatorial techniques for materials science studies is to achieve higher experimental throughput than what is possible when samples are synthesized and characterized one at a time. The instrumentation needed for performing high-throughput synthesis and characterization has seen rapid development in recent years. The software tools needed to connect all parts of the materials development process are still largely lacking. In this paper we discuss the requirements of a combinatorial informatics system for materials science experiments. Specifically, we focus on solid-state thin film synthesis. We also describe an implementation of such a system that is based on widely-available open-source software. The system offers features such as remote access via a Web browser, an electronic notebook-style Web interface, automatic upload of new measurement or processing results and rapid preview of experimental data.