Non-contact-mode AFM induced versus spontaneous formed phenytoin crystals: the effect of layer thickness

In this work the model substance phenytoin is vacuum deposited onto a silica substrate resulting in amorphous films. Crystallization is obtained via the AFM tip as it moves in close vicinity of the surface in non-contact mode. The formed crystals show strong differences depending on the initial layer thickness and in comparison with spontaneously formed crystals. In this work the model substance phenytoin is vacuum deposited onto silica substrates resulting in amorphous films which are transferred via a non-contact AFM method into crystalline phenytoin.