Precursor Films Research Articles

Synthesis of Wrinkled MoS2 Thin Films Using a Two-Step Method Consisting of Magnetron Sputtering and Sulfurization in a Confined Space

Considering the increasing need for sustainable and economical energy storage solutions, the integration of layered materials such as MoS2 into these systems represents an important step toward enhancing energy sustainability and efficiency. Exploring environmentally responsible fabrication techniques, this study assesses wrinkled MoS2 thin films synthesized from distinct Mo and MoS2 targets, followed by sulfurization conducted in a graphite box. We utilized magnetron sputtering to deposit precursor Mo and MoS2 films on Si substrates, achieving thicknesses below 20 nm. This novel approach decreases sulfur by up to tenfold during sulfurization due to the confined space technique, contributing also to avoiding the formation of toxic gases such as SO2 or the necessity of using H2S, aligning with sustainable materials development. Thinner MoS2 layers were obtained post-sulfurization from the MoS2 precursors, as shown by X-ray reflectometry. Raman spectroscopy and grazing X-ray diffraction analyses confirmed the amorphous nature of the as-deposited films. Post-sulfurization, both types of films exhibited crystalline hexagonal MoS2 phases, with the sulfurized Mo showing a polycrystalline nature with a (100) orientation and sulfurized MoS2 displaying a (00L) preferred orientation. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results supported a Mo:S ratio of 1:2 on the surface of the films obtained using the MoS2 precursor films, confirming the stoichiometry obtained by means of energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy images revealed micrometer-sized clusters potentially formed during rapid cooling post-sulfurization, with an increased average roughness. These results open the way for the further exploration of wrinkled MoS2 thin films in advanced energy storage technologies.

Z-scheme S-modified Zn0.2Cd0.8S/α-Fe2O3 heterostructure for enhanced photoelectrochemical water oxidation

A Z-type heterojunction system is proven to be an efficient strategy to promote the separation of photo-generated carriers and maintain strong redox capacity for an enhanced photoanode. Herein, we synthesized a S-modified Fe2O3/Zn0.2Cd0.8S (Fe/ZCS) photoanode by one-pot hydrothermal treatment of FeOOH/Zn0.2Cd0.8S precursor film, followed by vapor deposition treatment. The as-synthesized S-modified Fe/ZCS displayed enhanced PEC water oxidation performance with a photocurrent density (2.76 mA cm−2) of about 2.63 times that of a pure phase Fe2O3 and 2.05 times that of Fe/ZCS at 1.23 VRHE. After 8 h of continuous operation, the photocurrent density retention rate was still 96.4 % demonstrating its satisfactory stability. Benefiting from the morphology of fine nanorods, the fabricated Z-scheme heterostructure exhibited strong oxidation–reduction ability and the well-distributed Fe(III)-SO42- bonds played key roles as the electron capture centers. The fabricated Z-scheme photoanode exhibited prospective applications in sustainable photoelectrochemical water oxidation.

Suppressing Deep-Level Trap Toward Over 13% Efficient Solution-Processed Kesterite Solar Cell.

Cu2ZnSn (S,Se)4 (CZTSSe), a promising absorption material for thin-film solar cells, still falls short of reaching the balance limit efficiency due to the presence of various defects and high defect concentration in the thin film. During the high-temperature selenization process of CZTSSe, the diffusion of various elements and chemical reactions significantly influence defect formation. In this study, a NaOH-Se intermediate layer introduced at the back interface can optimize Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS)precursor films and subsequently adjust the Se and alkali metal content to favor grain growth during selenization. Through this back interface engineering, issues such as non-uniform grain arrangement on the surface, voids in bulk regions, and poor contact at the back interface of absorber layers are effectively addressed. This method not only optimizes morphology but also suppresses deep-level defect formation, thereby promoting carrier transport at both interfaces and bulk regions of the absorber layer. Consequently, CZTSSe devices with a NaOH-Se intermediate layer improved fill factor, open-circuit voltage, and efficiency by 13.3%. This work initiates from precursor thin films via back interface engineering to fabricate high-quality absorber layers while advancing the understanding regarding the role played by intermediate layers at the back interface of kesterite solar cells.

Rewritable printing of ionic liquid nanofilm utilizing focused ion beam induced film wetting

Manipulating liquid flow over open solid substrate at nanoscale is important for printing, sensing, and energy devices. The predominant methods of liquid maneuvering usually involve complicated surface fabrications, while recent attempts employing external stimuli face difficulties in attaining nanoscale flow control. Here we report a largely unexplored ion beam induced film wetting (IBFW) technology for open surface nanofluidics. Local electrostatic forces, which are generated by the unique charging effect of Helium focused ion beam (HFIB), induce precursor film of ionic liquid and the disjoining pressure propels and stabilizes the nanofilm with desired patterns. The IBFW technique eliminates the complicated surface fabrication procedures to achieve nanoscale flow in a controllable and rewritable manner. By combining with electrochemical deposition, various solid materials with desired patterns can be produced.

Greener and Easily Available Solvent‐Assisted Preparation of High‐Efficiency Perovskite Solar Cells

To replace or reduce toxic solvents in perovskite solar cell (PSC) manufacturing, 2‐Methyltetrahydrofolate (2‐MTHF), as an important raw material for organic synthesis and an excellent solvent, is incorporated in PSCs as an additive cosoluble precursor to fabricate photolayer (FAPbI3) for the first time. It is investigated that this is not only a toxicity‐reducing strategy, but also an effective defect passivation method for manufacturing PSCs. The introduction of 2‐MTHF in a stoichiometric precursor solution is capable of inducing precursor film to generate perovskite films through a simple one‐step spin‐coating process, more than 15% of toxic solvents can be reduced. The perovskite trap state is decreased by the passivated perovskite crystal surface thus improving carrier lifetime, extraction rate, and photovoltaic performance. The maximum PCE of the solar cell when the 2‐MTHF volume fraction is optimized at 15% is improved to 23.58%, up from 7% in the control. Meanwhile, the notorious J–V hysteresis is much suppressed. Hence, it is expected that novel 2‐MTHF will find applications in PSCs and optoelectronic devices.

Towards Scalable Synthesis of TiSe2 and VSe2 Thin Films

Abstract Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), specifically those involving V and Ti, possess fascinating material properties, making them interesting candidates for scientific studies. The existing growth methods of these materials are typically limited by scalability – either low yield or high cost. Here, we propose an alternative 2-step method valid for scalable production. In the first step, precursor films of Ti / V are deposited using magnetron sputtering, followed by the second step of selenization of these samples using elemental Se in a vacuum-sealed quartz ampoule for conversion to their respective diselenide material. Synthesized films are char-acterised using scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron (XPS). The method demonstrated here can be used to increase the active surface area of TiSe2 and VSe2 for their potential catalytic and HER applications using nanostructured substrates, while also providing an opportunity for scalable synthesis of films that can be extended to synthesize other TMDs as well.

High-Quality TiO2 Electron Transport Film Prepared via Vacuum Ultraviolet Illumination for MAPbI3 Perovskite Solar Cells.

The electron transport layer (ETL) plays an important role in determining the conversion efficiency and stability of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Here, TiO2 thin film was prepared by irradiating diisopropoxy diacetylacetone titanium precursor thin film with 172 nm vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) at a low temperature. The prepared TiO2 thin film has higher electron mobility and conductivity. As it is used as an ETL for MAPbI3 PSCs, its band structure is better matched with the perovskite, and at the same time, due to the good interface contact, more uniform perovskite crystals are formed. Most importantly, a large number of hydroxyl radicals were formed during VUV irradiation of the precursor film, which made up for the oxygen defect present on the surface of the TiO2 thin film, and were adsorbed to the film surface. These hydroxyl groups form hydrogen bonds with methylammonium (MA) components on the MAPbI3 buried surface, thus promoting the transfer of photogenerated electrons at the MAPbI3/ETL interface. The power conversion efficiency of PSCs fabricated in air with the ETL prepared by VUV irradiation is 20.46%, which is higher than that of the contrast solar cell based on the sintered ETL (17.96%).

Manufacture of biaxially oriented high-density polyethylene membranes with tunable properties via “structuring” processing strategy

Polyethylene (PE) is the most widely used thermoplastic resin in the world now. Among the endless number of PE products, films constitute over 50% of the consumer market and are applied in optical, packing and filtration areas according to distinct condensed structures. In this work, we prepared high-density polyethylene (HDPE)/liquid paraffin (LP) precursor films with various condensed structures by adjusting the LP content. Subsequently, we delved into the mechanism behind structural evolution during the uniaxial stretching process. Our findings reveal that an increase in LP content can increase the mobility of molecular chains, fostering the transformation of lamellae into an oriented microfiber structure during uniaxial stretching process. This improvement contributes to the enhanced stretchability of the films. Finally, we fabricated biaxially oriented membranes with distinct properties. These properties span from non-porous packaging films with exceptional optical characteristics to porous films suitable for specialized separation applications, achieved through the manipulation of the LP content. In summary, we manufacture different kinds of PE films through the strategy of “structure→ processing→ property”, which provides efficient access to design a given polymer material with desired structure and tunable properties via “structuring” processing.

Construction of porous and hydrophilic polypropylene-based membrane with microphase separation in amorphous region

Polypropylene (PP) membrane with low porosity and poor hydrophilicity limits the performance of lithium-ion batteries. In mechanism, the function of amorphous structure of precursor film on microporous structure of PP membrane is yet unknown. In this work, the porous and hydrophilic PP/reduced hydroxyl-modified polypropylene (PPrOH) membrane was fabricated by blending esterified-PPOH firstly and then hydrolyzing to introduce the hydrogen bond in amorphous region and avoid phase separation. The results showed that the hydrogen bond was successfully introduced into the amorphous region of PP/PPrOH film and led to an increase of physical crosslinking points. Therefore, a large region of microphase separation emerged in the PP/PPrOH membrane after cold stretching, which resulted in a 45.6 % increase of porosity at maximum compared to the PP membrane. Besides, the hydrophilicity of PP/PPrOH membrane was improved with the blend content exceeding 10 wt%. Eventually, the lithium-ion conductivity of PP/PPrOH-10 membrane enhanced by 37.5 % over the base PP membrane. This work provides a novel perspective for preparing hydrophilic PP membrane with high porosity.

Revealing the impact of ammonium ions from different low-dimensional perovskite structures on the film formation and degradation mechanism of FAPbI3 via sequential deposition

In recent years, the organic–inorganic hybrid perovskite community has been widely employed as the photo-active layer in optical-electronic devices. The black α-phase formamidinium lead iodide (FAPbI3) is the most popular perovskite for realizing high-efficiency solar cells due to its suitable bandgap. However, the issue of stability is also a concern in the research on FAPbI3 solar cells. In this study, different ammonium ions, such as butylamine (BA), guanidine (GA), and butylene diamine (BDA), which are commonly used to construct two-dimensional perovskites, including Ruddlesden–Popper, Dion–Jacobson, and alternating cations in the interlayer space, respectively, were introduced in the fabrication of FAPbI3 using a sequential deposition method. Several structures of PbI2 precursor films were formed by introducing the aforementioned ions, which exhibited different arrangements and connection modes in lead iodides. BA-PbI2 precursor films exhibited higher specific surface areas, which were beneficial to the diffusion, ion exchange, and sequential reaction of FA+. The BDA-PbI2 precursor film slowed down the sequential reaction of FAPbI3 because of reduced van der Waals bonds. The nucleation dynamics and degradation processes of perovskites were deeply investigated in this study. Solar cells based on BA-PbI2, GA-PbI2, and BDA-PbI2 were also fabricated.

Wetting and spreading of bulk liquid and precursor film of molten AgCuTi on ultrafast laser structured surface of Ti

In order to reveal the influence of special surface structures on the wetting and spreading of Ag/Ti system and the precursor film, micro-bumps, micro-pits, micro-grooves and micro-thread surface structures were machined on a grade 2 commercially-pure Ti (TA2) surface by using ultrafast laser. In situ wetting experiments of AgCuTi filler metal on TA2 surfaces with different special structures were conducted. The results showed that the wetting morphology of AgCuTi over original TA2 surface is special double ring (small circle inside and ring outside). The special surface structures can effectively change the wetting characteristics of Ag/Ti system, including the spreading rate and the final spreading area. It also affects the structure and composition of the wetting interface. In Ag/Ti system, different components are affected to different degrees by the surface structures, resulting in uneven distribution of the bulk liquid region and the precursor film region of the wetting interface. The micro-bumps and micro-pits structures can effectively promote the wetting and spreading of AgCuTi on TA2, while micro-thread structures can inhibit its wetting spread. For the micro-grooves, the AgCuTi spreads rapidly and almost completely along the direction of the groove, while in the vertical direction, it is difficult for the AgCuTi to spread through the groove. By studying the wetting spreading process and interface behavior of molten filler metal on complex surfaces, it is expected to provide important guiding significance for using special surface microstructure to control the wetting spreading process and interface reaction of brazing system.

Removal of rubidium from brine by an integrated film of sulfonated polysulfone/graphene/potassium copper ferricyanide

A novel integrated film of sulfonated polysulfone/graphene/potassium copper ferricyanide (KCuFC/SPSG) was used for selectively extracting rubidium ion (Rb+) from brine. To form KCuFC/SPSG, the precursor film of sulfonated polysulfone/graphene (SPSG) was synthesized by phase conversion process, which was alternately immersed in 0.1 mol·L–1 CuSO4/K4[Fe(CN)6] by in-situ adsorption coupled co-precipitation method. Various data such as nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer, Fourier transform infrared spectroscope, X-ray photoelectron spectroscope, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope and energy dispersive spectroscopy all verified that abundant KCuFC were uniformly located on the film. The resulting KCuFC/SPSG was used in film separation system. As the solution was fed into the system, the Rb+ could be selectively adsorption by KCuFC/SPSG. After the saturation adsorption, 0.5 mol·L–1 NH4Cl/HCl was fed into the film cell, Rb+ could be quickly desorbed by ion-exchange between Rb+ and NH4+ in the lattice of KCuFC. The purpose of separating and recovering Rb+ from the brine can be achieved after the repeated operation. The effects of pH, adsorption time and interferential ions on the adsorption capacity of Rb+ were investigated by batch experiments. The adsorption behavior fits the pseudo-second order kinetic process, while KCuFC has a higher adsorption capacity (Langmuir maximum sorption 165.4 mg∙g–1). In addition, KCuFC/SPSG shows excellent selectivity for Rb+ even in complex brine systems. KCuFC/SPSG could maintain 93.5% extraction efficiency after five adsorption/desorption cycles.

Development and characterization of chitosan film containing hydroethanolic extract of Coffea arabica leaves for wound dressing application

The coffee leaves are considered by-products of the coffee industry, produced in significant quantities and containing numerous bioactive compounds. In the present work, chitosan films containing the hydroalcoholic extract of C. arabica L. leaves were developed with the aim of their application as wound dressing. The film's precursor solutions, containing chitosan (Chit; 2% w/v) and different concentrations of C. arabica L. extract (0, 125, 250 and 500 mg/cm3), were prepared and characterized by DLS, zeta potential, electrical conductivity, and stationary rheology. After the preparation of films, the physicochemical and mechanical properties, as well as the in vitro biological activity, were evaluated. The precursor solutions presented a pseudoplastic profile and aggregates of 5–20 µm. Increasing values of electrical conductivity indicate a strong presence of ionic compounds in the extracts. On the other hand, viscosity, particle size, and zeta potential were reduced due to the addition of the extracts, which was attributed to the neutralization of chitosan chains by anionic ions from the extract. The chitosan/extract films showed uniformity in terms of weight and thickness. Additionally, the moisture, swelling, solubility, and thermal resistance values showed satisfactory results for the application of the films on skin wounds. However, the mechanical strength decreased with the extract concentration, due to the reduction of chitosan-chitosan interactions caused by the extract components inherited from the liquid phase to the solid phase. All films demonstrated antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis and showed no reduction in L929 cell viability in the cytotoxicity assay. Furthermore, the films containing 125 and 250 mg/cm3 promoted cell migration in the scratch assay. The results obtained in this study open the possibility of using chitosan films containing C. arabica L. leaf extracts for the development of wound dressings, with the advantage of using materials of natural origin and with antimicrobial activity.

Enhancing grain growth of caesium-formamidinium-based lead halide perovskite thin films through PbI2 precursor engineering in vapor-solid reaction

Vapor-solid reaction methods are highly regarded as potential solutions for large-scale production of perovskite thin films due to their scalability, compatibility with silicon tandem technology, and lack of solvents. However, the limited penetration of organic vapor through the solid inorganic film results in a slow growth rate of perovskite, leading to poor crystallinity and small grain size. This high defect density in the grain boundaries hinders the enhancement of device performance. In this study, we used 1,3-diaminoguanidine monohydrochloride as an additive in the PbI2 precursor films, which effectively improved perovskite grain growth in the vapor-solid reaction process. After optimization, we achieved high-quality perovskite thin films with a large grain size exceeding 5 μm. Notably, solar devices based on these large-grain perovskite thin films achieved a high power conversion efficiency up to 21.13%.

An Inhibitor-Loaded LDH- and MOF-Based Bilayer Hybrid System for Active Corrosion Protection of Aluminum Alloys.

A novel inhibitor-loaded bilayer hybrid system based on the LDH inner layer and MOF outer layer is designed on an aluminum alloy 2A12 surface to improve corrosion performance. The hybrid film system covers the inherent cavities and intercrystalline defects of the LDH film using the affinity between the LDH and the MOF compounds. The results demonstrate that the LDH-inhI precursor film is entirely covered by new Zn-based MOF microrods. The LDH-inhI precursor film is partially dissolved and recrystallized in favor of MOF crystal growth to strengthen the binding adhesion between LDH and MOF films. The LDH-inhI/MOF-inhII bilayer film shows significantly enhanced corrosion resistance through the synergistic action of LDH and MOF nanocontainers doped with different corrosion inhibitors (vanadates, 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid, and benzotriazoles). Due to the multiple loadings of the MOF film and the sustained-release of the LDH film, this method provides an effective approach to developing new anticorrosion systems and enhancing both the barrier ability and active corrosion protection performance of LDH-based conversion treatments.

Enhancing Organic–Inorganic Perovskite Thin Film Crystallization via Vapor–Solid Reaction by Modifying PbI2 Precursors Films with Pyridinium Trifluoromethanesulfonate

The vapor–solid reaction technique holds potential for producing large‐scale organic–inorganic perovskite films, using a two‐step deposition process. The sucess of perovskite formation heavily relies on the crystallization of lead iodide (PbI2) precursor films. However, the high crystallinity of PbI2 can hinder organic vapors' diffusion and negatively affecting the solar cells by increasing charge recombination and accelerating degradation. To address this, pyridinium trifluoromethanesulfonate (PTFS) is introduced into the PbI2 precursor solution to control the nucleation and growth of PbI2 films. PTFS has been found to effectively suppresses PbI2 crystallization and enhance the integration of formamidinium ion (FA+) through hydrogen bonding, facilitating the full transformation of PbI2 into perovskite. It also minimizes defect formation by interacting with uncoordinated Pb2+ and FA+ ions. These modifications have significantly enhanced power conversion efficiency (PCE), reaching up to 21.19%, and the devices have maintained 93% of their initial performance after 1580 h of exposure to air.

Synthesis of ZnS/Al2O3/TaSe2 Core/Shell Nanowires Using Thin Ta Metal Film Precursor

This study introduces a novel approach for fabricating ZnS/Al2O3/TaSe2 heterostructured core/shell nanowires (NWs) through the selenization of a metallic Ta thin film precursor. The synthesis process involves a meticulously designed four-step protocol: (1) generating ZnS NWs on an oxidized silicon substrate, (2) encapsulating these NWs with a precisely controlled thin Al2O3 layer via atomic layer deposition (ALD), (3) applying a Ta precursor layer by magnetron sputtering, and (4) annealing in a Se-rich environment in a vacuum-sealed quartz ampoule to transform the Ta layer into TaSe2, resulting in the final core/shell structure. The characterization of the newly produced NWs using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was validated using the integrity and composition of the heterostructures. Our method not only establishes a new pathway for the synthesis of TaSe2-based core/shell NWs but also extends the potential for creating a variety of core/shell NW systems with chalcogenide shells by adapting the thin film metal precursor approach. This versatility opens the way for future advancements in nanoscale material applications, particularly in electronics and optoelectronics where core/shell geometries are increasingly important.

Deposition of Sn-Zr-Se precursor by thermal evaporation and PLD for the synthesis of SnZrSe3 thin films

Background ABX3 (X=Se, S) chalcogenides are an emerging class of materials for sustainable photovoltaics. Among ABX3 materials, BaZrS3 has gained the highest community interest. BaZrS3 is the wide bandgap absorber (> 1.7 eV) and therefore is intended for application as a top sub-cell in multijunction devices. However, narrow band gap ABX3 compounds have drawn little attention although this could potentially open the path for fabrication of multijunction solar cells based entirely on ABX3 materials. SnZrSe3 is a narrow bandgap semiconductor with an absorption edge located at around 1.0 eV, but there are no reports on the formation of SnZrSe3 thin films thus far. In this work, therefore, we aim to obtain SnZrSe3 thin films by sublimation methods. Methods Thermal evaporation and pulsed laser deposition (PLD) techniques were used to deposit Sn-Zr-Se precursor films. SnZrSe3 powder was synthesized and used as a source material for evaporation and PLD target preparation. Precursor films were deposited by PLD from single-phase and binary selenide targets. Results We found that using SnZrSe3 powder, only SnSe films were deposited under various conditions by thermal evaporation. Precursor films obtained by PLD from single-phase targets were amorphous and comprised SnSe2 and a-Se phases whereas using binary targets crystalline SnSe and a-Se were detected. Thermogravimetric analysis revealed that SnZrSe3 was thermally stable up to 450 °C and afterwards decomposed into SnSe, Se and ZrSe2-x. Conclusions Using methods described in this work, we were not able to achieve congruent sublimation of SnZrSe3 because of the following reasons: (i) upon energetic excitation, SnZrSe3 decomposes into compounds with very different vapour pressure; (ii) inability to substitute O with Se due to very high chemical affinity of Zr and O. Direct sublimation methods are challenging for formation of SnZrSe3 thin films and other techniques, such as co-evaporation should be explored.

Thermocapillary migration of a droplet on a substrate with wettability difference: A comparison between slip and precursor film models in three dimensions

Moving contact line dynamics calculations include two models: precursor film models and slip models. The lubrication approximation method is used to establish a three-dimensional mathematical model to analyze the droplet thermocapillary migration behavior on a non-uniformly heated solid substrate with a wettability track. The contact line dynamics in the slip model and the disjoining pressure effect in the precursor model are proposed to regulate the substrate wettability. Both models are numerically implemented to investigate droplet spreading for three cases: free spreading on an isothermal substrate, thermocapillary migration on a uniform wettability substrate, and thermocapillary migration on a wettability-confined track. For the case of free spreading on an isothermal substrate, the three-dimensional results of the slip and precursor contact line models are essentially consistent with two-dimensional slip model results. For the case of thermocapillary migration on a uniform wettability substrate, the results of the two models essentially agree with the experimental results. Decreasing the thermal gradient reduces the discrepancies between the two models that result from the coordinate transformation method used in the slip model, which reduces the contact angles measured in the y-direction and enlarges the advancing contact angle in the migration direction. For the case of thermocapillary migration on a wettability-confined track, the slip model gradually shows a “dynamic-pinning” behavior with increasing equilibrium contact angle in the hydrophobic region. By contrast, the precursor film model maintains a stationary pinning behavior but separates a residual liquid outside the track. The precursor film model is preferred over the slip model in lubrication approximations for three-dimensional fluids when calculating complex moving contact dynamics caused by wettability differences. However, the precursor film model must be further optimized to prevent numerical instability.

Polymeric liquids in mesoporous photonic structures: From precursor film spreading to imbibition dynamics at the nanoscale

Polymers are known to wet nanopores with high surface energy through an atomically thin precursor film followed by slower capillary filling. We present here light interference spectroscopy using a mesoporous membrane-based chip that allows us to observe the dynamics of these phenomena in situ down to the sub-nanometer scale at milli- to microsecond temporal resolution. The device consists of a mesoporous silicon film (average pore size 6 nm) with an integrated photonic crystal, which permits to simultaneously measure the phase shift of thin film interference and the resonance of the photonic crystal upon imbibition. For a styrene dimer, we find a flat fluid front without a precursor film, while the pentamer forms an expanding molecular thin film moving in front of the menisci of the capillary filling. These different behaviors are attributed to a significantly faster pore-surface diffusion compared to the imbibition dynamics for the pentamer and vice versa for the dimer. In addition, both oligomers exhibit anomalously slow imbibition dynamics, which could be explained by apparent viscosities of six and eleven times the bulk value, respectively. However, a more consistent description of the dynamics is achieved by a constriction model that emphasizes the increasing importance of local undulations in the pore radius with the molecular size and includes a sub-nanometer hydrodynamic dead, immobile zone at the pore wall but otherwise uses bulk fluid parameters. Overall, our study illustrates that interferometric, opto-fluidic experiments with mesoporous media allow for a remarkably detailed exploration of the nano-rheology of polymeric liquids.