Weekly Report

Name: Tran Ngoc Cuong Date: April 8th, 2011 Last week:

Principle of electrical measurement techniques in atomic force microscopy.

Scanning surface potential microscopy (SSPM). Scanning impedance microscopy (SIM). Scanning capacitance microscopy (SCM). Conductive atomic force microscopy (CAFM). Scanning Spreading Resistance Microscopy (SSRM).

Next week: Photoluminescence in analysis of surfaces and interfaces. Study about PL measurement of ZnO growth on LNO.

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PFM Review
1. PFM is based on the deflection of an induced strain by a voltage. This technique was introduced for detecting polarized regions in ferroelectric films. 2. PFMs original application was focused on imaging domain structure and local

hysteresis loops in ferroelectric materials.

Domain imaging and Dynamic Piezoresponse
For P+ ( ), = 00 E E E

For P- ( ), = 1800

Field induced strain: Sj = dij Ei

Under the modulation voltage: V= V0 cos(t), surface vibrates as Z=Z0 cos(t+) Vibration amplitude : Z0 = d33V0

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Electrical measurement Techniques in Atomic Force Microscopy

Presentation: Tran Ngoc Cuong 2011/04/08

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The general terms used for electrical technique

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SSPM Technique
SSPM is used to measure the surface potential in NCM mode. It is based on the Kelvin probe principle.

Where is the surface potential correlated to the difference in tip and sample work functions ( ).

(a) Electrostatic potential and interaction force between a conducting tip and a sample. (b) External DC voltage applied to nullify the force. (c) External AC voltage with adjustable DC offset is applied to the tip, which leads to its vibration.

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Principle of SSPM

Sample bias

There are two ac-contributions to the force, one at the modulation frequency , and one at 2 mode.

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Principle of SSPM

Surface height information is recorded in the standard tapping mode where the oscillating cantilever lightly taps the surface.

The second pass in lift mode monitors the variations of electrostatic force at a constant height

An extra feedback loop is used to adjust the DC bias on the tip to compensate the F1 force component as explained above. By running in lift mode, SSPM separates the surface features and the electrostatic force on the tip.

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Example
Example for -measurement The change of the work function was simulated by a periodically switched voltage, applied to the sample. The

voltage changes were 0.1V.

Channel 1 (Error signal)

Feed back

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Scanning Capacitance Microscopy (SCM)

SCM is used to measure capacitance and capacitance gradients. Principle of SCM

- The signal in the SCM images is the output voltage of the lock-in amplifier, which is related to the tip-sample gradient capacitances. - The magnitude of the SCM output ( dC/dV) signal is a function of carrier concentration.

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Capacitance signal indicate high interface trap

the AFM topography and SCM (dC/dV) images concurrently acquired with a Vtip of 2 V.

Topography

SCM differential capacitance image

Higher dC/dV signal level higher density of interface traps lower free carrier concentration.

A dual section recorded along the line AB

Liu at al Threading dislocations in domainmatching epitaxial films of ZnO J. Appl. Cryst. (2007). 40, 924930

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Scanning Impendence Microscopy (SIM)

SIM is used to measure the frequency dependence of potential distribution along the sample in NCM. Principle of SIM

The lateral voltage is applied across the sample oscillations in the surface potential potential result in an oscillating tip-sample force. SIM amplitude image indicates the local voltage on the sample.

, induces .The surface

The phase is related to the voltage phase variations across the surface.

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Conductive Atomic Force microscopy(CAFM)

CAFM is based on the detection of current passing through the cantilever tip and a sample. Principle of CAFM

Tunneling current sensitivities are 1 pA/V and 10 pA/V CAFM current sensitivities are 1 nA/V and 100 nA/V

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Scanning Spreading Resistance Microscopy (SSRM)

SSRM is used for resistance measurement in contact mode. Principle of SSRM

Load force typically 15-20 N. The main application of the SSRM technique can be found in the mapping of carrier concentration inside a semiconductor device.

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Summary

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