Super User

Super User

Monday, 04 March 2013 12:50

Nano Elasticity

Monitoring Elasticity Using Tuning Fork Feedback

 AFM topography/Elasticity imaging of polymer hydrogel pattern on Silicon substrate

     
Height-Topographic  Amplitude-Elasticity    Phase- Error
     
Height-Topographic 3D   Amplitude-Elasticity 3D  Phase- Error 3D

Tuning forks have very high Q factors which correspond to a very sharp frequency spectrum allowing phase feedback to be employed to monitor topographic alterations.  Thus, the amplitude of the oscillation of the cantilever, which is not the feedback signal in this methodology as is the case in beam bounce technology, can now be used as a separate and independent channel to monitor the energy dissipation of the cantilever as a function of material elasticity.  In addition, tuning fork feedback does not exhibit jump to contact and adhesion ringing and therefore elasticity and adhesion with the tuning fork feedback is the best monitor of such material properties.

The following line profiles (correspond to marked lines above) show the polymer elasticity compared to silicon surface (Middle) where the Amplitude at the polymer area is 150 mV compared to 25 mV for the silicon area. The profile at the bottom plot shows the same value of Phase signal at both polymers and silicon regions which corresponds to the Error signal used for feedback of 250 mV. Top plot shows the correlated topographic Height profile.

 

 
 

 

WSxM software has been used for image processing of the pictures above: I. Horcas et al. Rev. Sci. Instrum. 78, 013705 (2007)

Monday, 04 March 2013 12:44

Piezo Force Microscopy Imaging

Piezo Force Microscopy Imaging (PFM) with Nanonics MultiViewTM systems

  • Piezo Force Imaging of Periodically Poled Potassium Titanyl Phosphate PPKTP
  • Contact resonance PFM has been used for imaging of Topographic, Phase and Amplitudes signals.
     

5x5 microns AFM_Height Image of PPKTP crystal

Correlated PFM_Phase image

Correlated PFM_Amplitudeimage

     

AFM_Height 3D Presentation

PFM_phase 3D Presentation

PFM_Amplitude3D Presentation

     
 

Height and PFM_phase 3D Collage Presentation

Height and PFM_Amplitude 3D Collage Presentation

Monday, 04 March 2013 12:39

Transistor NSOM Imaging

Transistor NSOM Imaging
   
AFM topographic image of semiconductor transistor     NSOM Reflection mode imaging of transistor at left  
 
 
 
 

  3D  Height Presentation  

 3D NSOM Presentation

 

• All MultiView systems allow for online AFM/NSOM imaging of opaque samples in Reflection mode

• Transparent fiber probe allows for free optical axis from top for Reflection mode imaging with true confocal optical microscope

3D AFM/NSOM collage image shows full topographic and optical imaging correlation  
Monday, 04 March 2013 12:34

Polymer Blend

Polymer Blend
     
   AFM height image of Polymer Blend  AFM phase image of Polymer Blend  
     
AFM 3D presentation of Polymer Blend      
Monday, 04 March 2013 12:29

Polymer Surface Imaging

Nickel incorporated in polymer matrix (see below for notes)

     
4.5 x 4.5 micron AFM Image z-range: 20nm  

3D image

 
   
     
1.5 x 1.5 micron AFM Image z-range: 12nm  

3D image

 
 
   
     
0.55 x 0.55 micron AFM Image z-range: 7nm  

 3D image


Imaging conditions:

  • Nanonics MultiView 400 system with a Ultrasharp probe in air 
  • 10 x 10 micron Flat Scanner, z-range: 2 micron 
  • Intermittent Contact mode imaging

In the 4.5 x 4.5 micron image, it can be clearly seen, that the polymer surface is very flat, but it consists of two distinct phases. There are islands which are 5 – 8 nm higher than the lower parts.

The same features are visible in the 1.5 x 1.5 micron image. In addition a granular structure of both the islands and the lower surface is visible in this image. This granules can have a connection to the incorporated Nickel, but it is also possible, that this granules are connected to the way the polymer film was fabricated.

The 0.55 x 0.55 micron image shows again the granular structure of both the islands and the lower surface. The granules are 20 – 50 nm in diameter and 0.5 – 2 nm high.There seems to be no difference in granularity between the islands and the lower polymer surface.

Monday, 04 March 2013 12:27

Molecular Pentacene Imaging

 
 


 

                     2.5 microns x 2.5 microns

Monday, 04 March 2013 12:25

Composite Polymer Imaging

 
     
5 x 5 micron AFM Topgraphy 
 

NSOM image of the same region 

     
3D Image    
Monday, 04 March 2013 12:23

20 micron PMMA Microspheres Imaging

 

     
40 x 40 micron Topgraphy 
 
  3D image

Only Nanonics is able to produce AFM images with such a large z scan range.

 


The large 70 micron z scanning range of theNanonics 3D FlatScan Scanning System and the up to 500 micron tip length of the cantilevered optical fiber Nanonics Deep Trench AFM probe allows even larger topographic alteration to be readily monitored. 

The image was obtained with normal force feedback in the intermittant contact mode using the MultiView 400™.

Monday, 04 March 2013 12:21

Block Co-polymer Imaging