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PeakForce Tapping Enables More Accurate KPFM

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Tracy Krainer Posted: Thu, Aug 22 2013 12:20 PM

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PeakForce Tapping Enables More Accurate KPFM

August 2013

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KPFM provides information about sample electrostatics with nanoscale spatial resolution in applications ranging from polymer research and the characterization of nano-materials to advanced studies of metals, alloys, organic photovoltaics, semiconductors, and graphene. Bruker’s recently released application note explains exactly how PeakForce Tapping™ is taking quantitative KPFM measurements from promise to reality.

microscopy today
High-resolution topography and potential maps of carbon nanotubes. The PeakForce KPFM module can detect the potential signature of a single 2nm-wide nanotube and correctly measure the work function of a 20-30nm wide bundle
Importance of KPFM
KPFM is such an important AFM mode in today’s research because it characterizes the electrical properties of materials/devices, from corrosion studies of alloys to quantification of photovoltaic effects on organic and inorganic solar cells, and from the identification of layering defects and properties in graphene to failure analysis of semiconductor devices. KPFM is also expected to further research in the critical identification of donor and acceptor domains in bulk heterojunction organic solar cells, material differentiation in composite materials, and trapped charges on insulators. Taken as a whole, KPFM is a particularly promising mode for attacking the next frontier in SPM, that of providing not just contrast but delivering truly unambiguous and quantitative sample information.

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Quantitative work function measurements on a nanostructured Sn-Pb alloy (4-μm image size). Nanoscale phase segregation is clearly resolved in both simultaneously acquired property channels. The potential channel shows correct work function differences for the nanoscale domain, which would be underestimated by at least a factor of two with conventional AM detection. The adhesion image shows very fine phase structure with strong adhesion differences, which in TappingMode would remain ambiguous. The use of LiftMode ensures that the adhesion differences do not contaminate the potential signal.
PeakForce Tapping uniquely offers KPFM the ability to accurately and repeatably set up parameters for acquiring the local work function while FM-detection is employed. This eliminates mechanical artitfacts and guarantees the highest spatial resolution.

The full PeakForce KPFM application note and and datasheet can be downloaded here.
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