The influence of surface topography on Kelvin probe force microscopy

Nanotechnology
Sascha SadewasserMartha Ch Lux-Steiner

Abstract

Long-range electrostatic forces govern the imaging mechanism in electrostatic force microscopy as well as in Kelvin probe force microscopy. To improve the analysis of such images, simulations of the electrostatic field distribution have been performed in the past using a flat surface and a cone-shaped tip. However, the electrostatic field distribution between a tip and a sample depends strongly on the surface topography, which has been neglected in previous studies. It is therefore of general importance to study the influence of sample topography features on Kelvin probe force microscopy images, which we address here by performing finite element simulations. We show how the surface potential measurement is influenced by surface steps and surface grooves, considering potential variations in the form of a potential peak and a potential step. The influence of the topography on the measurement of the surface potential is found to be rather small compared to a typical experimental resolution. Surprisingly, in the case of a coinciding topography and potential step an improvement of the potential profile due to the inclusion of the topography is observed. Finally, based on the obtained results, suggestions for the realization of KPFM ...Continue Reading

References

Feb 3, 2004·Physical Review Letters·Sascha Sadewasser, Martha Ch Lux-Steiner
Dec 31, 2005·Physical Review Letters·Jesús Zúñiga-PérezJaime Colchero
Dec 13, 2006·Physical Review Letters·Susanne SiebentrittMartha Ch Lux-Steiner
May 16, 2007·Physical Review Letters·Clemens Barth, Claude R Henry
Mar 21, 2008·Physical Review Letters·Clemens Barth, Claude R Henry

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Citations

Sep 23, 2014·The British Journal of Dermatology·L Norlén
Nov 12, 2016·Environmental Science and Pollution Research International·Antoni Torras-RosellInge Hald Andersen
Jul 7, 2018·Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology·Amelie AxtStefan A L Weber
Mar 22, 2020·Sensors·Songyue ChenJing Yang
Jan 22, 2021·Nanotechnology·Clayton B CasperJoanna M Atkin

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