Jenke M.G., Santschi Ch., Hoffmann P.
EPFL (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne), CH
Keywords: AFM, electric field, force distance curve, nanoelectrodes, SPM
The fabrication and characterisation of interdigitated titanium nanoelectrode arrays with 500nm and 50nm width and spacing is described in this work. The electrical-field above the fabricated 500nm electrodes can be sensed by means of a novel AFM measurement procedure that is based on multiple force distance curve measurements followed by the corresponding data treatment. The force distance curves (=FDC’s) were obtained with a calibrated cantilever and AFM, that enables quantitative force determination. The up to 500 raw FDC’s were automatically treated in order to remove the influence of other surface forces and to correct the measured cantilever-surface distance values for the cantilever deflection influence. Figure 1 shows the measured values of a cross section plot above the substrate perpendicular to the line orientation of the array. A potential of +20 and -20 V have been applied relative to the AFM tip. Decreasing the distance to the substrate surface decreases the measured force from 30 nN to 5 nN in a distance of 200 nm. The nanoarrays have been realised using a Ga+ focused ion beam (FIB) according to a recently developed fabrication procedure.
Journal: TechConnect Briefs
Volume: 4, Technical Proceedings of the 2007 NSTI Nanotechnology Conference and Trade Show, Volume 4
Published: May 20, 2007
Pages: 97 - 100
Industry sector: Advanced Materials & Manufacturing
Topic: Materials Characterization & Imaging
ISBN: 1-4200-6376-6