Characterization of gold nanoparticle films: Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy with image analysis, and atomic force microscopy

Journal Article · Wed Oct 15 04:00:00 EDT 2014 · AIP Advances

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4897340· OSTI ID:22299610

Niklasson, Gunnar A.; Granqvist, Claes G. ^[1]; Hallén, Anders ^[2]

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1. Department of Engineering Sciences, The Ångström Laboratory, Uppsala University, P. O. Box 534, SE-751 21 Uppsala (Sweden)
2. Royal Institute of Technology, KTH-ICT, Elektrum 229, Kista, SE-164 40 Stockholm (Sweden)

Gold nanoparticle films are of interest in several branches of science and technology, and accurate sample characterization is needed but technically demanding. We prepared such films by DC magnetron sputtering and recorded their mass thickness by Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy. The geometric thickness d{sub g}—from the substrate to the tops of the nanoparticles—was obtained by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) combined with image analysis as well as by atomic force microscopy (AFM). The various techniques yielded an internally consistent characterization of the films. In particular, very similar results for d{sub g} were obtained by SEM with image analysis and by AFM.

• OSTI ID: 22299610
• Journal Information: AIP Advances, Journal Name: AIP Advances Journal Issue: 10 Vol. 4; ISSN AAIDBI; ISSN 2158-3226
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY
ATOMIC FORCE MICROSCOPY
FILMS
IMAGE PROCESSING
MAGNETRONS
NANOPARTICLES
RUTHERFORD BACKSCATTERING SPECTROSCOPY
SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
SPUTTERING
SUBSTRATES
THICKNESS