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Title: Artifacts in time-resolved Kelvin probe force microscopy

Abstract

Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) has been used for the characterization of metals, insulators, and semiconducting materials on the nanometer scale. Especially in semiconductors, the charge dynamics are of high interest. Recently, several techniques for time-resolved measurements with time resolution down to picoseconds have been developed, many times using a modulated excitation signal, e.g. light modulation or bias modulation that induces changes in the charge carrier distribution. For fast modulation frequencies, the KPFM controller measures an average surface potential, which contains information about the involved charge carrier dynamics. Here, we show that such measurements are prone to artifacts due to frequency mixing, by performing numerical dynamics simulations of the cantilever oscillation in KPFM subjected to a bias-modulated signal. For square bias pulses, the resulting time-dependent electrostatic forces are very complex and result in intricate mixing of frequencies that may, in some cases, have a component at the detection frequency, leading to falsified KPFM measurements. Additionally, we performed fast Fourier transform (FFT) analyses that match the results of the numerical dynamics simulations. Small differences are observed that can be attributed to transients and higher-order Fourier components, as a consequence of the intricate nature of the cantilever driving forces. These results aremore » corroborated by experimental measurements on a model system. In the experimental case, additional artifacts are observed due to constructive or destructive interference of the bias modulation with the cantilever oscillation. Also, in the case of light modulation, we demonstrate artifacts due to unwanted illumination of the photodetector of the beam deflection detection system. Lastly, guidelines for avoiding such artifacts are given.« less

Authors:
 [1];  [1];  [2]
+ Show Author Affiliations
  1. International Iberian Nanotechnology Lab., Braga (Portugal)
  2. The George Washington Univ., Washington, D.C. (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
George Washington Univ., Washington, DC (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
Contributing Org.:
International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory, Portugal
OSTI Identifier:
1434250
Grant/Contract Number:  
SC0018041
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 9; Journal ID: ISSN 2190-4286
Publisher:
Beilstein Institute
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION; 77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY; 36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; Kelvin probe force microscopy; time-resolved

Citation Formats

Sadewasser, Sascha, Nicoara, Nicoleta, and Solares, Santiago D. Artifacts in time-resolved Kelvin probe force microscopy. United States: N. p., 2018. Web. doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.119.
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Sadewasser, Sascha, Nicoara, Nicoleta, & Solares, Santiago D. Artifacts in time-resolved Kelvin probe force microscopy. United States. https://doi.org/10.3762/bjnano.9.119
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Sadewasser, Sascha, Nicoara, Nicoleta, and Solares, Santiago D. Tue . "Artifacts in time-resolved Kelvin probe force microscopy". United States. https://doi.org/10.3762/bjnano.9.119. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1434250.
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@article{osti_1434250,
title = {Artifacts in time-resolved Kelvin probe force microscopy},
author = {Sadewasser, Sascha and Nicoara, Nicoleta and Solares, Santiago D.},
abstractNote = {Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) has been used for the characterization of metals, insulators, and semiconducting materials on the nanometer scale. Especially in semiconductors, the charge dynamics are of high interest. Recently, several techniques for time-resolved measurements with time resolution down to picoseconds have been developed, many times using a modulated excitation signal, e.g. light modulation or bias modulation that induces changes in the charge carrier distribution. For fast modulation frequencies, the KPFM controller measures an average surface potential, which contains information about the involved charge carrier dynamics. Here, we show that such measurements are prone to artifacts due to frequency mixing, by performing numerical dynamics simulations of the cantilever oscillation in KPFM subjected to a bias-modulated signal. For square bias pulses, the resulting time-dependent electrostatic forces are very complex and result in intricate mixing of frequencies that may, in some cases, have a component at the detection frequency, leading to falsified KPFM measurements. Additionally, we performed fast Fourier transform (FFT) analyses that match the results of the numerical dynamics simulations. Small differences are observed that can be attributed to transients and higher-order Fourier components, as a consequence of the intricate nature of the cantilever driving forces. These results are corroborated by experimental measurements on a model system. In the experimental case, additional artifacts are observed due to constructive or destructive interference of the bias modulation with the cantilever oscillation. Also, in the case of light modulation, we demonstrate artifacts due to unwanted illumination of the photodetector of the beam deflection detection system. Lastly, guidelines for avoiding such artifacts are given.},
doi = {10.3762/bjnano.9.119},
journal = {Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology},
number = ,
volume = 9,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Apr 24 00:00:00 EDT 2018},
month = {Tue Apr 24 00:00:00 EDT 2018}
}
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https://doi.org/10.3762/bjnano.9.119
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Works referenced in this record:

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Intensity-Modulated Scanning Kelvin Probe Microscopy for Probing Recombination in Organic Photovoltaics
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Nanoscale Investigation of Carrier Lifetime on the Cross Section of Epitaxial Silicon Solar Cells Using Kelvin Probe Force Microscopy
journal, November 2016

Kelvin Probe Force Microscopy
book, March 2018

A microscopic view of charge transport in polymer transistors
journal, November 2004

Photo-Carrier Multi-Dynamical Imaging at the Nanometer Scale in Organic and Inorganic Solar Cells
journal, November 2016

  • Fernández Garrillo, Pablo A.; Borowik, Łukasz; Caffy, Florent
  • ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, Vol. 8, Issue 45
  • DOI: 10.1021/acsami.6b11423

Time-Resolved Electric Force Microscopy of Charge Trapping in Polycrystalline Pentacene
journal, July 2007

  • Jaquith, Michael; Muller, Erik M.; Marohn, John A.
  • The Journal of Physical Chemistry B, Vol. 111, Issue 27
  • DOI: 10.1021/jp073626l

Direct Imaging of Charged Impurity Density in Common Graphene Substrates
journal, July 2013

  • Burson, Kristen M.; Cullen, William G.; Adam, Shaffique
  • Nano Letters, Vol. 13, Issue 8
  • DOI: 10.1021/nl4012529

Intensity-Modulated Scanning Kelvin Probe Microscopy for Probing Recombination in Organic Photovoltaics
journal, September 2014

  • Shao, Guozheng; Glaz, Micah S.; Ma, Fei
  • ACS Nano, Vol. 8, Issue 10
  • DOI: 10.1021/nn5045867

Time-resolved electrostatic force microscopy of polymer solar cells
journal, August 2006

  • Coffey, David C.; Ginger, David S.
  • Nature Materials, Vol. 5, Issue 9
  • DOI: 10.1038/nmat1712

Imaging the charge distribution within a single molecule
journal, February 2012

  • Mohn, Fabian; Gross, Leo; Moll, Nikolaj
  • Nature Nanotechnology, Vol. 7, Issue 4
  • DOI: 10.1038/nnano.2012.20

Long-lived charge traps in functionalized pentacene and anthradithiophene studied by time-resolved electric force microscopy
journal, January 2009

  • Jaquith, Michael J.; Anthony, John E.; Marohn, John A.
  • Journal of Materials Chemistry, Vol. 19, Issue 34
  • DOI: 10.1039/b902880c

Kelvin probe force microscopy
journal, June 1991

  • Nonnenmacher, M.; O’Boyle, M. P.; Wickramasinghe, H. K.
  • Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 58, Issue 25
  • DOI: 10.1063/1.105227

High-resolution work function imaging of single grains of semiconductor surfaces
journal, April 2002

  • Sadewasser, S.; Glatzel, Th.; Rusu, M.
  • Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 80, Issue 16
  • DOI: 10.1063/1.1471375

Minority carrier lifetime in polycrystalline silicon solar cells studied by photoassisted Kelvin probe force microscopy
journal, July 2008

  • Takihara, Masaki; Takahashi, Takuji; Ujihara, Toru
  • Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 93, Issue 2
  • DOI: 10.1063/1.2957468

Pump-probe Kelvin-probe force microscopy: Principle of operation and resolution limits
journal, October 2015

  • Murawski, J.; Graupner, T.; Milde, P.
  • Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 118, Issue 15
  • DOI: 10.1063/1.4933289

Tracking speed bumps in organic field-effect transistors via pump-probe Kelvin-probe force microscopy
journal, December 2015

  • Murawski, J.; Mönch, T.; Milde, P.
  • Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 118, Issue 24
  • DOI: 10.1063/1.4938529

The impact of ultra-thin titania interlayers on open circuit voltage and carrier lifetime in thin film solar cells
journal, March 2016

  • Moerman, David; Kim, Hyungchul; Colbert, Adam E.
  • Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 108, Issue 11
  • DOI: 10.1063/1.4944049

Measuring the Charge State of an Adatom with Noncontact Atomic Force Microscopy
journal, June 2009

The lower limit for time resolution in frequency modulation atomic force microscopy
text, January 2016

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    Works referencing / citing this record:

    Kelvin probe force microscopy of the nanoscale electrical surface potential barrier of metal/semiconductor interfaces in ambient atmosphere
    journal, January 2019

    • Knotek, Petr; Plecháček, Tomáš; Smolík, Jan
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    • DOI: 10.3762/bjnano.10.138

    Toward Improving Ambient Volta Potential Measurements with SKPFM for Corrosion Studies
    journal, January 2019

    • Efaw, Corey M.; da Silva, Thiago; Davis, Paul H.
    • Journal of The Electrochemical Society, Vol. 166, Issue 11
    • DOI: 10.1149/2.0041911jes

    Kelvin probe force microscopy of the nanoscale electrical surface potential barrier of metal/semiconductor interfaces in ambient atmosphere
    journal, January 2019

    • Knotek, Petr; Plecháček, Tomáš; Smolík, Jan
    • Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology, Vol. 10
    • DOI: 10.3762/bjnano.10.138
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