Design of a scanning probe microscope with advanced sample treatment capabilities: An atomic force microscope combined with a miniaturized inductively coupled plasma source

Comparative advantages and limitations of the basic metrology methods applied to the characterization of nanomaterials

Fabrication of modern nanomaterials and nanostructures with specific functional properties is both scientifically promising and commercially profitable. The preparation and use of nanomaterials require adequate methods for the control and characterization of their size, shape, chemical composition, crystalline structure, energy levels, pathways and dynamics of physical and chemical processes during their fabrication and further use. In this review, we discuss different instrumental methods for the analysis and metrology of materials and evaluate their advantages and limitations at the nanolevel.

Quasi in situ scanning force microscope with an automatic operated reaction chamber

We describe the design and performance of a quasi in situ scanning force microscope with an automatic operated reaction chamber. The design provides a repetitive hermetically sealed sample environment for successive processing. The reaction chamber is based on a combination of a flexure-guided cover, a piezo-positioning system and a force applicator system. An axial force seals the cover against the reactor enabling flow-through applications at low pressure, ambient pressure, or elevated pressure. The position stability of the sample relative to the probe is characterized and a full automated operation of the instrument is explored by the alignment of an ABC terblock copolymer thin film undergoing solvent vapor annealing in the presence of a high electric field. Due to the high electric field strength and the sharp scanning force microscope tip it is impossible to perform in situ scanning in the presence of the electric field.

Going beyond the surface: revealing complex block copolymer morphologies with 3D scanning force microscopy

We report on the quasi in situ scanning force microscopy nanotomography which proved to be a key method to effectively obtain a three-dimensional (3D) microdomain structure of a complex ABC triblock morphology. As an example, we studied polybutadiene-block-poly(2-vinyl pyridine)-block-poly(tert-butyl methacrylate) (BVT) thin triblock terpolymer films. We realized a controlled erosion of the material by using low-pressure plasma etching coupled to the scanning force microscope. The 3D reconstruction provides insights into the structural behavior in very thin volume elements revealing morphological details not accessible with other methods.

Electric field alignment of a block copolymer nanopattern: direct observation of the microscopic mechanism

Using quasi-in-situ scanning force microscopy we study the details of nanopattern alignment in ABC terblock copolymer thin films in the presence of an in-plane electric field. Because of the surface interactions and electric field the lamellae are oriented both perpendicular to the plane of the film and parallel to the electric field. We identified two distinct defect types which govern the orientation mechanism. Ring-like (tori) and open-end defects dominate at the early stage of the orientation process, while mainly classic topological defects (disclinations and dislocations) are involved in long-range ordering at the late stages. Comparison of the time evolution of the defect density with the evolution of the orientational order parameter suggests that tori-defects are essential for the effective reorientation. Further, the quasi-in-situ SFM imaging allowed us to elucidate the influence of the electric field strength on the propagation velocity of the topological defects.