Scanning probe microscopy for the study of thermal, electrical, and thermoelectric properties

Recent interest in thermal, electrical and thermoelectric properties of thin films and nanostructures has driven the development of measurement tools. One promising technique integrates sensors into atomic force microscopy (AFM) probes to investigate these properties at sub-micron scales. Technologies exist that have integrated temperature measurement capability onto an AFM system (scanning thermal microscopy, SThM), and tools are available that allow for electrical measurement of samples (scanning spreading resistance microscopy, SRM). There exists a tremendous gap between the capabilities of existing technologies and a tool capable of truly quantitative nanoscale thermoelectric measurement. This work makes steps toward narrowing this gap by integrating simultaneous thermal and electrical measurement capabilities on a single probe, improving accuracy and precision of thermal measurements, and improving process yield, while retaining high topographic imaging resolution.;By integrating a thermocouple junction at the base of a metal coated sharp probe, simultaneous electrical and thermal measurements are enabled, while retaining tip radii below 75 nm. Typical AFM systems focus a laser on the probe for use in the topographical feedback system, heating the probe. The uncontrolled flow of heat between the probe and sample is the root cause of thermal artifacts and inaccuracies of existing SThM technologies. A novel thermal-mechanical design is presented, allowing approximately a 90% reduction in probe heating. Heat flow measurement and control structures are integrated into the probe allowing the measurement and control of heat flow between a probe and sample. This enables a variety of thermal and thermoelectric measurement techniques. Thermal measurement sensitivity is investigated and refined to create more than a 5-fold increase in temperature measurement sensitivity. Despite the added sophistication and utility of the probe design, these probes demonstrate no degradation in vertical topographical resolution (3.8A vertical topographic noise floor resolution). This work presents the design development, outlines the microfabrication process, and presents experimental results demonstrating the performance of these multifunctional scanning probes.