Two new microscopical variants of thermomechanical modulation: scanning thermal expansion microscopy and dynamic...

We describe two ways in which thermomechanical modulation may be used in conjunction with scanning thermal microscopy, in order to distinguish between different components of an inhomogeneous sample. The sample is subjected to a modulated mechanical stress, and the heating is supplied locally by the probe itself. Scanning thermal expansion microscopy is an imaging mode, in which an imposed localized temperature modulation is used to generate thermal expansion, which in turn produces mechanical strain and gives thermal expansion contrast images. We present results using two types of active thermal probe. For polymer/resin samples, the depth of material contributing to the measured thermal expansion is typically a few micrometres. Under certain conditions we observe a reversal in contrast as the frequency of the temperature modulation is increased. In dynamic localized thermomechanical analysis, the modulated stress is applied directly, and accompanied by a localized temperature change, as used in other forms of localized thermal analysis. The resulting modulated lateral force signals are obtained. The glass transition of polystyrene is detected, and shows a significant variation with frequency. The amplitude or phase signal may be used to obtain image contrast for inhomogeneous samples.