Towards standardization of conductive atomic force microscopy

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Metrology

Background:

• Conductive Atomic Force Microscopy (C-AFM) is vital for nanoscale electrical characterization.
• Variability in C-AFM systems can affect measurement accuracy and comparability.
• Standardized calibration methods are needed for reliable C-AFM data.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the consistency of C-AFM system calibrations for resistance measurements.
• To assess the comparability of nanoscale current measurements across different C-AFM setups.
• To introduce a novel method for determining parasitic resistances in C-AFM systems.

Main Methods:

• Interlaboratory comparison of C-AFM resistance and current measurements.
• Calibration of complete C-AFM measurement systems.
• Development and application of a new method for parasitic resistance determination.

Main Results:

• Accurate resistance measurements (1 MΩ to 1 TΩ) with <1% uncertainty achieved through system calibration.
• Agreement of 4.8% across participants for resistance measurements.
• Calibrated current measurements (100 fA to 1 µA) with low uncertainties, though higher at lower currents.
• A new method effectively identifies parasitic resistances impacting low-resistance or high-current measurements.

Conclusions:

• System calibration is essential for achieving consistent and accurate C-AFM resistance and current measurements.
• The developed method for parasitic resistance determination improves measurement reliability below 1 MΩ or above 10 nA.
• Standardized C-AFM calibration enhances data comparability and reproducibility in nanoscale electrical studies.