2D and 3D Analyses of Metal Oxide Thin Films Examined by Atomic Force Microscope

Mokhter Faezahana,Mohd Khairul Ahmad,Ali Yeon Md Shakaff,Mohd Zain Ahmad Faizal,Mohd Zainizan Sahdan,Zakaria Ammar,Che Ani Norhidayah,Nayan Nafarizal,Jia Wei Low

doi:10.4028/www.scientific.net/amm.773-774.716

Abstract

Atomic force microscope (AFM) is a useful tool to capture the two- and three-dimensional image of height and size of nanostructured thin film. It operate by measuring the forces between a sharp tip and surface of the measured sample. In addition, AFM is equipped with powerful software for image processing to interpret experimental results in detail. For example, by using the height and scanning length parameters of measured sample, average roughness and root mean square roughness can be evaluated. In the present works, the effect of image flattening process toward the surface roughness and surface fluctuations of metal oxide thin films will be presented. Set of samples were prepared by magnetron sputtering deposition and sol-gel coating techniques. In gas sensor industries using metal oxide thin film, surface roughness of metal oxide thin films are very important in order to improve the sensitivity and respond time of gas sensor. Therefore, optimization of thin film deposition and characterization are very important. The correlation between the three-dimensional image and thin film deposition and image processing parameters will also be presented.

Highlights

Metal oxide semiconductors were of interest to scientist for decades
Experimental details Copper oxide thin film was deposited on silicon wafer substrate using reactive magnetron sputtering plasma
The height on the images (Z) recorded in NC-Atomic force microscope (AFM) will represent the topography of sample surface

Summary

Introduction

Metal oxide semiconductors were of interest to scientist for decades. Based to some earlier reports of gas sensing design, almost any of the metal oxide could be used for solid-state gas sensor. Different deposition techniques, which is sputtering and sol-gel have been used to prepare these thin films. Atomic force microscope (AFM) has become a valuable system to measure the surface properties such as roughness and electrical AFM is a powerful tool to capture the two- and three-dimensional images of height and size of nano-structured thin film. AFM is equipped with powerful software for image analyzing to interpret the experimental result in details.

Results

Conclusion