Advanced Characterization Methods for Electrical and Sensoric Components and Devices at the Micro and Nano Scales

Abstract

The present study covers the nanoanalysis methods for four key material characteristics: electrical and electronic properties, optical, stress and strain, and chemical composition. With the downsizing of the geometrical dimensions of the electronic, optoelectronic, and electromechanical devices from the micro to the nanoscale and the simultaneous increase in the functionality density, the previous generation of microanalysis methods is no longer sufficient. Therefore, the metrology of materials' properties with nanoscale resolution is a prerequisite in materials' research and development. The article reviews the standard analysis methods and focuses on the advanced methods with a nanoscale spatial resolution based on atomic force microscopy (AFM): current‐sensing AFM (CS‐AFM), Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM), and hybrid optical techniques coupled with AFM including tip‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS), photothermal‐induced resonance (PTIR) characterization methods (nano‐Vis, nano‐IR), and photo‐induced force microscopy (PIFM). The simultaneous acquisition of multiple parameters (topography, charge and conductivity, stress and strain, and chemical composition) at the nanoscale is a key for exploring new research on structure–property relationships of nanostructured materials, such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and nano/microelectromechanical systems (N/MEMS). Advanced nanocharacterization techniques foster the design and development of new functional materials for flexible hybrid and smart applications.