Quantitative Kelvin Probe Force Microscopy

Abstract

AbstractIn this paper we report on the investigation of electrostatic forces between a conductive probe and semiconducting materials by means of Kelvin probe force microscopy measurements. Due to the formation of an asymmetric electric dipole at the semiconductor surface, the measured KPFM bias is related with the energy difference between Fermi energy and respective band edge. Quantitative Kelvin probe force microscopy measurements on semiconductors, namely on a conventional dynamic random-access memory cell and on a cross-sectionally prepared Si epilayer structure, are presented.