Single-pass kelvin force microscopy and dC/dZ imaging: applications for graphene-related nanomaterials

Abstract

Development of advanced imaging strategies that could either expand the breadth of what is measurable in material science or break the current limits on detection sensitivity and spatial resolution is highly desired for atomic force microscopy (AFM)-associated metrology. We report that single-pass Kelvin force microscopy (KFM) and capacitance gradient (dC/dZ) imaging can be performed in the intermittent contact regime, and it allows simultaneous acquisition of a sample's morphology as well as its two distinctive electric properties with nanometer-scale spatial resolution. Applications of this technique for enhanced sensing of graphene will be presented.