Thermal Nanoprobes Research Articles

Transformer bridge-based metrological unit for scanning thermal microscopy with resistive nanoprobes

Scanning probe microscopy (SPM) is a broad family of diagnostic methods. Common restraint of SPM is only surficial interaction with specimen, especially troublesome in case of complex volumetric systems, e.g. microbial or microelectronic. Scanning thermal microscopy (SThM) overcomes that constraint, since thermal information is collected from broader space. We present transformer bridge-based setup for resistive nanoprobe-based microscopy. With low-frequency (LF) (approx. 1 kHz) detection signal bridge resolution becomes independent on parasitic capacitances present in the measurement setup. We present characterisation of the setup and metrological description—with resolution of the system 0.6 mK with sensitivity as low as 5 mV K−1. Transformer bridge setup brings galvanic separation, enabling measurements in various environments, pursued for purposes of molecular biology. We present results SThM measurement results of high-thermal contrast sample of carbon fibres in an epoxy resin. Finally, we analyse influence of thermal imaging on topography imaging in terms of information channel capacity. We state that transformer bridge-based SThM system is a fully functional design along with low driving frequencies and resistive thermal nanoprobes by Kelvin Nanotechnology.

Efficient up-conversion in Yb:Er:NaT(XO4)2 thermal nanoprobes. Imaging of their distribution in a perfused mouse.

Yb and Er codoped NaT(XO4)2 (T = Y, La, Gd, Lu and X = Mo, W) disordered oxides show a green (Er3+ related) up-conversion (UC) efficiency comparable to that of Yb:Er:β-NaYF4 compound and unless 3 times larger UC ratiometric thermal sensitivity. The similar UC efficiency of Yb:Er doped NaT(XO4)2 and β-NaYF4 compounds allowed testing equal subcutaneous depths of ex-vivo chicken tissue in both cases. This extraordinary behavior for NaT(XO4)2 oxides with large cutoff phonon energy (ħω≈ 920 cm-1) is ascribed to 4F9/2 electron population recycling to higher energy 4G11/2 level by a phonon assisted transition. Crystalline nanoparticles of Yb:Er:NaLu(MoO4)2 have been synthesized by sol-gel with sizes most commonly in the 50–80 nm range, showing a relatively small reduction of the UC efficiency with regards to bulk materials. Fluorescence lifetime and multiphoton imaging microscopies show that these nanoparticles can be efficiently distributed to all body organs of a perfused mouse.

Nanoscale resolution scanning thermal microscopy using carbon nanotube tipped thermal probes

We present an experimental proof of concept of scanning thermal nanoprobes that utilize the extreme thermal conductance of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to channel heat between the probe and the sample. The integration of CNTs into scanning thermal microscopy (SThM) overcomes the main drawbacks of standard SThM probes, where the low thermal conductance of the apex SThM probe is the main limiting factor. The integration of CNTs (CNT-SThM) extends SThM sensitivity to thermal transport measurement in higher thermal conductivity materials such as metals, semiconductors and ceramics, while also improving the spatial resolution. Investigation of thermal transport in ultra large scale integration (ULSI) interconnects, using the CNT-SThM probe, showed fine details of heat transport in ceramic layers, vital for mitigating electromigration in ULSI metallic current leads. For a few layer graphene, the heat transport sensitivity and spatial resolution of the CNT-SThM probe demonstrated significantly superior thermal resolution compared to that of standard SThM probes achieving 20-30 nm topography and ~30 nm thermal spatial resolution compared to 50-100 nm for standard SThM probes. The outstanding axial thermal conductivity, a high aspect ratio and robustness of CNTs can make CNT-SThM the perfect thermal probe for the measurement of nanoscale thermophysical properties and an excellent candidate for the next generation of thermal microscopes.

Luminescence behavior of silicon and carbon nanoparticles dispersed in low-polar liquids

A comparative photoluminescence analysis of as-prepared and chemically modified (by alkyl chains -C18H37) silicon and carbon nanoparticles dispersed in low-polar liquids is reported. Influence of the low-polar liquid nature and ambient temperature on photoluminescence of the nanoparticles has been investigated from the point of view of their possible application as thermal nanoprobes.

The Development of Thermal Nanoprobe Methods as a Means of Characterizing and Mapping Plasticizer Incorporation into Ethylcellulose Films

The phase composition and distribution of ethylcellulose (EC) films containing varying amounts of the plasticizer fractionated coconut oil (FCO) were studied using a novel combination of thermal and mapping approaches. The thermal and thermomechanical properties of films containing up to 30% FCO were characterized using modulated temperature differential scanning calorimetry (MTDSC) and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). Film surfaces were mapped using atomic force microscopy (AFM; topographic and pulsed force modes) and the composition of specific regions identified using nanothermal probes. Clear evidence of distinct conjugate phases was obtained for the 20-30% FCO/EC film systems. We suggest a model whereby the composition of the distinct phases may be estimated via consideration of the glass transition temperatures observed using DSC and DMA. By combining pulsed force AFM and nano-thermal analysis we demonstrate that it is possible to map the two separated phases. In particular, the use of thermal probes allowed identification of the distinct regions via localized thermomechanical analysis, whereby nanoscale probe penetration is measured as a function of temperature. The study has indicated that by using thermal and imaging techniques in conjunction it is possible to both identify and map distinct regions in binary films.

Mapping Intracellular Temperature Using Green Fluorescent Protein

Heat is of fundamental importance in many cellular processes such as cell metabolism, cell division and gene expression. (1-3) Accurate and noninvasive monitoring of temperature changes in individual cells could thus help clarify intricate cellular processes and develop new applications in biology and medicine. Here we report the use of green fluorescent proteins (GFP) as thermal nanoprobes suited for intracellular temperature mapping. Temperature probing is achieved by monitoring the fluorescence polarization anisotropy of GFP. The method is tested on GFP-transfected HeLa and U-87 MG cancer cell lines where we monitored the heat delivery by photothermal heating of gold nanorods surrounding the cells. A spatial resolution of 300 nm and a temperature accuracy of about 0.4 °C are achieved. Benefiting from its full compatibility with widely used GFP-transfected cells, this approach provides a noninvasive tool for fundamental and applied research in areas ranging from molecular biology to therapeutic and diagnostic studies.

Invited Review Article: Microwave spectroscopy based on scanning thermal microscopy: Resolution in the nanometer range

Scanning thermal microscope-detected ferromagnetic resonance (SThM-FMR) combines a thermal near-field microscope with a FMR spectrometer and detects the thermal response due to resonant microwave absorption by measuring the resistivity change in the thermal nanoprobe. The advantage of this technique is to provide imaging capabilities at fixed resonance conditions as well as local microwave spectroscopy at the nanoscale. A technique that uses the same setup but detects the thermoelastic response of the sample is the scanning thermoelastic microscope-detected FMR (SThEM-FMR). This latter technique is advantageous when FMR spectra of single nanostructures have to be recorded at a fixed position. The experimental setups and the signal generation processes of SThM/SThEM-FMR are described in detail. With the SThM-FMR setups a temperature resolution of 1 mK and a local resolution of 30 nm are actually achieved. With SThEM-FMR the obtained local resolution is 10 nm. The detection limits of both techniques can be as low as 10(6) spins. To demonstrate the potential of these new techniques SThM/SThEM-FMR investigations of local magnetic anisotropies, magnetization dynamics of single nanodots and inhomogeneous FMR excitations due to finite size effects are presented. Simultaneously, information on the magnetic parameters, the topography, and the thermal properties is provided. To describe the further potential of this recently developed SThM-FMR technique, combined magnetoresistance and FMR investigations are presented and an outlook on possible future applications is given.

Nanoscale Characterisation and Imaging of Partially Amorphous Materials using Local Thermomechanical Analysis and Heated Tip AFM

The purpose is to investigate the use of thermal nanoprobes in thermomechanical and heated tip pulsed force modes as novel means of discriminating between amorphous and crystalline material on a sub-micron scale. Indometacin powder was compressed and partially converted into amorphous material. Thermal nanoprobes were used to perform localised thermomechanical analysis (L-TMA) and heated tip pulsed force mode imaging as a function of temperature. L-TMA with submicron lateral spatial resolution and sub-100 nm depth penetration was achieved, allowing us to thermomechanically discriminate between amorphous and crystalline material at a nanoscale for the first time. The amorphous and crystalline regions were imaged as a function of temperature using heated tip pulsed force AFM and a resolution of circa 50 nm was achieved. We are also able to observe tip-induced recrystallisation of the amorphous material. The study demonstrates that we are able to discriminate and characterise amorphous and crystalline regions at a submicron scale of scrutiny. We have demonstrated the utility of two methods, L-TMA and heated tip pulsed force mode AFM, that allow us to respectively characterise and image adjacent amorphous and crystalline regions at a nanoscale. The study has demonstrated that thermal nanoprobes represent a novel method of characterising and imaging partially amorphous materials.

Application of a Scanning Thermal Nano-Probe for Thermal Imaging of High Frequency Active devices

The first application of a new thermal nano-probe based on the changes of electrical resistivity of a nanometer-sized filament with temperature has been presented for the thermal imaging of microwave power active devices. The integration of the filament the fabrication process of the novel thermal probe with a spatial resolution better than 80 nm and a thermal resolution of the order of 10-3 K have already been presented in reference [J. Microelectron. Eng. 57–58 (2001) 737]. To demonstrate the capability of the novel thermal nano-probe the measurements have been successfully performed on a 30 fingers GaAs metal–semiconductor field-effect transistor (GaAs-MESFET) with a maximum power dissipation of 2.5 W. The bias circuit has been designed to suppress the undesired microwave oscillations in the transistor. In this case the power dissipation is equal to the dc power input. The near-field measurements using the nano-probe are compared with infrared measurement and three-dimensional finite element static thermal simulations. The good agreement between simulations and measurements confirms the high capability of the nono-probe for these applications.

Piezoresistive SXM sensors

AbstractThe design, fabrication and evaluation of various microprobes for applications in scanning probe microscopy are presented. A piezoresistive cantilever with an integrated micro‐tip, as a basic structure, enables surface topography measurements with a resolution up to 0.1 nm. A conductive tip isolated from the cantilever was introduced for scanning capacitance microscopy and scanning electrostatic force microscopy. With this microprobe a capacitance between the micro‐tip and the surface in the range of 10−22F could be measured. Modification of the cantilever shape permits fabrication of the multipurpose systems for lateral force microscopy, which enables measurement of friction forces with a resolution of 1 nN. A femtocalorimeter for the detection of heat energy in the range of 50 nW Hz−0.5 was developed. A microbalance cantilever for ‘electronic nose’ applications makes it possible to determine picogram mass changes induced by chemical reactions in chemically sensitive coatings. A scanning near‐field thermal nanoprobe combines a thermal resolution of 10−3 K with a spatial resolution of 20 nm. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.