AFM can be used for probing electrical properties of materials, including:
- Current pathways in the sample and conductance through molecules using conductive AFM (C-AFM)
- Capacitance variations across the surface by scanning capacitance microscopy (SCM)
- Contact potential difference between tip and surface allowing maps of surface potential/work function using Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM)
Conductive AFM Studies
Conductive AFM measurements enable to measure current transport through the sample, while the tip is in contact with it.
ACS Nano 8, 7714 (2014)
Scanning Capacitance Microscopy on thin-film Photovoltaic (CdTe)
Appl. Phys. Lett. 82, 556-58 (2003)
Current mapping of nanotube-organic nanocrystal composite
Adv. Mater. 1705027 2018
Molecular bio-electronics – electron transport through double stranded-DNA
Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 6, 4459 – 4466 (2004)
Chiral induced spin selectivity effect influenced by bending molecule under AFM tip while measuring current.
The Journal of Chemical Physics 146, 092302 (2017)
Measuring charge transfer by Scanning Kelvin-Probe Microscopy in Organic Nano-Crystalline Donor-Acceptor Heterojunctions (PDI/ CuPthalocyanine)
J. Phys. Chem. C 123, 25031–25041 (2019)
Kelvin Probe Force Microscopy providing new insights into electrochemical reactions in micro-cell capped by suspended graphene.
Adv. Mater. Interfaces 8, 2100662 (2021)