Application Snapshot - AFM for Characterizing 2-D Materials
Download PDF here
Advantages in Using Atomic Force Microscopes For 2-D Materials:
-
Measure 2-D Materials Thickness
With a noise floor below 50 picometers, an AFM is the only reliable method for measuring the thickness of 2-D materials. Measurements are also made in less than ½ hour.
-
Visualize The Morphology of Small Flakes
An AFM gives extremely high contrast on 2-D materials. This feature makes it possible to directly visualize the morphology of 2D materials.
-
Physical Property Measurement
Physical measurements such as conductivity, surface potential, and compliance of 2-D materials are possible with an AFM
3D view 4 X 4 micron image of multi layer graphene flakes on lilicon measured with vibrating mode AFM.
Example Images
7 X 7 micron vibrating mode image showing folds in a graphene flake on a Si substrate. The particles observed in the image are 12 nm and 18 nm in diameter.
WeS2 flake measured with the HR AFM in vibrating mode. Image courtesy of Auburn University.
AFM image of single layer graphene flakes deposited on a mica surface. A single step on the silicon the mica substrate is visible in the image.
The line profile taken from the AFM image of graphene flakes on mica (red line on image) The height of this flake is 1.1 nm. The theoretical value for a graphene flake is .34 nm. Research labs report values ranging from .3 nm to 1.5 nm depending on the environment where the image is measured, and the substrate used.
Technical
Keywords
Accurate measurement of 2-D materials requires calibration of the vertical scale of the AFM in the nanometer range. An ideal material for this calibration is SiC which can be purchased with .75 and 1.5 nm features.
Image and line profile of a SiC specimen with 1.5 nm steps. The SiC image was leveled to one of the terraces.
2-D materials, Graphene, Layered materials, Flakes
Recommended Products For 2-D Materials
The HR-2D AFM pictured above was developed for an MIT research group that needed to scan air sensitive 2D materials in a glove box.
AFMWorkshop Funding For Presentations
AFMWorkshop Customers are invited to apply for financial support toward presenting the results of their AFM enabled research at local, national, regional and international conferences. Grants up to $1,000 are available.
Contact
