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Results for “atomic force microscopy”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 1,099 records · Page 61
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2011

22X mask cleaning effects on EUV lithography process and lifetime

For this paper, we evaluated the impact of repetitive cleans on a photomask that was fabricated and patterned for extreme ultraviolet lithography exposure. The lithographic performance of the cleaned mask, in terms of process window and line edge roughness, was monitored with the SEMATECH Berkeley micro-exposure tool (MET). Each process measurement of the cleaned mask was compared to a reference mask with the same mask architecture. Both masks were imaged on the same day in order to eliminate any process-related measurement uncertainties. The cleaned mask was periodically monitored with atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurements and pattern widths were monitored using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In addition, reflectivity changes were also tracked with the aid of witness plate measurements. At the conclusion of this study, the mask under evaluation was cleaned 22 times; with none of the evaluation techniques showing any significant degradation in performance.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2010

Topographies of plasma-hardened surfaces of poly(dimethylsiloxane)

We studied the formation of surface layers hardened by plasma-enhanced oxidation of the silicone elastomer poly(dimethylsiloxane). We explored the largest parameter space surveyed to date. The surface layers may wrinkle, crack, or both, under conditions that at times are controlled by design, but more often have been discovered by trial-and-error. We find four distinct topographies: flat/wrinkled/cracked/cracked and wrinkled. Each topography is clearly separated in the space of plasma dose versus plasma pressure. We analyzed wrinkle amplitude and wavelength by atomic force microscopy in the tapping mode. From these dimensions we calculated the elastic modulus and thickness of the hard surface layer, and inferred a graded hardness, by employing a modified theoretical model. Our main result is the identification of the parameters under which the technologically important pure wrinkled, crack-free topography is obtained.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2012

Crystalline to amorphous phase transition of tin oxide nanocrystals induced by SHI at low temperature

Tin oxide (SnO{sub 2}) thin films were deposited using pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique on Si substrates. The as-deposited films were irradiated using 100 MeV Ag ions at different fluences ranging from 3x10{sup 13} to 3x10{sup 14} ions/cm{sup 2} at an incidence angle of 75 deg. with respect to surface normal at liquid nitrogen (LN2) temperature. The as-deposited and irradiated films have been characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) techniques to study the modifications in structural and surface morphological properties. Nanocrystalline film become completely amorphous and nanograins of tin oxide disappeared from the surface as indicated by XRD spectra and AFM micrographs respectively.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2013

Reversible patterning of poly(methylmethacrylate) doped with disperse Red 1 by laser scanning

Thin poly(methylmethacrylate) films doped by or covalently attached to disperse Red 1 acrylate (DR1) were patterned by laser scanning and simultaneous sample movement in confocal microscope. In both cases, periodical structure due to Marangoni effect is created. Modified polymers surfaces were analyzed by FTIR spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy. After first stage of patterning, second stage with sample movement in perpendicular direction was applied. Depending on the method of DR1 dotation fishnet structure is obtained or pattern structure disappears. In the latter case, reversibility of pattern formation and erasure by laser scanning was studied.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2013

Realization of single-termination SrTiO{sub 3} (100) surfaces by a microwave-induced hydrothermal process

A microwave-induced hydrothermal etching of SrTiO{sub 3} (100) single crystal surfaces in deionized water and subsequent annealing in oxygen atmosphere results in single-terminated and atomically flat terraces for pure and niobium-doped substrates as confirmed through one unit-cell step height and uniform phase by atomic force microscopy. This process that requires 3 min of moderate microwave radiation completely avoids the use of hydrofluoric acid (HF) and related point defects due to fluorine in the crystal surface. The advantages of a safe, inexpensive, and environmentally neutral process hold promise to replace the existing standard protocol for substrate preparation based on buffered HF.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2016

Fabrication and characterization on reduced graphene oxide field effect transistor (RGOFET) based biosensor

The fabrication and characterization on reduced graphene oxide field effect transistor (RGO-FET) were demonstrated using a spray deposition method for biological sensing device purpose. A spray method is a fast, low-cost and simple technique to deposit graphene and the most promising technology due to ideal coating on variety of substrates and high production speed. The fabrication method was demonstrated for developing a label free aptamer reduced graphene oxide field effect transistor biosensor. Reduced graphene oxide (RGO) was obtained by heating on hot plate fixed at various temperatures of 100, 200 and 300°C, respectively. The surface morphology of RGO were examined via atomic force microscopy to observed the temperature effect of produced RGO. The electrical measurement verify the performance of electrical conducting RGO-FET at temperature 300°C is better as compared to other temperature due to the removal of oxygen groups in GO. Thus, reduced graphene oxide was a promising material for biosensor application.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2013

Chemical passivation of InSb (100) substrates in aqueous solutions of sodium sulfide

The elemental composition and electronic structure of both native-oxide-covered InSb (100) substrates and substrates treated in aqueous solutions of sodium sulfide are analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. It is found that, as a result of treatment in a 1 M aqueous solution of Na{sub 2}S and subsequent annealing in vacuum at 150 Degree-Sign C, the surface layer consisting of complex antimony and indium oxides of nonstoichiometric composition is removed completely with the formation of a continuous layer of chemisorbed sulfur atoms coherently bound to indium atoms. According to atomic-force microscopy data, no etching of the host substrate material occurs during sulfide passivation. A shift (by 0.37 eV) of the In-Sb bulk photoemission towards higher binding energies is found, which indicates that the surface Fermi level shifts deeper into the conduction band.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2011

Size-dependent Strain in Epitaxial (001)Gadolinium-doped Ceria Nanoislands

We report size-dependent strain in epitaxial gadolinium doped ceria nanoislands, which was determined by synchrotron x-ray diffraction. Reciprocal space sections of symmetric, (004) and asymmetric, (224) reflections are approximated by a model assuming size-dependent strain of the islands using real-space size distribution obtained by atomic force microscopy. We show that the islands smaller than 40 nm are subjected to a high level of lateral tensile strain and normal compression. The lateral to normal strain ratio determined from the reciprocal map analysis suggests that lateral tension is the primary stress generator, possibly due to oxygen vacancy ordering on the island-substrate interface.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2013

Effects of pressure, temperature, and hydrogen during graphene growth on SiC(0001) using propane-hydrogen chemical vapor deposition

Graphene growth from a propane flow in a hydrogen environment (propane-hydrogen chemical vapor deposition (CVD)) on SiC differentiates from other growth methods in that it offers the possibility to obtain various graphene structures on the Si-face depending on growth conditions. The different structures include the (6{radical}3 Multiplication-Sign 6{radical}3)-R30 Degree-Sign reconstruction of the graphene/SiC interface, which is commonly observed on the Si-face, but also the rotational disorder which is generally observed on the C-face. In this work, growth mechanisms leading to the formation of the different structures are studied and discussed. For that purpose, we have grown graphene on SiC(0001) (Si-face) using propane-hydrogen CVD at various pressure and temperature and studied these samples extensively by means of low energy electron diffraction and atomic force microscopy. Pressure and temperature conditions leading to the formation of the different structures are identified and plotted in a pressure-temperature diagram. This diagram, together with other characterizations (X-ray photoemission and scanning tunneling microscopy), is the basis of further discussions on the carbon supply mechanisms and on the kinetics effects. The entire work underlines the important role of hydrogen during growth and its effects on the final graphene structure.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2011

UV nanoimprint lithography for the realization of large-area ordered SiGe/Si(001) island arrays

We use UV nanoimprint lithography for the pit-patterning of silicon substrates. Ordered silicon-germanium islands are grown inside these pits by molecular-beam epitaxy on arrays of 3x3 mm{sup 2} and characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and photoluminescence (PL) measurements. AFM-based statistics reveals an extremely uniform size distribution of the islands in the patterned areas. These results are confirmed by very narrow and uniform PL peaks recorded at various positions across the patterned arrays.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2012

Laser irradiation effects on the CdTe/ZnTe quantum dot structure studied by Raman and AFM spectroscopy

Micro-Raman spectroscopy has been applied to investigate the impact of laser irradiation on semiconducting CdTe/ZnTe quantum dots (QDs) structures. A reference sample (without dots) was also studied for comparison. Both samples were grown by molecular beam epitaxy technique on the p-type GaAs substrate. The Raman spectra have been recorded for different time of a laser exposure and for various laser powers. The spectra for both samples exhibit peak related to the localized longitudinal (LO) ZnTe phonon of a wavenumber equal to 210 cm{sup -1}. For the QD sample, a broad band corresponding to the LO CdTe phonon related to the QD-layer appears at a wavenumber of 160 cm{sup -1}. With increasing time of a laser beam exposure and laser power, the spectra get dominated by tellurium-related peaks appearing at wavenumbers around 120 cm{sup -1} and 140 cm{sup -1}. Simultaneously, the ZnTe surface undergoes rising damage, with the formation of Te aggregates at the pinhole edge as reveal atomic force microscopy observations. Local temperature of irradiated region has been estimated from the anti-Stokes/Stokes ratio of the Te modes intensity and it was found to be close or exceeding ZnTe melting point. Thus, the laser damage can be explained by the ablation process.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2014

Melanin as an active layer in biosensors

The development of pH sensors is of great interest due to its extensive application in several areas such as industrial processes, biochemistry and particularly medical diagnostics. In this study, the pH sensing properties of an extended gate field effect transistor (EGFET) based on melanin thin films as active layer are investigated and the physical mechanisms related to the device operation are discussed. Thin films were produced from different melanin precursors on indium tin oxide (ITO) and gold substrates and were investigated by Atomic Force Microscopy and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy. Experiments were performed in the pH range from 2 to 12. EGFETs with melanin deposited on ITO and on gold substrates showed sensitivities ranging from 31.3 mV/pH to 48.9 mV/pH, depending on the melanin precursor and the substrate used. The pH detection is associated with specific binding sites in its structure, hydroxyl groups and quinone imine.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2014

Structure and composition of zirconium carbide thin-film grown by ion beam sputtering for optical applications

Thin film of compound material ZrC was deposited on Si (100) wafer using ion beam sputtering method. The deposition was carried out at room temperature and at base pressure of 3×10{sup −5} Pa. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements were performed for determining the surface chemical compositions. Grazing incidence x-ray reflectivity (GIXRR) measurements were performed to study the film thickness, roughness and density. From GIXRR curve roughness value of the film was found less than 1 nm indicating smooth surface morphology. Films density was found 6.51 g/cm{sup 3}, which is close to bulk density. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurements were performed to check the surface morphology. AFM investigation showed that the film surface is smooth, which corroborate the GIXRR data. Figure 2 of the original article PDF file, as supplied to AIP Publishing, contained a PDF processing error. This article was updated on 12 May 2014 to correct that error.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2018

Dependence of Crystallographic Orientation on Pitting Corrosion Behavior of Ni-Fe-Cr Alloy 028

The influence of crystallographic orientation on the pitting corrosion behavior of Ni-Fe-Cr alloy 028 was studied using a combination of X-ray diffraction (XRD), electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), potentiodynamic polarization technique, and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The results show that there is anisotropy of pitting corrosion that strongly depends on crystallographic orientation of the surface plane. The distribution of pit density in a standard stereographic triangle indicates that the crystallographic planes close to {100} are more prone to pitting corrosion compared to planes {110} and {111}. The surface energy calculation of (001) and (111) shows that the plane with a high atomic packing density has a low surface energy with concomitant strong resistance to pitting corrosion. A correlation function between crystallographic orientation and pitting corrosion susceptibility suggests a method that not only predicts the pitting resistance of known textured materials, but also could help to improve corrosion resistance by controlling material texture.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2017

Size and surface effects on the magnetism of magnetite and maghemite nanoparticles

The size effects of magnetite and maghemite nanoparticles on their magnetic properties (magnetic moment, Curie temperature, blocking temperature, etc.) have been investigated. Magnetic separation and centrifugation of an aqueous solution of nanoparticles were used for their separation into fractions; their sizes were measured by atomic force microscopy, dynamic light scattering, and electron microscopy. A change in the size leads to a change in the Curie temperature and magnetic moment per formula unit. Both native nanoparticles and those covered with a bioresorbable layer have been considered. The magnetic properties have been calculated by the Monte Carlo method for the classical Heisenberg model with various bulk and surface magnetic moments.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2014

Morphological studies on block copolymer modified PA 6 blends

Recent studies show that compounding polyamide 6 (PA 6) with a PA 6 polyether block copolymers made by reaction injection molding (RIM) or continuous anionic polymerization in a reactive extrusion process (REX) result in blends with high impact strength and high stiffness compared to conventional rubber blends. In this paper, different high impact PA 6 blends were prepared using a twin screw extruder. The different impact modifiers were an ethylene propylene copolymer, a PA PA 6 polyether block copolymer made by reaction injection molding and one made by reactive extrusion. To ensure good particle matrix bonding, the ethylene propylene copolymer was grafted with maleic anhydride (EPR-g-MA). Due to the molecular structure of the two block copolymers, a coupling agent was not necessary. The block copolymers are semi-crystalline and partially cross-linked in contrast to commonly used amorphous rubbers which are usually uncured. The combination of different analysis methods like atomic force microscopy (AFM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) gave a detailed view in the structure of the blends. Due to the partial cross-linking, the particles of the block copolymers in the blends are not spherical like the ones of ethylene propylene copolymer. The differences in molecular structure, miscibility and grafting of the impact modifiers result in different mechanical properties and different blend morphologies.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2014

Note: A method for minimizing oxide formation during elevated temperature nanoindentation

A standardized method to protect metallic samples and minimize oxide formation during elevated-temperature nanoindentation was adapted to a commercial instrument. Nanoindentation was performed on Al (100), Cu (100), and W (100) single crystals submerged in vacuum oil at 200 °C, while the surface morphology and oxidation was carefully monitored using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results were compared to room temperature and 200 °C nanoindentation tests performed without oil, in order to evaluate the feasibility of using the oil as a protective medium. Extensive surface characterization demonstrated that this methodology is effective for nanoscale testing.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2015

Highly conductive indium nanowires deposited on silicon by dip-pen nanolithography

In this paper, we developed a new dip-pen nanolithography (DPN) method. Using this method, we fabricated conductive nanowires with diameters of 30–50 nm on silicon substrates. To accomplish this, indium was transferred from an atomic force microscopy tip to the surface by applying a potential difference between the tip and substrate. The fabricated indium nanowires were several micrometers in length. Unlike thermal DPN, our DPN method hardly oxidized the indium, producing nanowires with conductivities from 5.7 × 10{sup −3} to 4 × 10{sup −2} Ω cm.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗