Studying material properties on the nanometer scale: instrumental development and applications

atomic force microscopy;material properties;nanometer;near-field optical microscopy

O'Connor, Stephen D. ; Baldeschwieler, John D.

University:California Institute of Technology

Department:Chemistry and Chemical Engineering

关键词: atomic force microscopy;    material properties;    nanometer;    near-field optical microscopy;   

Others  :  https://thesis.library.caltech.edu/333/1/OConnor_sd_1995.pdf

美国|英语

来源: Caltech THESIS

【 摘 要 】

NOTE: Text or symbols not renderable in plain ASCII are indicated by [...]. Abstract is included in .pdf document.This thesis describes experimental work designed to understand and manipulate materialproperties on the nanometer scale. Two strategies have been explored: instrument development and experimental applications.Section I describes work associated with atomic force microscopy, including application studies of human hair morphology and the surface microstructure of a bulk metallic glass [...]. Also included in this section are two instrumental advances. First, a mathematical algorithm to extract intermolecular potentials from experimental data is described. Second, a simple, robust method for reducing mechanical noise in these experiments is presented.Section II outlines early experiments aimed at applying Near-field Scanning Optical microscopy to gas-phase chemical analysis. Standard instruments were constructed and tested. Preliminary work aimed at using the near-field effect to desorb ionized particles from surfaces was also completed.Section III describes the construction of temperature and vibration sensors based on material properties in silicon. Unprecedented resolution has been obtained with a simple, inexpensive device. The vibration sensors take advantage of Schottky barrier reshaping while the junction is excited with optically induced charge carriers. In a similar manner, the temperature sensors monitor changes in electron mobility.