Title: |
Nanoscale 3D characterisation of soft organic material using conductive scanning probe tomography |
| Author(s): |
Ravi Chandra Chintala, Sebastian Wood  , James C. Blakesley, Paola Favia, Umberto Celano , Kristof Paredis, Wilfried Vandervorst and Fernando A. Castro |
| Journal: |
AIP Advances |
| Year: |
2019 |
| Month: |
February |
| Day: |
11 |
| Volume: |
9 |
| Pages: |
025105 |
| DOI: |
10.1063/1.5066458 |
| File URL: |
https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5066458 |
| Web URL: |
https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5066458 |
| Abstract: |
The 3D nanostructure of organic materials plays a key role in their performance in a broad range of fields, from life sciences to electronics. However, characterising the functionality of their morphologies presents a critical challenge requiring nanometre resolution in 3 dimensions and methods that do not excessively distort the soft matter during measurement. Here we present scanning probe tomography using a commercial Pt-Ir coated tip and controlling the tip loading force to sequentially characterise and remove layers from the surface of a sample. We demonstrate this process on a sample exhibiting a polymer nanowire morphology, which is typically used for organic electronic applications, and present a tomographic reconstruction of the nanoscale charge transport network of the semi-crystalline polymer. Good electrical connectivity in 3D is demonstrated by directly probing the electrical properties of the inter-nanowire charge conduction. |
