I am working on characterizing thin films and would like to measure their thickness using the Hitachi AFM5100N model. Could someone provide a step-by-step guide or tips on the best approach to accurately measure film thickness with this AFM model?
- The choice of cantilever/probe for such measurements.
- Recommended settings or modes (e.g., contact, non-contact, or tapping).
- Any challenges or precautions to keep in mind during the process.
You can use DNP 10 or DNP S10 Bruker. Use a higher spring constant (e.g. 0.35 N/m or 0.24 N/m).
There are 3 options to measure the thickness.
1. scratch the film using cantilever (e.g. 2x2 micrometer). Use contact mode, set deflection setpoint to high value (e.g. >6 V) and scan rate to high value (4 Hz). scan it 10 times and zoom out, then check the profile.
2. Make a force-distance curve. If you find the breaktrough point, that is the thickness of the film.
3. or you can scratch the film using a knife and check with AFM. measure the profile later on.
Definitely, you should use contact mode.
- Badges
- Science topic