Development of first universal standard samples for calibrating resistance and current measurements in Conductive-probe Atomic Force Microscopy
Résumé
In this work, we demonstrate the development of a novel reference sample enabling easier access and improved accuracy to C-AFM measurements of resistance lower than 100 kOhms and a resistance range expanded to 1 TOhm. This same reference sample has also been designed to calibrate the complete C-AFM setup for current measurements over a range from 10 fA to 10 μA. We have investigated the influence of the AFM probes (materials, wear …) on both resistance and current measurements. In addition to this hybrid calibration kit for C-AFM, we have manufactured and tested another reference sample designed to calibrate C-AFM for very high resistance values, i.e. in the 100 TOhms range. These new developments pave the way for reliable quantitative measurements of resistances and currents at the nanoscale, which is expected to propel the understanding of the electrical properties of individual devices and components at the nanoscale.
