专用原子力显微镜

Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) has become an indispensable tool in nanoscale surface characterization due to its exceptional spatial resolution, non-destructive nature, and versatility across a wide range of materials. It is extensively employed in fields such as materials science, semiconductor research, and polymer analysis, offering critical insights into surface morphology, mechanical properties, and functional characteristics at the nanometer scale. However, despite its advantages, conventional AFM operation presents significant challenges, primarily due to the need for manual intervention in key processes such as probe exchange, cantilever detection, laser beam alignment, and parameter optimization. These steps require a high level of expertise and a significant amount of time to be performed skillfully, often resulting in inconsistencies in measurement reliability and limiting throughput in high-demand research environments.

Scanning Electrochemical Cell Microscopy (SECCM) offers enhanced spatial resolution for visualizing electroactivity on surfaces. This study reveals potential-dependent electroactivity trends at both step edges and the basal plane of HOPG from the concurrent acquisition of topographical information and corresponding faradaic current maps. Statistical analysis of step edges underscores the relationship between thickness and electroactivity, contributing insights into the heterogeneous electroactivity patterns. The applied methodology allows for simultaneous topography and electroactivity mapping, with minimal electrolyte spread during potential-based measurements. These findings advance our understanding of electrocatalysis and its relevance for catalyst design and energy conversion processes with high accuracy and reliability.

With the evolution of nanotechnology, the need to understand nano-scale and sub nano-scale surface properties is becoming increasingly important. Particularly, surface properties such as topography and roughness play an important role in the overall performance of a material. For example, in integrated circuits manufacturing, chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) has been used to control the surface roughness of wafers and other substrates, which directly determines the reliability of final products [1,2]. In semiconductor devices packaging, wafer to wafer bonding quality is determined by the roughness of bonding surfaces. It was found that surfaces with high roughness values introduce voids in the bonded interface, and bonding failure occurs when the roughness exceeds a critical threshold [3]. In the field of scientific research, surface topography can be correlated with other material properties to better understand material behaviors for practical applications [4–6].