Scanning

capacitance
microscopy
&
Piezo force
microscopy
DI1NESH.K.
2009206027
07/24/15 M.E.CIM (III SEM)

Scanning
Capacitance Microscopy (SCM)
Scanning
capacitance
microscopy (SCM) is a variety of
scanning probe microscopy.
Scanning Capacitance Microscopy (SCM)
is preferably used to:
image dopant variations in semiconductor
devices.
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HOW SCM WORKS?

A Metal/Oxide/Semiconductor (MOS) capacitor
is formed between the SCM tip and the sample
surface when the SCM tip is brought into close
proximity with the sample surface.
where:
M - metal probe,
S - semiconductor material
O -thin dielectric formed on the semiconductor
surface.
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Scanning capacitance
microscopy

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Scanning capacitance
microscopy

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HOW SCM WORKS?

Free carriers within the sample move
under the influence of an AC electric field
applied by the conductive probe (tip).

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HOW SCM WORKS?

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HOW SCM WORKS?

The capacitance measured by GHz
resonant capacitance sensor varies as
the carriers move towards (accumulation)
and away from (depletion) the probe.

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HOW SCM WORKS?

When the sample is fully depleted the
measured capacitance is that of the oxide
plus the depletion layer.
When carriers are accumulated at the
surface, the measured capacitance is that
of the oxide layer.
This capacitance variation in response to
the tip-applied field forms the basis of the
SCM measurement.
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capacitance
The capacitance between two parallel plates is given by;
C = A/t
Where:
is the dielectric constant
A is the area
t is the spacing between the plates
Therefore capacitance is high when the plates are
closest.
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CV curves for a heavily and a lowly

doped n-type semiconductor

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CV curve
For heavily doped materials the carriers
do not move far. Hence, the measured
capacitance
variation
between
accumulation and depletion is small.
The lightly doped semiconductors yield a
large capacitance change.

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CV curve
From the CV curve we infer that an
applied AC bias V between the tip and
sample will produce a corresponding
capacitance variation, C.
The amplitude of this capacitance
variation yields information about the level
of dopant directly beneath the tip.

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HOW SCM WORKS?

A lock-in amplifier amplifies the capacitance variation,
C, measured by the sensor.
Output from the lock-in amplifi er in the form of C/V
amplitude and/or phase is then displayed as an image.
A contrast mechanism for the image is the change in the
measured capacitance and hence contained within the
image is information on both the dopant level as well as
the dopant species.

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SCM images of SRAM

support circuitry

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Scanning capacitance
microscopy

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ADVANTAGE
SCM functions even through an insulating
layer, thus a finite conductivity is not
required to measure the electrical
properties.

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Applications
nanospectroscopy characterization
mapping
the dopant profile
in
semiconductor device on a 10 nm scale.
image compressible strips in a twodimensional electron gas (2DEG) buried
50 nm below an insulating layer in a large
magnetic
field
and
at
cryogenic
temperatures.[7]
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PIEZO FORCE
MICROSCOPY

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Piezo force microscopy (PFM)

Piezo force microscopy (PFM), or piezo
response atomic force microscopy (PRAFM) is used to characterize the
electromechanical
response
of
a
ferroelectric material.

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Piezo Force Microscopy (PFM)

For accessing ferroelectric properties on
the nano scale.
For imaging of ferroelectric domain
structures on the 3-10 nm level.
For providing direct information on
localized electromechanical activity.

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How PFM works?

In PFM operation, a conductive AFM tip is
brought into contact with the surface of the
studied ferroelectric or piezoelectric
materials,
A pre-set voltage is applied between the
sample surface and the AFM tip,
establishing an external electric field within
the sample.
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Set up of PFM

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Set up of PFM

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How PFM works?

Due to the electrostriction, or "inversed
piezoelectric" effects of ferroelectric or
piezoelectric materials, the sample locally
expands or contracts according to the electric
field.
If the initial polarization of the electrical domain
of the measured sample is perpendicular to the
sample surface, and parallel to the applied
electric field, the domains would experience a
vertical expansion.
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How PFM works?

Since the AFM tip is in contact with the sample
surface, the domain expansion bends the AFM
cantilever upwards, and results in an increased
deflection compared to the status before
applying the electric field.
Conversely, if the initial domain polarization is
anti-parallel to the applied electric field, the
domain would contract and in turn result in a
decreased cantilever deflection.
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How PFM works?

The amount of cantilever deflection
change is directly related to the amount of
expansion or contraction of the sample
electric domains, and hence proportional
to the applied electric field.

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How PFM works?

Mapping of the amplitude and phase of the
displacement allows imaging of ferroelectric
domain structures with ~3-10 nm resolution.
Therefore, PFM imaging provides direct insight
into the nanoelectromechanics of ferro- and
piezoelectric materials on the length scales
defined by radius of the tip-surface contact and
the radius of curvature of the tip.

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PFM amplitude and phase images

obtained on PZT-5H sample

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ADVANTAGES
Piezoresponse Force Microscopy (PFM) is
popular due to
ease of implementation,
high resolution and
insensitivity to topography.

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References
Scanning Capacitance Microscopy by Andy
Erickson, Peter Harris of MULTIPROBE
Scanning Capacitance Microscopy (SCM) C.
C. Williams, J. Slinkman et al (1989)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scanning_capacitanc
e_microscopy
Dual frequency resonance-tracking piezo force
microscopy Keef, Asylum Research
www.parkAFM.com
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Thank you for

your time
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