Impact of GaAs(100) surface preparation on EQE of AZO/Al₂O₃/p-GaAs photovoltaic structures

• Piotr Caban,
• Rafał Pietruszka,
• Jarosław Kaszewski,
• Monika Ożga,
• Bartłomiej S. Witkowski,
• Krzysztof Kopalko,
• Piotr Kuźmiuk,
• Katarzyna Gwóźdź,
• Ewa Płaczek-Popko,
• Krystyna Lawniczak-Jablonska and
• Marek Godlewski

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 578–592, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.48

• /interface needs to be properly prepared. In the experiments described here we examined eight different paths of GaAs surface treatment (cleaning, etching, passivation) which resulted in different external quantum efficiency (EQE) values of the tested photovoltaic (PV) cells. Atomic force microscopy (AFM

Local stiffness and work function variations of hexagonal boron nitride on Cu(111)

• Abhishek Grewal,
• Yuqi Wang,
• Matthias Münks,
• Klaus Kern and
• Markus Ternes

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 559–565, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.46

• , CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland II. Institute of Physics, RWTH Aachen University, D-52074 Aachen, Germany 10.3762/bjnano.12.46 Abstract Combined scanning tunnelling and atomic force microscopy using a qPlus sensor enables the measurement of electronic and mechanic properties of two-dimensional

• non-contact atomic force microscopy (nc-AFM) to study h-BN on Cu(111). This template has interesting properties because the dielectric layer is only very weakly bound to the metal and shows an electronically induced Moiré superstructure [25][26]. First STM studies on this system pointed to only a

Determining amplitude and tilt of a lateral force microscopy sensor

• Oliver Gretz,
• Alfred J. Weymouth,
• Thomas Holzmann,
• Korbinian Pürckhauer and
• Franz J. Giessibl

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 517–524, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.42

• frequency-modulation atomic force microscopy, the tip oscillates parallel to the surface. Existing amplitude calibration methods are not applicable for mechanically excited LFM sensors at low temperature. Moreover, a slight angular offset of the oscillation direction (tilt) has a significant influence on

• for a given amplitude and tilt. Finally, the amplitude and tilt are determined by fitting the simulation output to the data with oscillation. Keywords: frequency-modulation atomic force microscopy; lateral force microscopy; amplitude calibration; tilt estimation; Introduction Frequency-modulation

• atomic force microscopy (AFM) is a non-contact atomic force microscopy technique where the frequency shift (Δf) of an oscillating tip is detected [1]. The frequency shift is a measure of the total force gradient acting on the tip, which includes both long-range and short-range contributions. A typical

Boosting of photocatalytic hydrogen evolution via chlorine doping of polymeric carbon nitride

• Malgorzata Aleksandrzak,
• Michalina Kijaczko,
• Wojciech Kukulka,
• Daria Baranowska,
• Martyna Baca,
• Beata Zielinska and
• Ewa Mijowska

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 473–484, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.38

• , carbon, oxygen, and chlorine in Cl-PCN was performed and showed homogeneous distribution of all elements in the sample. As analyzed via atomic force microscopy (AFM, Figure 2a and Figure 2b) the as-prepared PCN aggregated as large sheets with thickness ranging from 1 to 4 nm (corresponding to 3–11 atomic

Reconstruction of a 2D layer of KBr on Ir(111) and electromechanical alteration by graphene

• Zhao Liu,
• Antoine Hinaut,
• Stefan Peeters,
• Sebastian Scherb,
• Ernst Meyer,
• Maria Clelia Righi and
• Thilo Glatzel

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 432–439, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.35

• reconstruction of a two-dimensional layer of KBr on an Ir(111) surface is observed by high-resolution noncontact atomic force microscopy and verified by density functional theory (DFT). The observed KBr structure is oriented along the main directions of the Ir(111) surface, but forms a characteristic double-line

• with unconventional stoichiometries have been observed indirectly on graphene surfaces [37]. Here, we report on the formation of irregularly shaped KBr islands with corrugated stripe structures, observed on the (111) surface of Ir and analyzed by non-contact atomic force microscopy (nc-AFM) at room

• K). Atomic force microscopy Experiments were performed by using a custom-built UHV AFM microscope operating at room temperature and a base pressure of 5 × 10−11 mbar. All images were scanned with silicon cantilevers equipped with sharp tips (PPP-NCL, Nanosensors) running in noncontact AFM mode with

The nanomorphology of cell surfaces of adhered osteoblasts

• Christian Voelkner,
• Mirco Wendt,
• Regina Lange,
• Max Ulbrich,
• Martina Gruening,
• Susanne Staehlke,
• Barbara Nebe,
• Ingo Barke and
• Sylvia Speller

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 242–256, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.20

• signal is a force, pressure is applied to the sample. This is the case when using atomic force microscopy (AFM), giving rise to substantially depressed apparent heights on living and fixed cells [17]. Typically, mammalian cells exhibit Young's moduli in the range of 1 to 10 kPa while AFM probe pressures

Correction: Extracting viscoelastic material parameters using an atomic force microscope and static force spectroscopy

• Cameron H. Parvini,
• M. A. S. R. Saadi and
• Santiago D. Solares

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 137–138, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.10

• Cameron H. Parvini M. A. S. R. Saadi Santiago D. Solares Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, The George Washington University School of Engineering and Applied Science, 800 22nd St. NW, Suite 3000, Washington, DC 20052, United States 10.3762/bjnano.12.10 Keywords: atomic force

• microscopy (AFM); creep; force mapping; indentation; Kelvin–Voigt; static force spectroscopy (SFS); viscoelasticity; In the “Useful Viscoelastic Quantities” section of the original publication, it is stated that the storage modulus (E′) and storage compliance (J′) are inverses of one another (Equation 10

Fusion of purple membranes triggered by immobilization on carbon nanomembranes

• René Riedel,
• Natalie Frese,
• Fang Yang,
• Martin Wortmann,
• Raphael Dalpke,
• Daniel Rhinow,
• Norbert Hampp and
• Armin Gölzhäuser

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 93–101, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.8

• histidine-tag at the extracellular side of a PM mutant (c-His PM). The functionalization and the resulting hybrid membrane were examined by atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), and infrared

Numerical analysis of vibration modes of a qPlus sensor with a long tip

• Kebei Chen,
• Zhenghui Liu,
• Yuchen Xie,
• Chunyu Zhang,
• Gengzhao Xu,
• Wentao Song and
• Ke Xu

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 82–92, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.7

• the optimal diameter was found to be 0.1 mm. Keywords: finite element method; long tilted tip; noncontact atomic force microscopy; qPlus sensor; quartz tuning fork; simulations; Introduction Quartz tuning forks are widely used in the watch industry because of their low frequency offset over a wide

• and fq in the in-phase mode (Figure 3 and Figure 6). We found a 0.05 mm tip has the best performance when the tip length is 0.65 mm in the anti-phase mode. However, Ax/Az in the anti-phase mode is 2.36, that is, φ is 23°. In frequency modulation-atomic force microscopy (FM-AFM), the frequency shift Δf

Bulk chemical composition contrast from attractive forces in AFM force spectroscopy

• Dorothee Silbernagl,
• Media Ghasem Zadeh Khorasani,
• Natalia Cano Murillo,
• Anna Maria Elert and
• Heinz Sturm

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 58–71, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.5

• of atomic force microscopy (AFM) is the measurement of physical properties at sub-micrometer resolution. Methods such as force–distance curves (FDCs) or dynamic variants (such as intermodulation AFM (ImAFM)) are able to measure mechanical properties (such as the local stiffness, kr) of nanoscopic

• determined. Keywords: AFM force spectroscopy; composites; principle component analysis; structure–property correlation; van der Waals forces; Introduction The mechanical properties of small volumes of materials can be measured using various atomic force microscopy (AFM) methods. The well-established force

Atomic layer deposited films of Al₂O₃ on fluorine-doped tin oxide electrodes: stability and barrier properties

• Hana Krýsová,
• Michael Neumann-Spallart,
• Hana Tarábková,
• Pavel Janda,
• Ladislav Kavan and
• Josef Krýsa

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 24–34, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.2

• 7.2). Chronoamperometric measurements were performed in buffered solution (pH 7.2) at −1.2 V (vs Ag/AgCl). The morphology of the films was characterized ex situ, under ambient conditions, by atomic force microscopy (AFM, Dimension Icon, Bruker, USA) in a semicontact (tapping) mode. A silicon

Nanomechanics of few-layer materials: do individual layers slide upon folding?

• Ronaldo J. C. Batista,
• Rafael F. Dias,
• Ana P. M. Barboza,
• Alan B. de Oliveira,
• Taise M. Manhabosco,
• Thiago R. Gomes-Silva,
• Matheus J. S. Matos,
• Andreij C. Gadelha,
• Cassiano Rabelo,
• Luiz G. L. Cançado,
• Ado Jorio,
• Hélio Chacham and
• Bernardo R. A. Neves

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 1801–1808, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.162

• methods; atomic force microscopy (AFM); molecular dynamics (MD); Raman spectroscopy; nanostructured materials; Introduction Layered materials such as graphite, talc, and transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), held together by strong covalent bonds within layers and relatively weak van der Waals

Mapping of integrated PIN diodes with a 3D architecture by scanning microwave impedance microscopy and dynamic spectroscopy

• Rosine Coq Germanicus,
• Peter De Wolf,
• Florent Lallemand,
• Catherine Bunel,
• Serge Bardy,
• Hugues Murray and
• Ulrike Lüders

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 1764–1775, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.159

• ) (doped semiconducting layers) and “back end of line” (BEOL) layers (metallization, trench dielectric, and isolation) of highly integrated microelectronic devices. Based on atomic force microscopy, an electromagnetically shielded and electrically conductive tip is used in scanning microwave impedance

• complete parametric investigation, is performed with a dynamic spectroscopy method. The results emphasize the strong impact, in terms of distinction and location, of the applied bias on the local sMIM measurements for both FEOL and BEOL layers. Keywords: atomic force microscopy (AFM); DataCube; doping

• crucial to optimize and increase the device integration. In order to map the electrical properties of microelectronic materials with a high spatial resolution, scanning probe microscopy (SPM), based on atomic force microscopy (AFM), offers several modes based on the control of electrical conduction and on

Direct observation of the Si(110)-(16×2) surface reconstruction by atomic force microscopy

• Tatsuya Yamamoto,
• Ryo Izumi,
• Kazushi Miki,
• Takahiro Yamasaki,
• Yasuhiro Sugawara and
• Yan Jun Li

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 1750–1756, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.157

• , Himeji, Hyogo 671-2280, Japan Institute for Nanoscience Design, Osaka University, 1-2 Machikaneyama, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-0043, Japan 10.3762/bjnano.11.157 Abstract The atomic arrangement of the Si(110)-(16×2) reconstruction was directly observed using noncontact atomic force microscopy (NC-AFM) at 78 K

• between upper and lower terraces, which have not been reported using STM. These findings are key evidence for establishing an atomic model of the Si(110)-(16×2) reconstruction, which indeed has a complex structure. Keywords: atomic force microscopy (AFM); noncontact atomic force microscopy (NC-AFM); Si

• regarding the atomic structure of the reconstruction that includes both pentagons and step edges is insufficient. In this study, the Si(110)-(16×2) reconstruction will be investigated by atomic force microscopy (AFM) at 78 K to directly observe the atomic arrangement of the reconstruction. In this work, we

PEG/PEI-functionalized single-walled carbon nanotubes as delivery carriers for doxorubicin: synthesis, characterization, and in vitro evaluation

• Shuoye Yang,
• Zhenwei Wang,
• Yahong Ping,
• Yuying Miao,
• Yongmei Xiao,
• Lingbo Qu,
• Lu Zhang,
• Yuansen Hu and
• Jinshui Wang

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 1728–1741, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.155

• ). Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectra in the range from 500 to 4000 cm−1 were recorded with a FTIR spectrometer (Nicolet IS10). X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis was conducted using a BRUKER D8 X-ray diffractometer in the 2θ range of 0–100° at a scanning rate of 5°·min−1. For atomic force microscopy

Application of contact-resonance AFM methods to polymer samples

• Sebastian Friedrich and
• Brunero Cappella

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 1714–1727, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.154

• . Keywords: atomic force microscopy; contact resonance; mechanical properties; polymers; wear; Introduction The development of new materials for applications on the nanoscale, such as thin polymer films, demands a reliable determination of their mechanical properties. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is a very

• obtained sample thickness could be varied. Films with a thickness larger than 400 nm are considered as bulk, since the substrate does not influence the mechanical properties of the sample [31]. Contact-resonance mode AFM Contact-resonance atomic force microscopy (CR-AFM) measurements have been performed

Out-of-plane surface patterning by subsurface processing of polymer substrates with focused ion beams

• Serguei Chiriaev,
• Luciana Tavares,
• Vadzim Adashkevich,
• Arkadiusz J. Goszczak and
• Horst-Günter Rubahn

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 1693–1703, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.151

• [4], in which 15 nm Pt60Pd40 films were patterned. Also, for the same reason of a more direct comparison, 200 nm thick PMMA substrates were used in this work to study possible effects of changing ion masses. Results and Discussion Irradiation of PMMA Figure 1 shows an example of an atomic force

• microscopy (AFM) image and the corresponding depth profile for a surface region of the Pt60Pd40/PMMA sample irradiated with He+ FIB at a fluence of 1.0 × 1016 cm−2. It is evident that the irradiation homogeneously lowers the entire irradiated surface to a depth of approx. 80 nm. For convenience, we define

Detecting stable adsorbates of (1S)-camphor on Cu(111) with Bayesian optimization

• Jari Järvi,
• Patrick Rinke and
• Milica Todorović

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 1577–1589, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.140

• electronic properties of the material. Assemblies of organic molecules on surfaces have been studied experimentally, for example with X-ray diffraction [4][5], scanning tunneling microscopy [6][7][8] and atomic force microscopy (AFM) [9][10][11]. These methods have a considerable resolution in imaging planar

Fabrication of nano/microstructures for SERS substrates using an electrochemical method

• Jingran Zhang,
• Tianqi Jia,
• Xiaoping Li,
• Junjie Yang,
• Zhengkai Li,
• Guangfeng Shi,
• Xinming Zhang and
• Zuobin Wang

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 1568–1576, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.139

• over a 20 × 20 μm2 area. Before the tests, the Raman spectra were rectified using a standard Si substrate. A Raman intensity peak of 1362 cm−1 for R6G was chosen in the experiment. An atomic force microscopy (AFM) system (Dimension Icon, Bruker, Germany) was employed to detect the two-dimensional and

Design of V-shaped cantilevers for enhanced multifrequency AFM measurements

• Mehrnoosh Damircheli and
• Babak Eslami

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 1525–1541, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.135

• ; Introduction Since the invention of atomic force microscopy (AFM), different techniques have been introduced into the field to enhance and improve this nanotechnology equipment. In 2004, multifrequency AFM was introduced as a technique that can capture both topographical and material composition in a single

• vibrational behavior of rectangular and V-shaped AFM cantilevers using FEM [27]. All abovementioned researchers focused on the accuracy and sensitivity of the microscope by interpreting and analyzing the dynamic and vibration behavior. One way to increase accuracy and sensitivity in atomic force microscopy is

• Mehrnoosh Damircheli Babak Eslami Department of Mechanical Engineering, Widener University, Chester, Pennsylvania, 19013, USA Department of Mechanical Engineering, Shahr-e-Qods Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran 10.3762/bjnano.11.135 Abstract As the application of atomic force

Protruding hydrogen atoms as markers for the molecular orientation of a metallocene

• Linda Laflör,
• Michael Reichling and
• Philipp Rahe

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 1432–1438, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.127

• acid (FDCA) molecules on bulk and thin film CaF2(111) surfaces with non-contact atomic force microscopy (NC-AFM). We use NC-AFM image calculations with the probe particle model to interpret this distinct shape by repulsive interactions between the NC-AFM tip and the top hydrogen atoms of the

• of the ferrocene moiety, herein on CaF2(111) surfaces, by using the protruding hydrogen atoms as markers. Keywords: calcium fluoride (CaF2); ferrocene; functionalised tips; high-resolution imaging; non-contact atomic force microscopy; Introduction It is still a challenge to determine the precise

• employed for the investigation of both ordered and unordered molecular systems as well as of individual and isolated species [4][5][6]. For example, two different non-planar isomers of dibenzo[a,h]thianthrene molecules could be identified by high-resolution non-contact atomic force microscopy (NC-AFM) [7

On the frequency dependence of viscoelastic material characterization with intermittent-contact dynamic atomic force microscopy: avoiding mischaracterization across large frequency ranges

• Enrique A. López-Guerra and
• Santiago D. Solares

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 1409–1418, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.125

• Enrique A. Lopez-Guerra Santiago D. Solares The George Washington University, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Washington, DC 20052, USA Park Systems Inc., Santa Clara, CA, 95054, USA 10.3762/bjnano.11.125 Abstract Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is a widely use technique to

• help inform dynamic AFM characterization. Keywords: dynamic atomic force microscopy; Generalized Maxwell model; loss modulus; storage modulus; viscoelasticity; Introduction There have been significant methodology developments since the introduction of atomic force microscopy (AFM) in the mid-1980s [1

Atomic defect classification of the H–Si(100) surface through multi-mode scanning probe microscopy

• Jeremiah Croshaw,
• Thomas Dienel,
• Taleana Huff and
• Robert Wolkow

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 1346–1360, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.119

• Nanotechnology Research Centre, National Research Council Canada, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2M9, Canada 10.3762/bjnano.11.119 Abstract The combination of scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM) and non-contact atomic force microscopy (nc-AFM) allows enhanced extraction and correlation of properties not readily

• . With this, we take the first steps toward enabling the creation of superior H–Si surfaces through an improved understanding of surface defects, ultimately leading to more consistent and reliable fabrication of atom scale devices. Keywords: atomic force microscopy; hydrogen-terminated silicon; scanning

• same side of two neighbouring dimers. Subsequently, the latter had been reassigned as an H, OH pair originating from dissociative attachment of a residual water molecule in the vacuum system [15][16][17]. Further insights became available by non-contact atomic force microscopy (nc-AFM), separating the

An atomic force microscope integrated with a helium ion microscope for correlative nanoscale characterization

• Santiago H. Andany,
• Gregor Hlawacek,
• Stefan Hummel,
• Charlène Brillard,
• Mustafa Kangül and
• Georg E. Fantner

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 1272–1279, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.111

• integration. Keywords: atomic force microscopy (AFM); combined setup; correlative microscopy; helium ion microscopy (HIM); self-sensing cantilevers; Introduction Shortly after the invention of the atomic force microscope (AFM) in 1986 [1], efforts were made towards combining this scanning probe microscopy

Ultrasensitive detection of cadmium ions using a microcantilever-based piezoresistive sensor for groundwater

• Dinesh Rotake,
• Anand Darji and
• Nitin Kale

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2020, 11, 1242–1253, doi:10.3762/bjnano.11.108

• . It was calibrated using atomic force microscopy (AFM) [40]. The process begins with thermal oxidation of Si at 1000 °C using an oxidation furnace to obtain a thermally grown SiO2 layer followed by masking and etching to get the desired pattern. The polysilicon is deposited in a low-pressure chemical

• . Comparison of different methods for cadmium detection. Funding The authors would like to thank Director of Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay for the support of atomic force microscopy under “Indian Nanoelectronics Users Program” and “Visvesvaraya Ph.D. Scheme for Electronics and IT” funded by the MeitY