AVS 45th International Symposium
    Nanometer-scale Science and Technology Division Friday Sessions
       Session NS+AS-FrM

Paper NS+AS-FrM1
Nanoscale Variations in Surface Potentials at Interfaces

Friday, November 6, 1998, 8:20 am, Room 321/322/323

Session: Innovative Nanoscale Measurements
Presenter: B.D. Huey, University of Pennsylvania
Authors: B.D. Huey, University of Pennsylvania
D.A. Bonnell, University of Pennsylvania
Correspondent: Click to Email
Nanoscale variations in the electronic properties of individual oxide grain boundaries have been directly measured. In-situ application of atomic force microscopy used as a Kelvin probe maps local field variations in the presence of lateral applied bias and current flow within an oxide grain boundary device, providing measurements while the device is in operation. The in-situ experiment involves: 1) applying a lateral bias across microfabricated contacts on varistor and SrTiO@sub 3@ bicrystals, and 2) simultaneously mapping the surface potential in the vicinity of grain boundaries. Voltage dependent properties of both multiple boundaries as well as carefully characterized individual interfaces are thus measured. The non-linear voltage dependence of potential barriers at the grain boundaries is additionally obtained at the nanoscale as a function of local orientation, chemical content, and position.