• Transactions of the Korean Society of Machine Tool Engineers
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.22-30
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• 2005

This paper proposes a measurement method for the surface shape of micro-parts by using an atomic force microscope(AFM). To this end, two techniques are presented: First, the measurement range is expanded by using an image matching method based on correlation coefficients. To account for the inaccuracy of the coarse stage implemented in AFM, the image matching technique is applied to two neighboring images intentionally overlapped with each other. Second, a method to measure the shape of relatively large specimen is proposed that utilizes the inherent trigger mechanism due to the atomic force. The proposed methods are proved effective through a series of experiments.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.23 no.4 s.181
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• pp.52-59
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• 2006

Surface qualities of a micro-processed sample with a pulse laser have been investigated by making use of scanning confocal microscope(SCM) and atomic force microscope(AFM). Samples are bump electrodes and ITO glass of LCD module used in a mobile phone and a wafer surface scribed by UV laser. A image of $140{\times}120{\mu}m^2$ is obtained within 1 second by SCM because scan speed of a x-axis and y-axis are 1kHz and 1Hz, respectively. AFM is able to correctly measure the hight and width of ITO, and scribing depth and width of a wafer with a resolution less than 300nm. However, the scan speed is slow and it is difficult to distinguish a surface composed of different kinds of materials. Results show that SCM is preferable to obtain a image of a sample composed of different kinds of material than AFM because the intensity of a reflected light from the surface is different for each material.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.96-104
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• 2007

Calibration of the spring constants of atomic force microscopy (AFM) cantilevers is one of the issues in biomechanics and nanomechanies for quantified force metrology at pieo- or nano Newton level. In this paper, we present an AFM cantilever calibration system: the Nano Force Calibrator (NFC), which consists of a precision balance and a one-dimensional stage. Three types of AFM cantilevers (contact and tapping mode) with different shapes (beam and V) and spring constants (42, 1, 0.06 N $m^{-1}$) are investigated using the NFC. The calibration results show that the NFC can calibrate the micro cantilevers ranging from 0.01 ${\sim}$ 100 N $m^{-1}$ with relative uncertainties of less than 2%.

• Korean Journal of Optics and Photonics
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.201-209
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• 2022

The previously developed microspot spectroscopic ellipsometer (SE) is upgraded to a microspot SE compatible with the atomic force microscope (AFM). The focusing optical system of the previous microspot SE is optimized to incorporate an AFM head. In addition, the rotating compensator ellipsometer in polarizer-sample-compensator-analyzer configuration is adopted in order to minimize the negative effects caused by beam wobble. This research leads to the derivation of the expressions needed to get spectro-ellipsometric constants despite the fact that the employed rotating compensator is far from the ideal achromatic quarter-wave plate. The spot size of the developed microspot SE is less than 20 ㎛ while the AFM head is mounted. It operates in the wavelength range of 190-850 nm and has a measurement accuracy of δΔ ≤ 0.05° and δΨ ≤ 0.02°, respectively. Fast measurement of ≤3 s/sp is realized by precisely synchronizing the azimuthal angle of a rotating compensator with the spectrograph. The microspot SE integrated with an AFM is expected to be useful in characterizing the structure and optical properties of finely patterned samples.

• Vacuum Magazine
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.14-18
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• 2016

In this article, we will summarize recent advances in ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) during the last decade. Leading STM groups have finished or are constructing UHV milli-Kelvin high magnetic field STM capable of a few tens of milli-Kelvin and ~ 10 tesla. Applications with UHV sub-Kelvin high magnetic STM have been increased since mid-2000's. Active research using UHV low temperature tuning fork atomic force microscopes and UHV photon low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopes will be introduced. Considering these advances of UHV low-temperature STM we will discuss next trend in STM in the near future.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.395-402
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• 2011

The nanomechanical properties of fully lithiated and unlithiated silicon nanowire deposited on silicon substrate have been studied with atomic force microscopy. Silicon nanowires were synthesized using the vapor-liquid-solid process on stainless steel substrates using Au catalyst. Fully lithiated silicon nanowires were obtained by using the electrochemical method, followed by drop-casting on the silicon substrate. The roughness, derived from a line profile of the surface measured in contact mode atomic force microscopy, has a smaller value ($0.65{\pm}0.05$ nm) for lithiated silicon nanowire and a higher value ($1.72{\pm}0.16$ nm) for unlithiated silicon nanowire. Force spectroscopy was utilitzed to study the influence of lithiation on the tip-surface adhesion force. Lithiated silicon nanowire revealed a smaller value (~15 nN) than that of the Si nanowire substrate (~60 nN) by a factor of two, while the adhesion force of the silicon nanowire is similar to that of the silicon substrate. The elastic local spring constants obtained from the force-distance curve, also shows that the unlithiated silicon nanowire has a relatively smaller value (16.98 N/m) than lithiated silicon nanowire (66.30 N/m) due to the elastically soft amorphous structures. The frictional forces of lithiated and unlithiated silicon nanowire were obtained within the range of 0.5-4.0 Hz and 0.01-200 nN for velocity and load dependency, respectively. We explain the trend of adhesion and modulus in light of the materials properties of silicon and lithiated silicon. The results suggest a useful method for chemical identification of the lithiated region during the charging and discharging process.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2013.02a
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• pp.599-599
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• 2013

최근의 원자간력현미경(AFM)은 생체물질을 대상으로 여러 구조적 형상뿐만 아니라 물리적 특성 측정이 가능하여 바이오분야에 다양이 활용되고 있다. 줄기세포의 신경세포로 분화 인지에 대한 연구와 관련하여 본 연구에서는 AFM의 한 기능인 Force-Distance curve 측정법을 활용하여 신경암세포주라 불리는 SH-SY5Y를 대상으로 분화 전과 후의 세포막의 stiffness 변화를 측정하였다. 세포막의 stiffness값은 시료표면과 맞닿은 AFM 탐침에 계속적으로 수직방향의 힘이 가해질 시 AFM 캔티레버의 구부러짐 정도로 측정된다. SH-SY5Y는 RA (retinoic acid) 처리에 의해 분화유도 되었으며, 생물학적 방법인 western blotting법을 통해 분화여부를 확인하였다. 측정영역은 AFM topography 이미지 상에서 roughness가 가장 낮은 분화 전과 후 SH-SY5Y의 핵 주변영역으로 선정하였다. 선정된 영역 내에 여러 부분의 분화 전후 세포막의 stiffness 값을 측정하여 통계화한 결과, 분화 전과 후 세포막의 stiffness 차이를 확인할 수 있었다. 분화 전 SH-SY5Y 세포막의 stiffness는 0.79445 N/m인 반면, 분화 후 SH-SY5Y 세포막의stiffness는 0.60324 N/m로 확인되었다. 이는 분화 전에 비하여 분화 후 SH-SY5Y 세포막의 stiffness가 약 24.07% 감소된 것으로 판단할 수 있다. 본 연구는 생물학적 복잡한 방법이 아닌 간단한 방법으로 세포의 stiffness의 변화 측정을 통한 세포의 분화를 판별할 수 있는 방법을 개발한 것으로 여러 줄기세포의 특정세포로 분화여부 판단에 활용할 수 있을 것으로 사료된다.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2005.10a
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• pp.59-62
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• 2005

Small force measurements ranging from 1 pN to $100{\mu}N$, we call it Nano Force, become the questions of common interests of biomechanics, nanomechanics, material researches, and so on. However, unfortunately, quantitative and accurate force measurements have not been taken so far. This is because there ,are no traceable force standards and a calibration scheme. This paper introduces a quantitative force metrology, which provides traceable link to SI (International Systems of Units). We realize SI traceable force ranging from 1 nN to $100{\mu}N$ using an electrostatic balance and disseminate it through transfer standards, which are self-sensing cantilevers that have integrated piezoresistive strain gages. We have been built a prototype electrostatic balance and Nano Force Calibrator (NFC), which is an AFM cantilever calibration system. As a first experiment, we calibrated normal spring constants of commercial AFM cantilevers using NFC. Calibration results show that the spring constants of them are quite differ from each other and nominal values provided by a manufacturer (up to 240% deviation).

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2010.02a
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• pp.78-78
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• 2010

그래핀(Graphene)은 탄소원자가 육각형 벌집(honeycomb)구조로 빼곡히 채워진 2차원의 단원자 층으로 역학적 강도와 우수한 화학적/열적 안정성 및 흥미로운 전기 전도 특성을 가지고 있다. 이러한 그래핀의 우수한 특성으로 인하여 현재 기초연구뿐만 아니라 응용연구 등 많은 연구들이 진행되고 있다. 일반적으로 그래핀의 우수한 물리적 특성들은 그래핀의 층수, 모서리(edge)구조, 결함(defect), 불순물 등에 의해 크게 좌우되는 것으로 알려져 있다. 따라서 그래핀의 구조 및 결함정도를 자유로이 제어하고 그에 따르는 특성 변화를 관찰하는 것은 기초연구의 측면에서 뿐만 아니라 향후 그래핀 응용에 있어서도 매우 중요하다고 할 수 있다. 본 연구에서는 그래핀의 내산화 특성을 연구하기 위하여, 그래핀을 열 및 플라즈마 산화 분위기에 노출시킨 후, Raman 분광법을 이용하여 광학적, 구조적 변화를 분석함으로써 그래핀의 내산화 특성에 대하여 조사하였다. 그래핀은 실리콘 웨이퍼에 전자빔증착법으로 니켈박막을 증착한 후 열화학증기증착법으로 합성하였으며, 메탄가스를 원료가스로 $900^{\circ}C$ 전후에서 합성하였다. 합성한 그래핀은 산화반응 시 기판의 영향을 제거하기 위하여 트렌치 구조의 기판 위에 전사(transfer)함으로써 공중에 떠있는 구조를 구현하였다. 열 산화의 경우, 합성한 그래핀을 대기분위기의 고온($500^{\circ}C$) 챔버에 넣고 처리시간에 따른 특성변화를 살펴보았다. 플라즈마 산화의 경우는 공기를 이용하여 직류플라즈마를 발생시킨 후 0.4 W의 낮은 플라즈마 파워를 이용하여 플라즈마 산화처리와 특성평가를 매회 반복하였다. 그래핀의 특성분석은 Raman분광기와 광학현미경, 원자힘현미경(AFM) 등을 이용하여 분석하였으며, 상기 결과들은 향후 산화환경에서의 그래핀 응용소자 개발에 유용할 것으로 예상된다.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.467-473
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• 2013

In this study, two-dimensional finite element models were developed and experiments were conducted using an atomic force microscope to investigate the tribological characteristics of an SU-8 layer coated on a patterned wafer for microsystem applications. The results revealed that both the adhesion and the friction forces measured by the atomic force microscope were lower for the SU-8 coated surface than for the bare silicon surface. This is attributed to the hydrophobicity of SU-8. Another important result derived from the finite element analysis was the critical load required to fracture the SU-8 film with respect to the thickness. The critical loads for thicknesses of 200, 400, and 800 nm were approximately 13, 22, and 28 mN, respectively, which corresponded to a Hertzian contact pressure of 1.2-1.8 GPa. These results will aid in the design of a suitable SU-8 thickness for microsystem components that are in contact with one another.