Numerical simulations for quantitative analysis of electrostatic interaction between atomic force microscopy probe and an embedded electrode within a thin dielectric: meshing optimization, sensitivity to potential distribution and impact of cantilever contribution

Recent experimental results demonstrated that an electrostatic force distance curve (EFDC) can be used for space charge probing in thin dielectric layers. A main advantage of the method is claimed to be its sensitivity to charge localization, which, however, needs to be substantiated by numerical si...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of physics. D, Applied physics Applied physics, 2018-03, Vol.51 (16), p.165302
Main Authors: Azib, M, Baudoin, F, Binaud, N, Villeneuve-Faure, C, Bugarin, F, Segonds, S, Teyssedre, G
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
AFM
Computer Science
electromechanical modeling
electrostatic force distance curve
Engineering Sciences
finite element method
Mathematics
mesh optimization
Optimization and Control
Robotics
Signal and Image processing
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Summary:Recent experimental results demonstrated that an electrostatic force distance curve (EFDC) can be used for space charge probing in thin dielectric layers. A main advantage of the method is claimed to be its sensitivity to charge localization, which, however, needs to be substantiated by numerical simulations. In this paper, we have developed a model which permits us to compute an EFDC accurately by using the most sophisticated and accurate geometry for the atomic force microscopy probe. To avoid simplifications and in order to reproduce experimental conditions, the EFDC has been simulated for a system constituted of a polarized electrode embedded in a thin dielectric layer (SiNx). The individual contributions of forces on the tip and on the cantilever have been analyzed separately to account for possible artefacts. The EFDC sensitivity to potential distribution is studied through the change in electrode shape, namely the width and the depth. Finally, the numerical results have been compared with experimental data.
ISSN:0022-3727
1361-6463
DOI:10.1088/1361-6463/aab286