An improved arc discharge method is developed to fabricate carbon nanotube probe of atomic force microscopy （AFM） here. First, silicon probe and carbon nanotube are manipulated under an optical microscope by two hig...An improved arc discharge method is developed to fabricate carbon nanotube probe of atomic force microscopy （AFM） here. First, silicon probe and carbon nanotube are manipulated under an optical microscope by two high precision microtranslators. When silicon probe and carbon nanotube are very close, several tens voltage is applied between them. And carbon nanotube is divided and attached to the end of silicon probe, which mainly due to the arc welding function. Comparing with the arc discharge method before, the new method here needs no coat silicon probe with metal film in advance, which can greatly reduce the fabrication＇s difficulty. The fabricated carbon nanotube probe shows good property of higher aspect ratio and can more accurately reflect the true topography of silicon grating than silicon probe. Under the same image drive force, carbon nanotube probe had less indentation depth on soft triblock copolymer sample than silicon probe. This showed that carbon nanotube probe has lower spring constant and less damage to the scan sample than silicon probe.展开更多
Recently,charged solitons have been found in a two-dimensional CoCl_(2)/HOPG system,whose microscopic nature remains to be elusive.In this work,we investigate the charged solitons in monolayer CoCl_(2) using scanning ...Recently,charged solitons have been found in a two-dimensional CoCl_(2)/HOPG system,whose microscopic nature remains to be elusive.In this work,we investigate the charged solitons in monolayer CoCl_(2) using scanning tunneling microscopy(STM)and atomic force microscopy(AFM).Moreover,we study the electrical properties of the charged solitons at zero electric field by measuring local contact potential difference(LCPD)via Kelvin probe force microscopy(KPFM)using the Δf(V)method.The compensation voltage corresponding to the vertex of the parabola is obtained by fitting the quadratic relationship between Δf and sample bias.The results show that,without an external electric field,the solitons behave as negatively charged entities.Meanwhile,the LCPD mapping characterizes the spatial distribution of the potential at the charged solitons,which agrees well with those obtained from STM band bending measurements.展开更多
Scanning ion conductance microscopy（SICM） is an emerging non-destructive surface topography characterization apparatus with nanoscale resolution. However, the low regulating frequency of probe in most existing modul...Scanning ion conductance microscopy（SICM） is an emerging non-destructive surface topography characterization apparatus with nanoscale resolution. However, the low regulating frequency of probe in most existing modulated current based SICM systems increases the system noise, and has difficulty in imaging sample surface with steep height changes. In order to enable SICM to have the capability of imaging surfaces with steep height changes, a novel probe that can be used in the modulated current based bopping mode is designed. The design relies on two piezoelectric ceramics with different travels to separate position adjustment and probe frequency regulation in the Z direction. To fiarther improve the resonant frequency of the probe, the material and the key dimensions for each component of the probe are optimized based on the multi-objective optimization method and the finite element analysis. The optimal design has a resonant frequency of above 10 kHz. To validate the rationality of the designed probe, microstructured grating samples are imaged using the homebuilt modulated current based SICM system. The experimental results indicate that the designed high frequency probe can effectively reduce the spike noise by 26% in the average number of spike noise. The proposed design provides a feasible solution for improving the imaging quality of the existing SICM systems which normally use ordinary probes with relatively low regulating frequency.展开更多
Blind tip reconstruction(BTR) method is one of the favorable methods to estimate the atomic force microscopy(AFM) probe shape. The exact shape of the characterizer is not required for BTR, while the geometry of the sa...Blind tip reconstruction(BTR) method is one of the favorable methods to estimate the atomic force microscopy(AFM) probe shape. The exact shape of the characterizer is not required for BTR, while the geometry of the sample may affect the reconstruction significantly. A cone-shaped array sample was chosen as a characterizer to be evaluated. The target AFM probe to be reconstructed was a diamond triangular pyramid probe with two feature angles, namely front angle(FA) and back angle(BA). Four conical structures with different semi-angles were dilated by the pyramid probe. Simulation of scanning process demonstrates that it is easy to judge from the images of the isolated rotary structure, cone-shaped, the suitability of the sample to be a tip characterizer for a pyramid probe. The cone-shaped array sample was repeatedly scanned 50 times by the diamond probe using an AFM. The series of scanning images shrank gradually and more information of the probe was exhibited in the images, indicating that the characterizer has been more suitable for BTR. The feature angle FA of the characterizer increasingly reduces during the scanning process. A self-adaptive grinding between the probe and the characterizer contributes to BTR of the diamond pyramid probe.展开更多
The probe effect on the apparent image of biological atomic force microscopy was explored in this study, and the potential of AFM in conformational study of gene related biological processes was illustrated by the spe...The probe effect on the apparent image of biological atomic force microscopy was explored in this study, and the potential of AFM in conformational study of gene related biological processes was illustrated by the specific nanostructural information of a new antitumor drug binding to DNA.展开更多
Electronic interactions of the Group 2A elements with magnesium have been studied through the dilute solid solutions in binary Mg-Ca,Mg-Sr and Mg-Ba systems.This investigation incorporated the difference in the‘Work ...Electronic interactions of the Group 2A elements with magnesium have been studied through the dilute solid solutions in binary Mg-Ca,Mg-Sr and Mg-Ba systems.This investigation incorporated the difference in the‘Work Function'(ΔWF)measured via Kelvin Probe Force Microscopy(KPFM),as a property directly affected by interatomic bond types,i.e.the electronic structure,nanoindentation measurements,and Stacking Fault Energy values reported in the literature.It was shown that the nano-hardness of the solid-solutionα-Mg phase changed in the order of Mg-Ca>Mg-Sr>Mg-Ba.Thus,it was shown,by also considering the nano-hardness levels,that SFE of a solid-solution is closely correlated with its‘Work Function'level.Nano-hardness measurements on the eutectics andΔWF difference between eutectic phases enabled an assessment of the relative bond strength and the pertinent electronic structures of the eutectics in the three alloys.Correlation withΔWF and at least qualitative verification of those computed SFE values with some experimental measurement techniques were considered important as those computational methods are based on zero Kelvin degree,relatively simple atomic models and a number of assumptions.As asserted by this investigation,if the results of measurement techniques can be qualitatively correlated with those of the computational methods,it can be possible to evaluate the electronic structures in alloys,starting from binary systems,going to ternary and then multi-elemental systems.Our investigation has shown that such a qualitative correlation is possible.After all,the SFE values are not treated as absolute values but rather become essential in comparative investigations when assessing the influences of alloying elements at a fundamental level,that is,free electron density distributions.Our study indicated that the principles of‘electronic metallurgy'in developing multi-elemental alloy systems can be followed via practical experimental methods,i.e.ΔWF measurements using KPFM and nanoindentation.展开更多
We demonstrate the feasibility of simultancous multi-probe detection for an optcal-resolution photoacoustic microscopy(OR-PAM)system.OR-P AM has elicited the attention of biomedical imaging researchers because of its ...We demonstrate the feasibility of simultancous multi-probe detection for an optcal-resolution photoacoustic microscopy(OR-PAM)system.OR-P AM has elicited the attention of biomedical imaging researchers because of its optical absorption contrast and high spatial resolution with great imaging depth.OR-PAM allows label-free and noninvasive imaging by maximizing the optical absorption of endogenous biomolecules.However,given the inadequate absoption of some biomolcules,detection sensitivity at the same incident intensity requires improvement.In this study,a modulated continuous wave with power density less than 3mW/cm^(2)(1/4 of the ANSI safety limit)excited the weak photoacoustic(PA)signals of biological cells.A microcavity traneducer is developed based on the bulk modulus of gas five orders of magnitude lower than that of solid;air pressure variation is inversely proportional to cavity volume at the same temperature increase.Considering that a PA wave expands in various directions,detecting PA signals from different positions and adding them together can increase detection sensitivity and signal-to-noise ratio.Therefore,we employ four detectors to acquire tiny PA signals simul-taneously.Experimental results show that the developed OR-PAM system allows the label-free imaging of cells with weak optical absorption.展开更多
One of the most intriguing methods of mitigating the hydrogen embrittlement of steels entails nano-precipitates that can trap H from enriching at vulnerable locations.However,controversial findings have been reported ...One of the most intriguing methods of mitigating the hydrogen embrittlement of steels entails nano-precipitates that can trap H from enriching at vulnerable locations.However,controversial findings have been reported on whether the incoherent NbC precipitates trap hydrogen.Here,by using in-situ scan-ning Kelvin probe force microscopy(SKPFM),we reveal the dynamic interaction of H with the border area of incoherent NbC nanoprecipitates in steel.Results indicate that the interaction between H flux and the interfaces varies amongst different precipitates,implying that H-trapping behaviours of incoherent NbC precipitates could be intrinsically diverse.Potential origins underlying the distinct behaviours are analyzed.展开更多
The adsorption configurations of molecules adsorbed on substrates can significantly affect their physical and chemical properties. A standing configuration can be difficult to determine by traditional techniques, such...The adsorption configurations of molecules adsorbed on substrates can significantly affect their physical and chemical properties. A standing configuration can be difficult to determine by traditional techniques, such as scanning tunneling microscopy(STM) due to the superposition of electronic states. In this paper, we report the real-space observation of the standing adsorption configuration of phenylacetylene on Cu(111) by non-contact atomic force microscopy(nc-AFM).Deposition of phenylacetylene at 25 K shows featureless bright spots in STM images. Using nc-AFM, the line features representing the C–H and C–C bonds in benzene rings are evident, which implies a standing adsorption configuration. Further density functional theory(DFT) calculations reveal multiple optimized adsorption configurations with phenylacetylene breaking its acetylenic bond and forming C–Cu bond(s) with the underlying copper atoms, and hence stand on the substrate.By comparing the nc-AFM simulations with the experimental observation, we identify the standing adsorption configuration of phenylacetylene on Cu(111). Our work demonstrates an application of combining nc-AFM measurements and DFT calculations to the study of standing molecules on substrates, which enriches our knowledge of the adsorption behaviors of small molecules on solid surfaces at low temperatures.展开更多
The elastic indentation modulus and hardness of standard bulk materials and advanced thin films were determined by using the nanoindentation technique followed by the Oliver- Pharr post-treatment. After measurements w...The elastic indentation modulus and hardness of standard bulk materials and advanced thin films were determined by using the nanoindentation technique followed by the Oliver- Pharr post-treatment. After measurements with different loading/unloading schemes on chemically polished bulk titanium a substantial decrease of both modulus and hardness vs an increasing loading time was found. Then, hard nanostructured TiBN and TiCrBN thin films deposited by magnetron sputtering （using multiphase targets） on substrates of high roughness （sintered hard metal） and low roughness （silicon） were studied. Experimental modulus and hardness characterized by using two different nanoindenter tools were within the limits of standard deviation. However, a strong effect of roughness on the spread of the experimental values was observed and it was found that hardness and elastic indentation modulus obeyed a Gaussian distribution. The experimental data were discussed together with scanning probe microscopy （SPM） images of typical imprints taken after the nanoindentation tests and the local topographyls strong correlation with the results of nanoindentation was described.展开更多
Electron trapping properties at the HfO2/SiO2 interface have been measured through Kelvin Probe force microscopy,between room temperature and 90 ℃.The electron diffusion in HfO2 shows a multiple-step process.After in...Electron trapping properties at the HfO2/SiO2 interface have been measured through Kelvin Probe force microscopy,between room temperature and 90 ℃.The electron diffusion in HfO2 shows a multiple-step process.After injection,electrons diffuse quickly toward the HfO2/SiO2 interface and then diffuse laterally near the interface in two sub-steps：The first is a fast diffusion through shallow trap centers and the second is a slow diffusion through deep trap centers.Evolution of contact potential difference profile in the fast lateral diffusion sub-step was simulated by solving a diffusion equation with a term describing the charge loss.In this way,the diffusion coefficient and the average life time at different temperatures were extracted.A value of 0.57 eV was calculated for the activation energy of the shallow trap centers in HfO2.展开更多
Ferroelectric polymer nanocomposites possess exceptional electric properties with respect to the two otherwise uniform phases,which is commonly attributed to the critical role of the matrix-particle interfacial region...Ferroelectric polymer nanocomposites possess exceptional electric properties with respect to the two otherwise uniform phases,which is commonly attributed to the critical role of the matrix-particle interfacial region.However,the structure-property correlation of the interface remains unestablished,and thus,the design of ferroelectric polymer nanocompos-ite has largely relied on the trial-and-error method.Here,a strategy that combines multi-mode scanning probe microscopy-based electrical charac-terization and nano-infrared spectroscopy is developed to unveil the local structure-property correlation of the interface in ferroelectric polymer nano-composites.The results show that the type of surface modifiers decorated on the nanoparticles can significantly influence the local polar-phase content and the piezoelectric effect of the polymer matrix surrounding the nano-particles.The strongly coupled polar-phase content and piezoelectric effect measured directly in the interfacial region as well as the computed bonding energy suggest that the property enhancement originates from the formation of hydrogen bond between the surface modifiers and the ferroelectric polymer.It is also directly detected that the local domain size of the ferroelectric polymer can impact the energy level and distribution of charge traps in the interfacial region and eventually influence the local dielectric strength.展开更多
Semiconductor/metal junctions are widely discussed in photocatalysis.However,there is a notable scarcity of systematic studies focusing on photogenerated charge carrier transfer in such junctions.Herein,CdS/Pt,CdS/Au,...Semiconductor/metal junctions are widely discussed in photocatalysis.However,there is a notable scarcity of systematic studies focusing on photogenerated charge carrier transfer in such junctions.Herein,CdS/Pt,CdS/Au,and CdS/Ag are synthesized to serve as model systems for investigating the charge carrier transfer in semiconductor/metal junctions.Kelvin probe force microscopy is employed to visualize the transfer of photogenerated carriers in these materials.The results show that the electron transfer behavior under illumination is related to the conduction band position of CdS and the Fermi level position of the metal.Moreover,Schottky junctions hinder the transfer of photogenerated electrons from CdS to Pt and Au,whereas ohmic contacts facilitate the transfer of photogenerated electrons from CdS to Ag.This work provides novel insights into the mechanisms governing the transfer of photogenerated carriers in semiconductor/metal junctions.展开更多
Electronic properties of two-dimensional(2D) materials can be strongly modulated by localized strain. The typical spatial resolution of conventional Kelvin probe force microscopy(KPFM) is usually limited in a few hund...Electronic properties of two-dimensional(2D) materials can be strongly modulated by localized strain. The typical spatial resolution of conventional Kelvin probe force microscopy(KPFM) is usually limited in a few hundreds of nanometers, and it is difficult to characterize localized electronic properties of 2D materials at nanoscales. Herein, tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy(TERS) is proposed to combine with KPFM to break this restriction. TERS scan is conducted on ReS2bubbles deposited on a rough Au thin film to obtain strain distribution by using the Raman peak shift. The localized contact potential difference(CPD) is inversely calculated with a higher spatial resolution by using strain measured by TERS and CPD-strain working curve obtained using conventional KPFM and atomic force microscopy. This method enhances the spatial resolution of CPD measurements and can be potentially used to characterize localized electronic properties of 2D materials.展开更多
The microscopic physical properties of Hardened Cement Paste (HCP) surfaces were evaluated by using Scanning Probe Microscopy (SPM). The cement pastes were cured under a hydrostatic pressure of 400 MPa and the contact...The microscopic physical properties of Hardened Cement Paste (HCP) surfaces were evaluated by using Scanning Probe Microscopy (SPM). The cement pastes were cured under a hydrostatic pressure of 400 MPa and the contacting surfaces with a slide glass during the curing were studied. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) observation at a magnification of 7000 revealed smooth surfaces with no holes. The surface roughness calculated from the SPM measurement was 4 nm. The surface potential and the frictional force measured by SPM were uniform throughout the measured area 24 h after the curing. However, spots of low surface potential and stains of low frictional force and low viscoelasticity were observed one month after curing. This change was attributed to the carbonation of hydrates.展开更多
Monitoring the dynamics of cellular pseudopodia at nanoscale has become essential for understanding their diverse and complex functions in living cells.This is made possible by combining single-molecule localization m...Monitoring the dynamics of cellular pseudopodia at nanoscale has become essential for understanding their diverse and complex functions in living cells.This is made possible by combining single-molecule localization microscopy(SMLM)with self-blinking dyes.However,existing self-blinking dyes often face limitations,such as nonspecific blinking and low photostability,which can bring background noise and yield erroneous localization signals,hindering their effectiveness for nanoscale visualization.Here,we present a method for long-term SMLM imaging of cellular pseudopodia dynamics using a blinkogenic probe that exhibits self-blinking activation upon molecular recognition.This approach enabled the precise tracking of various pseudopodia structures,including filopodia,lamellipodia,and(tunneling nanotubes)-nanoscale(TNTs),in living cells.We monitored the growth and fusion of filopodia,as well as the extension and shrinkage of lamellipodia,in real-time.Additionally,we identified two distinct fusion modes between filopodia and lamellipodia and captured the formation of TNTs and their interactions with filopodia,demonstrating the probe's utility in visualizing real-time pseudopodia dynamics at nanoscale.展开更多
The microstructure of asphalt is investigated by atomic force microscopy （AFM）. In order to analyze the impacts of asphalt types on microstructures, two neat asphalts with different penetration grades （50# and 70#...The microstructure of asphalt is investigated by atomic force microscopy （AFM）. In order to analyze the impacts of asphalt types on microstructures, two neat asphalts with different penetration grades （50# and 70#） and one styrene-butadiene-styrene （SBS） modified asphalt are chosen. The influence of short-term aging is also studied. Based on the knowledge of asphalt＇s microproperties, the relationship between microstructures and healing property is analyzed. The results indicate that the microstructures of three asphalts are quite different and the effects of aging on the surface characteristics for different asphalts are also different. It is proposed that the bee structure is a type of wax crystal and it has a close relationship with the ＂bridge-healing＂ mechanism. The findings may reveal the formation mechanism of microstructure and the healing property for asphalts.展开更多
基金This project is supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.50205006).
文摘An improved arc discharge method is developed to fabricate carbon nanotube probe of atomic force microscopy （AFM） here. First, silicon probe and carbon nanotube are manipulated under an optical microscope by two high precision microtranslators. When silicon probe and carbon nanotube are very close, several tens voltage is applied between them. And carbon nanotube is divided and attached to the end of silicon probe, which mainly due to the arc welding function. Comparing with the arc discharge method before, the new method here needs no coat silicon probe with metal film in advance, which can greatly reduce the fabrication＇s difficulty. The fabricated carbon nanotube probe shows good property of higher aspect ratio and can more accurately reflect the true topography of silicon grating than silicon probe. Under the same image drive force, carbon nanotube probe had less indentation depth on soft triblock copolymer sample than silicon probe. This showed that carbon nanotube probe has lower spring constant and less damage to the scan sample than silicon probe.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(Grant Nos.2022YFA1403300 and 2019YFA0308404)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.11427902,11991060,12074075,12474165,12274084,and 12241402)+5 种基金Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Major Project(Grant No.2019SHZDZX01)Shanghai Municipal Natural Science Foundation(Grant No.22ZR1407400)Innovation Program for Quantum Science and Technology(Grant No.2024ZD0300104)Innovation Program of Shanghai Municipal Education Commission(Grant No.2023ZKZD03)Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality(Grant No.20JC1415900)China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(Grant No.KLH1512149).
文摘Recently,charged solitons have been found in a two-dimensional CoCl_(2)/HOPG system,whose microscopic nature remains to be elusive.In this work,we investigate the charged solitons in monolayer CoCl_(2) using scanning tunneling microscopy(STM)and atomic force microscopy(AFM).Moreover,we study the electrical properties of the charged solitons at zero electric field by measuring local contact potential difference(LCPD)via Kelvin probe force microscopy(KPFM)using the Δf(V)method.The compensation voltage corresponding to the vertex of the parabola is obtained by fitting the quadratic relationship between Δf and sample bias.The results show that,without an external electric field,the solitons behave as negatively charged entities.Meanwhile,the LCPD mapping characterizes the spatial distribution of the potential at the charged solitons,which agrees well with those obtained from STM band bending measurements.
基金Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.51375363)
文摘Scanning ion conductance microscopy（SICM） is an emerging non-destructive surface topography characterization apparatus with nanoscale resolution. However, the low regulating frequency of probe in most existing modulated current based SICM systems increases the system noise, and has difficulty in imaging sample surface with steep height changes. In order to enable SICM to have the capability of imaging surfaces with steep height changes, a novel probe that can be used in the modulated current based bopping mode is designed. The design relies on two piezoelectric ceramics with different travels to separate position adjustment and probe frequency regulation in the Z direction. To fiarther improve the resonant frequency of the probe, the material and the key dimensions for each component of the probe are optimized based on the multi-objective optimization method and the finite element analysis. The optimal design has a resonant frequency of above 10 kHz. To validate the rationality of the designed probe, microstructured grating samples are imaged using the homebuilt modulated current based SICM system. The experimental results indicate that the designed high frequency probe can effectively reduce the spike noise by 26% in the average number of spike noise. The proposed design provides a feasible solution for improving the imaging quality of the existing SICM systems which normally use ordinary probes with relatively low regulating frequency.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.51305298,No.51675379)Tianjin Research Program of Application Foundation and Advanced Technology(Grant No.13JCQNJC04700)
文摘Blind tip reconstruction(BTR) method is one of the favorable methods to estimate the atomic force microscopy(AFM) probe shape. The exact shape of the characterizer is not required for BTR, while the geometry of the sample may affect the reconstruction significantly. A cone-shaped array sample was chosen as a characterizer to be evaluated. The target AFM probe to be reconstructed was a diamond triangular pyramid probe with two feature angles, namely front angle(FA) and back angle(BA). Four conical structures with different semi-angles were dilated by the pyramid probe. Simulation of scanning process demonstrates that it is easy to judge from the images of the isolated rotary structure, cone-shaped, the suitability of the sample to be a tip characterizer for a pyramid probe. The cone-shaped array sample was repeatedly scanned 50 times by the diamond probe using an AFM. The series of scanning images shrank gradually and more information of the probe was exhibited in the images, indicating that the characterizer has been more suitable for BTR. The feature angle FA of the characterizer increasingly reduces during the scanning process. A self-adaptive grinding between the probe and the characterizer contributes to BTR of the diamond pyramid probe.
基金The support from Visiting Scholar Foundation of Key Lab in University and Chinese Education Foundation for Excellent Young Teachers as well as the support from Jiangsu province (BJ 99011 and BK 2001401) is greatly appreciated.
文摘The probe effect on the apparent image of biological atomic force microscopy was explored in this study, and the potential of AFM in conformational study of gene related biological processes was illustrated by the specific nanostructural information of a new antitumor drug binding to DNA.
基金financial support for this work provided by Eski sehir Technical University Scientific Research Projects Unit with Grant Number 20DRP059support provided by the Turkish Ministry of Science,Industry and Technology under the SANTEZ Project 0286.STZ.2013±2。
文摘Electronic interactions of the Group 2A elements with magnesium have been studied through the dilute solid solutions in binary Mg-Ca,Mg-Sr and Mg-Ba systems.This investigation incorporated the difference in the‘Work Function'(ΔWF)measured via Kelvin Probe Force Microscopy(KPFM),as a property directly affected by interatomic bond types,i.e.the electronic structure,nanoindentation measurements,and Stacking Fault Energy values reported in the literature.It was shown that the nano-hardness of the solid-solutionα-Mg phase changed in the order of Mg-Ca>Mg-Sr>Mg-Ba.Thus,it was shown,by also considering the nano-hardness levels,that SFE of a solid-solution is closely correlated with its‘Work Function'level.Nano-hardness measurements on the eutectics andΔWF difference between eutectic phases enabled an assessment of the relative bond strength and the pertinent electronic structures of the eutectics in the three alloys.Correlation withΔWF and at least qualitative verification of those computed SFE values with some experimental measurement techniques were considered important as those computational methods are based on zero Kelvin degree,relatively simple atomic models and a number of assumptions.As asserted by this investigation,if the results of measurement techniques can be qualitatively correlated with those of the computational methods,it can be possible to evaluate the electronic structures in alloys,starting from binary systems,going to ternary and then multi-elemental systems.Our investigation has shown that such a qualitative correlation is possible.After all,the SFE values are not treated as absolute values but rather become essential in comparative investigations when assessing the influences of alloying elements at a fundamental level,that is,free electron density distributions.Our study indicated that the principles of‘electronic metallurgy'in developing multi-elemental alloy systems can be followed via practical experimental methods,i.e.ΔWF measurements using KPFM and nanoindentation.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.61178086)Science and Technology Program of Guangzhou,China(Grant No.2012J4300138)Foundation for Distinguished Young Talents in South China Normal University,China.(Grant No.2012KJ010).
文摘We demonstrate the feasibility of simultancous multi-probe detection for an optcal-resolution photoacoustic microscopy(OR-PAM)system.OR-P AM has elicited the attention of biomedical imaging researchers because of its optical absorption contrast and high spatial resolution with great imaging depth.OR-PAM allows label-free and noninvasive imaging by maximizing the optical absorption of endogenous biomolecules.However,given the inadequate absoption of some biomolcules,detection sensitivity at the same incident intensity requires improvement.In this study,a modulated continuous wave with power density less than 3mW/cm^(2)(1/4 of the ANSI safety limit)excited the weak photoacoustic(PA)signals of biological cells.A microcavity traneducer is developed based on the bulk modulus of gas five orders of magnitude lower than that of solid;air pressure variation is inversely proportional to cavity volume at the same temperature increase.Considering that a PA wave expands in various directions,detecting PA signals from different positions and adding them together can increase detection sensitivity and signal-to-noise ratio.Therefore,we employ four detectors to acquire tiny PA signals simul-taneously.Experimental results show that the developed OR-PAM system allows the label-free imaging of cells with weak optical absorption.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foun-dation of China under grant Nos.52231003,52301073,52271049,and 52201063.
文摘One of the most intriguing methods of mitigating the hydrogen embrittlement of steels entails nano-precipitates that can trap H from enriching at vulnerable locations.However,controversial findings have been reported on whether the incoherent NbC precipitates trap hydrogen.Here,by using in-situ scan-ning Kelvin probe force microscopy(SKPFM),we reveal the dynamic interaction of H with the border area of incoherent NbC nanoprecipitates in steel.Results indicate that the interaction between H flux and the interfaces varies amongst different precipitates,implying that H-trapping behaviours of incoherent NbC precipitates could be intrinsically diverse.Potential origins underlying the distinct behaviours are analyzed.
基金Project supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(Grant Nos.2016YFA0202300 and 2018YFA0305800)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.61888102,61474141,and 21661132006)+2 种基金the Young Scientists Fund of the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.11604373)the Outstanding Youth Science Foundation,China(Grant No.61622116)the Strategic Priority Research Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences(CAS)(Grant Nos.XDB28000000 and XDB30000000)
文摘The adsorption configurations of molecules adsorbed on substrates can significantly affect their physical and chemical properties. A standing configuration can be difficult to determine by traditional techniques, such as scanning tunneling microscopy(STM) due to the superposition of electronic states. In this paper, we report the real-space observation of the standing adsorption configuration of phenylacetylene on Cu(111) by non-contact atomic force microscopy(nc-AFM).Deposition of phenylacetylene at 25 K shows featureless bright spots in STM images. Using nc-AFM, the line features representing the C–H and C–C bonds in benzene rings are evident, which implies a standing adsorption configuration. Further density functional theory(DFT) calculations reveal multiple optimized adsorption configurations with phenylacetylene breaking its acetylenic bond and forming C–Cu bond(s) with the underlying copper atoms, and hence stand on the substrate.By comparing the nc-AFM simulations with the experimental observation, we identify the standing adsorption configuration of phenylacetylene on Cu(111). Our work demonstrates an application of combining nc-AFM measurements and DFT calculations to the study of standing molecules on substrates, which enriches our knowledge of the adsorption behaviors of small molecules on solid surfaces at low temperatures.
基金supported by the "Communauté Franaise de Belgique-ARC 04/09-310"was done in the context of the EC VI FW international EXCELL Project
文摘The elastic indentation modulus and hardness of standard bulk materials and advanced thin films were determined by using the nanoindentation technique followed by the Oliver- Pharr post-treatment. After measurements with different loading/unloading schemes on chemically polished bulk titanium a substantial decrease of both modulus and hardness vs an increasing loading time was found. Then, hard nanostructured TiBN and TiCrBN thin films deposited by magnetron sputtering （using multiphase targets） on substrates of high roughness （sintered hard metal） and low roughness （silicon） were studied. Experimental modulus and hardness characterized by using two different nanoindenter tools were within the limits of standard deviation. However, a strong effect of roughness on the spread of the experimental values was observed and it was found that hardness and elastic indentation modulus obeyed a Gaussian distribution. The experimental data were discussed together with scanning probe microscopy （SPM） images of typical imprints taken after the nanoindentation tests and the local topographyls strong correlation with the results of nanoindentation was described.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.61176080)
文摘Electron trapping properties at the HfO2/SiO2 interface have been measured through Kelvin Probe force microscopy,between room temperature and 90 ℃.The electron diffusion in HfO2 shows a multiple-step process.After injection,electrons diffuse quickly toward the HfO2/SiO2 interface and then diffuse laterally near the interface in two sub-steps：The first is a fast diffusion through shallow trap centers and the second is a slow diffusion through deep trap centers.Evolution of contact potential difference profile in the fast lateral diffusion sub-step was simulated by solving a diffusion equation with a term describing the charge loss.In this way,the diffusion coefficient and the average life time at different temperatures were extracted.A value of 0.57 eV was calculated for the activation energy of the shallow trap centers in HfO2.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.51922056 and 51921005).
文摘Ferroelectric polymer nanocomposites possess exceptional electric properties with respect to the two otherwise uniform phases,which is commonly attributed to the critical role of the matrix-particle interfacial region.However,the structure-property correlation of the interface remains unestablished,and thus,the design of ferroelectric polymer nanocompos-ite has largely relied on the trial-and-error method.Here,a strategy that combines multi-mode scanning probe microscopy-based electrical charac-terization and nano-infrared spectroscopy is developed to unveil the local structure-property correlation of the interface in ferroelectric polymer nano-composites.The results show that the type of surface modifiers decorated on the nanoparticles can significantly influence the local polar-phase content and the piezoelectric effect of the polymer matrix surrounding the nano-particles.The strongly coupled polar-phase content and piezoelectric effect measured directly in the interfacial region as well as the computed bonding energy suggest that the property enhancement originates from the formation of hydrogen bond between the surface modifiers and the ferroelectric polymer.It is also directly detected that the local domain size of the ferroelectric polymer can impact the energy level and distribution of charge traps in the interfacial region and eventually influence the local dielectric strength.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(No.2022YFB3803600)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.22238009,51932007,U1905215,52073223,22278324,52272290,52173065,and 22202187)+2 种基金the Natural Science Foundation of Hubei Province of China(No.2022CFA001)the National Postdoctoral Program for Innovative Talents(No.BX2021275)the Project funded by China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(No.2022M712957).
文摘Semiconductor/metal junctions are widely discussed in photocatalysis.However,there is a notable scarcity of systematic studies focusing on photogenerated charge carrier transfer in such junctions.Herein,CdS/Pt,CdS/Au,and CdS/Ag are synthesized to serve as model systems for investigating the charge carrier transfer in semiconductor/metal junctions.Kelvin probe force microscopy is employed to visualize the transfer of photogenerated carriers in these materials.The results show that the electron transfer behavior under illumination is related to the conduction band position of CdS and the Fermi level position of the metal.Moreover,Schottky junctions hinder the transfer of photogenerated electrons from CdS to Pt and Au,whereas ohmic contacts facilitate the transfer of photogenerated electrons from CdS to Ag.This work provides novel insights into the mechanisms governing the transfer of photogenerated carriers in semiconductor/metal junctions.
基金Project supported by the Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. LZ22A040003)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 52027809)。
文摘Electronic properties of two-dimensional(2D) materials can be strongly modulated by localized strain. The typical spatial resolution of conventional Kelvin probe force microscopy(KPFM) is usually limited in a few hundreds of nanometers, and it is difficult to characterize localized electronic properties of 2D materials at nanoscales. Herein, tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy(TERS) is proposed to combine with KPFM to break this restriction. TERS scan is conducted on ReS2bubbles deposited on a rough Au thin film to obtain strain distribution by using the Raman peak shift. The localized contact potential difference(CPD) is inversely calculated with a higher spatial resolution by using strain measured by TERS and CPD-strain working curve obtained using conventional KPFM and atomic force microscopy. This method enhances the spatial resolution of CPD measurements and can be potentially used to characterize localized electronic properties of 2D materials.
文摘The microscopic physical properties of Hardened Cement Paste (HCP) surfaces were evaluated by using Scanning Probe Microscopy (SPM). The cement pastes were cured under a hydrostatic pressure of 400 MPa and the contacting surfaces with a slide glass during the curing were studied. Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) observation at a magnification of 7000 revealed smooth surfaces with no holes. The surface roughness calculated from the SPM measurement was 4 nm. The surface potential and the frictional force measured by SPM were uniform throughout the measured area 24 h after the curing. However, spots of low surface potential and stains of low frictional force and low viscoelasticity were observed one month after curing. This change was attributed to the carbonation of hydrates.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.22225806,22078314,22278394,22378385)Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics(Nos.DICPI202227,DICPI202436)。
文摘Monitoring the dynamics of cellular pseudopodia at nanoscale has become essential for understanding their diverse and complex functions in living cells.This is made possible by combining single-molecule localization microscopy(SMLM)with self-blinking dyes.However,existing self-blinking dyes often face limitations,such as nonspecific blinking and low photostability,which can bring background noise and yield erroneous localization signals,hindering their effectiveness for nanoscale visualization.Here,we present a method for long-term SMLM imaging of cellular pseudopodia dynamics using a blinkogenic probe that exhibits self-blinking activation upon molecular recognition.This approach enabled the precise tracking of various pseudopodia structures,including filopodia,lamellipodia,and(tunneling nanotubes)-nanoscale(TNTs),in living cells.We monitored the growth and fusion of filopodia,as well as the extension and shrinkage of lamellipodia,in real-time.Additionally,we identified two distinct fusion modes between filopodia and lamellipodia and captured the formation of TNTs and their interactions with filopodia,demonstrating the probe's utility in visualizing real-time pseudopodia dynamics at nanoscale.
基金The Ph.D.Programs Foundation of Ministry of Education of China(No.20120092110053)
文摘The microstructure of asphalt is investigated by atomic force microscopy （AFM）. In order to analyze the impacts of asphalt types on microstructures, two neat asphalts with different penetration grades （50# and 70#） and one styrene-butadiene-styrene （SBS） modified asphalt are chosen. The influence of short-term aging is also studied. Based on the knowledge of asphalt＇s microproperties, the relationship between microstructures and healing property is analyzed. The results indicate that the microstructures of three asphalts are quite different and the effects of aging on the surface characteristics for different asphalts are also different. It is proposed that the bee structure is a type of wax crystal and it has a close relationship with the ＂bridge-healing＂ mechanism. The findings may reveal the formation mechanism of microstructure and the healing property for asphalts.
