Local Thermal Analysis for AFM

AFM-based thermal analysis systems can exhibit thermally-induced bending of the cantilever, which leads to spurious deflection signals and variable loads being applied during heating. In response to this problem, Asylum Research has released the Ztherm Modulated Local Thermal Analysis Option for its MFP-3D and Cypher AFMs. The option provides highly localized heating with sensitivity to ≤10-22 liter materials property changes. The company’s cantilever compensation and control method corrects the thermal cantilever bending by constantly detecting the load of thermally induced melting (Tm), phase transitions (Tg), and other morphological and compliance effects. Detection is performed on areas less than 20 x 20 nm in size. The package can be used to evaluate contact stiffness and dissipation as a function of temperature with techniques such as the company’s Dual AC Resonance Tracking (DART), and integrated piezo actuation allows high resolution AC imaging of samples for surface topographical mapping before and after thermal measurements.