{"title":"Signal size and resolution of scanning thermal microscopy in air and vacuum.","authors":"Jabez J McClelland, Evgheni Strelcov, Ami Chand","doi":"10.1038/s41598-025-95648-w","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>We present measurements comparing scanning thermal microscopy in air and vacuum. Signal levels are compared and resolution is probed by scanning over the edge of a nanofabricated Ag square embedded in [Formula: see text]. Signals measured in air were seen to be 2.5-40 times larger than in vacuum. Furthermore, the air signals were stable while the vacuum signals varied significantly. Edge widths measured in air were approximately 39% larger than those measured in vacuum. Our observations are consistent with the air measurements experiencing heat transfer from the surrounding sample through the air as well as the formation of a water-related meniscus at the tip-sample junction. These results contribute to the understanding of the complex heat exchange effects that can occur in scanning thermal microscopy when it is conducted in an ambient atmosphere.</p>","PeriodicalId":21811,"journal":{"name":"Scientific Reports","volume":"15 1","pages":"11142"},"PeriodicalIF":3.8000,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Scientific Reports","FirstCategoryId":"103","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-95648-w","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"MULTIDISCIPLINARY SCIENCES","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
We present measurements comparing scanning thermal microscopy in air and vacuum. Signal levels are compared and resolution is probed by scanning over the edge of a nanofabricated Ag square embedded in [Formula: see text]. Signals measured in air were seen to be 2.5-40 times larger than in vacuum. Furthermore, the air signals were stable while the vacuum signals varied significantly. Edge widths measured in air were approximately 39% larger than those measured in vacuum. Our observations are consistent with the air measurements experiencing heat transfer from the surrounding sample through the air as well as the formation of a water-related meniscus at the tip-sample junction. These results contribute to the understanding of the complex heat exchange effects that can occur in scanning thermal microscopy when it is conducted in an ambient atmosphere.
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