Electrical Characterization

of nanomaterials
by
Dr. Kaustab Ghosh
Associate Professor
School of Electronics Engineering
(SENSE)
VIT University, Chennai
 Characterization
Methods

Microscopy Spectroscopy
or or Probe Techniques
Imaging Analysis

AFM
Electrons Photons Ions Electrons Photons STM
STS

EPMA
XRD
SEM SIMS EDX
PL
TEM Light Microscopy RBS AES
XAS
STEM PIXE RHEED
XPS
EELS
 Information obtained from
characterization
• Morphology - The microstructural or
nanostructural architecture
• Crystal structure - The detailed atomic
arrangement in the chemical phases
contained within the microstructure
• Chemistry - The elements and possibly
molecular groupings present
• Electronic structure - the nature of the
bonding between atoms
 AFM images of quantum dots

V.I. Trofimov et al. Applied Surface Science 226 (2004) 45–51

SEM images
 TEM images of quantum dots

K. Ghosh et al., Solid State Communications 151 (2011) 1394–1399

S. Adhikary et al., Materials Research Bulletin 45 (2010) 1466–1469
 SIMS of GaAs grown by 7N gallium

K. Ghosh et al. / Journal of Crystal Growth 311 (2009) 1521–1528

 Scattering Physics
• Electromagnetic radiation – Stream of photons
• Particles (electrons, ions and neutrons) – Can be
described in terms of associated wavelength
• When a beam of incident radiation interacts with
matter it will be scattered
• Elastic scattering - No energy transfer occurs during
the scattering process (hence no wavelength change
of the scattered radiation), although there may be
changes in the direction of the incident wave following
scattering
• Inelastic scattering - Involves energy transfer during
scattering (hence a gain or loss in the energy of the
associated particles or quasiparticles) and changes in
the direction of the incident wave.
 ----continuation

• Coherant scattering - The phase

relationship between scattered waves from
neighbouring scattering centres is
preserved
• Incoherant scattering - Any phase
relationships between scattered waves are
lost.
 X-ray scattering
• Elastic scattering occurs when X-rays are
scattered by the electrons in the material.
• Involves the interaction between the negatively
charged electron cloud and the electromagnetic
field of the incident X-rays.
• Electrons respond to the applied field, oscillate
and emit an electromagnetic wave (X-ray)
identical in wavelength and phase to the incident
X-ray.
• Inelastic scattering occurs when the incident X-
ray photons give up all or part of their energy to
individual electrons associated with atoms.
 Electron interaction with matter
 Electrons are produced either by thermionic (heat) or by
(electric) field emission from sharp metallic tips.
 Low-angle (1–10°) - coherent elastic scattering of electrons
occurs via the interaction of the electrons with the electron
cloud associated with atoms in a solid.
 High-angle - Incoherent elastic (back) scattering (10–180°)
occurs via interaction of the negatively charged electrons with
the nuclei of atoms.
 Inelastic scattering of electrons occurs through smaller angles
than elastic scattering
 Phonon scattering - The incident electrons excite phonons
(atomic vibrations) in the sample
 Plasmon scattering - The incident electrons excite collective,
resonant oscillations (plasmons) of the valence electrons of a
solid.
 Single electron excitation - The incident electron transfers
energy to single electrons, resulting in ionization of atoms.
 Ion interaction with matter
• In comparison with electrons, ions are relatively
heavy, negatively or positively charged particles.
• Various effects occur upon their interaction with
matter.
• These include ion backscattering (Rutherford
backscattering spectrometry), excitation of electrons
and photons, displacement of atoms and sputtering.
• Implantation of ions within the surface of the material.
• The latter is extensively used for doping
semiconductors.