Our lab counts with diverse scanning local probe microscopes (SPMs), also known as AFM: a Nanotec and a Cypher ES (Asylum Research, Oxford Instruments). The equipment can operate under distinct environmental conditions, including ambient and low humidity nitrogen atmosphere. The Cypher ES instrument permits in-situ cooling/heating the samples (0-120°C, 25-250°C). The microscopes are dedicated to the investigation of the electronic/electrical properties (CAFM, KPFM) and mechanical properties (friction, adhesion, elasticity) with nanoscale resolution.
Moreover, SPM measurements can be performed for “in-operando” devices, in particular OFETs, having access to the correlation between nanoscale properties and device performances.
We have portable UHV chambers for organic film growth from the vapour phase, equiped with different evaporators and electrical in-situ transport measurements. These chambers are furnished with beryllium windows to allow real-time growth studies by X-ray diffraction at synchrotron light facilities.