Our lab counts with diverse scanning local probe microscopes (SPMs), also known as AFM: a Cypher ES (Asylum Research, Oxford Instruments)and two Park FX40 (Park Systems). The equipment can operate under distinct environmental conditions, including ambient and low humidity atmosphere, in-situ samples cooling/heating (0-120°C, 25-250°C), operation in liquids, electrochemical conditions as well as clean atmosphere inside a Glovebox (MBraun). The FX40 provide autonomy and advanced technology, which includes managing probes, alignment, sample positioning, and imaging optimization.
The microscopes are dedicated to the investigation with nanoscale resolution of the electronic/electrical properties (CAFM, KPFM), mechanical properties (friction, adhesion, elasticity), electrochemistry…of a wide variety of surfaces. Moreover, SPM measurements can be performed under device operation (e.g., 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.