The scanning Kelvin microscope

Abstract
This article describes a new instrument to monitor simultaneously the topography and the contact potential difference between the sample and the tip. This so-called scanning Kelvin microscope has a lateral resolution better than 5 μm. The control of distance between the Kelvin probe and the sample during the scan is realized using the ratio of two harmonics of the measured displacement current. The influence of the geometry of the Kelvin electrode on the time dependence and the frequency spectrum of the displacement current is discussed. Verification of the theory and a linescan across a test sample is shown.

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