Fabrication of Nanoscale Active Plasmonic Elements Using Atomic Force Microscope Tip-Based Nanomachining

Barron, Ciarán; O'Toole, Silas; Zerulla, Dominic

doi:10.1007/s41871-021-00121-7

Cited by 11 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The manufacturing of the active plasmonic elements employed in the present work is detailed in [ 5 ]. At first, a 48 ± 2 nm film of silver is deposited on a sapphire substrate via physical vapour deposition (PVD).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…From this shaded region we can see that the Voigt fit is centered slightly to the side of the centre of the element. This difference has been attributed to asymmetries in the fabricated structure resulting from the machining process [5]. As with the enhanced SPR measurements above, the effect of varying current has been investigated through repeated SJEM measurements under differing applied V(t).…”

Section: Sjem Experimentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is an emerging subfield of plasmonics, which focuses on controlling electromagnetic fields at the nanoscale through external manipulation of the materials’ properties. Here, we present the characterisation of a recently developed active plasmonic element [ 5 ] through two complementary experimental methods. Active plasmonic elements have applications in future imaging technologies and as modulators in optoelectronic couplers for photonic circuits.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Characterisation of a micrometer-scale active plasmonic element by means of complementary computational and experimental methods

Barron¹,

Fazio²,

Kenny³

et al. 2023

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol.

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In this article, we investigate an active plasmonic element which will act as the key building block for future photonic devices. This element operates by modulating optical constants in a localised fashion, thereby providing an external control over the strength of the electromagnetic near field above the element as well as its far-field response. A dual experimental approach is employed in tandem with computational methods to characterise the response of this system. First, an enhanced surface plasmon resonance experiment in a classical Kretschmann configuration is used to measure the changes in the reflectivity induced by an alternating electric current. A lock-in amplifier is used to extract the dynamic changes in the far-field reflectivity resulting from Joule heating. A clear modulation of the materials’ optical constants can be inferred from the changed reflectivity, which is highly sensitive and dependent on the input current. The changed electrical permittivity of the active element is due to Joule heating. Second, the resulting expansion of the metallic element is measured using scanning Joule expansion microscopy. The localised temperature distribution, and hence information about the localisation of the modulation of the optical constants of the system, can be extracted using this technique. Both optical and thermal data are used to inform detailed finite element method simulations for verification and to predict system responses allowing for enhanced design choices to maximise modulation depth and localisation.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Sjem Experimentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Characterisation of a micrometer-scale active plasmonic element by means of complementary computational and experimental methods

Barron¹,

Fazio²,

Kenny³

et al. 2023

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol.

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…In order to scratch harder materials, it is necessary to apply larger normal loads and use stiff and wear resistive AFM probes with diamond and diamond-like carbon coatings. Such approach enabled successful AFM scratching experiments on metals (nickel [81], copper [81], gold [81,82], aluminium [83,84], nickel-iron [85], platinum [86] and silver [87]), semiconductors (silicon [88][89][90], gallium arsenide [91,92] and silicon carbide [93]) and even on very hard materials such as titania [94], Cr 2 N/Cu films [95] and carbon films [96][97][98][99]. The maximal depth of scratched domains is the main difference when comparing soft and hard materials.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Thickness measurement of thin films using atomic force microscopy based scratching

Vasić,

Aškrabić

2024

Surf. Topogr.: Metrol. Prop.

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Thin-film thickness measurements using atomic force microscopy (AFM) comprise two steps: 1. AFM scratching in order to produce an exposed film edge, and 2. subsequent AFM measurement of the corresponding step height across the exposed edge. Although the technique is known, many open questions have limited its wider applications. In order to clarify the open questions, here we first demonstrate how to determine the normal force applied during the scratching in contact mode needed to completely remove films from substrates. In order to determine film thickness from processed AFM images, we discuss two procedures based on the histogram method and polynomial step-function fitting. Mechanisms of the scratching process are elucidated by the analysis of lateral forces and their enhancement during the film peeling. Phase maps of scratched domains recorded in amplitude modulation AFM (tapping) mode display a clear contrast compared to pristine films. Therefore, we suggest their utilization as simple indicators of spatial domains with completely removed films. As an example, here the measurements were done on polymer films fabricated by layer-by-layer deposition of oppositely charged polyelectrolytes composed of poly(allylamine hydrochloride) and poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate), while the applicability of the presented method on other materials is discussed in detail.

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How scanning probe microscopy can be supported by artificial intelligence and quantum computing?

Pregowska,

Roszkiewicz,

Osial

et al. 2024

Microscopy Res & Technique

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The impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly expanding, revolutionizing both science and society. It is applied to practically all areas of life, science, and technology, including materials science, which continuously requires novel tools for effective materials characterization. One of the widely used techniques is scanning probe microscopy (SPM). SPM has fundamentally changed materials engineering, biology, and chemistry by providing tools for atomic‐precision surface mapping. Despite its many advantages, it also has some drawbacks, such as long scanning times or the possibility of damaging soft‐surface materials. In this paper, we focus on the potential for supporting SPM‐based measurements, with an emphasis on the application of AI‐based algorithms, especially Machine Learning‐based algorithms, as well as quantum computing (QC). It has been found that AI can be helpful in automating experimental processes in routine operations, algorithmically searching for optimal sample regions, and elucidating structure–property relationships. Thus, it contributes to increasing the efficiency and accuracy of optical nanoscopy scanning probes. Moreover, the combination of AI‐based algorithms and QC may have enormous potential to enhance the practical application of SPM. The limitations of the AI‐QC‐based approach were also discussed. Finally, we outline a research path for improving AI‐QC‐powered SPM.Research Highlights Artificial intelligence and quantum computing as support for scanning probe microscopy. The analysis indicates a research gap in the field of scanning probe microscopy. The research aims to shed light into ai‐qc‐powered scanning probe microscopy.

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Fabrication of Nanoscale Active Plasmonic Elements Using Atomic Force Microscope Tip-Based Nanomachining

Cited by 11 publications

References 24 publications

Characterisation of a micrometer-scale active plasmonic element by means of complementary computational and experimental methods

Characterisation of a micrometer-scale active plasmonic element by means of complementary computational and experimental methods

Thickness measurement of thin films using atomic force microscopy based scratching

How scanning probe microscopy can be supported by artificial intelligence and quantum computing?

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