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Nanomechanical characterisation of nanowires plays an important role for the development and optimisation of innovative nanomaterials for energy harvesting. In this manuscript, a microelectromechanical system based scanning probe microscope for measurement of the mechanical properties of nanowires and -pillars using contact resonance measurement technique has been developed. First nanomechanical measurements of nanopillars with the nominal diameter of 100 nm and an aspect ratio of 3.5 have validated the fundamental capability of the novel measurement system. Further improvement of this nanomechanical measurement system including its measurement data analysis has been outlined.

Accurate measurement uncertainty assessment is a fundamental objective in modern metrology, where fitting data within complex measurement models plays a pivotal role as an initial step in expressing uncertainty. Often, sets of n-tuples of measurements, with the best-estimated values characterizing the measured objects along with their associated uncertainty budget, become available. These data represent direct measurements, construed as realizations of random variables characterized by a joint distribution, which may be fully known or partially known. Here, we present a new modelling approach suitable for a class of measurement problems based on using the errors-in-variables model together with algorithmic implementation in MATLAB.

With the improvement of depth-sensing instruments nanoindentation has become a standard tool for the study and design of thin film systems, nanocomposites and other nanostructured materials and devices. Mechanical properties, such as elastic modulus and hardness can be measured at scales in the depth range of tens of nanometers. The correct determination of the mechanical properties depends on the proper evaluation of the real contact area. While two standard methods are commonly used, indentations on a reference sample and measurement by atomic force microscopy (AFM), there are many caveats and the issue remains tricky, especially for large depths. In this contribution we present an example where the standard calibration of the tip area function via a reference sample cannot be used for the desired tip and the AFM method must be used instead.

Flat specimen of 316L steel was cyclically pre-deformed with constant plastic strain amplitude to early stage of fatigue life relevant to the period of cyclic strain localization and fatigue crack initiation. To document slip activity and reversibility/irreversibility of persistent slip bands (PSBs) in situ experiments in the high-resolution SEMFEG under special imaging conditions were performed. The half-and full-cycle slip activity and distribution of plastic strain within PSBs in individual grains were investigated via slip steps generated in half-and full-cycle deformation after intermediate vibration polishing. After completion of in situ tests the surface topography in identical locations was quantitatively documented using atomic force microscopy (AFM).

The contribution is oriented towards measuring in the nanoscale through local probe microscopy techniques, primarily the AFM microscopy. The need to make the AFM microscope a nanometrology tool not only the positioning of the tip has to be based on precise measurements but the traceability of the measuring technique has to be ensured up to the primary standard. This leads to the engagement of laser interferometric measuring methods. We present a improved design of the six-axes dimensional interferometric measurement tool for local probe microscopy stage nanopositioning with the compensation system of angle errors. The setup is powered with the help of a single-frequency frequency-doubled Nd:YAG laser which is stabilized by thermal frequency control locked to a Doppler-broadened absorption line in iodine. The laser stabilization technique is described together with comparison of frequency stability and angle errors compensation system performance.

In this paper an atomic force microscopy analysis of the microrough upper boundaries of ZrO2and HfO2thin films is presented. Within this analysis the values of the width, root‐mean‐square value of heights and power spectral density function of these boundaries are determined for ZrO2and HfO2exhibiting different thicknesses. The thickness dependences of the quantities mentioned are introduced. The values of the thicknesses of the films are evaluated using the combined optical method. This optical method is also used to describe boundary microroughness within the effective medium theory. A discussion of the results concerning the microroughness of the upper boundaries of both the ZrO2and HfO2thin films is also introduced. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

In this paper the analysis of a family of rough silicon single crystal surfaces covered with native oxide layers is performed using a combined optical method based on a multisample treatment of the experimental data obtained using variable angle of spectroscopic ellipsometry and near normal spectroscopic reflectometry. Within this analysis the values of the thicknesses of the native oxide layers are determined together with the values of statistical parameters of roughness, i.e. with the rms values of the heights and the values of the autocorrelation lengths, for all the samples studied. For interpreting experimental data the perturbation Rayleigh–Rice theory and scalar diffraction theory are employed. By means of the results of the analysis achieved using both the theories limitations of the validity of these theories is discussed. The correctness of the values of the statistical parameters determined using the optical method is verified using AFM measurements.

Surface and volume imperfections can significantly affect the performance of nanoscale or microscale devices used in photonics, optoelectronics or scientific instrumentation. In this article we present an open source software package for Finite-Difference Time-Domain electromagnetic field calculations suitable for calculations on graphics cards. Its special features include handling realistic models of imperfect nanoscale objects, such as treatment of arbitrary geometries including addition of random roughness to any geometrical object. The method is compared to conventional optical approach represented by Rayleigh-Rice theory. Practical applicability is demonstrated using a calculation of variation of field enhancement at proximity of a rough nanoscale antenna and rough particle scattering. It is shown that such approach can be namely useful in the areas where many repeated calculations are necessary, e.g. when studying how the optical response of nanoscale objects can vary when they are rough. Program Title: GSvit CPC Library link to program files: https://doi.org/10.17632/k424zbsxnk.1 Licensing provisions: GPLv2 Programming language: C Nature of problem: If we want to analyse impact of random imperfections, in particular surface roughness, on optical response of nanoscale and microscale objects, we need to run many calculations with different random realisations. GSvit is a general electromagnetic field solver optimized for running such calculations, via fast computing on graphics cards and algorithms for loading of arbitrary data and modification of their geometry to construct randomly rough surfaces and interfaces. Solution method: Finite-Difference Time-Domain method implemented on computer processor and on graphics card, with advanced pre-processing in order to add realistic roughness to 3D objects. Additional comments including restrictions and unusual features: The current version of software, including the documentation and downloadable examples can be found on http://gsvit.net/. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]