Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Application Of Scanning Probe Microscopy To Characterize Physical Properties Of Polymer Brushes, Photoactive Polymers And Rare Earth Oxide Nanostructures, Susan Denise Verberne-Sutton

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

A sample stage for characterizing photoactive materials was developed for studies with scanning probe microscopy (SPM). A sample stage was designed that directs light from a solar simulator via a fiber optic cable to illuminate the sample. Current-sensing and photocurrent measurements can be acquired with a conductive tip. The designed photocurrent stage can be used for SPM systems with a tip-mounted scanner. Current-sensing measurements can be taken with or without illumination to measure the current produced from organic photovoltaic (OPV) or photoconductive samples. Topography, lateral force and current-sensing images are acquired simultaneously, providing information of how nanoscale morphology affects the …