Observation of Field-Induced Water Bridges with a Force Microscope

3 Observation of Field-Induced Water Bridges with a Force Microscope 

A force microscope operated in the amplitude modulation mode offers a method to determine some of the key aspects leading to 

The electric field has three roles in tip-based oxidation. First, it induces the formation of the water bridge. Second, it generates the oxyanions needed for the oxidation by decomposing water molecules. Third, it drives the ox) nions to the sample interface and facilitates the oxidation process. The technique generates ultrasmall silicon oxide nanostructures with a lateral size of about 5 nm and a height in the 1 to 5 nm range. 

Tip-based oxidation experiments were first performed on Si(lll) and polycrystaline tantalum faces. - Since then a large number of materials have been locally oxidized, such as compound 111-V semiconductors silicon carbide several metals such as titanium, tantalum, aluminum, molybdenum, nickel, and niobium perovskite manganite thin films dielectrics such as silicon nitride 

In AFM oxidation, the height and width of the oxide depend linearly on the voltage. The height also shows a power law dependence with the pulse time t of the type 

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