Exploring nanoscale electrical and electronic properties of organic and polymeric functional materials by atomic force microscopy based approaches

Abstract

Beyond imaging, atomic force microscopy (AFM) based methodologies enable the quantitative investigation of a variety of physico-chemical properties of (multicomponent) materials with a spatial resolution of a few nanometers. This Feature Article is focused on two AFM modes, i.e. conducting and Kelvin probe force microscopies, which allow the study of electrical and electronic properties of organic thin films, respectively. These nanotools provide a wealth of information on (dynamic) characteristics of tailor-made functional architectures, opening pathways towards their technological application in electronics, catalysis and medicine.