AFM Modes

Tunneling AFM (TUNA)

Ultra-low current measurement on low-conductivity samples
Topography (left) and tunneling (right) images of an 8.5nm-thick SiO2 sample. 2μm scan size, 200fA current scale.

Like Conductive AFM (C-AFM) , Tunneling AFM (TUNA) can be used to localize electrical defects in semiconductor or data storage devices, or to study conductive polymers, organics, or other materials.

TUNA works similarly to C-AFM but with higher current sensitivity. TUNA characterizes ultra-low currents (<1pA) through the thickness of thin films, and is of particular importance when electrical characterization of such low-conductivity samples is needed at high lateral resolution.

The PeakForce TUNA™ module provides the ultra-low current sensing of Bruker’s TUNA module in combination with the quantitative nanomechanical mapping capabilities of PeakForce QNM®.