Unveiling the Nanoscale: PiFM for Chemical, Structural, and Surface Characterization
This presentation will illustrate how Photo-induced Force Microscopy (PiFM) can deliver unprecedented levels of chemical composition analysis, molecular binding environments, and surface topography, facilitating a more complete understanding of materials for a wide range of applications. Through hands-on examples, it will illustrate how Atomic Force Microscopy combined with Infrared Spectroscopy enables scientists to probe the same area with several modalities and thereby connect information pertaining to morphology, molecular distribution as well as chemical bonds with sub-monolayer sensitivity and a sub-5 nanometers lateral resolution. From sophisticated electronic packages to functional coatings and biomedical interfaces, this technique reveals levels of detail that cannot be resolved with conventional methods individually. Whether you are dealing with nanotechnology applications, semiconductors, data storage devices, or biomedical devices, this presentation is intended to give you advanced tools to upgrade your analytical abilities.
Who Should Attend?
- Nanotechnology and semiconductor researchers and process engineers
- Surface scientists and thin-film specialists
- Biomedical materials and device researchers
- Professionals working in coatings, polymers, and advanced materials characterization
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What You’ll Learn
About core capabilities and advantages of PiFM and its ability to provide accurate molecular information that correlates strongly with bulk spectra and complements elemental analysis from methods like XPS by revealing chemical bonding details.
About PiFM applications in different areas of material science, for example:
- To identify and map organic and inorganic contaminants on surfaces with nanoscale precision.
- To image the distinct donor and acceptor domains in polymer blends and
- To characterize the chemistry of sub-monolayer thin films and functional coatings.
- To map biological systems for instance, the specific distribution of components like lignin and cellulose within the cell walls of wood.
About Covalent’s integration of PiFM with electron microscopy to deliver rapid, high-resolution, and actionable results.
About Photo-Induced Force Microscopy (PiFM)
Photo-induced Force Microscopy (PiFM) integrates the high-resolution space of AFM with the chemical specificity of infrared spectroscopy. The novel method senses photo-induced dipole–dipole coupling between the AFM tip and sample to produce IR absorption spectra with sub-micrometer resolution. PiFM allows scientists to chart chemical composition, molecular orientation, and functional heterogeneity at a scale never seen before.
PiFM’s sub-monolayer sensitivity is well-suited for characterizing self-assembled monolayers (SAMs), polymer blends, nanoparticles, thin films, and coatings. Unlike area-averaging techniques such as ellipsometry and XPS, PiFM is capable of differentiating clustered from continuous monolayer conformations—offering insight in applications where performance differences due to nanoscale variations are important.
Through PiFM’s inclusion in sophisticated analytical workflows, materials scientists are empowered to gain better insights into structure–property relationships as well as design, fabrication, and reliability of functional materials optimization.