Simulation and verification of tip-induced polarization during Kelvin probe force microscopy measurements on film capacitors

Abstract

Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) is widely used as characterization tool on functional heterostructures and components but it often suffers from measurement artifacts on such structures because the presence of the biased cantilever tip transforms the actual surface potential. In this work we have developed a physics-based finite element model of KPFM measurements on dielectrics in order to investigate the impact of tip-induced polarization. The model is compared with experiments on film capacitors, where it is found that tip-induced polarization is a significant contributor to the potential profiles obtained by KPFM.