Tapping mode scanning capacitance microscopy: Feasibility of quantitative capacitance measurement

Tapping mode scanning capacitance microscopy is a new technique to study local capacitances. It is a combination of the tapping mode scanning force microscopy and the scanning capacitance microscopy. With the tapping motion of the tip, tip-sample distance is accurately regulated. In addition, topographic images are simultaneously obtained together with the capacitive images. In this paper, feasibility of the quantitative capacitance determination is described. Experimental results with a silicon nitride film are compared with the theoretical curve. The effective electrode area (lateral resolution) and the tip-sample capacitance were calculated.