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Scanning Thermal Microscopy (SThM) is a scanning probe technique that allows the mapping of the thermal properties and/or temperature of a substrate.
Developments in this scanning probe technique are of great importance to further the study of thermal transport at the micron and at the nano scale, for instance to better the understanding of heat transport in nano-electronic devices or energy transfer in biological systems.
In this presentation we describe how a commercially available Veeco SThM probe was modified by mounting a micron-sized single crystal diamond pyramid (with a sub-micron radius of curvature) on its tip.
We test the performance of the modified probe as compared to that of the original one by scanning a metal on insulator meander structure with micron & sub-micron sized features. The scanning technique we have developed allows us to acquire simultaneous images of the topography, the thermal and electrical properties of the substrate. The scanning is done in high vacuum in order to minimise heat losses by convection and conduction through the air.
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