SEMINARIUM

Zakładaów Naukowych ZN1, ZN6

Dnia: 24.09.2026 roku (czwartek)
o godzinie 09:30 w sali 227

referat pt.:

Exploring materials with atomic force microscopy: from powders to functional thick films

wygłosi

dr Nejc Suban

Electronic Ceramics Department, Jožef Stefan Institute, Ljubljana, Slovenia

Abstract

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is a very versatile technique for investigating various materials at the micro- and nanoscale. Beyond conventional topographic imaging, AFM-based techniques provide insight into a wide range of other functional material properties, making the technique suitable for studying a broad class of materials — from ceramics to polymers. In this seminar, the fundamentals, working principle, and capabilities of AFM will first be presented, followed by two AFM-based techniques that extend its functionality: piezo-response force microscopy (PFM), which enables investigation of local piezoelectric and ferroelectric properties, and the amplitude modulation–frequency modulation (AM-FM) viscoelastic mapping mode, which allows quantitative mapping of local mechanical properties such as Young's modulus. The use of these techniques will then be demonstrated through three case studies. First, PFM was applied to study ferroelectric ceramic powders. Second, ceramic thick films of the 0.65Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O₃–0.35PbTiO₃ (PMN-35PT), deposited by powder aerosol deposition (PAD) and subsequently annealed at temperatures between 700°C and 1100 °C, were characterized by AFM and PFM. Third, the applicability of AFM and AM-FM mapping was extended beyond ceramic systems to polymer thick films, enabling quantitative characterization of their local mechanical properties. Overall, the central theme of the seminar is to illustrate how AFM and its advanced techniques provide complementary insights into surface morphology, piezoelectric and ferroelectric behavior, and mechanical properties, offering a comprehensive understanding of diverse material systems ranging from individual powder particles to functional thick films.