The nanometer-scale resolution of the AFM provides the unique ability to examine nanostructured materials, which provides direct feedback on growth and processing conditions. In this image, a ZnO nanostructure was deposited between two Au electrodes. Both the ZnO and the Au electrodes were fabricated using electron beam lithography (EBL) and a lift-off procedure. The wavy nature of the edges of the ZnO nanostructure is a result of the electron beam (i.e., spot size and scanning). The authors are studying the growth and processing (i.e., nanofabrication) of semiconductor nanostructures for device applications.

Dimension 3100 AFM with NanoScope IV controller. Scan size 1.9μm.

Image courtesy of Jason Brotherton, Patrick Price, David Araujo, and William Knowlton, Materials Science and Engineering Department and Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, Boise State University, USA