Newswise – The Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS, President Dr. Ho Seong Lee) has developed a hybrid nanomicroscope that can measure different nanomaterial properties simultaneously. This nanomicroscope is essential for researching the properties of nanocomposite materials and is also suitable for commercialization. It is expected to promote the development of related materials and equipment industries.
The newly developed microscope is a hybrid nanomicroscope that combines the functions of atomic force microscopy, photo-induced force microscopy and electrostatic force microscopy. Instead of using lenses, the sample is scanned with a fine functional probe, allowing simultaneous measurement of the optical and electrical properties as well as the shape of nanomaterials with a single scan.
The bilayer graphene is one of the typical nanomaterials that benefit from the use of the hybrid nanomicroscope. It has great application potential due to its superior mechanical strength, flexibility and high thermal conductivity compared to monolayer graphene. Depending on the voltage applied to each layer or the twist angle between two layers, the graphene bilayer exhibits various properties, including superconductivity.
The KRISS Material Property Metrology Group has elucidated the principles of the unique infrared absorption reaction observed in bilayer graphene using the hybrid nanomicroscope. The KRISS researchers confirmed that this phenomenon is caused by the charge imbalance between the two graphene layers. They also experimentally demonstrated the ability to control infrared absorption by specifically inducing and adjusting charge imbalance.
Traditional nanomicroscopes could only measure a single property of a material at a time, making measuring and analyzing composite properties challenging. Although there were some cases where two properties were measured simultaneously, commercialization was still limited due to the challenging nature of manufacturing the devices.
The novel nanomicroscope developed by KRISS can be easily applied in industrial environments as it can be manufactured without significant changes to the structure of the existing atomic force microscope. This makes the KRISS research team the first to develop a commercially viable hybrid nanomicroscope.
By extending its measurement properties to include magnetic properties alongside optical and electrical properties, it will be possible to observe all three properties simultaneously on the nanoscale. This is expected to accelerate research into the properties of various nanocomposite materials, including quantum materials, and contribute to the development of nanomaterials, parts and devices.
Another strength of this technology is the ability to produce localized changes in properties. By using the microscopic probe to scratch the sample surface and adjusting the amount of electrons supplied, it is possible to simultaneously control the optical and electrical properties of the component like a switch. This can be useful for designing circuits and sophisticated devices using composite properties.
Dr. Eun Seong Lee, senior researcher of KRISS Material Property Metrology Group, said: “This achievement is the culmination of our research experience in nanomeasurement since 2015. We hope to secure a leading position in new materials research.” Nanomeasurement technology development for Composite properties.”
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As the National Metrology Institute (NMI) of Korea, founded in 1975, KRISS (Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science) has developed measurement standards technology and played a crucial role in bringing Korea’s major industries to global levels.
The results of this study, supported by the Fundamental Project of KRISS and the Outstanding Young Scientist Research Program and the Nanosafety Technology Support Program of the Ministry of Science and ICT, were published online in Light: Science and Applications (IF: 20,257) in November 2023. Technology transfer and foreign patent applications are also underway.