Here we present advances in the use of near field microwaves, in both high-resolution microwave microscopy of nanostructured materials, as well as on the processing of materials with high microwave power density in selected areas. For the former, we utilize a commercial Scanning Microwave Impedance Microscope (PrimeNano Inc.) and demonstrate 3nm feature size. We discuss the mechanisms for image contrast, as well as draw equivalent circuits for a variety of metallic, semiconductor and dielectric systems. For the latter, we built a homemade system that enabled the concentration of microwaves in areas smaller than 100um diameter. We report on the system performance, and demonstrate the use of the tool in monitoring materials changes as heating takes place, by measuring and analyzing the reflected microwave signal. In summary, we demonstrate the usage, limits and opportunities of harnessing microwave power in the near field to map and modify materials properties in small scales.
|