Quantifying electric field gradient fluctuations over polymers using ultrasensitive cantilevers.

Yazdanian, Showkat M; Hoepker, Nikolas; Kuehn, Seppe; Loring, Roger F; Marohn, John A · Nano Lett · 2009

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

An ultrasensitive cantilever, oscillating parallel to a surface in vacuum, is used to probe weak thermal electric field gradient fluctuations over thin polymer films. We measure the power spectrum of cantilever frequency fluctuations as a function of cantilever height and voltage over polymers of various compositions and thicknesses. The data are well described by a linear-response theory that calculates stochastic electric fields arising from thermally driven dielectric fluctuations.