Electrostatic 3D finite element analysis for electric and Kelvin force microscopy

The study of a surface’s electrical properties at very small scales with scanning probe microscopy is of great interest in many theoretical and applicative science fields. For instance, electric and Kelvin probe force microscopy can provide direct information about local polarization, charge distribution, and electrostatic properties of materials surfaces. In semiconductor devices and biological samples, the knowledge of the local electric potential distribution is of significant interest because it helps in linking the specimen’s observed function with its local structure and composition. The understanding of electrostatic forces is, in general, of fundamental importance for the development of nanotechnology, since these forces govern many physical processes on which a large number of technological applications are based.