Characterization of gold nanoparticle films : Rutherford backscatteringspectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy with image analysis, and atomic forcemicroscopy

摘要

Gold nanoparticle films are of interest in several branches of science and technology,and accurate sample characterization is needed but technically demanding. We preparedsuch films by DC magnetron sputtering and recorded their mass thicknessby Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy. The geometric thickness dg—from thesubstrate to the tops of the nanoparticles—was obtained by scanning electron microscopy(SEM) combined with image analysis as well as by atomic force microscopy(AFM). The various techniques yielded an internally consistent characterization ofthe films. In particular, very similar results for dg were obtained by SEM with imageanalysis and by AFM.