Scanning capacitance microscopy

Scanning capacitance microscopy (SCM) is a variety of scanning probe microscopy in which a narrow probe electrode is held just above the surface of a sample and scanned across the sample. SCM characterizes the surface of the sample using information obtained from the change in electrostatic capacitance between the surface and the probe.

Limit of resloution of SCM
On the conducting surfaces, the limit of resolution at the scale of 2nm is estimated . For the high resolution, the quick analysis of capacitance of a capacitor with rough electrode is required . The limit of resolution of SCM seems to be an order of magnitude better than that estimated for the atomic nanoscope; however, as other kinds of the probe microscopy, SCM requires careful preparation of the analyzed surface, which is supposed to be almost flat.