Quantitative Nanostructure Characterization Group

Nanostructures are a critical component of innovations in high performance computing, electronics, energy conservation, renewable energy, biomedical research, and health care. We develop and demonstrate metrology techniques to address nanoscale measurement challenges. These techniques include scanning microwave microscopy, atom probe tomography, transmission electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and time-resolved photoluminescence. Our goal is to push these methods beyond comparative measurements by evaluating absolute uncertainties with cross-method comparisons and calibration techniques that reveal systematic errors. We synthesize semiconductor nanostructures to serve both as test structures for measurement techniques and as building blocks for novel metrology tools and semiconductor devices.

News and Updates

NIST Team Demonstrates Novel Way to Convert Heat to Electricity

May 19, 2023

Researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have fabricated a novel device that could dramatically boost the conversion of heat

A white towerlike structure on a black background

Spotlight: Norman Sanford and the Mysterious Nanolith

December 30, 2020

Monolith structures made appearances all around the globe this fall and winter, and a nano-sized one just emerged at NIST’s Precision Imaging Facility in

NIST Researchers Boost Intensity of Nanowire LEDs

March 21, 2019

Nanowire gurus at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have made ultraviolet light-emitting diodes (LEDs) that, thanks to a special type of

Sub-microscopic LEDs Shed New Light on Advanced Materials

July 12, 2017

One of the persistent challenges in 21 st century metrology is the need to measure ever-more-detailed properties of ever-smaller things, from microchip features

Projects and Programs

Extreme Atom Probe Tomography

Ongoing

NIST is engaged in a joint effort between the Material Measurement Laboratory (MML) and the Physical Measurement Laboratory (PML) aimed at revolutionizing 3D

GaN Nanowire Growth

Ongoing

GaN nanowires grown by catalyst-free molecular beam epitaxy have the unique property that most nanowires are completely free of crystalline defects. This

Schematic illustration of the integrated near-field optoelectronic (INFO) probe showing light emission, microwave reflection lines for measuring specimen conductivity and/or magnetization, and simultaneous contact topography feedback.

Integrated Near-field Optoelectronic (INFO) Scanning Probe

Ongoing

Scanning probe technology is an essential tool for measuring nanostructure properties. A major goal in our project is to develop unique probes that combine

Nanoelectromagnetics

Ongoing

The core activities in this program are the development and application of metrology for quantitative characterization of hetero-structured materials and

View All Projects/Programs

Publications

Fabrication of Specimens for Atom Probe Tomography using a Combined Gallium and Neon Focused Ion Beam Milling Approach

August 16, 2023

Author(s)

Frances Allen, Paul Blanchard, David Pappas, Russell Lake, Deying Xia, John Notte, Ruopeng Zhang, Andrew Minor, Norman A. Sanford

We demonstrate a new focused ion beam sample preparation method for atom probe tomography. The key aspect of the new method is that we use a neon ion beam for

Semiconductor thermal and electrical properties decoupled by localized phonon resonances

May 10, 2023

Author(s)

Bryan Spann, Joel Weber, Matthew Brubaker, Todd E. Harvey, LINA YANG, Hossein Honarvar, Chia-Nien Tsai, Andrew Treglia, MINHYEA LEE, MAHMOUD HUSSEIN, Kris A. Bertness

Thermoelectric materials convert heat into electricity through thermally driven charge transport in solids or vice versa for cooling. To compete with

Simple Method to Determine the Rotation Between a TEM Image and Diffraction Pattern

July 22, 2022

Author(s)

Alexana Roshko, George Burton, Roy Geiss

Accurate knowledge of the diffraction pattern orientation with respect to the corresponding TEM image is essential for transferring crystallographic information

Direct Growth and Fabrication of Tungsten Coated GaN Nanowire Probes on Cantilevers for Scanning Probe Microscopy

May 13, 2022

Author(s)

Kristen Genter, Matthew Brubaker, Samuel Berweger, Jonas Gertsch, Kris A. Bertness, Pavel Kabos, Victor Bright

Gallium nitride nanowires (NWs) grown on silicon-on-insulator wafers by means of selective area epitaxy are directly integrated into scanning probe cantilever

Tools and Instruments

Local Electrode Atom Probe Tomography (LEAP)

Field evaporates (with a voltage and laser pulse) a sharp tip-shaped specimen. Collects the ionization products in a position-sensitive, time-of-flight mass

Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) Facility

The Applied Physics Division utilizes a fully automated, dual-chamber molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) system for the growth of advanced, compound semiconductor

Sample Preparation and Metrology Tools

Read about our sample preparation and metrology tools.

Dual Beam Focused Ion Beam / Scanning Electron Microscope (FIB/SEM)

Dual beam focused ion beam/scanning electron microscope (FESEM). Focused ion beam using Ga atoms allows the patterning of objects at ~10 nm level (milling and

Awards

Figure 1 from "Microscopic origin of inhomogeneous transport in four-terminal tellurene devices"

Featured Article in APL 2D Transistors Collection

The Quantitative Nanostructure Characterization group's recent paper titled "Microscopic origin of inhomogeneous transport in four-terminal

2020 - Bronze Medal Award---Matt Brubaker, Alexana Roshko, Todd Harvey, Kris Bertness

For developing nanoscale UV light-emitting diodes with the breakthrough efficiency and intensity needed for a broad range of industry applications.

2018 - Edward Uhler Condon Award---Pavel Kabos, T. Mitch Wallis

For making a complex topic accessible through their foundational textbook on measurement techniques for radio frequency nanoelectronics.

O'Neil, Ullom, Jimenez, Alpert, Swetz, Doriese, Silverman, Miaja

2017 - Gold Medal Award---W. Bertrand (Randy) Doriese, Ralph Jimenez, Luis Miaja Avila, Galen C. O'Neil, Kevin L. Silverman, Daniel S. Swetz, Joel N. Ullom, Bradley K. Alpert

For advancing materials development by creating tabletop X-ray tools that rival or exceed those available only at massive national user facilities.

Press Coverage

Microscopic Pillars Can Recycle Waste Heat as Energy

IEEE Spectrum

June 5, 2023

About US $100 billion each year of energy produced in the United States each year is wasted as heat. Now a new study finds that microscopic pillars built into

New Fabrication Technique Developed by Scientists Allows Conversion of Heat Into Electricity With Less Amount of Energy Loss

The Science Times

May 22, 2023

At the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), a group of researchers headed by Kris Bertness and her colleagues developed a new fabrication

TAKING MEASURE BLOG

A woman stands smiling in front of a large device with many metal parts and wires.

My First Semiconductor Standards Were a Bust … or Were They?

January 12, 2022

Silicon is the most important semiconductor in the world. It forms the chips that are used for memory and processors in high-end computers, everyday consumer

Quantitative Nanostructure Characterization Group

News and Updates

NIST Team Demonstrates Novel Way to Convert Heat to Electricity

Spotlight: Norman Sanford and the Mysterious Nanolith

NIST Researchers Boost Intensity of Nanowire LEDs

Sub-microscopic LEDs Shed New Light on Advanced Materials

Projects and Programs

Extreme Atom Probe Tomography

GaN Nanowire Growth

Integrated Near-field Optoelectronic (INFO) Scanning Probe

Nanoelectromagnetics

Publications

Fabrication of Specimens for Atom Probe Tomography using a Combined Gallium and Neon Focused Ion Beam Milling Approach

Semiconductor thermal and electrical properties decoupled by localized phonon resonances

Simple Method to Determine the Rotation Between a TEM Image and Diffraction Pattern

Direct Growth and Fabrication of Tungsten Coated GaN Nanowire Probes on Cantilevers for Scanning Probe Microscopy

Tools and Instruments

Local Electrode Atom Probe Tomography (LEAP)

Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) Facility

Sample Preparation and Metrology Tools

Dual Beam Focused Ion Beam / Scanning Electron Microscope (FIB/SEM)

Awards

Featured Article in APL 2D Transistors Collection

2020 - Bronze Medal Award---Matt Brubaker, Alexana Roshko, Todd Harvey, Kris Bertness

2018 - Edward Uhler Condon Award---Pavel Kabos, T. Mitch Wallis

2017 - Gold Medal Award---W. Bertrand (Randy) Doriese, Ralph Jimenez, Luis Miaja Avila, Galen C. O'Neil, Kevin L. Silverman, Daniel S. Swetz, Joel N. Ullom, Bradley K. Alpert

Press Coverage

Microscopic Pillars Can Recycle Waste Heat as Energy

New Fabrication Technique Developed by Scientists Allows Conversion of Heat Into Electricity With Less Amount of Energy Loss

TAKING MEASURE BLOG

My First Semiconductor Standards Were a Bust … or Were They?

Contacts

Group Leader and Project Leader Nanostructure Synthesis

Project Leaders (Quantitative Imaging, Atomic Scale Characterization, Nanoelectromagnetics)