Using conductive atomic force microscopy, current images and I – V characteristics of tin oxide thin films deposited at various substrate temperatures were obtained. When analyzing current images and I – V characteristics, it was found that tin oxide films formed at a higher substrate temperature consist of the SnO2 phase, however, they include local areas with increased resistance that contain the SnO phase.
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<p>Single crystals of aspirin form I were cleaved and indented on their dominant face. Upon
inspection, it was possible to observe strongly anisotropic shallow lateral cracks due to the
extreme low surface roughness after cleavage. Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) imaging
showed spalling fractures nucleating from the indent corners, forming terraces with a height
of one or two interplanar spacings d100. The formation of such spalling fractures in aspirin was
rationalised using basic calculations of attachment energies, showing how (100) layers are
poorly bonded when compared to their relatively higher intralayer bonding. An attempt at
explaining the preferential propagation of these fractures along the [010] direction is
discussed.
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Evaluation of surface roughness and nanostructure of indium tin oxide (ITO) films by atomic force microscopy