https://doi.org/10.1140/epjst/e2008-00457-9
The thermal contact problem in nano- and micro-scale photothermal measurements
1
Solid State Spectroscopy, Ruhr University Bochum, 44780 Bochum, Germany
2
Institute of Physics, University of Münster, 48149 Münster, Germany
3
Austrian Research Centers GmbH-ARC, 2444 Seibersdorf, Austria
4
UFR Sciences, Lab. Thermophysique, UTAP- LPT, University of Reims, 51687 Reims, France
Thermal contact resistance between two solids is discussed with regard to its influence on the measurements of temperature and thermo-physical parameters in micro- and nano-structures. Two important applications are considered: thin film coatings on substrates and local measurements with a nano-probe in scanning thermal microscopy. The mechanical contact of a copper layer on carbon is measured by adhesion strength experiments and correlated to the thermal transport across the interface deduced from infrared radiometric measurements. A novel quantity the thermal wave contrast is introduced which takes into account the interface resistance and modifications of the coating and substrates at the interface. With regard to scanning thermal microscopy the contact resistance problem is discussed for 3ω-measurements in the active mode and for temperature measurements in the passive mode. It is shown that the thermo-elastic response can offer a means to avoid the influence of the thermal contact resistance on local temperature measurements.
© EDP Sciences, Springer-Verlag, 2008
