Simulation and correction of geometric distortions in scanning Kelvin probe microscopy

Capacitance due to geometric influence of the finite tip shape and influenc e of distant surface points can lead to artifacts in scanning Kelvin probe microscopy (SKPM) images. These artifacts appear as features in the SKPM im age which are due only to tip/surface geometry and not to true surface pote ntial variations. They can also cause blurring of real features. Such effec ts are most prominent for samples with rich topography. We present here a m ethod for identifying and removing these artifacts, and demonstrate it for a gold sample with rich topography relative to the nearly flat surface pote ntial fluctuations. (C) 2000 American Vacuum Society. [S0734-2101(00)11104- 2].