Nanoscale Imaging of Phase Transitions with Scanning Force Microscopy

Nanoscale imaging of materials through phase transitions can provide valuable insight into the local nature of the transition and the emergence of order. The scanning force microscope used in the studies presented here is an ideal instrument to investigate phase transitions with nanoscale spatial resolution. We study phase transitions in two different systems by operating in different modes: contact mode, in which we measure the local electronic properties of the sample; and non-contact mode, in which we probe the sample by monitoring the interaction between the sample and cantilever.