Pitfalls in Kelvin probe measurements

We report on the interpretation of thickness-dependent surface potential profiles in insulators on metal substrates measured by Kelvin probe method. The electrical potentials are calculated within a self-consistent model taking both the conductive substrate and the insulator into account. It is shown that interpreting the Kelvin potentials for different layer thicknesses as the prevailing potential profile of a thick insulator film is generally wrong. Even more controversially, the reconstruction of the potential profile in a thick insulator layer on the basis of layer-thickness-dependent Kelvin measurements alone is per se impossible. This will be demonstrated exemplarily on the basis of doped and undoped organic films on conductive substrates. (C) 2009 American Institute of Physics. [DOI:10.1063/1.3174443]