An introduction to μTA™ and its application to the study of interfaces

Microthermal analysis (mu TA(TM) combines the-high resolution visualization and positioning methods of scanning probe microscopy with the technology of thermal analysis. Equivalent to atomic force microscopy (AFM), the surface under investigation is scanned first to image its topography. Simultaneously, contrasts in thermal conductivity and/or thermal diffusivity across the surface of the sample are acquired. Based on these images specific locations are then selected for further thermal analysis (mu TMA and mu MDTA as local counterparts to thermomechanical, TMA, and modulated differential thermal analysis, MDTA). In this article, the principles of mu TA will be explained first; thereafter, the application of mu TA to the studies of interfaces will be discussed. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.