Quantitative measurements in scanning thermal microscopy: Theoretical models, calibration technique, and integrated instrument
Yifan Li, Jiang Wu, Jing Luo, Jianli Wang, Wei Yu, Bing Cao
Abstract
Thermal management at the micro/nanoscale has emerged as a critical bottleneck limiting device performance and reliability. Scanning Thermal Microscopy (SThM), owing to its nanoscale spatial resolution and surface thermal response characterization capabilities, has been extensively employed to probe localized thermal properties. However, achieving quantitative SThM measurements remains challenging due to the complex coupled thermal transport at the probe–sample interface. This review systematically summarizes the advances over the past two decades in enabling quantitative thermal property measurements using SThM, focusing on three primary aspects: theoretical modeling, calibration strategies, and instrument integration. Theoretical developments have addressed multipath thermal transport mechanisms, with analyses of each model's applicability under distinct heat transport regimes. Calibration approaches covered the implicit and explicit thermal exchange calibrations, as well as double-scan and Null-point techniques for thermal conductivity and temperature field alignment. Instrument integration encompasses advanced configurations such as 3ω-SThM, MEMS-based thermal platforms, and thermal probe optimization, along with the mechanisms by which they enhance measurement sensitivity and spatial resolution. Despite substantial progress, the quantitative implementation still encounters challenges related to the limited integration of theoretical thermal transport models into practical calibration protocols. One of the primary reasons lies in the inherent complexity and limited accuracy of modeling the coupled thermal transport at the probe–sample interface. Future advancements may leverage data-driven machine learning methods and multimodal strategies (such as integrated pump–probe methodologies) to further expand the applicability and improve the quantitative precision of SThM-based thermal characterization.