| The ability to correlate microstructure of materials with fundamental physical properties has been one of the principal goals of the modern field of materials science. Unfortunately, the electronic properties of materials, especially organic materials, and how they relate to microstructure have been neglected due to the almost complete non-existence of appropriate techniques. This thesis presents the development of one such technique, Conducting Probe Atomic Force Microscopy (CP-AFM) for the direct correlation of microstructure and electronic properties in the organic semiconductor, α-sexithiophene (6T). By coupling the high spatial resolution obtainable in a scanned probe technique with a metal-coated probe, one can simultaneously investigate the exact structure of a sample and its electrical properties. Through the use of CP-AFM, we can evaluate the resistance of single grains and grain boundaries, and the properties of electrical contacts to these structures. We have shown the utility of CP-AFM in both two terminal and three terminal configurations as a powerful tool for the characterization of organic electronic materials. |
