Temperature-dependent local electromagnetic characterization of electronic materials by scanning microwave near-field technique

We report a scanning microwave near-field microscope that allows temperature-dependent local electromagnetic characterization of electronic materials. We have established a temperature-controlled sample stage cooled by liquid nitrogen, so that the local electromagnetic properties of the sample could be studied through near-field microwave interaction at temperature varying from 80 to 300 K. Using this instrument, we have studied the magnetic phase transition of an Nd0.7Sr0.3MnO3-delta thin film and an ion-pair complex magnetic material, as well as the homogeneity of the microwave surface resistance of a YBa2Cu3O7-delta superconducting thin film. Experiment results have demonstrated the ability of temperature-dependent local microwave characterization of this microwave microscope for different kind of electronic materials. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.