23rd International Symposium on Transport Phenomena

Auckland, New Zealand

1922 November 2012

Carbon Nanotube Temperature Profiler using Platinum Hot Film

J. Amano1 , J. Hirotani1 , T. Ikuta1 , T. Nishiyama1 and K. Takahashi13

1 Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics

Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
2 International Institute for Carbon-Neutral Energy Research

Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan

3 JST, CREST, Kyushu Umiversity, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan

Abstract Introduction
A novel thermal probe is developed using an individual carbon Since the recent continual miniaturization of electronic devices,
nanotube on a platinum hot-film to investigate the nanoscale understanding energy dissipation and transport in micro- and
temperature distribution, which is expected to have excellent nanodevices is of great importance for the design of energy-
characteristics of robustness and spatial resolution. To confirm efficient circuits and for reliable operation [1]. Nanomateri-
its ability of quantitative temperature measurement, a demon- als such as silicon nanowires, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and
stration was conducted around a metallic thin-film heater of ca. graphene, etc. are considered to be promising for future high
600nm width on SiO2 /Si substrate. In this paper, the measure- performance devices, thus investigating the temperature distri-
ment principle and results are reported. The uncertainty due to bution around these nano-materials are also vital.
the thermal contact resistance between a CNT end and target
surface is avoided by using feed-back system, which enables us Various experimental techniques are existed to obtain the tem-
to measure the real temperature at their contact. Obtained ther- perature distribution in micro and nanoscale. Optical thermal
mal profile is discussed in comparison with a simple 1D heat imaging techniques, such as infrared and laser reflectance tech-
transfer model to evaluate the heat dissipation from the heater niques, whose spatial resolutions are limited to be on the or-
to substrate. der of wavelength. Optical nanoscale temperature measurement
method using near-field optics and fluorescence thermometry
Nomenclature have been proposed [2], but the improvement of the signal in-
tensity is still necessary for further progress.
A cross-sectional area In the past, several contact types of thermal sensors such as
C integrate constant resistance temperature detector (RTD) and thermocouple (TC)
h dissipative conductance were employed so far. For example, a thin Wollaston wire
I electric current mounted in an AFM device [3, 4, 5] was used for thermal con-
k thermal conductivity ductivity measurement, where Pt-core wire is working as the
L length hot-wire anemometry. By combining wire-type TC with AFM,
q heat generation per unit volume and unit time thermal mapping was successfully demonstrated [6]. For all
Q heat generation kind of probes, the spatial resolution is mainly dependent on
R f t thermal contact resistance between a carbon the size of the contact area and these wire-based sensors have
nanotube end and target sample surface pretty large contact area. To overcome this resolution problem,
R p f thermal contact resistance between a Pt hot-film MEMS technology is useful without special skills of crafts-
and a side wall of a carbon nanotube people. Recently MEMS-based scanning thermal microscopy
Rre f electrical resistance at reference temperature (SThM) was built and tested by using a film-type TC consisting
Rstd standard electrical resistance of Pt and Cr films deposited on the tip of AFM cantilever [7, 8].
T temperature SThM is capable of not only the structurally but also thermally
V voltage investigating nanostructures, whose resolution strongly depends
W width on the nature of the probe tip.
x coordinate
temperature-resistance coefficient Nevertheless the recent improvement of spatial resolutions of
SThM, local measurement of temperature fields is impeded by
Subscripts parasitic heat transfer between the tip and the sample via con-
f carbon nanotube duction through both air and the liquid meniscus that exists at
h heater the tip sample interface [8]. Recently, Kim et al. developed
i coordinate an ultra-high vacuum-based SThM technique that is capable of
j Pt-CNT junction in Pt hot film quantitatively mapping temperature fields with 15 mK tem-
p platinum nano hot film perature resolution and 10 nm spatial resolution [9]. However,
t target thermal contact resistance (TCR) between a tip and sample sur-
0 heat sink face is still unknown parameter and TCR is changed as the tip
amb ambient condition is changed after long-time scanning. To further im-
ave average provement of SThM, there are two possible ways. One uses a
sharper tip than the Si-based tip. The other develops the mea-
surement method which is not affected by TCR. T3 (x3 ) = C5 x3 +C6 (6)
CNTs consist of a honeycomb sp2
hybridized carbon network where C1 -C6 are the constants of integration. When the CNT
that is rolled up into a seamless cylinder. Because of extremely probe is not in contact with taget, C1 -C4 are determined by ap-
high Youngs modulus, high aspect ratio, and nanometer-radius plying the boundary condition that the temperature at the film
tip, CNT is more suitable material to the AFM and SThM tip ends is equal to that of the Si wafer, T0 .
than typical silicon-based cantilever. In the past AFM measure-
ments, the high special resolution is achieved by using CNT tip Ti (0) = Ti (L1 + L2 ) = T0 f or 1, 2 (7)
[10]. Higher resolution than 1nm can be achievable by using
Thus the temperature distribution in the Pt film is given as
single-walled CNT but no practical device has been built.
Qp Qp
In this work we have developed novel measurement technique T1 (x1 ) = x2 + x1 + T0 (8)
which can measure the surface temperature quantitatively by 2k p A p (L1 + L2 ) 1 2k p A p
using an individual carbon nanotube (CNT). A one end of CNT
is fixed on the platinum hot film sensor and the other end con- T2 (x2 ) is expressed as same with Equation (8), and the hot-film
tacts with sample surface. Temperature of target sample can temperature at the CNT-Pt junction , T j is obtained by substitut-
be determined from the electrical resistance and pre-measured ing L1 (or L2 ) for x1 (or x2 )
temperature-resistance coefficient of platinum hot film [11]. Qp L1 L2
The problem of the TCR between a CNT end [12] and sam- T j = T1 (L1 ) = T2 (L2 ) = + T0 (9)
2k p A p L1 + L2
ple surface is avoided in our measurement by feedback sys-
tem, which enables quantitative temperature measurement. This In case of that CNT end contact to target surface, boundary con-
method is the extension of measurement method for measuring ditions are expressed as shown below.
thermal conductivity of a CNT [13]. We demonstrate the capa-
bility of our technique by measuring the surface temperature of T1 (0) = T0 (10)
the line-patterned metallic film on the SiO2 substrate. By esti-
mating the thermal conductivity of metallic film and compared T2 (0) = T0 (11)
with one dimensional theoretical heat transfer model, we evalu-
T1 (L1 ) = T2 (L2 ) (12)
ate the heat dissipation from metallic film to SiO2 substrate.
 
Principle of measurement T1 (x1 )  T2 (x2 ) 
k p A p k A
x1 x1 =L1 x2 x2 =L2
p p
The heat transfer model of the senosor is shown in Figure 1, 
where the k is the thermal conductivity, A is the cross-sectional T3 (x3 ) 
= k f A f (13)
area, L is the length of Pt film, xi (i = 1-3) is the coordinate, and x  3 x3 =L f
T0 is the temperature of the heat sink. The subscript p and f de- 
note the Pt and CNT, respectively. The Joule heating induced by T3 (x3 )  T1 (L1 ) T3 (0)
k f A f = (14)
a direct current occurs uniformly in the suspended film with a x3 x3 =0 R p f
constant cross-sectional area. One-dimensional (1D) heat flow 
along the hot-film can supposed here because the aspect ratio T3 (x3 )  T3 (L f ) Tt
k f A f  = (15)
of the film is high enough. Since the experiments conducted x3 x3 =L f R f t
in high vacuum of 103 Pa, the heat convection is neglected.
where the Tt is target surface temperature and R is the thermal
Radiation is also negligible because the average temperature in-
contact resistance per unit area and subscript p- f and f -t de-
crease of the Pt hot film is less than about 10 K. Thus, the heat
note Pt-CNT and CNT-target interface, respectively. By solving
conduction in this film is analysed by the simple 1D equation of
equations (4)-(6), the temperature profiles are obtained and de-
the heat conduction,
tails of the equations of temperature are described in Reference
2 Ti (xi ) [12]. To put it briefly, the temperature of the Pt hot film is af-
kp + q p = 0 f or i = 1, 2 (1) fected by the thermal resistances of a CNT, and by two TCRs.
xi2
Besides, if the CNT touches to lower temperature surface, the
Here Joule heating per unit volume and time, q p is represented
portion of heat in hot film goes to target and temperature pro-
as
Qp file is changed as dotted line in Figure 1. In contrast, if the
qp = (2) CNT end contacts with the higher temperature surface, the heat
A p (L1 + L2 )
comes from surface through CNT and into the Pt film. Thus the
where the heat generation of Pt hot film, Q p is given by Q p = Pt film gets additional heating and the temperature distribution
IV . I is the electrical current and V is the voltage. Heat con- in the film is expected to become dashed-line in Figure 1. How-
duction equation without heat generation in the CNT is given ever, when CNT-junction temperature is same as target surface
by temperature, heat flow through a CNT does not occur and the
2 T3 (x3 ) temperature at the CNT-Pt junction. We can control the hot-
kf =0 (3)
x32 film temperature by changing the heat generation in Pt hot film,
By solving equations from (1) to (3), general solutions of the which makes the hot-film temperature at the CNT-Pt jucntion
temperature are obtained as same with target surface. Therefore the target surface tempera-
ture can be estimated quantitatively when the temperature of Pt
Qp hot-film in non-contact case is constant with that in case that a
T1 (x1 ) = x2 +C1 x1 +C2 (4)
2k p A p (L1 + L2 ) 1 CNT end contacts with target surface.

Qp The temperature of target surface is estimated by Equation (9),

T2 (x2 ) = x2 +C3 x2 +C4 (5)
2k p A p (L1 + L2 ) 2 and we use the average thermal conductivity of the Pt hot film,
Figure 1: Heat transfer model of a suspended platinum nano
hot-film with an individual carbon nanotube probe. Here the V
is the voltmater, I is the electrical current, and Rstd is standard
resistor. The T j and Tt is the hot-film temperature at CNT-Pt
junction and target surface temperature, respectively. The three
red lines denote the temperature distribution along the Pt film
for three cases: CNT-Pt junction temperature, T j is same as tar-
get surface temperature, Tt , higher than target, or lower than
target. The first case also denotes the non-contact case.
Figure 2: SEM image of the fabricated sensor that the one end
of a CNT is fixed on the Pt hot-film and the other is protrude
from the edge of line of silicon substrate. Two Pt electrodes
work as heat sink. Inset figure is the HRTEM image of the
employed carbon nanotube.
Figure 3: Flow chart of the experimental procedure. Here the
Vbe f ore and Va f ter are each represents the voltage of the Pt hot-
film in the non-contact case and contact, respectively. I is read
from constant heating current value of Pt cross-linking section.
which is estimated from the average temperature, Tave and the
premeasured relationship between the thermal conductivity and
temperature in the hot film. Because the relationship between
temperature and resistance is linear in wide range of tempera-
ture, Tave is associated with the electrical resistance of the hot
film, R p as Tave = (R p Rre f )/ + Tre f . Here is the pre-
measured temperature coefficient of resistance of a platinum hot
film, Rre f is the electrical resistance at reference temperature
Tre f . In this study, we set Tre f as 300 K and Tave is estimated
from Rre f at 300 K.
Experiment
A SEM image of fabricated sensor and TEM image of a CNT
end are shown in Figure 2. The CNT protorude from the edge
of SiO2 /Si substrate, thus the CNT end can contact with target
surface. Experimental procedure is explained in Figure 3. First,

Figure 4: Target sample: platinum nano hot film which is not
suspended from SiO2 /Si substrate. The red lines on the Pt heater
show the experimental coordinates. The xlongitudial is along the
Pt heater and xtransverse is perpendicular to the Pt heater. The
both side of the Pt heater are connected to electrodes.
Figure 5: SEM images during measurement. In figure A and
B, temperatures of the both end of the platinum/titanium heater
were measured. The temperature of the center of Pt/Ti heater
(figure C) and at few micron distance from the heater along
transverse direction were measured (figure D), respectively.
electrical current is applied to a Pt hot film, the voltage of the
Joule-heated hot film, Vbe f ore is measured. Then, If the voltage
after contact, Va f ter is not same with Vbe f ore when a CNT end
contacts with target surface, we detach the CNT end from target
surface and increase/decrease applied electrical current to make
the Vbe f ore be unchanged after contact. By repeating this pro-
cess, the gap between Vbe f ore and Va f ter becomes less than the
voltage fluctuation caused by controlled-temperature instability,
and in this time we judge Vbe f ore is same value with Va f ter . Fi-
nally, we calculate the electrical resistance of hot film, R p from
the Vbe f ore (Va f ter ) and applied electrical current I, and estimate
the target temperature Tt by equation (9).
We applied two different electrical current (1.5 mA, 3.0 mA)
and measuring the two direction temperature profiles in each
electrical current value. The one direction is along the heater
(longitudinal) and the other is perpendicular direction to the
heater (transverse).
Figure 5 is the SEM image when a CNT end contact with the
target surface. In this experiment, measured point on the tar-
get is judged by SEM image, however futher progress such as
spatial and temperature resolution is achieved by combining the
AFM system with our measurement method.
Target sample of the patterned Platinum/Titanium film is shown
in Figure 5, and line-patterned heater is connected with two
electrodes. The length and width of the heater is 9.73 m and
604 nm, respectively. The heater thichness is about 50nm (Pt:
41.9 nm, Ti: 8 nm), and film is on the 200 nm-thickness SiO2
layer. Fabricated heater has high aspect ratio in order to be seen
as one-dimensional heat flow along the longitudinal direction.
Result and discussion
Measured temperature profile along the transverse directions is
shown in Figure 6, where measured temperature at the 1 m dis-
tance from the edge line of heater is almost same with ambient
temperature in both cases (1.5 mA, 3.0 mA). Temperature pro-
file for longitudinal direction is also shown in Figure 7. Temper-
ature at the both end of the heater in case 3.0 mA is higher than
that of 1.5 mA because of high heat generation and is consid-
ered to be alomost same with the ambient temperature far from
the heater end. In this study, we simply use the 1D heat transfer
model to estimate how much heat is dissipated to substrate and
the temperature distribution at point x is described as:
2 Th (x) hWh
kh [T (x) Tamb ] + qh = 0 (16)
x2 Ah
where the kh is the thermal conductivity, Wh is the width and
Ah is the cross-sectional are of the heater, h is the interfacial
thermal conductance (ITC) at heater/SiO2 interface and qh is
the Joule heating per unit volume and time expressed as qh =
Qh /(Ah Lh ). Here , Qh is given by Qh = IV and Lh is the length
of the heater. By solving Equation (16), we obtained the general
form of temperature of the heater as
Qv
Th (x) = C1 exp (mx) +C2 exp (mx) + + Tamb (17)
m2 kh Ah Lh
where C1 and C2 are the constants of integration, and m is de-
fined as m = (hWh /kh Ah )1/2 . By solving Equation (17) with
boundary conditions same with Equation (10)-(11), C1 and C2
are determined as:
Qh 1 exp(mLh )
C1 = (18)
m2 kh Ah Lh exp(mLh ) exp(mLh )
Qh 1 exp(mLh )
C2 = (19)
m2 kh Ah Lh exp(mLh ) exp(mLh )
Thus the temperature distribution of the heater is given as a fol-
lowing equation.
Qh
Th (x) =
m2 kh Ah Lh
[ ]
sinh(mx) + sinh (m(Lh x))
1 + Tamb (20)
sinh(mLh )
From the past experiment data of other sample, the thermal con-
ductivity of heater, kh is assumed to be about 35W/mK and
we estimated ITC at heater/SiO2 interface as 22-30 MW/m2 K
by using Equation (20). In this work, simple 1D heat transfer
model is used, where we assume that the temperature of SiO2
is same with the temperature of the both sides of heater. There-
fore discussing the obtained ITC value is future task after fur-
ther investigation that analyzes more precisely the heat dissi-
pation from the heater to substrate by using three-dimensional
heat transfer model.

Figure 6: Target surface temperature distributions perpendicu-
lar to the Pt heater coordinate (transverse direction). The circle
marks denote the 3.0 mA heating case and the square marks de-
note the 1.5 mA heating case. The origin of the x-displacement
is fabricated heater configuraion and coordinates. This picture
is taken by SEM.
Figure 7: Target surface temperature along to the Pt heater (lon-
gitudinal direction). The circle marks denote the 3.0 mA heat-
ing case and the square marks denote the 1.5 mA heating case.
The origin of x-displacement is the left end of the heater. Mea-
surement data are fitted by 1D heat transfer model. Room tem-
perature that experiment conducted in is 302 K in both experi-
ments.
Conclusion
Novel surface temperature profiler using an individual carbon
nanotube is developed, which enable us to measure the surface
temperature quantitatively by feed-back system. In this mea-
surement, the thermal contact resistance between a CNT end
and target surface does not affect and high spatial resolution
can be achieved because of the small radius of CNT end. In this
study, thermal distribution around a metallic thin-film heater is
obtained to confirm the validity of our method and heat dissi-
pation from heater to substrate is evaluated by simple 1D heat
transfer model. Measuring the thermal profile of nanomateri-
als is future task and this method has great potential to reveal
nanoscale heat transport phenomena.
Acknowledgements
This work was partially supported by Grants-in-Aid for Sci-
entific Research (23360101, 23656153, and 24560237) and a
Grant-in-Aid for JSPS Fellows (231457, 24560237). Sensor
fabrication was partially conducted at the Collabo-Station II
of Kyushu University. The HRTEM observations were con-
ducted in the Research Laboratory for High Voltage Electron
Microscopy, Kyushu University.
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