High temperature conductance mapping for correlation of electrical properties with micron-sized chemical and microstructural features

High temperature AC conductance mapping is a scanning probe technique for resolving local electrical properties in microscopic areas. It is especially suited for detecting poorly conducting phases and for ionically conducting materials such as those used in solid oxide electrochemical cells. Secondary silicate phases formed at the edge of lanthanum strontium manganite microelectrodes are used as an example for correlation of chemical, microstructural and electrical properties with a spatial resolution of 1-2 µm to demonstrate the technique. The measurements are performed in situ in a controlled atmosphere high temperature scanning probe microscope at 650 °C in air.