Discrimination of nano-objects via cluster analysis techniques applied to time-resolved thermo-acoustic microscopy

Year: 2021

Authors: Ronchi A., Sterzi A., Gandolfi M., Belarouci A., Giannetti C., Fatti N.D., Banfi F., Ferrini G.

Autors Affiliation: Katholieke Univ Leuven, Dept Phys & Astron, Celestijnenlaan 200D, B-3001 Leuven, Belgium; Univ Cattolica Sacro Cuore, Interdisciplinary Labs Adv Mat Phys I LAMP, I-25121 Brescia, Italy; Univ Cattolica Sacro Cuore, Dipartimento Matemat & Fis, I-25121 Brescia, Italy; Empa, Swiss Fed Labs Mat Sci & Technol, Uberlandstr 129, CH-8600 Dubendorf, Switzerland; CNR INO, Via Branze 45, I-25123 Brescia, Italy; Univ Brescia, Dept Informat Engn, Via Branze 38, I-25123 Brescia, Italy; CNRS Ecole Cent Lyon, Inst Nanotechnol Lyon, 36 Ave Guy Collongue, F-69134 Ecully, France; Univ Lyon 1, Inst Lumiere Matiere ILM, Univ Lyon, FemtoNanoOpt Grp, 10 Rue Ada Byron, F-69622 Villeurbanne, France; CNRS, 10 Rue Ada Byron, F-69622 Villeurbanne, France

Abstract: Time-effective, unsupervised clustering techniques are exploited to discriminate nanometric metal disks patterned on a dielectric substrate. The discrimination relies on cluster analysis applied to time-resolved optical traces obtained from thermo-acoustic microscopy based on asynchronous optical sampling. The analysis aims to recognize similarities among nanopatterned disks and to cluster them accordingly. Each cluster is characterized by a fingerprint time-resolved trace, synthesizing the common features of the thermo-acoustics response of the composing elements. The protocol is robust and widely applicable, not relying on any specific knowledge of the physical mechanisms involved. The present route constitutes an alternative diagnostic tool for on-chip non-destructive testing of individual nano-objects.

Journal/Review: ULTRASONICS

Volume: 114      Pages from: 106403-1  to: 106403-9

More Information: G.F. acknowledges financial support from the MIUR -PRIN 2017 grant in the frame of the aSTAR project (2017RKWTMY 003). C.G. and A.R. acknowledges financial support from MIUR through the PRIN 2017 program (Prot. 20172H2SC4 005). This work has been partially supported by the Universita Cattolica del Sacro Cuore through D.3.1 and D.2.2 grants. F.B. acknowledges financial support from the MIUR – Futuro in Ricerca 2013 Grant in the frame of the ULTRANANO Project. F.B. acknowledges financial support from the IDEXLYON project Programme Investissements d´Avenir (ANR-16-IDEX-0005). M. G. acknowledges financial support from the CNR Joint Laboratories program 2019-2021, project SAC.AD002.026 (OMEN).
KeyWords: Photothermics; Photoacoustics; Microscopy; Cluster-analysis; Non-destructive testing; Single metal nano-object; Nanometrology
DOI: 10.1016/j.ultras.2021.106403