arXiv subjects

Gabriel Gomila

Publications and source records attributed to Gabriel Gomila.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Mechanical mapping of thin elastic films and living cells with spherical tip atomic force microscopy probes at large indentations

An analytical model to quantify large indentation force curves acquired on elastic thin films and living cells with spherical tip Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) probes is presented. The model accounts for the bottom effect in the whole indentation range and overcomes the limitations of Sneddon's and Hertz's contact models, which are valid for semi-infinite thick samples, and of paraboloid tip models with bottom effect correction (BEC) that are applicable to spherical tips only for relatively small indentations. The model is experimentally validated with force volume measurements on polyacrylamide (PAA) hydrogel thin films, where an excellent agreement is obtained. The accurate correction of the bottom effect demonstrates that the intrinsic Young's modulus of PAA thin films increases for thickness below a critical value (~15 um). The model also shows excellent agreement with force curves acquired on live macrophages, providing accurate Young's modulus values for these very soft cells (E~200 Pa). Young's modulus values extracted with the proposed model significantly differ from those obtained from Sneddon's or paraboloid models with BEC, whose values deviate by 100% and -25%, respectively. Results show the potential of the proposed model for analysing force curve measurements with spherical tips at large indentations on thin film elastic materials and living cells at the micro and nanoscale.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2026

Local Multimodal Dynamics in Mixed Ionic-Electronic Conductors and Their Fingerprints in Organic Electrochemical Transistor Operation

Mixed ionic-electronic conductors host tightly coupled interactions among mobile ions, electronic charges, and the polymer matrix, giving rise to complex multimodal responses spanning electrical, mechanical, and morphological transformations. These materials underpin organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs), which translate such interactions into low-voltage signal amplification and sensing for applications in bioelectronics, neuromorphic computing, and memory. Despite their central role, OECT current-voltage transfer characteristics are often treated phenomenologically, as both the local multimodal dynamics and their connection to global device response remain unresolved. Here, we reveal that the transfer curve encodes a cascade of spatially localized electrochemical transitions, each associated with distinct changes in conductivity, stiffness, and morphology, fundamentally redefining it as a spatially resolved fingerprint of device's internal state. Using automated operando multimodal in-liquid scanning dielectric microscopy, we directly map these dynamics and identify region-specific electrochemical thresholds governing the interplay between source, channel, and drain. We found that the local tip-sample electrostatic force serves as a remarkable mechanistic observable of coupled multimodal dynamics in mixed conductors. A physically grounded model links it to general material, interfacial, and geometric parameters, enabling mechanistic interpretation and predictive insights. Our work provides a new framework for probing and understanding mixed conduction in ion-electron coupled systems.

cond-mat.mtrl-sci↗

arXiv2025

Single-particle detection of a semiconductor-to-metal transition by scanning dielectric microscopy

Hybrid nanostructures that combine semiconducting and metallic components offer great potential for photothermal therapy, optoelectronics, and sensing, by integrating tunable optical properties with enhanced light absorption and charge transport. Boosting the integrated performance of these hybrid systems demands techniques capable of probing local variations of the physical properties inaccessible to bulk analysis. Here, we report the single-particle dielectric characterization of hybrid, semiconducting bismuth sulfide (Bi$_2$S$_3$) nanorods (NR) decorated with metallic Au nanoparticles (NP), employing scanning dielectric microscopy, which uses electrostatic force microscopy in combination with finite-element numerical simulations. We reveal a pronounced enhancement in the local dielectric response of Bi$_2$S$_3$ upon Au decoration, attributed to interfacial polarization and electron transfer from Au to the Bi$_2$S$_3$ matrix, thus suggesting a semiconductor-to-metal-like transition at the single-particle level. Numerical simulations show that the response is dominated by the vertical component of the permittivity and that the decorating metallic Au NP produce only moderate shielding of the semiconductor Bi$_2$S$_3$ NR core, indicating that the large increase in the dielectric response originates primarily from intrinsic modifications within the NR. Overall, these findings provide direct insight into structure--property relationships at the single-particle level, supporting the rational design of advanced hybrid nanostructures with tailored electronic functionalities.

physics.chem-ph↗

arXiv2025

Dielectric nanotomography based on electrostatic force microscopy: A numerical analysis

Electrostatic force microscopy (EFM) can image nanoscale objects buried below the surface. Here, we theoretically show that this capability can be used to obtain nanotomographic information, i.e., the physical dimensions and dielectric properties, of buried nano-objects. These results constitute a first step toward implementing a nondestructive dielectric nanotomography technique based on EFM with applications in materials sciences and life sciences.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv1996

Non-equilibrium thermodynamic description of junctions in semiconductor devices

The methods of non-equilibrium thermodynamics of systems with an interface have been applied to the study of transport processes in semiconductor junctions. A complete phenomenological model for drift-diffusion processes in a junction has been derived, which includes, from first principles, both surface equations and boundary conditions, together with the usual drift-diffusion equations for the bulks. In this way a self-consistent characterisation of the whole system, bulks and interface, has been obtained in a common framework. The completeness of the model has been shown and a simple application to metal-semiconductor junctions developed.

cond-mat↗