  Material thermal properties characterization at nanoscales remains a
challenge even if progresses were done in developing specific characterization
techniques like the Scanning Thermal Microscopy (SThM). In the present work, we
propose a detailed procedure based on the combined use of a SThM probe
characterization and its Finite Element Modeling (FEM) to recover in-operando
3omega measurements achieved under high vacuum. This approach is based on a
two-step methodology: (i) a fine description of the probe s electrical and
frequency behaviors in out of contact mode to determine intrinsic parameters of
the SThM tip, (b) a minimization of the free parameter of our model, i.e. the
contact thermal resistance, by comparing 3omega measurements to our simulations
of the probe operating in contact mode. Such an approach allows us to
accurately measure thermal interface resistances of the probe as a function of
the strength applied between the tip and the surface for three different
materials (silicon, silica and gold). In addition, FEM modeling provides
insights about the 3omega-SThM technique sensitivity, as a function of probe /
sample interface resistance to measure material thermal conductivity, paving
the way to quantitative SThM measurements.
