原子力显微镜探针悬臂几何结构变化对高次谐波信息增强的研究

轻敲模式原子力显微镜高次谐波信号包含待测样品表面纳米力学特性等方面的信息, 但是传统原子力显微镜的高次谐波信号非常微弱. 里兹法证明在探针悬臂的特定位置打孔可以实现探针的内共振从而增强高次谐波信号强度. 本文通过有限元仿真计算获得探针第一共振频、第二共振频及其比值随着孔的尺寸和位置变化的规律. 在实验上通过聚焦离子束在探针悬臂上打孔使其第二共振频约为第一共振频的6倍, 提高了第6次谐波信号的信噪比, 并在实验室研制的高次谐波成像实验装置上获得了6次谐波图像. 关键词： 轻敲模式原子力显微镜 探针悬臂几何结构 高次谐波 聚焦离子束加工     

原子力显微镜在轻敲模式下的动力学模型

基于Hamaker假设、Lennard-Jones势能定律及经典弹性理论建立了一种新型的球体与平面黏着接触的弹性模型，该模型显示黏着力在原子力显微镜(AFM)针尖趋近和撤离样品表面，即加载和卸载的两个过程中存在黏着滞后现象，表明了AFM在轻敲工作模式中存在能量耗散.同时，根据所建的黏着接触弹性模型，建立了AFM在轻敲工作模式下的动力学模型，研究了AFM在轻敲工作模式下的振动幅度、相位差及耗散功率随针尖与样品表面间距的变化规律，仿真结果与现有的实验结果相一致.     

试样激励下轻敲模式原子力声显微镜的非线性动力学特性

利用Euler-Bernoulli梁理论和DMT针尖-样品作用力模型建立了试样激励下轻敲模式原子力声显微镜(AFAM)系统的动力学方程,并应用非线性动力学分析方法对AFAM微悬臂梁的振动特性进行研究。通过合理改变超声激励幅值、超声激励频率和针尖-样品初始间距等模型参数模拟得到微悬臂梁的超谐波、次谐波、准周期和混沌振动现象,采用时间序列、频谱、相空间、Poincare截面和Lyapunov指数等方法对不同非线性振动特性进行表征。通过分析不同模型参数条件下微悬臂梁针尖-样品作用力特性,探索了微悬臂梁不同非线性振动现象的产生机制。此外,研究了AFAM微悬臂梁运动的分岔特性,发现当超声激励幅值和针尖-样品初始间隙连续变化时,周期、准周期和混沌运动交替出现。研究结果对AFAM系统非线性动力学行为分析和混沌振动控制提供了理论参考。      

原子力显微镜扫描成像DNA分子

采用Mg2+处理DNA、APTES或戊二醛修饰云母表面、DNA拉直方法制备了λ-DNA及DNA-组蛋白复合物样品.室温下原子力显微镜以轻敲模式在空气中扫描样品成像.实验结果表明:AFM扫描成像的效果与样品的制备方法有关,同时也受操作因素影响.     

高定向热解石墨表面局域导电增强现象的扫描探针显微学研究

基于导电型原子力显微镜和扫描隧道显微镜的对比观察,研究高定向热解石墨表面上残留石墨片的导电增强现象.根据样品电阻的测量数据,将这种现象归结为导电针尖与石墨表面的点接触问题,并且发现接触电导和接触点处局域的电子密度成正比,从而确定石墨表面的局域导电增强现象的原因在于残留在石墨表面的石墨片具有较高的电子密度. 关键词： 扫描隧道显微镜 导电原子力显微镜 高定向热解石墨 导电性     

原子力显微术轻敲模式中探针样品接触过程及相位衬度研究

借助简单的有阻尼受迫振子模型，研究了原子力显微术轻敲模式中探针与样品接触时间t_c、样品的表面形变D_z和相位衬度对探针设置高度z_c及样品杨氏模量E_s的依赖关系.结果发现,t_c与D_z均随E_s及z_c的增大而减小，同时探针与样品作用过程伴随很小的能量耗散.对轻敲过程中相移量φ的研究表明，E_s较大的样品有较小的φ，且φ随 关键词： 原子力显微术 轻敲模式 相位衬度     

力曲线重构实验课程平台

原子力显微镜(AFM)作为一种分辨率可达原子量级的测量工具已经广泛应用于纳米材料、生物医学等领域.目前大学里开设与AFM成像技术相关的实验课程中,大多是向学生展示AFM扫描样品获得形貌图的功能,较为单调,无法使学生在实验课程中更深入地了解AFM的工作模式及成像方式.近年来,通过对原子力显微镜的输出信号进行分析,并利用高次谐波信号进行重建力曲线,使探测样品表面力学信息的方法得到了深入的研究.本文完整地叙述了使用自主开发的AFM实验平台进行重构力曲线的过程,并将其应用于AFM实验课程中,从而加深学生对AFM成像原理的了解.     

5fs驱动激光脉冲的高次谐波选择性优化

研究了在紧聚焦实验条件下, 采用5 fs激光脉冲与氩气相互作用产生的高次谐波特性. 通过优化系统色散、气体靶气压与位置等参数, 观察到在60–73 eV波段范围内高次谐波光谱接近一个量级的增强. 进一步通过对单原子模型和传播方程的数值求解及模拟相位匹配实验参数下高次谐波的产生过程, 发现相位匹配在所观察到的实验现象中起着关键作用, 得到了理论上与实验规律一致的结果. 关键词： 极紫外激光 高次谐波 超快光谱     

相对论圆偏振激光与固体靶作用产生高次谐波

超短超强激光与固体靶表面等离子体相互作用可以通过高次谐波的方式产生从极紫外到软X射线波段的相干辐射,获得飞秒甚至阿秒量级的超短脉冲,可用于观测原子或分子中的电子运动等超快动力学过程.本文实验研究了相对论圆偏振飞秒激光与固体靶相互作用的高次谐波产生过程,实验结果表明,在较大入射角下,圆偏振激光也可以有效地产生高次谐波辐射.通过预脉冲控制靶表面的预等离子体密度标长,发现高次谐波的产生效率随密度标长的增加而单调下降.进一步通过二维粒子模拟程序,分析了激光的偏振以及预等离子体密度标长对高次谐波产生的影响,很好地解释了实验观测结果.     

表面等离激元“热点”的可控激发及近场增强光谱学

金属纳米结构中特定表面等离激元模式的光学激发及其相互作用是发展高分辨、高灵敏、高精度界面光谱学的物理基础.本文综述了我们研究组近期在表面等离激元共振的光学激发、分类识别、近场增强及在界面光谱学中的应用等方面的进展,主要内容包括:1)利用时域有限差分法,分析了金属粒子-基底体系中SPR"热点"产生的物理机制及影响因素,讨论了电模式和磁模式下界面"热点"的可控激发及"热点"转移的影响因素; 2)利用粒子-金膜体系,实现了可见光频率的表面等离激元磁共振,并利用其形成的"热点"进行了表面增强拉曼光谱实验,获得了比常规电模式更高的拉曼增强; 3)通过界面SPR"热点"增强二次谐波的实验和理论研究,提出并实现了空间分辨率达到1 nm的等离激元增强二次谐波纳米尺; 4)讨论了针尖增强拉曼光谱及针尖增强荧光体系中的空间分辨率、定向发射等关键共性问题的解决方案.相关研究成果可为界面SPR"热点"的可控激发及进一步发展表面增强拉曼、针尖增强拉曼、表面等离激元增强二次谐波等各类高灵敏度,高空间分辨率的界面光谱学方法提供新的思路.     

Quantitative measurement of local elasticity of SiOx film by atomic force acoustic microscopy

<正>In this paper the elastic properties of SiO_x film are investigated quantitatively for local fixed point and qualitatively for overall area by atomic force acoustic microscopy(AFAM) in which the sample is vibrated at the ultrasonic frequency while the sample surface is touched and scanned with the tip contacting the sample respectively for fixed point and continuous measurements.The SiO_x films on the silicon wafers are prepared by the plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition(PECVD).The local contact stiffness of the tip-SiO_x film is calculated from the contact resonance spectrum measured with the atomic force acoustic microscopy.Using the reference approach,indentation modulus of SiO_x film for fixed point is obtained.The images of cantilever amplitude are also visualized and analysed when the SiO_x surface is excited at a fixed frequency.The results show that the acoustic amplitude images can reflect the elastic properties of the sample.     

AFM针尖-测试面接触分子动力学研究

针对AFM针尖-测试面的接触问题,利用分子动力学模拟针尖同测试面间的"跳跃粘附"和"颈缩分离"过程;分析接触力同接触间隙的关系及测试面压力分布;发现分离过程滞后粘附过程;得到接触力大小只与接触区域附近少数原子层有关,且接触区域近处原子受压力、远处受拉力的结论;讨论测试面位错半径同接触力和接触间隙的关系.     

Evaluation of the contact resonance frequencies in atomic force microscopy as a method for surface characterisation (invited)

The combination of ultrasound with atomic force microscopy (AFM) opens the high lateral resolution of scanning probe techniques in the nanometer range to ultrasonics. One possible method is to observe the resonance frequencies of the AFM sensors under different tip-sample interaction conditions. AFM sensors can be regarded as small flexible beams. Their lowest flexural and torsional resonance frequencies are usually found to be in a range between several kHz and several MHz depending on their exact geometrical shape. When the sensor tip is in a repulsive elastic contact with a sample surface, the local indentation modulus can be determined by the contact resonance technique. Contact resonances in the ultrasonic frequency range can also be used to improve the image contrast in other dynamic techniques as, for example, in the so-called piezo-mode. Here, an alternating electric field is applied between a conducting cantilever and a piezoelectric sample. Via the inverse piezoelectric effect, the sample surface is set into vibration. This excitation is localised around the contact area formed by the sensor tip and the sample surface. We show applications of the contact resonance technique to piezoelectric ceramics.     

Ultrasonic radiation in dynamic force microscopy

In dynamic force microscopy the cantilever of an atomic force microscope is vibrated at ultrasonic frequencies in the range of several 10 kHz up to several MHz while scanning a sample surface. The amplitude and phase of the cantilever vibration as well as the shift of the cantilever resonance frequencies provide information about local sample surface properties. In several operation modes of dynamic force microscopy, for example force modulation microscopy, tapping mode or atomic force acoustic microscopy, the sensor tip is in contact with the sample at least during a fraction of its vibration cycle. The periodic indentation of the tip with the sample surface generates ultrasonic waves. In this paper, the ultrasonic radiation of a vibrating cantilever into a sample and its contribution to the damping of the cantilever vibration are calculated. The theoretical results are compared to experiments.     

Reversal of atomic contrast in scanning probe microscopy on (111) metal surfaces

We study the origin of atomic contrast on Cu(111) and Pt(111) surfaces probed by a non-contact atomic force microscope and scanning tunnelling microscope. First-principles simulations of the interaction between the atoms of the scanning tip and those of the probed surface show a dependence of the resulting contrast on the tip-sample distance and reveal a close relation between contrast changes and relaxation of atomic positions in both the tip and the sample. Contrast reversion around the distance where the short-range attractive atomic force reaches its maximum is predicted for both types of microscopies. We also demonstrate a relation between the maximal attractive force in a F-z atomic force spectroscopy and the chemical identity of the apex atom on the imaging tip.     

Multi-modal analysis on the intermittent contact dynamics of atomic force microscope

A multi-modal analysis on the intermittent contact between an atomic force microscope (AFM) with a soft sample is presented. The intermittent contact induces the participation of the higher modes into the motion and various subharmonic motions are shown. The AFM tip mass enhances the coupling of different modes. The AFM tip mass is modeled by the Dirac delta function and the coupling effects are analyzed via the Galerkin method. The necessity of applying multi-modal analysis to the intermittent contact problem is demonstrated. Unlike the impact oscillator model which assumes the impact/contact time is infinitesimal, the contact time can be a significant fractional portion in each cycle, especially for the soft sample case and thus results in different dynamic behavior from that of an impact oscillator.     

Theoretical and experimental study of phase optimization of tapping mode atomic force microscope

Phase image in tapping-mode atomic force microscope (TM-AFM) results from various dissipations in a microcantilever system. The phases mainly reflect the tip-sample contact dissipations which allow the nanoscale characteristics to be distinguished from each other. In this work, two factors affecting the phase and phase contrast are analyzed. It is concluded from the theoretical and experimental results that the phases and phase contrasts in the TM-AFM are related to the excitation frequency and energy dissipation of the system. For a two-component blend, it is theoretically and experimentally proven that there exists an optimal excitation frequency for maximizing the phase contrast. Therefore, selecting the optimal excitation frequency can potentially improve the phase contrast results. In addition, only the key dissipation between the tip and sample is found to accurately reflect the sample properties. Meanwhile, the background dissipation can potentially reduce the contrasts of the phase images and even mask or distort the effective information in the phase images. In order to address the aforementioned issues, a self-excited method is adopted in this study in order to eliminate the effects of the background dissipation on the phases. Subsequently, the real phase information of the samples is successfully obtained. It is shown in this study that the eliminating of the background dissipation can effectively improve the phase contrast results and the real phase information of the samples is accurately reflected. These results are of great significance in optimizing the phases of two-component samples and multi-component samples in atomic force microscope.