Tip cleaning and sharpening processes for noncontact atomic force microscope in ultrahigh vacuum

Tip cleaning and sharpening processes for noncontact atomic force microscope (AFM) operated in ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) were carried out and evaluated by a scanning Auger microscope (SAM) with a field emission electron gun and a noncontact AFM in UHV combined with a scanning tunneling microscope and a field emission microscope. The cantilever used in this study was piezoresistive, which can be heated by passing a current through the resistive legs of the cantilever. As a pretreatment, the tip was irradiated with ultraviolet light in oxygen to remove carbon contaminants. It was heated at about 750°C to form a clean oxide layer in oxygen of 5×10⁻⁵ Torr in an SAM chamber. The desorption of the layer can make a remained tip apex sharper by heating under electron beam irradiation. A thermally oxidized layer was also eliminated by HF etching to sharpen the tip apex. The procedures are useful to obtain a well-defined Si tip suitable for a noncontact AFM.     

qPlus型原子力显微镜技术

扫描探针显微镜主要包括扫描隧道显微镜和原子力显微镜,其利用尖锐的针尖逐点扫描样品,可在原子和分子尺度上获取表面的形貌和丰富的物性,改变了人们对物质的研究范式和基础认知。近年来,qPlus型高品质因子力传感器的出现将扫描探针显微镜的分辨率和灵敏度推向了一个新的水平,为化学结构、电荷态、电子态、自旋态等多自由度的精密探测和操控提供了前所未有的机会。文章首先简要介绍原子力显微镜的发展历史和基本工作原理,然后重点描述qPlus型原子力显微镜技术的优势及其在单原子、单分子和低维材料体系中的应用,最后展望该技术的未来发展趋势和潜在应用。     

Guidelines for the achievement of true atomic resolution with noncontact atomic force microscopy

We investigated the conditions to achieve true atomic resolution with an atomic force microscope under noncontact mode (NC-AFM). At first, we derived the equation of vertical resolution as a function of the signal-to-noise ratio and the decay length of frequency shift by assuming an exponential tip-to-sample distance dependence of frequency shift. Next, by assuming a single atom probe, we derived the equation of lateral resolution as a function of the vertical resolution and the tip-to-sample distance, from which we clarified the guidelines to achieve true atomic resolution with NC-AFM. At last, we made clear the attainable decay length of frequency shift both for the van der Waals potential and the electrostatic (Coulomb) potential.     

幅度调制原子力显微镜仿真平台

基于欧拉-伯努利模型,对幅度调制原子力显微镜( AM-AFM)进行建模,采用P]D控制器进行反馈控制,建立了一套幅度调制原子力显微镜仿真平台.仿真结果表明,该平台准确地模拟了AM-AFM探针接近样品和扫描样品的过程中探针的运动状态及AM-AFM的工作系统,可作为大学生做原子力显微镜实验的辅助工具,使学生对AM-AFM的...     

脂质体结构特性的原子力显微镜研究

用原子力显微镜(AFM)研究了1,2二油酸甘油3磷酸1甘油(DOPG)脂质体胞囊的形态和脂双层膜结构.报道了AFM探针与吸附在氧化硅膜上脂质体的相互作用结果.实验结果表明,在液晶态的DOPG中,AFM图像是一些球形或椭球形颗粒.这些球形或椭球形颗粒与液晶态的DOPG脂质体的结构特性有关.当AFM的探针与脂质体表面相互作用力超过某临界值时,脂质体胞囊破裂,变成脂双层结构.从图上可以看到,第二层的DOPG膜吸附在第一层上,膜的厚度约为5nm. 关键词： 原子力显微镜 脂质体 纳米结构     

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     

Lead zirconate titanate cantilever for noncontact atomic force microscopy

Noncontact atomic force microscopy with frequency modulation detection is a promising technique for surface observation with true atomic resolution. The piezoelectric material itself can be an actuator and sensor of the oscillating probe simultaneously, without the need for additional electro-mechanical transducers or other measurement systems. A vertical resolution of 0.01 nm rms has been achieved using a microfabricated cantilever with lead zirconate titanate thin film in noncontact mode frequency modulation detection. The cantilever also has a sharpened pyramidal stylus with a radius of about 10 nm for noncontact atomic force microscopy.     

碳纳米管网络导电特征的导电型原子力显微镜研究

利用导电型原子力显微镜对大范围碳纳米管（CNT）网络的导电性能进行成像观察.研究发现：在几十微米的成像范围内,每根CNT本身的电阻远小于CNT之间的接触电阻,以致于在电压偏置的网络中不同的CNT呈现电位不同的等位体;CNT的导电性能虽不因与其他CNT的交叠接触而改变,但是如果缠绕成束,则半导体性CNT趋于呈现金属性CNT的导电特征. 关键词： 导电型原子力显微镜 碳纳米管网络 碳管纳米电导     

原子力显微镜探针耦合变形下的微观扫描力研究

原子力显微镜(AFM)的微探针系统是典型的微机械构件，它在接触扫描过程处于耦合变形状态.采用数值模拟方法探究恒力模式下探针耦合变形对微观扫描力信号、微观形貌信号的影响.研究表明，AFM的恒力模式扫描中，法向扫描力并不是恒定大小，与轴向扫描力存在耦合作用，在粗糙峰峰值增加阶段，二力均增加；在粗糙峰峰值减小阶段，二力均减小；该耦合作用随形貌坡度、针尖长度等增加而加强.微观形貌的测试信号和横向扫描侧向力信号受探针耦合变形影响较小，但侧向力与形貌斜率密切相关，且其极值点与形貌极值点存在位置偏差，这些结果均与原子力 关键词： 原子力显微镜 探针悬臂梁 耦合变形 扫描力     

STM的同胞兄弟--原子力显微镜(AFM)

介绍了在扫描隧道显微镜（ＳＴＭ）基础上发展起来的原子力显微镜（ＡＦＭ）的工作原理、关键部分、工作模式及其应用。     

Lipid membrane: inelastic deformation of surface structure by an atomic force microscope

The stability of the 1,2-Dioleoyl-sn-Glycero-3-[phospho-rac-1-Glycerol-Na] liposome in the liquid crystalline state have been investigated using an atomic force microscope (AFM). We have observed the inelastic deformation of the sample surface. The AFM tip causes persistent deformation of the surface of the lipid membrane, in which some of the lipid molecules are eventually pushed or dragged by the AFM tip. The experiment shows how the surface structure of the lipid membrane can be created by the interaction between the AFM tip and lipid membrane. When the operating force exceeds 10^-8 N, it leads to large deformations of the surface. A square region of about 1×1μm² is created by the scanning probe on the surface. When the operating force is between 10^-11N and 10^-8N, it can image the topography of the surface of the lipid membrane. The stability of the sample is related to the concentration of the medium in which the sample is prepared.     

Estimation of the latent track size of CR-39 using atomic force microscope

As a frame work of the study for the latent track size measurement using atomic force microscope, we have measured the minute etch pits and the extremely small amount of bulk etch of CR-39 at the beginning of chemical etching, and obtained its growth curves in nanometer dimensions. The pieces of CR-39 were exposed to 6 MeV/nC and Fe ions with normal incidence angle and were etched in 70°C 7 N NaOH solution for 0.5,1,2,3,5 min. The diameters of latent track were estimated to be 17 nm for Fe ions and 8 nm for C ions, respectively. These values are comparable to the experimental data on the average ‘track core diameters’ that have been obtained by various experimental techniques.     

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     

Differentiation between tracks and damages in SSNTD under the atomic force microscope

We have observed three-dimensional sponge-like structures as well as strips of connecting pits on the surface of the LR 115 detector after etching, which can be confused with the small tracks formed after short etching time. We have employed an atomic force microscope (AFM) to study these “damages” as well as genuine alpha tracks for short etching time. It was found that while the track and damage openings could be similar in size and shape, the depths for the damages were consistently smaller. Therefore, the depth of the pits will serve as a clear criterion to differentiate between tracks and other damages. The ability to discriminate between genuine tracks from other damages is most important for etching for short time intervals.     

Investigation of nuclear reaction products by atomic force microscopy

The use of Atomic Force Microscope (AFM, from Corporate Head, Santa Clara, California, USA) opened a new way to study latent nuclear tracks. In our experiments we used plastic track detectors of the type CR-39 (Columbia Resin No. 39) Impinging ions with energy above a threshold of 180 keV can alter the molecular structure forming latent tracks. Since nuclear latent tracks have diameters in the range of 10 to 1000 nm, they can be visualized by AFM with a slight chemical etching (6 min in 6 n NaOH solution at 70 °C). These tracks are significant for the energy, momentum and the mass of the incoming particles. In our study, passive CR-39 detectors were irradiated by secondary particles produced bombarding ¹⁰³Rh by ¹⁶O and ¹²C in a wide range of energy (1 MeV/amu to 33 MeV/amu) at the MP Tandem generator of the Laboratorio Nazionale del Sud in Catania, Italy. The experiment was carried out in order to identify the secondary particles and to determine their density and the spatial distribution.     

How to measure energy dissipation in dynamic mode atomic force microscopy

When studying a mechanical system like an atomic force microscope (AFM) in dynamic mode it is intuitive and instructive to analyse the forces involved in tip–sample interaction. A different but complementary approach is based on analysing the energy that is dissipated when the tip periodically interacts with the sample surface. This method does not require solving the differential equation of motion for the oscillating cantilever, but is based entirely on the analysis of the energy flow in and out of the dynamic system. Therefore the problem of finding a realistic model to describe the tip–sample interaction in terms of non-linear force–distance dependencies and damping effects is omitted. Instead, it is possible to determine the energy dissipated by the tip–sample interaction directly by measuring such quantities as oscillation amplitude, frequency, phase shift and drive amplitude. The method proved to be important when interpreting phase data obtained in tapping mode, but is also applicable to a variety of scanning probe microscopes operating in different dynamic modes. Additional electronics were designed to allow a direct mapping of local energy dissipation while scanning a sample surface. By applying this technique to the cross-section of a polymer blend a material specific contrast was observed.     

原子力显微镜观察脂胞囊形貌结构及稳定性

用原子力显微镜(AFM)观察了液晶态脂胞囊形貌结构和稳定性.实验结果显示,对于1,2-二油酸甘油-3-磷脂酰乙醇胺(DOPE)超分子聚集体,在扫描区域内,可观察到一些大小不同球形颗粒;对于1,2-二油酸甘油-3-磷脂酸乙醇胺(DOPE)和1,2-二油酸甘油-3-磷脂酰胆碱(DOPC)混合的超分子聚集体,则不仅观察到类似脂胞囊的球形颗粒,而且也观察到了双层膜结构,其厚度约为5～6 nm.     

原子力显微镜在生物物理领域的新应用

介绍了原子力显微镜在生物物理领域的最新应用:蛋白质去折叠、DNA拉伸、生物膜受力,通过分析实验得到的力谱,可以获取关于蛋白质、DNA、生物膜结构信息.原子力显微镜不仅能反映测量体系的力学性质,由于其具有独特的时间、空间分辨及实时成像,因而能提供更多信息.     

Atomic and molecular spectroscopy in the evanescent electromagnetic field of dielectric resonators

Experiments of microwave spectroscopy with cavity spectrometers utilizing the evanescent field extending outside dielectric resonatos. are described. Results are reported, indicating the advantages ad the possible applications of the new technique.     

Theory of higher harmonics imaging in tapping-mode atomic force microscopy

The periodic impact force induced by tip-sample contact in tapping mode atomic force microscope (AFM) gives rise to non-harmonic response of a micro-cantilever. These non-harmonic signals contain the full characteristics of tip-sample interaction. A complete theoretical model describing the dynamical behaviour of tip--sample system was developed in this paper. An analytic formula was introduced to describe the relationship between time-varying tip--sample impact force and tip motion. The theoretical analysis and numerical results both show that the time-varying tip--sample impact force can be reconstructed by recording tip motion. This allows for the reconstruction of the characteristics of the tip--sample force, like contact time and maximum contact force. It can also explain the ability of AFM higher harmonics imaging in mapping stiffness and surface energy variations.