一种高精度多功能双用原子力显微镜技术及应用

主要研究了一种基于高精度IPC-205B型扫描隧道显微镜(STM)的新型高精度多功能双用原子力显微镜(AFM)技术及其应用.阐述该原子力显微镜的工作原理、组成及应用,详细介绍了该AFM镜体的独特结构和新型微悬臂的制作及其检测方法.该AFM采用简单适用的新型微悬臂.并利用STM检测微悬臂的起伏,通过四维机械驱动和双压电陶瓷扫描,有效提高了扫描精度,扩大了扫描范围.该机型集AFM和STM功能为一体,其中STM可以单独使用.该机型检测精度可达:横向0.1 nm,纵向0.01 nm.并用该样机进行了样品表面形貌和隧道谱的实验研究.     

一种高精度原子力显微镜的设计及应用

简述了重庆大学研制的原子力显微镜(AFM)样机的工作原理和应用，重点介绍了其镜体的独特设计。该样机采用扫描隧道显微镜检测微悬臂的起伏，通过四维机械驱动和双压电陶瓷扫描，有效提高了扫描精度，扩大了扫描范围，简单适用的微悬臂使操作大大简化。给出了用该机检测到的具有代表性的4种样品的表面形貌图。     

用交流电化学腐蚀法制备隧道电流型原子力显微镜微悬臂

隧道电流型原子力显微镜是在扫描隧道显微镜基础上发展起来的一种表面分析技术。微悬臂是原子力显微镜的关键元件，它的制备与安装质量直接影响隧道电流型原子力显微镜的实验结果，本文简单介绍隧道电流型原子力显微镜微悬臂的工作原理，讨论对微悬臂的要求，提出一种简单有效的微悬臂制作方法－交流电化学腐蚀法，给出了用交流电化学腐蚀法制备的微悬臂得到的石墨标样表面原子结构图象。     

基于AFM的微注射量检测装置设计

介绍了一种基于原子力显微镜(AFM)的微注射量检测的新方法,设计聚酯悬臂感应结构,利用原子力显微镜具有纳米级高度分辨率的特点,对聚酯悬臂在注射微滴重力作用产生的挠度进行检测,达到微滴量检测的目的.通过改进检测装置隔震系统的阻尼器结构,抑制影响微滴检测过程的低频扰动因素.最后对30pl内的微注射量进行检测试验.     

复合型超精密表面形貌测量仪

研制了基于同一显微镜基体实现原子力探针扫描测量与非接触光学测量两种功能的复合型超精密表面形貌测量仪.分析了基于白光显微干涉原子力探针的测量方法、探针微悬臂变形量与白光干涉条纹移动量的关系以及探针微悬臂测量非线性误差的修正方法,和通过融合垂直扫描系统的位移量和悬臂梁变形量得到了原子力探针的工作方式.研制了三维精密位移系统...     

多模态动态原子力显微镜系统

动态原子力显微镜(atomic force microscope,AFM)是通过检测悬臂谐振状态的变化来对物体表面形貌进行测量的。通过对谐振状态的三种因素即振幅、相位、频率的检测,动态AFM可以分为三种工作模式,即振幅反馈、相位反馈与频率反馈模式,这三种反馈模式有着不同的扫描特点。基于硅悬臂具有高阶谐振的特性,动态原子力显微镜可以在悬臂工作于高阶谐振状态时对物体进行扫描。综合上述工作模式研制了一套多模态动态AFM,可以在三种反馈模式、不同阶谐振状态下对物体进行扫描测量。利用该系统在不同反馈模式、不同阶谐振状态下进行了扫描测试,结果显示,系统在各模式下具有亚纳米分辨力,其中在相位反馈模式,悬臂二阶谐振时可达到最优灵敏度与分辨力,分别为17.5V/μm和0.29nm,在最优灵敏度与分辨力状态下对光栅试样进行了三维扫描,得到光栅的三维形貌图。     

超精表面缺陷检测系统的实验研究

电子产品高度集成化与高性能化发展,对超精表面及亚表面无损伤性要求越来越高.为实现纳米尺度分辨率、大视场表面损伤检测,利用原子力微悬臂探针设计了一种新型超精表面缺陷探测系统,采用柔性机构进行微悬臂探针俯仰与倾斜度微调,利用压电双晶片实现接触、非接触以及轻敲3种不同探测模式.系统特性实验表明该探测系统位移分辨率可达2 nm,共振频率90 Hz,满足超精表面缺陷检测系统性能要求.     

大范围扫描的高精度三维数显镜体的设计

介绍了一种新型扫描探针显微镜镜体的设计,该镜体的扫描工作平台可以在3个方向以每步10nm的精度移动,它突破了扫描探针显微镜中压电陶瓷对扫描范围的限制,采用非压电陶瓷机械传动装置实现了大范围扫描.该设计采用逐级定位扫描放大技术将纳米测量与纳米加工范围延伸到25mm×25mm,甚至更大,镜体设计已经获得国家实用新型专利(ZL02221502.6).将该镜体应用在STM和AFM上,实现了对样品的大范围扫描检测,并保证了测量的高精度.     

压电陶瓷管微位移测量与非线性校正

介绍了一种用于原子力显微镜的压电陶瓷管X/Y方向微位移特性的测量与校正简易方法。采用涡流位移传感器测量微位移,通过100倍放大提高检测灵敏度;产生X/Y方向控制电压的D/A和采集微位移信号的A/D均为16位,最高位移分辨率计算值为0.4nm。根据原子力显微镜中压电陶瓷管的工作特点,利用测量得到的确定扫描范围下的位移-电压关系,通过对等间隔像素点施加所对应的非等间隔控制电压序列的方法进行非线性校正,控制电压序列可依据像素点精度要求通过插值算法获得。系统采用LabVIEW虚拟仪器技术,扫描频率和扫描像素分辨率调节方便,校正前后的压电陶瓷管最大位移滞回偏差分别为10.1％和0.4％。     

基于光点偏转方法的原子力显微镜的研制

讨论了光点偏转方法检测微小位移的原理，建立了相应的光电检测系统，用于检测微悬臂（针尖）的微位移，并在此基础上研制了纳米级分辨率的原子力显微镜。仪器最大扫描范围可达2×2μm2。文中给出了部分样品的测试结果。     

Characteristics of a dynamic atomic force microscopy based on a higher-order resonant silicon cantilever and experiments

In order to improve the sensitivity and scanning speed of the dynamic AFM, a surface scanning method using higher-order resonant cantilever is adopted and investigated based on the higher-order resonance characteristics of the silicon cantilever, and the theoretical analysis and experimental verification on the higher-order resonance characteristics of the corresponding dynamic AFM cantilever are given. In this method, the cantilever is excited to oscillate near to its higher-order resonant frequency which is several times higher than that of the fundamental mode. Then the characteristic changes a lot compared with the first-order resonant cantilever. Because of the changes of the quality factor, amplitude and the mode shape of the cantilever, the higher-order resonant AFM gets higher sensitivity and scanning speed. Based on the home-built tapping-mode AFM experiment system, the resolution and the response time of the first and second order resonance measured by experiment are respectively: 0.83 nm, 0.42 nm; 1265 μs, 573 μs. The higher-order resonance cantilever has higher sensitivity and the dynamic measurement performance of the cantilever is significantly improved from the experimental results. This can be a useful method to develop AFM with high speed and high sensitivity. Besides above, the surface profile of a grating sample and its three-dimensional topography are obtained by the higher-order resonant mode AFM.     

High-resolution constant-height imaging with apertured silicon cantilever probes

We present high-resolution aperture probes based on non-contact silicon atomic force microscopy (AFM) cantilevers for simultaneous AFM and near-infrared scanning near-field optical microscopy (SNOM). For use in near-field optical microscopy, conventional AFM cantilevers are modified by covering their tip side with an opaque aluminium layer. To fabricate an aperture, this metal layer is opened at the end of the polyhedral probe using focused ion beams (FIB). Here we show that apertures of less than 50 nm can be obtained using this technique, which actually yield a resolution of about 50 nm, corresponding to λ/20 at the wavelength used. To exclude artefacts induced by distance control, we work in constant-height mode. Our attention is particularly focused on the distance dependence of resolution and to the influence of slight cantilever bending on the optical images when scanning at such low scan heights, where first small attractive forces exerted on the cantilever become detectable.     

Constant tip-surface distance with atomic force microscopy via quality factor feedback

The atomic force microscope (AFM) is a powerful and widely used instrument to image topography and measure forces at the micrometer and nanometer length scale. Because of the high degree of operating accuracy required of the instrument, small thermal and mechanical drifts of the cantilever and piezoactuator systems hamper measurements as the AFM tip drifts spatially relative to the sample surface. To compensate for the drift, we control the tip-surface distance by monitoring the cantilever quality factor (Q) in a closed loop. Brownian thermal fluctuations provide sufficient actuation to accurately determine cantilever Q by fitting the thermal noise spectrum to a Lorentzian function. We show that the cantilever damping is sufficiently affected by the tip-surface distance so that the tip position of soft cantilevers can be maintained within 40 nm of a setpoint in air and within 3 nm in water with 95% reliability. Utilizing this method to hover the tip above a sample surface, we have the capability to study sensitive interactions at the nanometer length scale over long periods of time.     

Error analysis and regression mode of the V‐grooved sample in the atomic force microscope simulation measurement mode by the molecular mechanics

Based on the molecular mechanics, this study uses the two‐body potential energy function to construct a trapezoidal cantilever nano‐scale simulation measurement model of contact mode atomic force microscopy (AFM) under the constant force mode to simulate the measurement the nano‐scale V‐grooved standard sample. We investigate the error of offset distance of the cross‐section profile when using the probes with different trapezoidal cantilever probe tip radii (9.5, 8.5, and 7.5 Å) to scan the peak of the V‐grooved standard sample being reduced to one‐tenth (1/10) of its size, and use the offset error to inversely find out the regression equation. We analyze how the tip apex as well as the profile of the tip edge oblique angle and the oblique edge angle affects the offset distance. Furthermore, a probe with a larger radius of 9.5 nm is used to simulate and measure the offset error of scan curve, and acquire the regression equation. By the conversion proportion coefficient of size (ω), and revising the size‐reduced regression equation during the small size scale, a revised regression equation of a larger size scale can be acquired. The error is then reduced, further enhancing the accuracy of the AFM scanning and measurement. SCANNING 31: 147–159, 2009. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Finite-element vibration analysis of tapping-mode atomic force microscopy in liquid

Investigation of morphology and mechanical properties of biological specimens using atomic force microscopy (AFM) often requires its operation in liquid environment. Due to the hydrodynamic force, the vibration of AFM cantilevers in liquid shows dramatically different dynamic characteristics from that in air. A good understanding of the dynamics of AFM cantilevers vibrating in liquid is needed for the interpretation of scanning images, selection of AFM operating conditions, and evaluation of sample's mechanical properties. In this study, a finite element (FE) model is used for frequency and transient response analysis of AFM cantilevers in tapping mode (TM) operated in air or liquid. Hydrodynamic force exerted by the fluid on AFM cantilevers is approximated by additional mass and hydrodynamic damping. The additional mass and hydrodynamic damping matrices corresponding to beam elements are derived. With this model, numerical simulations are performed for an AFM cantilever to obtain the frequency and transient responses of the cantilever in air and liquid. The comparison between our simulated results and the experimentally obtained ones shows good agreement. Based on the simulations, different characteristics of cantilever dynamics in air and liquid are discussed.     

MRT Letter: An extended scanning probe microscopy system for macroscopic topography imaging

Enlightened by the principle of scanning probe microscopy or atomic force microscope (AFM), we proposed a novel surface topography imaging system based on the scanning of a piezoelectric unimorph cantilever. The height of sample surface can be obtained by recording the cantilever's strain using an ultra‐sensitive strain gauge and the Z‐axis movement is realized by electric bending of the cantilever. This system can be operated in the way similar to the contact mode in AFM, with the practical height detection resolution better than 100 nm. Imaging of the inner surface of a steel tube and on a transparent wing of a honey bee were conducted and the obtained results showed that this proposed system is a very promising solution for in situ topography mapping. Microsc. Res. Tech. 77:749–753, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Sensitivity and resonant frequency of an AFM with sidewall and top-surface probes for both flexural and torsional modes

The resonant frequencies and flexural sensitivities of an atomic force microscope (AFM) with assembled cantilever probe (ACP) are studied. This ACP comprises a horizontal cantilever, a vertical extension and two tips located at the free ends of the cantilever and the extension, which makes the AFM capable of simultaneous topography at top surface and sidewalls of microstructures especially microgears, which consequently leads to a time-saving swift scanning process. In this work, the effects of the sample surface contact stiffness and the geometrical parameters such as the ratio of the vertical extension length to the horizontal cantilever length and the distance of the vertical extension from clamped end of the horizontal cantilever on both flexural and torsional resonant frequencies and sensitivities are assessed. These geometrical effects are illustrated in some figures. The results show that the low-order vibration modes are more sensitive for low values of the contact stiffness, but the situation is reversed for high values.     

Atomic force microscopy imaging of living cells: a preliminary study of the disruptive effect of the cantilever tip on cell morphology

Recent studies have demonstrated that atomic force microscopy (AFM) is a potential tool for studying important dynamic cellular processes in real time. However, the interactions between the cantilever tip and the cell surface are not well understood, and the disruptive effect of the cantilever tip on cell morphology has not been well characterized. In this study, the disruptive effect of the scanning cantilever tip on cell morphology, in the AFM contact mode, has been investigated. The aims of this study are to identify what kinds of cell morphological changes generally occurred under normal AFM imaging conditions and to find out how long cells remain viable during scanning. Two cell lines, SK-N-SH (human neuroblastoma cells) and AV12 (Syrian hamster cells) were studied in the experiment because these are widely used in biomedical research as an expression system for studying cellular functions of neuronal receptors. The experimental results suggest that the sensitivity of cells to the cantilever disruptive effect is dependent on cell type and that there are patterns observed in the changes of cell morphology induced by the cantilever force in these two cell lines.