A torsional resonance mode AFM for in-plane tip surface interactions

Changing the method of tip/sample interaction leads to contact, tapping and other dynamic imaging modes in atomic force microscopy (AFM) feedback controls. A common characteristic of these feedback controls is that the primary control signals are based on flexural deflection of the cantilever probes, statically or dynamically. We introduce a new AFM mode using the torsional resonance amplitude (or phase) to control the feedback loop and maintain the tip/surface relative position through lateral interaction. The torsional resonance mode (TRmode™) provides complementary information to tapping mode for surface imaging and studies. The nature of tip/surface interaction of the TRmode facilitates phase measurements to resolve the in-plane anisotropy of materials as well as measurements of dynamic friction at nanometer scale. TRmode can image surfaces interleaved with TappingMode™ with the same probe and in the same area. In this way we are able to probe samples dynamically in both vertical and lateral dimensions with high sensitivity to local mechanical and tribological properties. The benefit of TRmode has been proven in studies of water adsorption on HOPG surface steps. TR phase data yields approximately 20 times stronger contrast than tapping phase at step edges, revealing detailed structures that cannot be resolved in tapping mode imaging. The effect of sample rotation relative to the torsional oscillation axis of the cantilever on TR phase contrast has been observed. Tip wear studies of TRmode demonstrated that the interaction forces between tip and sample could be controlled for minimum tip damage by the feedback loop.