Scribd
Upload
30 views3 pages

Atomic Force Microscope

The document describes the Atomic Force Microscope (AFM), a scanning probe microscope that provides high-resolution 3D topographic information of surfaces. It operates by detecting forces between a probe and a sample using a cantilever, with imaging achieved through rastering the tip across the surface. It explains two imaging modes: Contact Mode, which offers high resolution but may damage soft samples, and Intermittent Contact Mode, which is suitable for delicate samples and maintains a constant vibration amplitude near the surface.

Uploaded by

raafiask
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
30 views3 pages

Atomic Force Microscope

The document describes the Atomic Force Microscope (AFM), a scanning probe microscope that provides high-resolution 3D topographic information of surfaces. It operates by detecting forces between a probe and a sample using a cantilever, with imaging achieved through rastering the tip across the surface. It explains two imaging modes: Contact Mode, which offers high resolution but may damage soft samples, and Intermittent Contact Mode, which is suitable for delicate samples and maintains a constant vibration amplitude near the surface.

Uploaded by

raafiask
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 3

Q. 6 Draw the schematic diagram of an AFM system and explain its working principle.

Explain
the contact and intermittent contact modes in AFM

ANS

ATOMIC FORCE MICROSCOPE

• Also known as scanning Probe microscope(SPM), invented in 1986 by Binning,


quateand Gerber.
• Useful in obtaining 3D topographic information of insulating and conducting structure
with lateral resolution down to 1.5 nm and vertical resolution down to 0.05 nm.
• Can operate in gas, ambient, and fluid environments and can measure physical
properties including elasticity, adhesion, hardness, friction and chemical functionality.
• Ability of an AFM to achieve near atomic level resolution depends on three essential
components:
1. Cantilever with sharp tip
2. Scanner that controls the x-y-z position
3. Feedback control and loop
Working principle of AFM

• The AFM brings a probe in close proximity to the surface


• The force is detected by the deflection of a spring, usually a cantilever (diving board)
• Forces between the probe tip and the sample are sensed to control the distance
between the tip and the sample.
• The cantilever is designed with a very low spring constant (easy to bend) so it is very
sensitive to force.
• The laser is focused to reflect off the cantilever and onto the sensor
• The position of the beam in the sensor measures the deflection of the cantilever and in
turn the force between the tip and the sample.
Raster the Tip: Generating an Image
• The tip passes back and forth in a straight line across the sample (think old typewriter
or CRT)
• In the typical imaging mode, the tip- sample force is held constant by adjusting the
vertical position of the tip (feedback).
• A topographic image is built up by the computer by recording the vertical position as the
tip is rastered across the sample.

Imaging Modes of Operations

1 Contact Mode

2. Intermittent Contact (Tapping) Mode

3 Non contact mode (vibrating mode)


1.Contact Mode

• < 0.5 nm probe-surface separation


• high resolution
• Tip: 5-20 nm radius, 10-25mm high, on 50-400mm cantilever beam
• Advantages:
- fast scanning
- good for rough samples
-used in friction analysis
• Disadvantages: forces may damage/deform soft samples (however imaging in
liquids resolves this issue)

2. Intermittent Contact (Tapping) Mode

• 0.5-2 nm probe-surface separation


• tip is oscillated at its resonant frequency
• When near or on surface, oscillation is damped - tip z position corrected so that
vibration amplitude stays constant
• Tip vibrates (105 Hz) close to surface with amplitude 10-100 nm
• Advantages
- High resolution of samples that are easily damaged
- Good for biologicalsamples

You might also like