Drive-amplitude-modulation atomic force microscopy: From vacuum to liquids

We introduce drive-amplitude-modulation atomic force microscopy as a dynamic mode with outstanding performance in all environments from vacuum to liquids. As with frequency modulation, the new mode follows a feedback scheme with two nested loops: The first keeps the cantilever oscillation amplitude...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Miriam Jaafar, David Martínez-Martín, Mariano Cuenca, John Melcher, Arvind Raman, Julio Gómez-Herrero
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Beilstein-Institut 2012-04-01
Series:Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.3762/bjnano.3.38
Description
Summary:We introduce drive-amplitude-modulation atomic force microscopy as a dynamic mode with outstanding performance in all environments from vacuum to liquids. As with frequency modulation, the new mode follows a feedback scheme with two nested loops: The first keeps the cantilever oscillation amplitude constant by regulating the driving force, and the second uses the driving force as the feedback variable for topography. Additionally, a phase-locked loop can be used as a parallel feedback allowing separation of the conservative and nonconservative interactions. We describe the basis of this mode and present some examples of its performance in three different environments. Drive-amplutide modulation is a very stable, intuitive and easy to use mode that is free of the feedback instability associated with the noncontact-to-contact transition that occurs in the frequency-modulation mode.
ISSN:2190-4286