High-precision atomic force microscopy with atomically-characterized tips

Traditionally, atomic force microscopy (AFM) experiments are conducted at tip-sample distances where the tip strongly interacts with the surface. This increases the signal-to-noise ratio, but poses the problem of relaxations in both tip and sample that hamper the theoretical description of experimen...

Full description

Saved in:

Bibliographic Details
Published in:	New journal of physics Vol. 22; no. 6; pp. 63040 - 63048
Main Authors:	Liebig, A, Peronio, A, Meuer, D, Weymouth, A J, Giessibl, F J
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	Bristol IOP Publishing 01-06-2020
Subjects:	Atomic force microscopy atomically-characterized tips bulk insulators Data acquisition electrostatic interaction Low noise Microscopy Physics Signal to noise ratio
Online Access:	Get full text
Tags:	Add Tag No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!

Description
Summary:	Traditionally, atomic force microscopy (AFM) experiments are conducted at tip-sample distances where the tip strongly interacts with the surface. This increases the signal-to-noise ratio, but poses the problem of relaxations in both tip and sample that hamper the theoretical description of experimental data. Here, we employ AFM at relatively large tip-sample distances where forces are only on the piconewton and subpiconewton scale to prevent tip and sample distortions. Acquiring data relatively far from the surface requires low noise measurements. We probed the CaF2(111) surface with an atomically-characterized metal tip and show that the experimental data can be reproduced with an electrostatic model. By experimentally characterizing the second layer of tip atoms, we were able to reproduce the data with 99.5% accuracy. Our work links the capabilities of non-invasive imaging at large tip-sample distances and controlling the tip apex at the atomic scale.
Bibliography:	NJP-111817.R1
ISSN:	1367-2630 1367-2630
DOI:	10.1088/1367-2630/ab8efd