Minitips in Frequency-Modulation Atomic Force Microscopy at Liquid-Solid Interfaces

作者:Hiasa Takumi*; Kimura Kenjiro; Onishi Hiroshi
来源:Japanese Journal of Applied Physics, 2012, 51(2): 025703.
DOI:10.1143/JJAP.51.025703

摘要

A frequency-modulation atomic force microscope was operated in liquid using sharpened and cone-shaped tips. The topography of mica and alkanethiol monolayers was obtained with subnanometer resolution, regardless of nominal tip radius, which was either 10 or 250 nm. Force-distance curves determined over a hexadecane-thiol interface showed force modulations caused by liquid layers structured at the interface. The amplitude of force modulation and the layer-to-layer distance were completely insensitive to the nominal tip radius. These results are evidence that minitips smaller than the nominal radius are present on the tip body and function as a force probe.

  • 出版日期2012-2