A high-stiffness axial resonant probe for atomic force microscopy

Author

Harley, Jonah A. ; Kenny, Thomas W.

Author_Institution

Agilent Labs., Palo Alto, CA, USA

Volume

10

Issue

3

fYear

2001

fDate

9/1/2001 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

434

Lastpage

441

Abstract

A high-stiffness, (>500 N/m) resonant atomic force microscope probe was constructed to allow force measurements in the presence of large force gradients. The probe employs a piezoresistively detected, electrostatically driven resonant beam sensor oriented perpendicularly to the sample surface. This probe is distinguished from shear force microscopy and noncontact atomic force microscopy in that the design allows for a stationary probe tip for improved spatial resolution and measures forces rather than force gradients. Measured results show a force resolution of 9 nN in a 1-kHz bandwidth in air with an oscillation amplitude of 36 nm and a resonance quality of 20. In a 1-mtorr vacuum the force resolution in the same bandwidth improves to 200 pN with a resonance quality of 450 and oscillation amplitude of 53 nm. This resolution is limited by white noise of the piezoresistor, and scales as expected with amplitude and resonance quality

Keywords

atomic force microscopy; force measurement; micromechanical resonators; microsensors; piezoresistive devices; probes; 1 kHz; 36 to 53 nm; atomic force microscopy; electrostatically driven sensor; force measurements; high-stiffness axial resonant probe; large force gradients; piezoresistively detected sensor; piezoresistor; resonant AFM probe; resonant atomic force microscope probe; resonant beam sensor; spatial resolution improvement; stationary probe tip; Atomic force microscopy; Atomic measurements; Bandwidth; Electrostatic measurements; Force measurement; Force sensors; Piezoresistance; Probes; Resonance; Spatial resolution;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Microelectromechanical Systems, Journal of

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

1057-7157

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/84.946802

Filename

946802