PHY-308 Date of Experimernt

Experimnet No.5 13th February, 2024

ATOMIC FORCE MICROSCOPY

SHREYAS UPADHYE,21295

1. Aim
To study the surface topography of Graphite.

2. Apparatus
• easyScan 2 Controller with a built in AFM Basic Module, and option-
ally with built in AFM Dynamic Module, AFM Mode Extension Mod-
ule, Video Module electronics and Signal Module A or S electronics
• USB cable
• Mains cable
• easyScan 2 AFM Scan head(s) with AFM Video Camera (with AFM Video
Module)
• Scan head case
• Scan head cable
• Video Camera cable (with AFM Video Module)

3. Theory
A sharp tip is raster-scanned over a surface using a feedback loop to adjust
parameters needed to image a surface. The Atomic Force Microscope does not
need a conducting sample. Instead of using the quantum mechanical effect of
tunneling, atomic forces are used to map the tip-sample interaction.
Often referred to as scanning probe microscopy (SPM), there are Atomic Force
Microscopy techniques for almost any measurable force interaction – van der
Waals, electrical, magnetic, thermal. For some of the more specialized techniques,
modified tips and software adjustments are needed.
In addition to Angstrom-level positioning and feedback loop control, there are 2
components typically included in Atomic Force Microscopy: Deflection and Force
Measurement.

Deflection.
Traditionally, most Atomic Force Microscopes use a laser beam deflection sys-
tem where a laser is reflected from the back of the reflective AFM lever and
onto a position-sensitive detector. AFM tips and cantilevers are typically micro-
fabricated from Si or Si3N4. Typical tip radius is from a few to 10s of nm
1
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Figure 1. Laser beam deflection for atomic force microscopes

Measuring Forces.
Because the Atomic Force Microscope relies on the forces between the tip and
sample, these forces impact AFM imaging. The force is not measured directly,
but calculated by measuring the deflection of the lever, knowing the stiffness of
the cantilever.
Hooke’s law gives:

F = −kZ

where F is the force, k is the stiffness of the lever, and z is the distance the lever
is bent.

Figure 2. Laser beam deflection for atomic force microscopes

Feedback Loop for Atomic Force Microscopy.

Atomic Force Microscopy has a feedback loop using the laser deflection to control
the force and tip position. As shown, a laser is reflected from the back of a
cantilever that includes the AFM tip. As the tip interacts with the surface, the
laser position on the photodetector is used in the feedback loop to track the
surface for imaging and measuring.
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Figure 3. Laser beam deflection for atomic force microscopes

There are two major ways in which the probe can interact with the the surface
to scan the surface.

3.1. Contact Mode.

As the tip is raster-scanned across the surface, the lever is deflected as it moves
over the surface topography.
There are two methods of imaging in contact mode: constant force or constant
height. In constant force mode, the tip is continually adjusted to maintain a
specified deflection. It is this adjustment that is used to display an image.
When the tip scans in constant height mode, the sample must be relatively flat for
the feedback loop to maintain control during scanning. This is useful for small,
high-speed atomic resolution scans.
Because the tip is in hard contact with the surface, the stiffness of the lever needs
to be less that the effective spring constant holding atoms together, which is on
the order of 1 – 10 nN/nm. Most contact mode levers have a spring constant less
than 1 N/m.

3.2. Non-Contact Mode.

Non-contact mode belongs to a family of AC modes, which refers to the use of
an oscillating cantilever. A stiff cantilever is oscillated in the attractive regime,
meaning that the tip is quite close to the sample, but not touching it (hence,
non-contact). The forces between the tip and sample are quite low, on the order
of pN (10-12 N). The detection scheme is based on measuring changes to the
resonant frequency or amplitude of the cantilever as the interaction between the
tip and sample dampen the oscillation.

3.3. Advantages over Scanning Tunnelling Microscope.

• It not need vaccum.
• Produces 3D images of the surface sample.
• Captures images of both conducting as well as not non-conducting sur-
faces.
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4. Observation

Figure 4. No of Points = 1028

Size = 50 µ

Figure 5. No of Points = 1028

Size = 50 µm
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Figure 6. No of Points = 512

Size = 100 µm

Figure 7. No of Points = 1028

Size = 100 µm
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Figure 8. No of Points = 2054

Size = 50 µ