83FBE5003

M.Sc. Seminar
Improving the Speed of Dynamic Atomic Force
Microscope with Multifrequency Approach

Sena Nur Ekici – 208351101

Supervisor – Assoc. Prof. Dr. Müjdat BALANTEKIN
Topics

 Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM)

 How it Works?
 Operation Modes
 Interaction Forces
 Multifrequency AFM
 Why Q-Contolled AFM?
 Simulation Examples
Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM)

• Imaging the topography

of sample surfaces
• Recognition and
localization of specific
samples [1]
 How it Works?

• General configuration of AFM [2]

Cantilever

 A standard AFM cantilever []

Operation Modes

Non-
Contact
Mode

Operation
Modes

Contact Tapping
Mode Mode
Contact Mode

 In contact mode the tip contacts

the surface through the
absorbed fluid layer on the
sample surface.
 In static atomic microscopy the
force between the tip and
sample leads to a deflection of
the cantilever according to
Hooke’s Law.
Contact Mode Feedback
Pros-Cons

High scan speed Lateral forces may distort

High resolution images. feature in the image.
Good for rough samples Combination of lateral and
strong normal forces reduce
Used in friction analysis. resolution. This means that the
tip may damage the sample, or
vice versa.
Not good for the soft samples.
 Amplitude Modulation AFM (AM-AFM)

 Ambient/UHV
 Fixed frequency
 In summary, the amplitude A and phase
φ of the oscillation are measured, while
ωdrive and Adrive are set.
Tapping Mode – Intermittent Mode

 The cantilever oscillates at or

slightly below its resonant
frequency.

Lateral forces almost Slower scan speed than

eliminated. in contact mode.
Because of the lower
 The feedback circuit adjusts the
forces, less damage to
probe height to try and maintain soft materials.
a constant amplitude of oscilation
(amplitude setpoint)
 Oscillation amplitude is reduced
as probe contacts surface.
 AM-AFM with Q-Control

• The Q-control enables the

fundamental eigenmode oscillation
amplitude reach the steady-state
faster.
Frequency Modulation AFM

• UHV- High vacuum

• High amplitude
• Does not oscillate fixed
frequency, but always
oscillates at resonance.
• Resonance frequency shifts
due to tip-sample
interaction, when the
cantilever oscillation
frequency follows this shift.
 Non-Contact Mode

 The cantilever oscillates near

or the surface of the sample,
but does not contact it.
 The oscillation is at slightly
above the resonant frequency.
Very low forces exterted Generally lower
on the sample resolution
Extended probe lifetime Need UHV
Multifrequency AFM

 In multifrequency AFM the cantilever-tip is

simultaneously excited by several driving
forces [].
 Enhancement of force sensitivity of the
microscope.
 Most common used multifrequency AFM
method is bimodal AFM.
 This method uses two driving forces to vibrate
the cantilever.
Bimodal AFM []
Bimodal AFM

 Bimodal AFM is based on the

simultaneous excitation and detection of
two eigenmodes of the cantilever,
commonly first and the second
eigenmode, although other combination
of eigenmodes can be used.
 The eigenmodes of a cantilever have
different force constants, quality factors
and resonant frequencies.
Speed Performance

 Imaging conditions (review)

 Probe and actuator size
 Bandwidth of the actuator
 Transient response of the probe
 Some limiting factors?
 Usage of Z-piezo limits the speed.
 We can increase the imaging rate by improving those parameters.
Why Q-Controlled?

 Relatively high Q factor of AFM cantilevers in

air is one of the limitations to achieve faster
scan speeds in tapping mode.
 More fast transient response.
 Cascade phase shifter (time delay) and
amplifier.
 Decreasing Q Factor

Aset : set point

Wn: resonant frequency of the cantilever
t: time
A₀: Free amplitude
1

Reducing the Q factor of the cantilever decreases the time constant, and consequently the
oscillation amplitude reaches the free air amplitude sooner.
Q-Control Principles
MATLAB – Simulink Simulation of Bimodal AFM
(Without Feedback)
Paremeters of Dynamic AFM

 The resonance frequency of the free cantilever ω0

 The force constant of the cantilever k
 The quality factor of the cantilever Q
 The driving amplitude of the oscillation Adrive
 The oscillation amplitude A
 The phase φ between driving and oscillation
 The driving frequency ωdrive
 The frequency shift of the resonance frequency ω relative to ω0 due to a tip sample
interaction
Interaction Forces

Parameter Value
Hamaker constant - H
Tip radius – R 5 nm
Interatomic force- 0.2 nm
Effective tip sample elasticity - 10 - 20 - 100 GPa
Cantilever’s Eigenmodes
Force – Deflection Curves

E= 20 GPa E= 100 GPa

Force – Deflection Curves

E= 10 GPa
Force vs Time
Thank You For Listening
REFERENCES

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actuator: Proof-of-principle experiments." Review of Scientific Instruments 85.12 (2014): 123705.
3. Balantekin, Müjdat. "High-speed dynamic atomic force microscopy by using a Q-controlled cantilever eigenmode as an
actuator." Ultramicroscopy 149 (2015): 45-50.
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