Studies of probe tip materials by atomic force microscopy: a review

• Ke Xu and
• Yuzhe Liu

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 1256–1267, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.104

• of tip. The attachment process produces a tip with stability and higher sensitivity during image acquisition. The smaller tip diameter produces a higher peak force, resulting in very sharp images being collected. In general, if good images are to be achieved, it is at the expense of reduced feedback

A cantilever-based, ultrahigh-vacuum, low-temperature scanning probe instrument for multidimensional scanning force microscopy

• Hao Liu,
• Zuned Ahmed,
• Sasa Vranjkovic,
• Manfred Parschau,
• Andrada-Oana Mandru and
• Hans J. Hug

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 1120–1140, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.95

• frequency of microfabricated cantilevers combined with high-bandwidth cantilever deflection detection permits video-rate scanning [24], real-time peak force detection [25], or a later artificial intelligence processing of the vast amounts of data acquired during imaging [26][27]. Under vacuum conditions

Revealing local structural properties of an atomically thin MoSe₂ surface using optical microscopy

• Lin Pan,
• Peng Miao,
• Anke Horneber,
• Alfred J. Meixner,
• Pierre-Michel Adam and
• Dai Zhang

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2022, 13, 572–581, doi:10.3762/bjnano.13.49

• images of CuPc/MoSe2. The topographic images of CuPc/MoSe2 are obtained with an atomic force microscope (Multimode 8-HR, Bruker) operated in peak force tapping mode using a SCANASYST-AIR probe (silicon tip on nitride lever, Bruker). Optical properties of a triangular MoSe2 flake covered with a thin film

Impact of GaAs(100) surface preparation on EQE of AZO/Al₂O₃/p-GaAs photovoltaic structures

• Piotr Caban,
• Rafał Pietruszka,
• Jarosław Kaszewski,
• Monika Ożga,
• Bartłomiej S. Witkowski,
• Krzysztof Kopalko,
• Piotr Kuźmiuk,
• Katarzyna Gwóźdź,
• Ewa Płaczek-Popko,
• Krystyna Lawniczak-Jablonska and
• Marek Godlewski

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 578–592, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.48

• analyzed using a scanning electron microscope (Hitachi SU-70) with a secondary electron detector operating at 15 kV. The topography of the surface of the layers was analyzed using an atomic force microscope (Bruker Dimension Icon) working in peak-force tapping mode using a ScanAsyst algorithm. A ScanAsyst

Bulk chemical composition contrast from attractive forces in AFM force spectroscopy

• Dorothee Silbernagl,
• Media Ghasem Zadeh Khorasani,
• Natalia Cano Murillo,
• Anna Maria Elert and
• Heinz Sturm

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2021, 12, 58–71, doi:10.3762/bjnano.12.5

• methods. This has resulted in methods such as force modulation [4], bimodal mode [5], pulsed-force mode [6] or peak force [7], and intermodulation AFM (ImAFM) with amplitude-dependent force spectroscopy (ADFS) [8][9][10]. Dynamic methods record local mechanical properties with a resolution in the range of

Microbubbles decorated with dendronized magnetic nanoparticles for biomedical imaging: effective stabilization via fluorous interactions

• Da Shi,
• Justine Wallyn,
• Dinh-Vu Nguyen,
• Francis Perton,
• Delphine Felder-Flesch,
• Sylvie Bégin-Colin,
• Mounir Maaloum and
• Marie Pierre Krafft

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 2103–2115, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.205

• dendronized IONPs are incorporated within the DPPC shell of the MBs or located at the surface of the shell (Figure 8), mixed films composed of phospholipid and nanoparticles were prepared by spin-coating on silicon wafers. The morphology of the films was investigated by AFM in the peak–force tapping mode. We

• were obtained by scanning the spin-coated films using a Dimension AFM Icon (Bruker) instrument operated in peak–force tapping mode. Peak–force AFM is based on the peak–force tapping technology, in which the probe is oscillated in a similar way as in the tapping mode, but at far lower resonance

Development of a new hybrid approach combining AFM and SEM for the nanoparticle dimensional metrology

• Loïc Crouzier,
• Alexandra Delvallée,
• Sébastien Ducourtieux,
• Laurent Devoille,
• Guillaume Noircler,
• Christian Ulysse,
• Olivier Taché,
• Elodie Barruet,
• Christophe Tromas and
• Nicolas Feltin

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 1523–1536, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.150

• the interaction with the AFM tip during scanning [27][28]. Their results show a possible deformation of the NP under the tip, demonstrated by measurements performed using the peak-force tapping AFM mode. This hypothesis is supported by the relationship (DFmin ≈ DFmax) > HAFM deduced from Figure 6 in

Pull-off and friction forces of micropatterned elastomers on soft substrates: the effects of pattern length scale and stiffness

• Peter van Assenbergh,
• Marike Fokker,
• Julian Langowski,
• Jan van Esch,
• Marleen Kamperman and
• Dimitra Dodou

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2019, 10, 79–94, doi:10.3762/bjnano.10.8

• Cheung et al. [24]. We did not test whether this deformation has a dissipative or an elastic nature, a question that could be investigated in future works by varying the pull-off speed. Force–time plots on soft substrates also show that the peak force at phase III was wider compared to measurements on

Layered calcium phenylphosphonate: a hybrid material for a new generation of nanofillers

• Kateřina Kopecká,
• Ludvík Beneš,
• Klára Melánová,
• Vítězslav Zima,
• Petr Knotek and
• Kateřina Zetková

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 2906–2915, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.269

• profile of the particles was measured by AFM with a Dimension ICON instrument, Bruker, Germany, in peak force mode with a ScanAsyst tip. The dynamic mechanical properties were measured with a Discovery hybrid rheometer, DHR2, TA Instruments. The experiment was performed in tension mode with a deformation

Nanoscale characterization of the temporary adhesive of the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus

• Ana S. Viana and
• Romana Santos

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 2277–2286, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.212

• (two high-energy surfaces) than on teflon (a low-energy surface) [7]. In order to understand the topography, P. lividus footprints were imaged using different probing methods (peak force tapping in air and fluid) and in various environments: dry, moist and under native conditions (ASW). In all the

• the peak force tapping (PFT) method and quantitative nanomechanical (QNM) software, using calibrated tips, as described below in the Experimental section. This imaging method was successfully used in other temporary adhesives [5][6] and allows one force–distance curve to be obtained for each pixel of

• artificial seawater). AFM imaging was carried out in a multimode 8 HR (Bruker) device, equipped with an optical microscope (OMV) with a 10× objective and coupled to a video camera, using peak force tapping AFM (PFT-AFM) mode and the quantitative nanomechanical software (QNM; Bruker). The images were acquired

Intrinsic ultrasmall nanoscale silicon turns n-/p-type with SiO₂/Si₃N₄-coating

• Dirk König,
• Daniel Hiller,
• Noël Wilck,
• Birger Berghoff,
• Merlin Müller,
• Sangeeta Thakur,
• Giovanni Di Santo,
• Luca Petaccia,
• Joachim Mayer,
• Sean Smith and
• Joachim Knoch

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 2255–2264, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.210

• bonds of Si to O and N. The root mean square (RMS) and peak force convergence limits for all atoms were 3 × 10−4 Ha/a0 (Hartrees per Bohr radius) or 80 meV/nm and 4.5 × 10−4 Ha/a0 or 120 meV/nm, respectively. Tight convergence criteria were applied to the self-consistent field routine. Ultrafine

Direct AFM-based nanoscale mapping and tomography of open-circuit voltages for photovoltaics

• Katherine Atamanuk,
• Justin Luria and
• Bryan D. Huey

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 1802–1808, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.171

• accelerate such measurements of thousands of discrete spectra, as implemented for “peak force” [16] or “fast force” mapping [17][18] where arrays of force–distance curves are acquired during continuous scanning. However, current detection is generally slower than force transduction due to LRC time constants

Correlative electrochemical strain and scanning electron microscopy for local characterization of the solid state electrolyte Li_1.3Al_0.3Ti_1.7(PO₄)₃

• Nino Schön,
• Deniz Cihan Gunduz,
• Shicheng Yu,
• Hermann Tempel,
• Roland Schierholz and
• Florian Hausen

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 1564–1572, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.148

• , respectively, the assignment of the individual phases to their chemical composition is further supported. Additionally, the occurrence of a secondary phase of AlPO4 has been previously observed [1][4]. No changes based on the different composition in phase images of tapping-mode AFM, nor in peak-force tapping

Imaging of viscoelastic soft matter with small indentation using higher eigenmodes in single-eigenmode amplitude-modulation atomic force microscopy

• Miead Nikfarjam,
• Enrique A. López-Guerra,
• Santiago D. Solares and
• Babak Eslami

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 1116–1122, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.103

• eigenmode, and bimodal AFM using the first two eigenmodes. In all cases, the product(s) kiAi of the active eigenmode(s) was/were kept constant. Figure 2a presents the peak force observed during the cantilever trajectory as a function of the setpoint ratio of the modulated amplitude. Figure 2b presents the

Electro-optical interfacial effects on a graphene/π-conjugated organic semiconductor hybrid system

• Karolline A. S. Araujo,
• Luiz A. Cury,
• Matheus J. S. Matos,
• Thales F. D. Fernandes,
• Luiz G. Cançado and
• Bernardo R. A. Neves

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 963–974, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.90

• peak force or tapping mode. Besides conventional topographic images, peak force mode yields several concomitant images which map mechanical properties of the sample, like adhesion, elastic modulus, dissipation and others [64]. The adhesion channel monitors tip–sample attractive forces along the imaging

• process, producing high-resolution adhesion maps [64]. Topographic tapping images were acquired at a setpoint ratio S = A/A0 = 0.8–0.9, where A0 and A are free and imaging amplitudes, respectively. For peak force imaging, topographic images were acquired at a peak force F = 1 nN. Photo-assisted

• used for morphological (bare tip) and electrical characterization (Au-coated tips), respectively. The ScanAsyst-Air probes have typical resonant frequency ω0 = 70 kHz and a spring constant k = 0.4 N/m. During operation in peak force mode, they are oscillated at a frequency f = 2 kHz with a typical

Nanoscale mapping of dielectric properties based on surface adhesion force measurements

• Ying Wang,
• Yue Shen,
• Xingya Wang,
• Zhiwei Shen,
• Bin Li,
• Jun Hu and
• Yi Zhang

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 900–906, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.84

• force to destruct GO and RGO in our previous study [44]. Therefore, this method is not more destructive compared to the standard peak force mode without tip bias. This result shows that imaging in PF-QNM mode with a biased AFM tip can be used to simultaneously characterize topographic and dielectric

• adhesion mapping were conducted in PeakForce Quantitative Nano-Mechanics (PF-QNM) mode, in which the maximum force (peak force) applied to the sample by the tip was directly regulated through the peak force setpoint and kept constant throughout the whole scan. In this mode, the peak force amplitude was set

Review: Electrostatically actuated nanobeam-based nanoelectromechanical switches – materials solutions and operational conditions

• Liga Jasulaneca,
• Jelena Kosmaca,
• Raimonds Meija,
• Jana Andzane and
• Donats Erts

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 271–300, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.29

• experiment was carried out with an AFM in amplitude modulation mode complemented with molecular dynamics simulations. An exponential wear rate dependence on the peak force load was found, suggesting that lower contact forces are needed to reduce the wear rate. It should be noted that for soft materials

Material discrimination and mixture ratio estimation in nanocomposites via harmonic atomic force microscopy

• Weijie Zhang,
• Yuhang Chen,
• Xicheng Xia and
• Jiaru Chu

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2017, 8, 2771–2780, doi:10.3762/bjnano.8.276

• tapping mode AFM, the contact force and contact time per oscillation period dominate the harmonic signals [27]. These two quantities are assumed to be related to the amplitude set-point. It is well known that the peak force in tapping mode scales with the amplitude feedback settings [28]. However, the

• verify that the harmonic response depends on the contact time and peak contact force. Both quantities are related to the elasticity of the sample. Because the elastic modulus of PS is larger than that of LDPE, oscillating on the PS domain produces a much shorter contact time and a larger peak force in

Patterning of supported gold monolayers via chemical lift-off lithography

• Liane S. Slaughter,
• Kevin M. Cheung,
• Sami Kaappa,
• Huan H. Cao,
• Qing Yang,
• Thomas D. Young,
• Andrew C. Serino,
• Sami Malola,
• Jana M. Olson,
• Stephan Link,
• Hannu Häkkinen,
• Anne M. Andrews and
• Paul S. Weiss

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2017, 8, 2648–2661, doi:10.3762/bjnano.8.265

• patterned only with the Au–alkanethiolate monolayers. We imaged patterns of Au–alkanethiolate monolayers on PDMS substrates using nanoscale characterization tools. The topographies were measured using peak-force atomic force microscopy (PF-AFM), an intermittent-contact mode suitable for interrogating soft

• the PDMS before each sample was rinsed on both sides with ethanol and blown dry. Peak-force atomic force microscopy A Bruker Dimension Icon scanning probe microscope (Bruker Nano, Santa Barbara, CA, USA) was used to map the topography and mechanical properties of flat PDMS stamps patterned with Au

• –alkanethiolate monolayers. The AFM images of the PDMS stamps (flat and patterned) were measured using the peak force quantitative nanomechanical property mapping mode. ScanAsyst-Air cantilevers (Bruker, spring constant = 0.4 ± 0.1 N/m) were calibrated with a clean piece of silicon before each measurement. A peak

Tailoring the nanoscale morphology of HKUST-1 thin films via codeposition and seeded growth

• Landon J. Brower,
• Lauren K. Gentry,
• Amanda L. Napier and
• Mary E. Anderson

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2017, 8, 2307–2314, doi:10.3762/bjnano.8.230

• × 500 nm and used a Dimension Icon atomic force microscope (Bruker, Santa Barbara, CA, USA), which was operated in peak force tapping mode. Etched silicon tips, SCANASYST-AIR (Bruker, Santa Barbara, CA, USA), with a spring constant range of 0.2–0.8 N/m and a resonant frequency range of 45–95 kHz were

High-stress study of bioinspired multifunctional PEDOT:PSS/nanoclay nanocomposites using AFM, SEM and numerical simulation

• Alfredo J. Diaz,
• Hanaul Noh,
• Tobias Meier and
• Santiago D. Solares

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2017, 8, 2069–2082, doi:10.3762/bjnano.8.207

• amplitude of the higher eigenmode increases is calculated using a quasi-3D model to represent the viscoelastic surface. Using the calculated peak force and the surface area of the spherical cap in contact with the sample, the pressure range varies from to 1.2 to 3.3 GPa. The overall experimental strategy is

Scaling law to determine peak forces in tapping-mode AFM experiments on finite elastic soft matter systems

• Horacio V. Guzman

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2017, 8, 968–974, doi:10.3762/bjnano.8.98

• Horacio V. Guzman Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128 Mainz, Germany 10.3762/bjnano.8.98 Abstract Analytical equations to estimate the peak force will facilitate the interpretation and the planning of amplitude-modulation force microscopy (tapping mode) experiments

• bidimensional deformation contact mechanics model. The equation enables to estimate the peak force based on the tapping mode observables, probe characteristics and the material properties of the sample. The accuracy of the equation has been verified by comparing it to numerical simulations for the archetypical

• these theoretical approximations have been applied to derive a parametrical equation for determining the peak force based on the addition of repulsive Hertzian and attractive van der Waals interactions in low-damping environments [21]. Here we have conceived a multivariate regression analysis to obtain

Dispersion of single-wall carbon nanotubes with supramolecular Congo red – properties of the complexes and mechanism of the interaction

• Anna Jagusiak,
• Barbara Piekarska,
• Tomasz Pańczyk,
• Małgorzata Jemioła-Rzemińska,
• Elżbieta Bielańska,
• Barbara Stopa,
• Grzegorz Zemanek,
• Janina Rybarska,
• Irena Roterman and
• Leszek Konieczny

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2017, 8, 636–648, doi:10.3762/bjnano.8.68

• ) was conducted on a FEI Tecnai Osiris G2 20 TWIN. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) was conducted on a Dimension FastScan or Dimension ICON (Bruker Nano, Santa Barbara, California). Surface of carbon nanotubes was visualised in Peak Force QNM (Quantitative NanoMechanics) mode, allowing the simultaneous

Analysis and modification of defective surface aggregates on PCDTBT:PCBM solar cell blends using combined Kelvin probe, conductive and bimodal atomic force microscopy

• Hanaul Noh,
• Alfredo J. Diaz and
• Santiago D. Solares

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2017, 8, 579–589, doi:10.3762/bjnano.8.62

• aggregates with KPFM does not work for fresh samples. Thus, we apply controlled bimodal AFM indentation [35][36] to the surface aggregates of fresh samples in order to demonstrate the modification process. Since the aggregates are very thin, we vary the peak force of bimodal AFM just enough to break the

• the spring constant of the third eigenmode is ca. 308 times the spring constant of the first mode [18], the indentation depth and peak force of the bimodal treatment are mainly controlled by the higher eigenmode [36]. The small free amplitude of the third eigenmode (ca. 3 nm, Figure S7, Supporting

Correlative infrared nanospectroscopic and nanomechanical imaging of block copolymer microdomains

• Benjamin Pollard and
• Markus B. Raschke

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2016, 7, 605–612, doi:10.3762/bjnano.7.53

• , is sensitive to the viscoelastic properties of the sample [20]. To further quantify nanoscale material properties, we also use force–distance spectroscopy (peak force quantitative nanomechanical mapping, PF-QNM) to map spatial variations in modulus, as well as the adhesion, deformation, and