Local indentation modulus characterization of diamondlike carbon films by atomic force acoustic microscopy two contact resonance frequencies imaging technique

ABSTRACTWe describe a dynamic atomic force microscopy (AFM) method to map the nanoscale elastic properties of surfaces, thin films, and nanostructures. Our approach is based on atomic force acoustic microscopy (AFAM) techniques previously used for quantitative measurements of elastic properties at a fixed sample position. AFAM measurements determine the resonant frequencies of an AFM cantilever in contact mode to calculate the tip-sample contact stiffness k*. Local values for elastic properties such as the indentation modulus M can be determined from k* with the appropriate contact-mechanics models. To enable imaging at practical rates, we have developed a frequency-tracking circuit based on digital signal processor architecture to rapidly locate the contact-resonance frequencies at each image position. We present contact-resonance frequency images obtained using both flexural and torsional cantilever images as well as the corresponding vertical contact-stiffness (k*) image calculated from flexural frequency images. Methods to obtain elastic-modulus images of M from vertical contact-stiffness images are also discussed.

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Stochastic excitation for high-resolution atomic force acoustic microscopy imaging: a system theory approach

Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology ◽

10.3762/bjnano.11.58 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 ◽

pp. 703-716

Author(s):

Edgar Cruz Valeriano ◽

José Juan Gervacio Arciniega ◽

Christian Iván Enriquez Flores ◽

Susana Meraz Dávila ◽

Joel Moreno Palmerin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

System Theory ◽

High Resolution ◽

White Noise ◽

Acoustic Microscopy ◽

Frequency Resolution ◽

Indentation Modulus ◽

Theory Approach ◽

Microscopy Imaging ◽

Atomic Force ◽

Resonance Frequencies

In this work, a high-resolution atomic force acoustic microscopy imaging technique is developed in order to obtain the local indentation modulus at the nanoscale level. The technique uses a model that gives a qualitative relationship between a set of contact resonance frequencies and the indentation modulus. It is based on white-noise excitation of the tip–sample interaction and uses system theory for the extraction of the resonance modes. During conventional scanning, for each pixel, the tip–sample interaction is excited with a white-noise signal. Then, a fast Fourier transform is applied to the deflection signal that comes from the photodiodes of the atomic force microscopy (AFM) equipment. This approach allows for the measurement of several vibrational modes in a single step with high frequency resolution, with less computational cost and at a faster speed than other similar techniques. This technique is referred to as stochastic atomic force acoustic microscopy (S-AFAM), and the frequency shifts of the free resonance frequencies of an AFM cantilever are used to determine the mechanical properties of a material. S-AFAM is implemented and compared with a conventional technique (resonance tracking-atomic force acoustic microscopy, RT-AFAM). A sample of a graphite film on a glass substrate is analyzed. S-AFAM can be implemented in any AFM system due to its reduced instrumentation requirements compared to conventional techniques.

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Stochastic excitation for high-resolution Atomic Force Acoustic Microscopy imaging: a system theory approach.

10.3762/bxiv.2019.159.v1 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Edgar Cruz-Valeriano ◽

J J Gervacio Arciniega ◽

M A Hernández Landaverde ◽

Christian I Enriquez-Flores ◽

Yuri Chipatecua ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Atomic Force Microscopy ◽

High Resolution ◽

White Noise ◽

Acoustic Microscopy ◽

Indentation Modulus ◽

Microscopy Imaging ◽

Force Microscopy ◽

White Noise Excitation ◽

Atomic Force ◽

Resonance Frequencies

In this work, a high-resolution Atomic Force Acoustic Microscopy imaging technique is shown in order to obtain the local indentation modulus at nanoscale using a model which gives a quantitative relationship between a set of contact resonance frequencies and indentation modulus through a white-noise excitation. This technique is based on white-noise excitation for system identification due to non-linearities in the tip-sample interaction. During a conventional scanning, a Fast Fourier Transform is applied to the deflection signal which comes from the photo-diodes of the Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) for each pixel, while the tip-sample interaction is excited by a white-noise signal. This approach allows the measurement of several vibrational modes in a single step with high frequency resolution, less computational data and at a faster speed than other similar techniques. This technique is referred to as Stochastic Atomic Force Acoustic Microscopy (S-AFAM), where the frequency shifts with respect to free resonance frequencies for an AFM cantilever can be used to determine the mechanical properties of a material. S-AFAM is implemented and compared to a conventional technique (Resonance Tracking-Atomic Force Microscopy, RT-AFAM), where a graphite film over a glass substrate sample is analyzed. S-AFAM can be implemented in any AFM system due to its reduced instrumentation compared to conventional techniques.

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Atomic force acoustic microscopy characterization of carbon-based materials

10.3728/icultrasonics.2007.vienna.1650_passeri ◽

2007 ◽

Author(s):

D. Passeri ◽

A. Bettucci ◽

M. Germano ◽

A. Biagioni ◽

M. Rossi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Acoustic Microscopy ◽

Atomic Force ◽

Microscopy Characterization ◽

Carbon Based

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Measurement of the Indentation Modulus and the Local Internal Friction in Amorphous SiO2 Using Atomic Force Acoustic Microscopy

Archives of Metallurgy and Materials ◽

10.1515/amm-2016-0006 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 61 (1) ◽

pp. 9-12

Author(s):

B. Zhang ◽

H. Wagner ◽

M. Büchsenschütz-Göbeler ◽

Y. Luo ◽

S. Küchemann ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Internal Friction ◽

Amorphous Materials ◽

Contact Stiffness ◽

Ultrasonic Transducer ◽

Amorphous Material ◽

Acoustic Microscopy ◽

Damping Factor ◽

Indentation Modulus ◽

Amorphous Sio2 ◽

Atomic Force

Abstract For the past two decades, atomic force acoustic microscopy (AFAM), an advanced scanning probe microscopy technique, has played a promising role in materials characterization with a good lateral resolution at micro/nano dimensions. AFAM is based on inducing out-of-plane vibrations in the specimen, which are generated by an ultrasonic transducer. The vibrations are sensed by the AFM cantilever when its tip is in contact with the material under test. From the cantilver’s contactresonance spectra, one determines the real and the imaginary part of the contact stiffness k*, and then from these two quantities the local indentation modulus M' and the local damping factor Qloc-1 can be obtained with a spatial resolution of less than 10 nm. Here, we present measured data of M' and of Qloc-1 for the insulating amorphous material, a-SiO2. The amorphous SiO2 layer was prepared on a crystalline Si wafer by means of thermal oxidation. There is a spatial distribution of the indentation modulus M' and of the internal friction Qloc-1. This is a consequence of the potential energy landscape for amorphous materials.

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Characterization of carbon films microstructure by atomic force microscopy and Raman spectroscopy

Journal of Applied Physics ◽

10.1063/1.357474 ◽

1994 ◽

Vol 76 (6) ◽

pp. 3443-3447 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

J. M. Yáñez‐Limón ◽

F. Ruiz ◽

J. González‐Hernández ◽

C. Vázquez‐López ◽

E. López‐Cruz

Keyword(s):

Raman Spectroscopy ◽

Atomic Force Microscopy ◽

Carbon Films ◽

Force Microscopy ◽

Atomic Force

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Material Property Characterization of Costal Cartilage Using AFM Indentation

Volume 6: ASME Power Transmission and Gearing Conference; 3rd International Conference on Micro- and Nanosystems; 11th International Conference on Advanced Vehicle and Tire Technologies ◽

10.1115/detc2009-87462 ◽

2009 ◽

Author(s):

S. Tripathy ◽

E. J. Berger

Keyword(s):

Material Characterization ◽

Costal Cartilage ◽

Indentation Modulus ◽

Hertz Contact ◽

Force Microscopy ◽

Afm Indentation ◽

Atomic Force ◽

Macro Scale ◽

Property Characterization

Costal cartilage is one of the load bearing tissues of the rib cage. Literature on the material characterization of the costal cartilage is limited. Atomic force microscopy has been extremely successful in characterizing the elastic properties of articular cartilage, but no studies have been published on costal cartilage. In this study AFM indentations on human costal cartilage were performed and compared with macro scale indentation data. Spherical beaded tips of three sizes were used for the AFM indentations. The Hertz contact model for spherical indenter was used to analyze the data and obtain the Young’s modulus. The costal cartilage was found to be almost linearly elastic till 600 nm of indentation depth. It was also found that the modulus values decreased with the distance from the junction. The modulus values from macro indentations were found to be 2-fold larger than the AFM indentation modulus.

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Lorentz Contact Resonance Imaging for Atomic Force Microscopes: Probing Mechanical and Thermal Properties on the Nanoscale

Microscopy Today ◽

10.1017/s1551929513000989 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 21 (6) ◽

pp. 18-24 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Eoghan Dillon ◽

Kevin Kjoller ◽

Craig Prater

Keyword(s):

Viscoelastic Properties ◽

Contact Stiffness ◽

Mechanical And Thermal Properties ◽

Resonance Modes ◽

Atomic Force ◽

Resonance Frequencies ◽

Other Information ◽

Afm Cantilever ◽

Stiffness And Damping ◽

Contact Resonance

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) has been widely used in both industry and academia for imaging the surface topography of a material with nanoscale resolution. However, often little other information is obtained. Contact resonance AFM (CR-AFM) is a technique that can provide information about the viscoelastic properties of a material in contact with an AFM probe by measuring the contact stiffness between the probe and sample. In CR-AFM, an AFM cantilever is oscillated, and the amplitude and frequency of the resonance modes of the cantilever are monitored. When a probe or sample is oscillated, the tip sample interaction can be approximated as an ideal spring-dashpot system using the Voigt-Kelvin model shown in Figure 1. Contact resonance frequencies of the AFM cantilever will shift depending on the contact stiffness, k, between the tip and sample. The damping effect on the system comes from dissipative tip sample forces such as viscosity and adhesion. Damping, η, is observed in a CR-AFM system by monitoring the amplitude and Q factor of the resonant modes of the cantilever. This contact stiffness and damping information can then be used to obtain information about the viscoelastic properties of the material when fit to an applicable model.

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