Nanoscale Elastic-Property Mapping with Contact-Resonance-Frequency AFM

2004 ◽  
Vol 838 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. C. Hurley ◽  
A. B. Kos ◽  
P. Rice
Keyword(s):  
Resonance Frequency ◽  
Elastic Properties ◽  
Digital Signal Processor ◽  
Contact Stiffness ◽  
Acoustic Microscopy ◽  
Indentation Modulus ◽  
Atomic Force ◽  
Resonance Frequencies ◽  
Vertical Contact ◽  
Contact Resonance

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.

Local indentation modulus characterization via two contact resonance frequencies atomic force acoustic microscopy

2007 ◽  
Vol 84 (3) ◽  
pp. 490-494 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Passeri ◽  
A. Bettucci ◽  
M. Germano ◽  
M. Rossi ◽  
A. Alippi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Acoustic Microscopy ◽  
Indentation Modulus ◽  
Atomic Force ◽  
Resonance Frequencies ◽  
Contact Resonance

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

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.

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

2013 ◽  
Vol 21 (6) ◽  
pp. 18-24 ◽  
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.

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

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.

Quantitative Contact Spectroscopy and Imaging by Atomic-Force Acoustic Microscopy

1999 ◽  
Vol 591 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Arnold ◽  
S. Amelio ◽  
S. Hirsekorn ◽  
U. Rabe
Keyword(s):  
Young’S Modulus ◽  
Lead Zirconate Titanate ◽  
Young's Modulus ◽  
Contact Stiffness ◽  
Near Field ◽  
Lead Zirconate ◽  
Acoustic Microscopy ◽  
Atomic Force ◽  
Resonance Frequencies ◽  
Nanocrystalline Ferrite

ABSTRACTAtomic Force Acoustic Microscopy is a near-field technique which combines the ability in using ultrasonics to image elastic properties with the high lateral resolution of scanning probe microscopes. We present a technique to measure the contact stiffness and the Young's modulus of sample surfaces quantitatively with a resolution of approximately 20 rum exploiting the contact resonance frequencies of standard cantilevers used in Atomic Force Microscopy. The Young's modulus of nanocrystalline ferrite films have been measured as a function of oxidation temperature. Furthermore images showing the domain structure of piezoelectric lead zirconate titanate ceramics have been taken.

Analysis on the Contact Mechanics between Tip and Sample in Atomic Force Acoustic Microscope Method

2013 ◽  
Vol 800 ◽  
pp. 325-329
Author(s):  
Gai Mei Zhang ◽  
Li Ping Yang ◽  
Chen Qiang ◽  
Yuan Wei ◽  
Jian Dong Lu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Contact Stiffness ◽  
Sample Surface ◽  
Acoustic Microscopy ◽  
Contact Model ◽  
Contact Theory ◽  
Ultrasonic Technique ◽  
Contact Mode ◽  
Atomic Force ◽  
Resonance Frequencies ◽  
Afm Probe

Atomic force acoustic microscopy (AFAM) is a technique combining the atomic force microscope (AFM) and ultrasonic technique, where the cantilever or the sample surface is vibrated at ultrasonic frequencies while a sample surface is scanned with the sensor tip contacting the sample. At a consequence, the amplitude of the cantilever vibration as well as the shift of the cantilever resonance frequencies contain information about local tip-sample contact stiffness and can be used as imaging quantities. It has been demonstrated to be a powerful tool for the investigation of the local elastic prosperities of sample surface. The sample is tested in the contact mode, the resonant frequency of the cantilever is measured, by which the contact stiffness is calculated based on the model of vibration of the cantilever, and then the elastic property of sample is evaluated according to the contact theory. Therefore, the contact model has an important impact on the calculation of elastic modulus. This paper analyzes the contact model between the AFM probe and the sample, and it is investigated based on finite element method (FEM) that the results of the test are affected by parameters.

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

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.

scholarly journals Subsurface imaging of flexible circuits via contact resonance atomic force microscopy

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. 1636-1647 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenting Wang ◽  
Chengfu Ma ◽  
Yuhang Chen ◽  
Lei Zheng ◽  
Huarong Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Atomic Force Microscopy ◽  
Theoretical Calculations ◽  
Contact Stiffness ◽  
Metal Layer ◽  
Experimental Results ◽  
Subsurface Imaging ◽  
Force Microscopy ◽  
Atomic Force ◽  
Cover Thickness ◽  
Contact Resonance

Subsurface imaging of Au circuit structures embedded in poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) thin films with a cover thickness ranging from 52 to 653 nm was carried out by using contact resonance atomic force microscopy (CR-AFM). The mechanical difference of the embedded metal layer leads to an obvious CR-AFM frequency shift and therefore its unambiguous differentiation from the polymer matrix. The contact stiffness contrast, determined from the tracked frequency images, was employed for quantitative evaluation. The influence of various parameter settings and sample properties was systematically investigated by combining experimental results with theoretical analysis from finite element simulations. The results show that imaging with a softer cantilever and a lower eigenmode will improve the subsurface contrast. The experimental results and theoretical calculations provide a guide to optimizing parameter settings for the nondestructive diagnosis of flexible circuits. Defect detection of the embedded circuit pattern was also carried out, which indicates the capability of imaging tiny subsurface structures smaller than 100 nm by using CR-AFM.

scholarly journals Atomic force acoustic microscopy methods to determine thin-film elastic properties

2003 ◽  
Vol 94 (4) ◽  
pp. 2347-2354 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. C. Hurley ◽  
K. Shen ◽  
N. M. Jennett ◽  
J. A. Turner
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Elastic Properties ◽  
Acoustic Microscopy ◽  
Atomic Force
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