Self-Sensing and –Actuating Probes for Tapping Mode AFM Measurements of Soft Polymers at a Wide Range of Temperatures

Abstract

Self-sensing and –actuating probes optimized for conventional tapping mode atomic force microscopy (AFM) are described. 32-kHz quartz tuning forks with a chemically etched and focus ion beam (FIB) sharpened (curvature radii are 5-10 nm) tungsten tip are stable at air and liquid nitrogen atmosphere and at a wide range of temperatures. If driven at constant frequency, the scan speed of such sensors can be up to 3 Hz. AFM was performed on polymer samples in order to study the stability and applicability of these sensor for investigation of soft materials with high dynamical tendencies.

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N. Matsko, J. Wagner, A. Efimov, I. Haynl, S. Mitsche, W. Czapek, B. Matsko, W. Grogger and F. Hofer, "Self-Sensing and –Actuating Probes for Tapping Mode AFM Measurements of Soft Polymers at a Wide Range of Temperatures," Journal of Modern Physics, Vol. 2 No. 2, 2011, pp. 72-78. doi: 10.4236/jmp.2011.22012.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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