Nanomechanics using an ultra-small amplitude AFM
Date
2001Source Title
Materials Research Society Symposium: Symposium Q–Fundamentals of Nanoindentation & Nanotribology
Print ISSN
0272-9172
Publisher
Cambridge University Press
Volume
649
Pages
1 - 6
Language
English
Type
Conference PaperItem Usage Stats
236
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Abstract
A new type of AFM is presented which allows for direct measurements of nanomechanical properties in ultra-high vacuum and liquid environments. The AFM is also capable to atomic-scale imaging of force gradients. This is achieved by vibrating a stiff lever at very small amplitudes of less than 1 Å (peak-to-peak) at a sub-resonance amplitude. This linearizes the measurement and makes the interpretation of the data straight-forward. At the atomic scale, interaction force gradients are measured which are consistent with the observation of single atomic bonds. Also, atomic scale damping is observed which rapidly rises with the tip-sample separation. A mechanism is proposed to explain this damping in terms of atomic relaxation in the tip. We also present recent results in water where we were able to measure the mechanical response due to the molecular ordering of water close to an atomically flat surface.
Keywords
Chemical bondsDamping
Nanostructured materials
Relaxation processes
Stiffness
Vibrations (mechanical)
Atomic relaxation
Atomic scale imaging
Nanomechanics
Atomic force microscopy