6533b850fe1ef96bd12a8619
RESEARCH PRODUCT
Achieving high effectiveQ-factors in ultra-high vacuum dynamic force microscopy
Michael ReichlingL. TrögerChristoph RichterStefan TorbrüggeAngelika KühnleJannis LübbeRalf Bechsteinsubject
Materials scienceCantileverMicroscopebusiness.industryApplied MathematicsUltra-high vacuumQ-factorNanotechnology530NC-AFMlaw.inventionforce microscopyFixation (surgical)lawQ factormounting lossMicroscopyForce dynamicsOptoelectronicscantileverbusinessInstrumentationEngineering (miscellaneous)Non-contact atomic force microscopydescription
The effective Q-factor of the cantilever is one of the most important figures-of-merit for a non-contact atomic force microscope (NC-AFM) operated in ultra-high vacuum (UHV). We provide a comprehensive discussion of all effects influencing the Q-factor and compare measured Q-factors to results from simulations based on the dimensions of the cantilevers. We introduce a methodology to investigate in detail how the effective Q-factor depends on the fixation technique of the cantilever. Fixation loss is identified as a most important contribution in addition to the hitherto discussed effects and we describe a strategy for avoiding fixation loss and obtaining high effective Q-factors in the force microscope. We demonstrate for room temperature operation, that an optimum fixation yields an effective Q-factor for the NC-AFM measurement in UHV that is equal to the intrinsic value of the cantilever.
| year | journal | country | edition | language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-11-04 | Measurement Science and Technology |