CH62052

Atomic Force Microscope (AFM)

#AFM_by_RM
RABIBRATA MUKHERJEE
CH 62052

Why AFM? We all use a microscope to visualize small things! Here is an FESEM image.

Optical Microscope Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM)

Gold Nano Particles and atoms

Transmission Electron Microscope Can you think of any limitation of this image?
(TEM) Any information that is missing?
Rabibrata Mukherjee
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Lets see this

Anything you are missing out in this pic?

Rabibrata Mukherjee
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Are these two images of the same sample? Different Magnification?

Rabibrata Mukherjee
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Are these two images of the same sample? Different Magnification?

This height information

AFM gives.

ANSWER IS NO!
Rabibrata Mukherjee
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In the early 1980's scanning probe microscopes (SPMs) produced the first real-space images of a
surface.

Now, SPMs are used in a wide variety of disciplines, including fundamental surface science, routine surface
roughness analysis, and spectacular three-dimensional imaging—from atoms of silicon to micron-sized
protrusions on the surface of a living cell.

The scanning probe microscope is an imaging tool with a vast dynamic range, spanning the realms of optical
and electron microscopes. It's also a profiler with unprecedented 3-D resolution. In some cases, scanning probe
microscopes can measure physical properties such as surface conductivity, static charge distribution, localized
friction, magnetic fields, and elastic moduli. As a result, applications of SPMs are very diverse.

Rabibrata Mukherjee
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AFM was discovered in 1986.

Gerhard Binning and Co - workers IBM Corporation
Physical Review Letters, 56,930 (1986).
(An extension cum derivative of the STM)

Gerd Binning and Heinrich Rohrer were awarded

Nobel Prize in 1986 for their Discovery of STM in
1982.

Short History of AFM http://hansmalab.physics.ucsb.edu/afmback.html

Rabibrata Mukherjee
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The Scanning Probe Microscope (SPM) family

STM (Tunneling) SFM (Force)

(AFM)
Lateral Force (LFM)

STS,STP,Scanning Magnetic Force (MFM)

Electrochemical Electrostatic Force
Microscope (EFM)
SPM
DPN

Scanning Thermal Scanning Near Field

Microscope (Local Optical Microscope
Temperature) (Optical imaging)
Rabibrata Mukherjee
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Scanning Tunneling Microscope (STM)

The resulting tunneling current is a function of tip position,
applied voltage, and the local density of states (LDOS) of the
sample.
Information is acquired by monitoring the current as the tip's
position scans across the surface, and is usually displayed in
image form.
STM can be a challenging technique, as it can require
extremely clean and stable surfaces, sharp tips, excellent
vibration control, and sophisticated electronics.

Rabibrata Mukherjee
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Constant Height Mode STM

STMs can be designed to scan a sample in either of two modes: constant-height or

constant-current mode.
In constant-height mode, the tip travels in a horizontal plane above the sample and the tunneling current varies
depending on topography and the local surface electronic properties of the sample.

The tunneling current measured at each location on the sample surface constitute the data set, the topographic
image.

Rabibrata Mukherjee
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Constant Current Mode STM

In constant-current mode, STM use feedback to keep the tunneling current constant
by adjusting the height of the scanner at each measurement point.

For example, when the system detects an increase in tunneling current, it adjusts the
voltage applied to the piezoelectric scanner to increase the distance between the tip
and the sample.

Rabibrata Mukherjee
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Scanning Tunneling Microscope (STM)

STMs can be designed to scan a sample in either of two modes: constant-
height or constant-current mode.
In constant-current mode, STMs use feedback to keep the tunneling current constant by
adjusting the height of the scanner at each measurement point.

For example, when the system detects an increase in tunneling current, it adjusts the
voltage applied to the piezoelectric scanner to increase the distance between the tip and
the sample.

In constant-height mode, the tip travels in a horizontal plane above the sample and the tunneling current
varies depending on topography and the local surface
electronic properties of the sample.

The tunneling current measured at each location on the sample surface constitute the data set, the topographic
image.

Limited to Metallic Surfaces ONLY

Rabibrata Mukherjee
CH 62052

STM (Tunneling)

The STM is based on the concept of quantum

tunneling.

When a conducting tip is brought very near to the

surface to be examined, a bias (voltage difference)
applied between the two can allow electrons to tunnel
through the vacuum between them.

The resulting tunneling current is a function of tip position, applied voltage, and the local density of states (LDOS) of the
sample.
Information is acquired by monitoring the current as the tip's position scans across the surface, and is usually displayed in
image form.
STM can be a challenging technique, as it can require extremely clean and stable surfaces, sharp tips, excellent vibration
control, and sophisticated electronics.

Rabibrata Mukherjee
CH 62052

What “indicator” should be used to replace “tunneling current”?

We need to identify something that is extremely generic.

• For a charge neutral sample scanned in air, the interaction force between the sample and the tip originates due to attractive
vander Waal’s interaction.
• Between two molecules (or atoms), the nature of van der Waal’s force is always attractive and scales as 1/r6.
• The signature of non retarded van der Waal’s interaction can be felt over ~ 10 nm separation distance.
• Between two surfaces, the scaling or decay shows a functionality of 1/r2.
• The signature of the interaction extends to ~ 80 nm to 100 nm.
• This force is in the range of inter-atomic forces ~ 10 -13 – 10 -06 N.
• There can be host of other type of interaction forces acting between the tip and the sample like mechanical contact force, van
der Waals forces, capillary forces, chemical bonding, electrostatic forces, magnetic forces Casimir forces, solvation forces etc.

Rabibrata Mukherjee
CH 62052

What is an AFM
• In an Atomic Force Microscope the imaging (or more accurately, the information about the topography) of a
surface is done based on the modulation of interaction forces between two atoms (or molecules).

• In reality, the instrument operates based on the interaction between two

surfaces, the sample and a sharp tip.
• The probing tip is attached to a cantilever and the force acting on the tip
causes a small deflection of the cantilever.
• This deflection is detected and mapped as the tip scans the surface to
obtain the image of the surface.

Rabibrata Mukherjee
CH 62052

Major Components of an AFM:

• Probes or Tips and Cantilever for

mounting the tips
• Photo detector (with laser Source)
• The piezo
• Feedback Control Module
Operational Aspects
• Alignment (Operational Aspect)
• Approach
• Sample stage and Raster Scanning
• Scanning Modes
• Data Rendering

Rabibrata Mukherjee
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• Probes or Tips and Cantilever for Operational Aspects

mounting the tips • Alignment (Operational Aspect)
• Photo detector (with laser Source) • Approach
• The piezo • Sample stage and Raster Scanning
• Feedback Control Module • Scanning Modes
• Data Rendering
Rabibrata Mukherjee
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AFM Probes or Tips

• Tips are some sort of a sharp probe that is used to
“Scan” the surface.
• This is the closest approximation of a single molecule
probing the surface.
•Tip diameters are typically ~ 15 – 25 nm (Hundreds of
molecules)
•Resolution is a major function of tip Size and Geometry

The cantilever behaves like a spring

Its stiffness is critical
Stiffness determines the spring constant

Colloidal Probe

Rabibrata Mukherjee
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When a Reverse Biased P – N

QPD (Quadrant Photo Diode) junction diode is illuminated with
light, the reverse diode current
SPD (Split Photo Diode) varies linearly with the light flux.
Such a P – N junction diode is called
PSD (Position Sensitive Photo Diode) as photo diode.

Photo Diode:
When light (of a certain wavelngth) falls on it, a voltage
is generated.

Here, the voltage generated is a function of the

position at which the light falls.

Best way to understand is to consider it as

a graph paper

For most commercial AFMs, the range of the voltage is 0 -10

mV with centre being 0 mV.
Rabibrata Mukherjee
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Alignment

Reflective
Reading 0 Volts! Coating

Cantilever
Alignment is complete!

• Tip is far away (few microns to ~ mm) from sample surface.

Rabibrata Mukherjee
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Set a Set Point

Approach Where you want your 4
Stepper motor to stop

3 2 1

1 2

4
Once approach is complete the Piezo elements get activated
There are typically 3 piezos, 1 each for X and Y and 1 for Z.

Rabibrata Mukherjee
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Key Components

Rabibrata Mukherjee
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When sample has an elevation (less separation distance)

 More force exerted on the cantilever. Piezo goes up.
• Sample has a depression (separation distance more)
 Less force exerted on the cantilever. Piezo comes down.
• Feedback loop works on the error in the Force signal
• The deflection is converted into change in voltage and the controller, register in the feedback loop controls
the force or distance and records the topography.
Rabibrata Mukherjee
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Contact Mode
• The set point is in terms of the force of the cantilever.
• Cantilever deflects under Hooke's law: F = -kx, where k is cantilever spring constant.
• The scanner moves along the surface (always in contact)
• Scanning is done in the repulsive interaction regime.
• Along with the surface profile (topography) the force on the cantilever will change
• Feed back loop activated due to error in force set point

Rabibrata Mukherjee
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Ruster Scan and Data Rendering • Normalize with respect to the total range
• Create a contrast ….
x y z
1 1 0.213
2 1 - 0.947
3 1 0.776
4 1 0.312
…. …. ….
1 2 - 0.398
… …. …..
n n 0.012

In AFM images, colors are always artificial

Rabibrata Mukherjee
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Rabibrata Mukherjee
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Rabibrata Mukherjee
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Tapping mode

Rabibrata Mukherjee
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A Good Cantilever .. .. ..

One of the most important factors influencing the resolution which may be achieved with an AFM is
the sharpness of the scanning tip.
• In order to measure small (10-12 – 10 -5 N), the spring constant should be as small as possible. A
stiff cantilever will not respond (show no deflection) to very small forces.
• The cantilever’s resonance frequency (f) (~10-800 kHz) should be higher than the instrument’s
data acquisition rate.
• The best tips may have a radius of curvature of only around 5nm.
• Mode of operation.
a) Contact mode: low force constant
b) Non contact mode: high force constant.

Rabibrata Mukherjee
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AFM Probes: Some Typical Examples

Tip Shape: Tetrahedral Cantilever Shape: Rectangular Piezo resistive

Height: 10mm Length:120mm cantilever
Radius: <10nm Thickness: 2.8mm (amplitude can be
Material: Si k : 20N/m; f = 300kHz; Material: Si adjusted)

The first tips used by

the inventors of the
AFM were made by
gluing diamond onto
pieces of aluminum
foil.
Tip Shape: Pyramidal Cantilever Shape:Triangular
Height: 2.9mm Length:200mm
Radius: <20nm Thickness: 0.8mm
Material: SiN k : 0.18N/m, f = 27 kHz; Material: SiN

Rabibrata Mukherjee
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AFM Probes or Tips

• Contact Mode : Silicon Nitride
• Tapping Mode : Etched Silicon
• Spring Constant : 0.10 ~ 1.0 N/m
• Freq (Tapping) : 50 – 400 KHz
• Tip Radius : 5 to 20 nm
• Cantilever Length : 100 ~ 200 μm
• Commercial probe tip smallest ~ 6 nm.
• Now Carbon Nano Tube (CNT) is being used as an AFM tip.

• Tip senses the Force across the sample.

• Cantilever responds to this force by deforming.
• Next step is to track this deflection of the cantilever (spring)

Colloidal Probe

Rabibrata Mukherjee
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Tip Convolution

Colloidal Probe

Rabibrata Mukherjee
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Tip Effects

•The need for sharp tips is normally explained in terms of tip convolution.
•This term is often used (slightly incorrectly) to group together any influence which the tip has on the
image.
•The main influences are
•broadening (r tip is comparable to feature size)
•compression
•interaction forces
•Aspect ratio

Broadening Aspect Ratio

Rabibrata Mukherjee
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Advantages of AFM
• Lateral resolution allows imaging & measurements of features on the order of a few
nano-meters, the vertical (height) resolution is ~ 1 Å.
• In-situ Scanning in Different environment including ambient, UHV, under liquid, high
temperature
• This is a non destructive scanning procedure
• Material Properties characterization can be done using AFM including surface force
measurement, Topography, Adhesion, Visco-elasticity, Hardness, friction, Magnetic
Domains etc.
• Apart from imaging the surface, AFM can also be used to measure the extant of the
interaction forces.
• Unlike STM, (which is the ancestor of the AFM) which can only image conducting
surfaces, AFM can be used on any kind of surfaces.
• Unlike traditional microscopes, scanned-probe systems do not use lenses, so the
size of the probe rather than diffraction effects generally limit their resolution.

Rabibrata Mukherjee
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Concluding Remarks:
• Imaging, fabrication, manipulation, property measurement, topography ….
• It is not only a characterization tool, but much beyond that.

Couple of good references:

1. Advanced Materials, 17, 1821, 2005.
2. Mechatronics, 14, 907, 2004.
3. Chem. Rev. Volume 97, Issue 4.
4. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 43, 248, 2004.

Thank You
IIT Kgp
CH 62052

Some Salient Points in Simple Words

• While you “see” in other microscopes, you actually “touch” the sample in an AFM!

• The simplest (and probably the biggest difference!): You get “DIRECT” information
about the topography (X, Y and Z directions).

• Not only one gets to look at but one can “DO” things at the surface.

Rabibrata Mukherjee