NETAJI SUBHAS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

Seminar Title on: Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM)

Prepared by VARUN KUMAR

(669/MP/13)
Contents/O utlines

1. Background and History

2. General Applications

3. How Does AFM Work?

4. Parts of AFM

5. THREE Modes: Contact mode,

Non-contact mode, Tapping Mode
Contents/O utlines
6. What are the limitations of AFM?

7. Advantages and Disadvanteges of AFM

8. The future of AFM

1. Background and History
Scanning tunneling
m icroscopy

1981 Swiss scientists Gerd Binnig
and Heinrich Rohrer

Atomic resolution, simple

1986 Nobel prize
Atomic Force Microscope (AFM)
Introduction
The atomic force microscope (AFM) or scanning
force microscope (SFM) was invented in1986 by
Binnig, Quate and Gerber.
Similar to other scanning probe microscopes,
the AFM raster scans a sharp probe over the
surface of a sample and measures the changes
in force between the probe tip and the sample.
2. General Applications

1 2 3

Materials Used to study AFM can image

Investigated: Thin phenomena of: surface of
and thick film Abrasion, material in
coatings, corrosion,
ceramics, atomic
etching (scratch), resolution and
composites,
friction, also measure
glasses, synthetic
and biological lubricating, force at the
membranes, plating, and nano-Newton
metals, polymers, polishing. scale.
and
semiconductors.
Further Applications
3. How Does AFM Work?
Working Concept

The physical parameter probed is a force resulting from different

interactions.
The origin of these interactions can be ionic repulsion, van der
Waals, capillary, electrostatic and magnetic forces, or elastic and
plastic deformations.
Thus, an AFM image is generated by recording the force
changes as the probe (or sample) is scanned in the x and y
directions.
The sample is mounted on a piezoelectric scanner, which
ensures three-dimensional positioning with high resolution.
The force is monitored by attaching the probe to a pliable
cantilever, which acts as a spring, and measuring the bending or
"deflection" of the cantilever.
3. 1 Experimental Procedures

Sample preparation

Thin layer of wax on steel disk Measuring

3-D Imaging
Manipulating/Analyzing
Scanning the Sample/measure

Tip brought within

nanometers of the
sample (van der Waals)
Radius of tip limits the
accuracy of analysis/
resolution
Stiffer cantilevers
protect against sample
damage because they
deflect less in response
to a small force
This means a more
sensitive
detection scheme is
needed
AFM Tips
4. Parts of AFM

1. Laser deflected off cantilever

2. Mirror reflects laser beam to
photo detector
3. Photo detector dual element
photodiode that measures
differences in light intensity and
converts to voltage
4. Amplifier
5. Register
6. Sample
7. Probe tip that scans sample
made of Si
8. Cantilever moves as scanned
over sample and deflects laser
beam
5. THREE Modes: Contact mode,
Non-contact, mode, Tapping Mode

A.Contact Mode Mode;

hard, stable samples in air
or liquid
B. Non-Contact Mode: non-
invasive sampling.
C. Tapping (Intermittent
contact): No shear and
damaging samples
A. Contact Mode

Measures repulsion between tip and sample

Force of tip against sample remains constant
Feedback regulation keeps cantilever deflection
constant
Voltage required indicates height of sample
Problems: excessive tracking forces applied by
probe to sample
B. Non-Contact Mode

M easu res attractive forces b etw een

tip an d sam p le
Tip d oesn t tou ch sam p le
V an d er W aals forces b etw een tip
an d sam p le d etected
P rob lem s: C an t u se w ith sam p les in
flu id
U sed to an alyze sem icon d u ctors
D oesn t d eg rad e or in terfere w ith
sam p le- b etter for soft sam p les
C. Tapping (Intermittent-
Contact) Mode
Tip vertically oscillates between contacting sample
surface and lifting of at frequency of 50,000 to
500,000 cycles/sec.
Oscillation amplitude reduced as probe contacts
surface due to loss of energy caused by tip
contacting surface
Advantages: overcomes problems associated with
friction, adhesion, electrostatic forces
More effective for larger scan sizes
 ACT
T
C ON
ACT N
NT NO
CO
6. What are the limitations
of AFM?
AFM imaging is not ideally sharp
7. Advantages and Disadvanteges
of AFM

ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
1. Easy sample preparation 1. Limited vertical range
2. Works in vacuum, air, 2. Limited magnification
and liquids range
3. Accurate height 3. Data not independent of
information tip
4. Living systems can be 4. Tip or sample can be
studied damaged
5. 3-D Imaging 5. Limited scanning speed
6. Dynamic environment
7. Surface roughness
quantification
8. The future of AFM

Sharper tips by im proved m icro-fabrication processes: (tip

sam ple interaction tends to distort or destroy soft
biologicalm olecules )
developm ent of m ore fl
exible cantilever springs and less
dam aging and non-sticky probes needed
In general
 BIBLIOGRAPHY

https://users.cs.duke.edu/~reif/courses/molcomplectures/Molecu
larImaging/AFM/Atomic%20Force%20Microscopy(AFM)%20(Kronenberge
r).
pdf
NPTELHRD AFV LECTURE VIDEOS
http://www.nanoscience.gatech.edu/zlwang/research/afm.html