| Semicontact mode |
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| Semicontact | |
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Usage of Scanning Force Microscopy with oscillating cantilever was firstly anticipated by Binnig [1]. Earlier experimental realizations of scanning with oscillated cantilever was realized in works [2, 3].
It was demonstrated influence of the force gradients on the cantilever
frequency shift and possibility of non-contact scanning sample surface.
It must be noted also that Durig studied frequency shift of oscillating
cantilever under influence of STM tip [4].
In [2]
was demonstrated also possibility of materials sensing under abrupt
decreasing of cantilever oscillation amplitude. Possibility of scanning
sample surface not only in attractive but also in repulsive forces was
demonstrated in [4].
Relatively small shift of oscillating frequency with sensing repulsive
forces means that contact of cantilever tip with sample surface under
oscillation is not constant. Only during small part of oscillating
period the tip "feels" contact repulsive force. Especially it concerns
to oscillations with relatively high amplitudes. Scanning sample
surface with cantilever oscillated in this manner is not non-contact,
but intermittent contact. Corresponding mode of Scanning Force
Microscope operation (Intermittent Contact mode) is in common practice.
The Intermittent Contact mode can be characterized by some advantages in comparison with dc Contact mode.
First of all, in this mode the force of pressure of the cantilever onto
the surface is less, that allows to work with softer and easy to damage
materials such as polymers and bioorganics. The semicontact mode is
also more sensitive to the interaction with the surface that gives a
possibility to investigate some characteristics of the surface -
distribution of magnetic and electric domains, elasticity and viscosity
of the surface.
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