Distance Dependence of the NaCl(100) AFM Images

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Abstract
Constant-altitude AFM images of the NaCl(100) surface are calculated from a fully relaxed molecular-mechanic approach using a diamond tip apex. Three different ranges of the z tip-apex-to-surface distance have been found. For 2.5 Å < z < 5 Å, the apparent corrupgation is recorded from the normal force component. For intermediate z (1.4 Å < z < 2.5 Å), a surface image can be formed by measuring the lateral force because the normal corrugation decreases due to surface deformation. At even smaller distances (z < 1.4 Å), a contrast reversal phenomenon occurs just before the surface destruction.