Direct force measurement in scanning tunneling microscopy
- 18 January 1988
- journal article
- Published by AIP Publishing in Applied Physics Letters
- Vol. 52 (3) , 188-190
- https://doi.org/10.1063/1.99515
Abstract
A novel force measurement using a scanning tunneling microscope as a forced oscillator is described. Results obtained from tunneling between a tungsten tip and a graphite substrate show that a maximum tip-sample force about 10−6 N exists during the constant current mode of operation. These results are in agreement with a previous model where large contact areas insulated by contaminants between tip and substrate were suggested as a cause of large tip-sample interaction forces. This method can achieve a force sensitivity of 10−8 N and for conductive substrates provide a simple, versatile alternative to existing methods of atomic force microscopy.Keywords
This publication has 11 references indexed in Scilit:
- Atomic Resolution with Atomic Force MicroscopeEurophysics Letters, 1987
- Magnetic imaging by ‘‘force microscopy’’ with 1000 Å resolutionApplied Physics Letters, 1987
- Atomic force microscope–force mapping and profiling on a sub 100-Å scaleJournal of Applied Physics, 1987
- Atomic Corrugation of Kish Graphite in Air Measured with Scanning Tunneling MicroscopeJapanese Journal of Applied Physics, 1987
- Comment on ‘‘Interatomic forces in scanning tunneling microscopy: Giant corrugations of the graphite surface’’Physical Review Letters, 1986
- Contamination-mediated deformation of graphite by the scanning tunneling microscopePhysical Review B, 1986
- Experimental Observation of Forces Acting during Scanning Tunneling MicroscopyPhysical Review Letters, 1986
- Interatomic Forces in Scanning Tunneling Microscopy: Giant Corrugations of the Graphite SurfacePhysical Review Letters, 1986
- Atomic Force MicroscopePhysical Review Letters, 1986
- 7 × 7 Reconstruction on Si(111) Resolved in Real SpacePhysical Review Letters, 1983