Contact mode atomic force microscopy imaging of nanometer-sized particles

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Abstract
A general problem in scanning probe microscopy (SPM) of small particles is that the probe itself moves and removes the particles as it tries to image them. This fact has strongly limited the use of SPM in the field of nm‐sized particles, and high‐resolution electron microscopy has been the only alternative for detailed imaging. Here, we take advantage of a moderate sintering at 350 °C to effectively stabilize nanometer‐sized metallic particles on a semiconductor surface, allowing characterization by SPM. Using this technique, we have been able to successfully image aerosol deposited Ag particles of sizes around 35 nm by contact mode atomic force microscopy (AFM). This new sample preparation technique for SPM overcomes the problems of probe‐induced particle movement during scanning and is proposed as a method to ‘‘freeze’’ artificial nanostructures produced by manipulation of particles with the AFM probe.

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