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Title: Quantification of in-contact probe-sample electrostatic forces with dynamic atomic force microscopy

Journal Article · · Nanotechnology

Here, atomic force microscopy (AFM) methods utilizing resonant mechanical vibrations of cantilevers in contact with a sample surface have shown sensitivities as high as few picometers for detecting surface displacements. Such a high sensitivity is harnessed in several AFM imaging modes. Here, we demonstrate a cantilever-resonance-based method to quantify electrostatic forces on a probe in the probe-sample junction in the presence of a surface potential or when a bias voltage is applied to the AFM probe. We find that the electrostatic forces acting on the probe tip apex can produce signals equivalent to a few pm of surface displacement. In combination with modeling, the measurements of the force were used to access the strength of the electrical field at the probe tip apex in contact with a sample. We find an evidence that the electric field strength in the junction can reach ca. 1 V nm–1 at a bias voltage of a few volts and is limited by non-ideality of the tip-sample contact. This field is sufficiently strong to significantly influence material states and kinetic processes through charge injection, Maxwell stress, shifts of phase equilibria, and reduction of energy barriers for activated processes. Besides, the results provide a baseline for accounting for the effects of local electrostatic forces in electromechanical AFM measurements as well as offer additional means to probe ionic mobility and field-induced phenomena in solids.

Research Organization:
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC05-00OR22725
OSTI ID:
1408026
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 1338074
Journal Information:
Nanotechnology, Vol. 28, Issue 6; ISSN 0957-4484
Publisher:
IOP PublishingCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 38 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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Cited By (7)

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Correlation between drive amplitude and resonance frequency in electrochemical strain microscopy: Influence of electrostatic forces journal June 2017
Electrostatic contribution to hysteresis loop in piezoresponse force microscopy journal April 2019
Experimental reconstruction of the contact resonance shape factor for quantification and amplification of bias-induced strain in atomic force microscopy journal April 2019
Towards nanoscale electrical measurements in liquid by advanced KPFM techniques: a review journal July 2018
Higher-eigenmode piezoresponse force microscopy: a path towards increased sensitivity and the elimination of electrostatic artifacts journal March 2018
A New Heterodyne Megasonic Piezoresponse Force Microscopy with High-frequency Excitation beyond 100 MHz text January 2020

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