Thermal and ambient-induced deflections of scanning force microscope cantilevers
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831-6123 (United States)
The deflection of scanning force microscope cantilevers, metal coated on one side, is significantly influenced by both thermal heating and variations in relative humidity. For constant relative humidity, the deflection of the cantilever drifts due to laser heating and eventually reaches a steady-state value. For a thermally stabilized cantilever, the deflection varies linearly with relative humidity. Exposure to other vapors, such as mercury, changes the inherent deflection of the cantilever. Relative amounts of adsorbates on the cantilever can be estimated from shifts in the cantilever resonance frequency with picogram mass resolution. The cantilever deflection as well as changes in resonance frequency due to vapor adsorption can be used as basis for novel chemical sensors.
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-84OR21400
- OSTI ID:
- 7207269
- Journal Information:
- Applied Physics Letters; (United States), Journal Name: Applied Physics Letters; (United States) Vol. 64:21; ISSN APPLAB; ISSN 0003-6951
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Detection of mercury vapor using resonating microcantilevers
Friction effects in the deflection of atomic force microscope cantilevers