小型自感应原子力显微镜测头及其标定

设计了一种小型轻敲式自感应原子力显微镜(AFM)测头以实现微/纳尺度下的几何量测量.轻敲式测头采用石英音叉式自感应探针,通过自身的电信号输出检测悬臂梁的振幅变化,无需额外的光学传感器.设计了测头的微弱自感应信号放大电路,并补偿音叉寄生电容对测量的干扰.机械结构紧凑便于将测头固定于光学显微镜下观察测量情况,同时屏蔽外界的干扰.利用显微激光多普勒测振系统,标定了测头机电耦合系数为145 nm/V,由此可以计算测头工作频率下悬臂梁的振幅.搭建了以纳米测量机(NMM)为高精度定位平台的测试系统,利用该系统对测头进行进/退针实验,标定测头的灵敏度为0.47 nm/mV,NMM内置的干涉仪保证标定直接溯源至"米"定义.实验表明测头的非线性误差小于1%,测量范围在百纳米级.     

用于微球球度测量的双SPM测头对准系统

压电微音叉与钨探针结合,构成SPM(扫描探针显微镜)的扫描测头。将双测头对称置于微球的赤道圆截面处,构成微球球度差动测量系统。通过视觉引导系统对双测头进行粗对准,用视频显微镜对微球和测头分别聚焦,拍摄多组照片,然后对对准图像进行小波分析边缘检测及多图像融合处理,再将图像处理结果反馈到系统进行精确对准。在实际实验中,获得了该对准方法下微球赤道圆截面的测量结果,并分析了对准误差对系统测量结果带来的影响。     

基于石英音叉探针的原子力显微镜测头开发

基于石英音叉探针开发了一种自感应原子力显微镜(AFM)测头。该测头通过自身输出电信号检测悬臂振幅变化,无需外部光学检测部件,易于集成。针对测头设计了微弱电流提取及寄生电容补偿电路。利用商业化锁相放大器实现了对测头幅度信号的获取。在此基础上对测头在调幅模式下的力-距离曲线和分辨力进行了测试。利用锁相放大器内置的PID模块实现了调幅模式下对样品表面形貌的测量。实验证明,该测头灵敏度为0.624 mV/nm,分辨力优于2 nm。     

基于电化学腐蚀法的钨探针制备装置研究

基于电化学腐蚀法制备钨探针的原理,设计了一套钨探针制备装置,并对钨探针制备参数进行了研究。装置的实验部分用于调整探针与电解槽的相对位置和运动参数,控制部分用于监测、控制并记录电化学反应的状态。与传统腐蚀探针相比,该装置通过控制电路控制探针腐蚀过程中运动参数,获得了形状可控的大长径比探针;同时通过精确控制腐蚀反应时间,可制备针尖曲率半径范围为5~20 nm的探针。     

基于Qplus技术的AFM测头研究

初步设计并组装了基于qPlus 技术的原子力显微镜（AFM）测头。使用石英音叉型力传感器替代了硅悬臂传感器,并设计了前置放大电路,研究了测头的频率特性,利用搭建的实验装置对测头的性能进行了测试。测试结果表明:该测头在频率调制（FM）模式下具有较高灵敏度。同时测头频率特性的研究显示探针及其粘接部位的质量是影响测头谐振频率的最主要因素。为qPlus-AFM测头的设计、组装及后续研究提供了经验和基础。     

原子力显微镜的双探针接触测量研究

为实现双探针原子力显微镜的探针对准,用探针A对探针B的成像进行了深入的研究。首先对音叉探针进行有限元仿真,分析探针的机械特性。其次用锁相放大器获取探针的幅度和频率信号,让探针接近样品（硅片）以获得系统的分辨率。最后在YOZ平面用探针A对探针B扫描成像,逐步缩小扫描范围并同时减小扫描步进。实验表明,探针的分辨率优于1 nm,双探针对准精度可达5 nm。     

一种适用于原位纳米力学测试的AFM测头

设计并制作了一种适用于原位纳米力学测试的原子力显微镜(AFM)测头.测头由光学检测系统和Z向压电陶瓷微位移机构组成.其中光学检测系统采用光杠杆与显微镜同轴光路检测探针形变,压电位移机构内置电容传感器可实现探针进给量的闭环控制.标定实验表明该测头闭环位移分辨力优于10 nm,在标定范围内具有很好的线性.利用该测头对某型微悬臂梁法向弹性常数进行了测量,测得值与采用具有溯源性的标定方法所得结果一致.     

基于锁相环的音叉式原子力显微镜测头电路系统研究

石英音又具有谐振频率稳定、品质因素高等优点,适合用于制作原子力显微镜探针.通过对原子力显微镜中使用的石英音叉探针驱动电路及对影响电路系统性能的器件参数进行分析,实现对石英音叉共振频率的检测及自动补偿调整,并对锁相环电路进行仿真及试验验证,试验结果表明电路系统满足原子力显微镜工作需求.     

音叉式AFM探针针尖与表面接近特性的研究

原子力显微镜（AFM）对样品进行测量时,探针针尖与样品表面接近过程中的微观作用力探测是实现样品形貌准确测量的基础。本文基于音叉式探针的特性建立探针针尖与样品表面接近过程中的动力学方程,并利用simulink软件模拟了上述过程中探针悬臂振幅响应情况。自主搭建了基于音叉探针的接近曲线检测装置,编写位移系统控制程序和锁相放大器数据采集程序,在调幅模式下获得探针在不同激励电压下的接近曲线,其形式与仿真相符。研究结果将为音叉式原子力显微系统的搭建及优化反馈控制的设计提供扫描基准参考。     

基于新型探针的双频原子力显微系统开发

传统原子力显微镜(AFM)在接触模式下工作时具有接触力较大、易损伤样品的缺点.本文通过对新型自感应音叉探针施加双频激励,使得AFM工作在轻敲模式下,减小了接触力和扫描过程中的侧向力影响,实现了样品表面力学特性和亚表面结构的表征.然后利用基于DSP的PI反馈控制模块,完成了线扫描实验,证明该双频原子力显微测量系统具有较好的测量能力.     

Combined scanning electrochemical/optical microscopy with shear force and current feedback

A technique that combines scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) and scanning optical microscopy (OM) was developed. Simultaneous scanning electrochemical/optical microscopy (SECM/OM) was performed by a special probe tip, which consists of an optical fiber core for light passage, surrounded by a gold ring electrode, and an outermost electrophoretic insulating sheath, with the tip attached to a tuning fork. To regulate the tip-substrate distance, either the shear force or the SECM tip current was employed as the feedback signal. The application of a quartz crystal tuning fork (32.768 kHz) for sensing shear force allowed simultaneous topographic, along with SECM and optical imaging in a constant-force mode. The capability of this technique was confirmed by obtaining simultaneously, for the first time, topographic, electrochemical, and optical images of an interdigitated array electrode. Current feedback from SECM also provided simultaneous electrochemical and optical images of relatively soft samples, such as a polycarbonate membrane filter and living diatoms in a constant-current mode. This mode should be useful in mapping the biochemical activity of a living cell.     

Dynamics of probes attached to quartz tuning forks for the detection of surface forces

The dynamics of force microscopy probes attached to quartz tuning fork piezoelectric sensors has been investigated, by simply modeling the tuning fork/probe system as two coupled damped harmonic oscillators. Depending on how probes are applied to the tuning fork prong, they could show appreciable compliance along the direction of approach to the surface. In particular, buckling or bending deformation of the probe may account for unexpectedly long interaction ranges found in experimental approach curves. Some peculiar curves found in the literature in the case of lateral probe oscillation (shear force) are well reproduced by the present model. In particular, a 'clamping' effect is observed when the probe is substantially more compliant than the tuning fork. By calculating the actual probe motion along with the tuning fork response, the correct distance control operation regimes are pointed out for the shear-force case, even when using compliant probes. The model can be readily extended to the case of normal oscillation, at least for small amplitudes. Furthermore, it could be applied to a 'mixed' case of shear-force detection performed with very compliant probes. The present analysis can help to improve data interpretation and operation conditions in dynamic force microscopy and spectroscopy.     

Parameters of tip–sample interactions in shear mode using a quartz tuning fork AFM with controllable Q-factor

A quartz tuning fork-based atomic force microscopy for investigating the tip–sample interactions at the nanoscale in the shear-force mode is described. Results of force interactions (damping and elastic forces) can be obtained from the amplitude-phase-distance spectroscopy measurements made with a tuning fork with a tungsten tip and a sample surface. The influence of the interaction between tip and sample using the quality factor as an indicator is investigated. Furthermore, a simple model shows that the extension of a tuning fork-based AFM can be applied to quantitative analysis of the properties of the sample surface. Published in Inzhenerno-Fizicheskii Zhurnal, Vol. 82, No. 1, pp. 141–149, January–February, 2009.     

基于石英音叉的扫描探针显微镜的设计与实现

介绍了基于石英音叉剪切力模式的扫描探针显微镜系统(Scanning Probe Microscope, SPM)的设计和实现.系统由基于PC104总线的工业主板、ATmega16电机控制模块、高压驱动模块、数据采集和前置信号处理模块组成,在TCP/IP和RS232通信协议的基础上通过自定义上层通信协议完成各模块之间的连接.由于采用了模块化设计和工业化标准,该系统可稳定工作于工业现场,用于加工件表面质量的测量、集成电路缺陷检测、材料瑕疵分析等.     

A quadruple-scanning-probe force microscope for electrical property measurements of microscopic materials

Four-terminal electrical measurement is realized on a microscopic structure in air, without a lithographic process, using a home-built quadruple-scanning-probe force microscope (QSPFM). The QSPFM has four probes whose positions are individually controlled by obtaining images of a sample in the manner of atomic force microscopy (AFM), and uses the probes as contacting electrodes for electrical measurements. A specially arranged tuning fork probe (TFP) is used as a self-detection force sensor to operate each probe in a frequency modulation AFM mode, resulting in simultaneous imaging of the same microscopic feature on an insulator using the four TFPs. Four-terminal electrical measurement is then demonstrated in air by placing each probe electrode in contact with a graphene flake exfoliated on a silicon dioxide film, and the sheet resistance of the flake is measured by the van der Pauw method. The present work shows that the QSPFM has the potential to measure the intrinsic electrical properties of a wide range of microscopic materials in situ without electrode fabrication.     

Combined scanning electrochemical-atomic force microscopy

A combined scanning electrochemical microscope (SECM)-atomic force microscope (AFM) is described. The instrument permits the first simultaneous topographical and electrochemical measurements at surfaces, under fluid, with high spatial resolution. Simple probe tips suitable for SECM-AFM, have been fabricated by coating flattened and etched Pt microwires with insulating, electrophoretically deposited paint. The flattened portion of the probe provides a flexible cantilever (force sensor), while the coating insulates the probe such that only the tip end (electrode) is exposed to the solution. The SECM-AFM technique is illustrated with simultaneous electrochemical-probe deflection approach curves, simultaneous topographical and electrochemical imaging studies of track-etched polycarbonate ultrafiltration membranes, and etching studies of crystal surfaces.     

Investigations of local electrical properties using tunneling/atomic force microscope with a quartz tuning fork nearfield sensor

Ability to determine local electric surface properties with a high resolution is a key issue in many modern industrial applications. In this article, authors will describe low-cost and reliable methods for investigations of electrical surface properties with a nanoscale resolution using a homebuilt modular tunneling/atomic force microscope with a quartz tuning fork as a probe. We will present the architecture of the designed system and the calibration method of the applied sensor. In our work, the usage of the tunneling atomic force microscope in the high-resolution investigations of the surface topography and identification of local spots where the tunneling current is observed will be demonstrated. We will also present current-voltage (I-V) spectroscopy performed on a gold thin film sputtered on silicon substrate and a highly oriented pyrolitic graphite (HOPG) surface, which we obtained in air ambient and at room temperature.