Exploring Dynamic Non-Idealities in Multi-Frequency Atomic Force Microscopy

Multi-frequency atomic force microscopy (AFM), in which the microcantilever is driven at more than one frequency, has emerged as a promising technique for simultaneous topographical imaging and material property mapping. While enabling significant advantages over traditional tapping-mode AFM, the greater dynamic complexity of multi-frequency AFM also requires deeper understanding on the part of the user in order to properly interpret the results obtained. This paper illustrates this challenge by exploring a few key dynamic non-idealities, which if neglected could lead to errors of interpretation. These non-ideal phenomena offer a unique opportunity for mechanical engineers to make significant contributions to nanoscale science by providing an increased understanding of the imaging process dynamics and by developing mitigation strategies for dynamics-related artifacts.Copyright © 2012 by ASME