Energy dissipation mechanism of non-contact atomic force microscopy for movable objects

Abstract

The energy dissipation in non-contact atomic force microscopy (NC-AFM) caused by the hysteresis loop of the potential energy between a tip and a sample with respect to the tip height is investigated in detail by the case studies for models of a graphite flake with a diamond tip. One of the models is made up of a graphite flake on a graphite surface. In this case, the hysteresis is caused by the difference of the lateral positions of the flake during the upward and the downward motion of the tip. The other model is made up of a graphite flake edge. In this model, the hysteresis is caused by the difference of the vertical positions of the flake edge during the upward and the downward motion of the tip. © 2008 The Surface Science Society of Japan.