Characterization of tips for conducting atomic force microscopy

Abstract

The conductivity of a variety of atomic force microscopy tips was investigated by measuring both current-voltage characteristics and force profile data for the tip in contact with graphite. This allows the conductivity to be studied as a function of tip-sample distance. It was found that etched gold wires or levers coated with a conducting diamond film were the best tips to use for experimentation on hard (SiO2) surfaces. Metal-coated levers, particularly gold, were found to wear rapidly such that the very end of the tip became insulating. © 1995 American Institute of Physics.