Physical interpretation of frequency-modulation atomic force microscopy

Abstract

Frequency modulation atomic force microscopy is a method for imaging the surface of metals, semiconductors and insulators in ultrahigh vacuum with true atomic resolution. The imaging signal in this technique is the frequency shift (Formula presented) of an oscillating cantilever with eigenfrequency (Formula presented) spring constant k and amplitude A, which is subject to tip-sample forces (Formula presented) Here, we present analytical results of (Formula presented) for several basic classes of (Formula presented) With these results, a method to calculate images is derived and demonstrated with an example. © 2000 The American Physical Society.