Enhancing capabilities of Atomic Force Microscopy by tip motion harmonics analysis

Abstract

Motion of a tip used in an atomic force microscope can be described by the Lennard-Jones potential, approximated by the van der Waals force in a long-range interaction. Here we present a general framework of approximation of the tip motion by adding three terms of Taylor series what results in non-zero harmonics in an output signal. We have worked out a measurement system which allows recording of an excitation tip signal and its non-linear response. The first studies of spectrum showed that presence of the second and the third harmonics in cantilever vibrations may be observed and used as a new method of the investigated samples characterization.