Friction contrast in resonant cantilever vibration mode

Abstract

The dynamic scanning friction microscopy technique is based on a well-known lateral sample modulation technique combined with a lock-in amplifier. In this paper, we describe a modified detection scheme in the resonant regime of a cantilever's bending mode. This resonant mode leads to a couple of advantages in the imaging mode especially applicable under ultrahigh vacuum conditions, as well as an additional spectroscopy mode by measuring the resonance curve. An interpretation of the resonance curves and the images in terms of the friction losses is given, taking into account the cantilever vibration and the observed nonlinear characteristic of the stick-slip interaction. © 2000 American Institute of Physics.