Noncontact Atomic Force Microscopy and Related Topics

Abstract

Scanning probe microscopy (SPM) methods such as scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and non-contact atomic force microscopy (NC-AFM) are the basic technologies for nanotechnology and also for future bottom-up processes. In Sect. 23.1, the principles of AFM such as its operating modes and the NC-AFM frequency-modulation method are fully explained. Then, in Sect. 23.2, applications of NC-AFM to semiconductors, which make clear its potential in terms of spatial resolution and function, are introduced. Next, in Sect. 23.3, ap-plications of NC-AFM to insulators such as alkali halides, fluorides and transition-metal oxides are introduced. Lastly, in Sect. 23.4, applications of NC-AFM to molecules such as carboxylate (RCOO −) with R = H, CH 3 , C(CH 3) 3 and CF 3 are introduced. Thus, NC-AFM can observe atoms and molecules on various kinds of surfaces such as semiconductors, insulators and metal oxides with atomic or mo-lecular resolution. These sections are essential to understand the state of the art and future possi-bilities for NC-AFM, which is the second generation of atom/molecule technology.