Note: ferrule-top atomic force microscope. II. Imaging in tapping mode and at low temperature.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Physics

Background:

• Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) is a high-resolution surface imaging technique.
• Ferrule-top cantilevers offer a novel probe design for AFM applications.
• Previous work demonstrated their utility in contact mode AFM under ambient conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the capability of ferrule-top cantilevers for tapping mode AFM.
• To evaluate the performance of these probes at different temperatures, including cryogenic conditions.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing ferrule-top cantilevers fabricated by carving ferruled fibers.
• Performing tapping mode AFM imaging at room temperature.
• Conducting tapping mode AFM imaging at cryogenic temperatures (down to 12 K).

Main Results:

• Ferrule-top cantilevers successfully generated tapping mode AFM images.
• High-quality images were obtained at both room temperature and 12 K.
• The probes demonstrated versatility across a range of operating temperatures.

Conclusions:

• Ferrule-top cantilevers are suitable for tapping mode AFM.
• These probes are effective for nanoscale imaging in both ambient and cryogenic environments.
• The findings expand the application range of ferrule-top cantilever technology.