Gaining insight into the physics of dynamic atomic force microscopy in complex environments using the VEDA simulator

Area of Science:

• Surface science
• Nanotechnology
• Materials science

Background:

• Dynamic atomic force microscopy (dAFM) is increasingly popular across scientific disciplines.
• Interpreting complex dAFM data, especially in liquid environments, presents significant challenges.
• Mathematical simulations are crucial for understanding non-intuitive dAFM systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe recent advancements in the VEDA (virtual environment for dynamic AFM) simulator.
• To enhance the simulation capabilities for dynamic atomic force microscopy.
• To provide accessible, open-source simulation tools for the scientific community.

Main Methods:

• Developed VEDA, a cloud-based simulation suite available on nanoHUB.
• Improved modeling of cantilever dynamics, excitation methods, and solvation forces for liquid environments.
• Integrated simulation of advanced dAFM modes (bimodal, phase-modulation, frequency-modulation).
• Incorporated 19 tip-sample models for diverse material systems and surface forces.

Main Results:

• Enhanced simulation accuracy and scope for dAFM in liquid media.
• Expanded VEDA's capacity to model various advanced dAFM operational modes.
• Broadened the range of surface physics phenomena that can be simulated, including capillary, adhesion, and viscoelastic forces.
• Validated simulation results against experimental data.

Conclusions:

• VEDA provides powerful, validated simulation tools for complex dAFM experiments.
• The advancements enable deeper physical insight into challenging dAFM applications.
• Open-source access to VEDA facilitates broader adoption and research in dAFM.