Multi-Set Point Intermittent Contact (MUSIC) Mode Atomic Force Microscopy of Oligothiophene Fibrils

We developed MUSIC-mode atomic force microscopy (AFM) to emulate intermittent contact mode AFM without a feedback loop and in the absence of lateral forces. This single-pass approach is based on maps of amplitude-phase-distance curves and allows the height and phase images to be simultaneously obtained for almost any amplitude set point. This is advantageous for determining the shape and nanomechanical properties of very soft and fragile samples. As an example, we studied supramolecular aggregates of oligothiophenes, which form ≈15 nm wide fibrils with a rigid core and a soft shell.