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APS » Journals » Phys. Rev. B » Volume 65 » Issue 16
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Phys. Rev. B 65, 161403(R) (2002) [4 pages]

Lateral-force measurements in dynamic force microscopy

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O. Pfeiffer, R. Bennewitz*, A. Baratoff, and E. Meyer
Department of Physics, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 82, 4058 Basel, Switzerland

P. Grütter
Physics Department, McGill University, 3600 University Street, Montréal, Canada H3A 2T8

Received 21 December 2001; published 8 April 2002

Lateral forces between the tip of a force microscope and atomic-scale features on the surface of a sample can be accurately measured in a noncontact mode. Feedback-controlled excitation of the torsional eigenmode of a rectangular cantilever beam forces the tip to oscillate parallel to the surface. Forces of the order of 0.05 nN have been detected when the tip approaches a step or a sulphur impurity. The method can also be used to study the energy dissipation in the range where a tip-sample contact is formed.

© 2002 The American Physical Society

URL:
http://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevB.65.161403
DOI:
10.1103/PhysRevB.65.161403
PACS:
68.37.Ps, 07.79.Lh

*Electronic address: roland.bennewitz@unibas.ch

 
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