Comparison of two AFM probe inspection techniques for three-dimensional tip characterization

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Metadata	Details
Publication Date	2016-01-15
Journal	Spectrum Research Repository (Concordia University)
Authors	Zaynab N. Rasheed Alraziqi, Nur Farah Hafizah Mukhtar, Emmanuel Brousseau
Citations	1

Abstract

The utilisation of an accurate and practical method for characterising the three dimensional (3D) geometry of tips used in Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) is essential to support reliable AFM-based applications. Indeed, knowledge of the tip condition is important not only when employing AFM for imaging the surface topography of samples on the nanoscale, but also when implementing AFM-based nanofabrication techniques. In this context, this paper reports a study carried out to compare the performance and practical suitability of two different 3D tip characterisation techniques, which can be realised on AFM instruments. The first technique consists in obtaining an inverted 3D image of the tip as a result of using it to scan sharp pin-like asperities in non-contact mode. The second technique relies on obtaining a direct AFM scan of the tip under investigation, again in non-contact mode, but this time by scanning its apex with an ultra-sharp tip employed as the AFM probe. Systematic comparative studies were conducted on different types of diamond coated AFM probes. In particular, tip profile data obtained with Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) were used as a reference against the cross sectional profiles extracted from the acquired 3D measurements with both techniques under evaluation. Between both 3D characterisation methods investigated, the utilisation of sharp pin-like asperities to obtain an inverted scan of the tip was judged to be superior as it is 1) less time-consuming to implement, 2) less prone to result in tip damage and 3) more accurate with respect to the geometric information extracted within a distance of 100 nm below the tip apex.

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