ATOMIC FORCE

MICROSCOPY
A device to observe and play with Atoms
 MICROSCOPY TECHNIQUES
• Optical Microscopy,
• Scanning Electron Microscope,
• Atomic Force Microscope
 AFM IMAGES

Graphite
Bacteria Nano Contact Printing
PENTACENE
COMPLETELY ARTIFICIAL MOLECULES:
TRIANGULENE
AFM IMAGES OF RED BLOOD CELLS
DNA-AFM
ATOMICALLY SMOOTH MICA AND SILICON
SURFACE

MICA Fracture
Silicon Atomic Resolution
 ATOMIC FORCE MICROSCOPY

• Scanning Probe Microscopy

• A very sharp probe Raster
scans surface of the object to
be imaged.
• The deflection of probe from its
natural position due presence
of surface features is detected
and plotted in a computer to
produce an image.
AFM COMPONENTS • Typical configuration of an AFM.
• (1) Cantilever,
• (2) Support for cantilever,
• (3): Piezoelectric element
• (4) Tip
• (5) Detector of deflection and
motion of the cantilever,
• (6) Sample to be measured by AFM,
• (7) drive
• (8) Stage
TIP OF AFM
 WHAT MAKES AFM POSSIBLE ?

• Near Field Forces

• Van de Waals Forces.
• Repulsive Forces
• A feed back mechanism Adjusts the height of tip
• Forces between tip and surface are measured by
cantilever deflection. Hooke’s Law
WHAT MAKES AFM POSSIBLE ?
OPERATING MODES

• Contact Mode

• Non Contact mode

• Tapping Mode
 STATIC CONTACT MODE
• Tip is brought very close to the Surface of sample.
• Tip experiences repulsive near field forces
• Cantilever Deflection is detected by Photodiode
• High resolution- 3D images of the object.
 PROS AND CONS OF CONTACT MODE

Pros
• High Resolution Images
• Straightforward Circuit is involved.
Cons
• Tip gets damaged over time or blunt
• Soft and Delicate samples like Polymers, biological
tissue may get damaged
 NON-CONTACT DYNAMIC MODE
• The tip of the cantilever does not contact the sample surface.
• The cantilever is instead oscillated at either its resonant frequency
• The van der Waals forces, 1nm -10 nm, decrease the resonant
frequency of tip, hence amplitude
• Tip is moved away to maintain amplitude and frequency
 NON-CONTACT DYNAMIC MODE

• Doesn’t damage the sample

• Used for biological samples and organic Thin films
 TAPPING MODE

• Tip just taps over the sample surface

• Tip is vibrated at resonant frequency.
• Frequency and Amplitude is maintained constant
• When tip nears the raised feature, the amplitude of vibration
decreases due to touching surface and energy losses. The feed
back mechanism adjusts the distance b/w sample and tip so
that vibration amplitude is same again. Hence you can plot the
surface of the sample
 WHERE TAPPING MODE WINS?

• It does not suffer from poor force detection on sample due to

presence of moisture on sample surface.
• Can Detect Composition Differences introduced by various
phases.
• Good Surface Resolution
• Minimal Surface Damage
• Gives you the idea about adhesion, viscosity, and friction
and composition as well by phase contrast.
 FORCE MODULATION
• Low frequency driving
signal applied to the
tip.
• Tip touches the
material and applies a
force for some amount
of time.
• The vibration
amplitude decreases
on soft area and
increases on hard
areas
 TAPPING MODE-PHASE CONTRAST
• Phase Contrast Shows variations composition,
adhesion, friction, viscoelasticity
 AFM ADVANTAGES VS DISADVANTAGES
Advantages
• 3-D Image
• Non-conductive samples can be
imaged
• Imaging can be done in liquids
• Higher Resolution than SEM
• No need of vacuum
• Living molecules can be studied
Disadvantages
• Tips get blunt and need to be
replaced
• Small Scan area compared to
SEM
• A large number of Artifacts
• Very Slow Process
• Very Prone to vibrations in
environment.