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APS » Journals » Phys. Rev. Lett. » Volume 88 » Issue 22
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Phys. Rev. Lett. 88, 226103 (2002) [4 pages]

Material Anisotropy Revealed by Phase Contrast in Intermittent Contact Atomic Force Microscopy

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Matthew S. Marcus1, Robert W. Carpick2, Darryl Y. Sasaki3, and M. A. Eriksson1
1Physics Department, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706-1390
2Department of Engineering Physics, Materials Science Program, and Rheology Research Center, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706-1687
3Biomolecular Materials and Interface Science Department, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87185-1413

Received 17 August 2001; published 17 May 2002

Phase contrast in intermittent-contact atomic force microscopy (AFM) reveals in-plane structural and mechanical properties of polymer monolayers. This is surprising, because measurements of nanoscale in-plane properties typically require contact mode microscopies. Our measurements are possible because the tip oscillates not just perpendicular but also parallel to the sample surface along the long axis of the cantilever. This lateral tip displacement is virtually universal in AFM, implying that any oscillating-tip AFM technique is sensitive to in-plane material properties.

© 2002 The American Physical Society

URL:
http://link.aps.org/doi/10.1103/PhysRevLett.88.226103
DOI:
10.1103/PhysRevLett.88.226103
PACS:
68.47.Pe, 07.79.Sp, 68.35.Af, 68.37.Ps
 
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