Thin Films Lab

Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) is a type of scanning probe microscopy using a microscale cantilever with a sharp tip (probe) at its end that is used to scan the specimen surface.

Our AFM is a stand-alone model "SMENA-A", made by NT-MDT. It performs scanning by probe (tip) and has a 50x50x2.5 µm piezo-scanner. The sample is placed under the AFM on a manual (X,Y) positioning (5x5 mm with resolution 5 micrometers) stage. To ensure reliable operation, the AFM is located on top of the Pneumatic Vibration Isolation Workstation, composed of a Honeycomb Table Top (600x900x120 mm, Model 1HBW06-09-085 by STANDA), Pneumatic Vibration Isolation System and a guarding Armrest (Model 1VIS95W-04-07-70 by STANDA).

The AFM can operate in the following modes:

Contact modes
Contact AFM (contact topography) - topography measurement in the contact mode when the probe tip glides over the sample surface in direct contact with it.

Force imaging method - obtaining force image by scanning the surface in the contact mode with a fixed height value (with fixed value of the scanner z coordinate).

Lateral Force Microscopy - measuring the local friction force distribution over the surface sample.

Force modulation method - acquiring the image of local viscoelasticity on the surface sample.

Adhesion Force Microscopy - acquiring the image of adhesion force on the surface sample.

Spreading Resistance Imaging.

Resonance modes
Semi-contact AFM (semi-contact topography) - measuring surface topography in semicontact mode based on vibration technique in which the oscillating probe tip slightly knocks the sample surface during scanning.

Phase Imaging - ensures the object surface structure detail contrast based on local differences of the surface adhesion and viscoelasticity.

Non-contact AFM (non-contact topography) - measuring surface topography in non-contact mode based on vibration technique in which the oscillating probe tip has no direct contact with the sample surface during scanning.

Magnetic Force Microscopy - acquiring images of the surface magnetic structure based on local differences in magnetic field distribution.

Electrostatic Force Microscopy - acquiring images of the surface structure details based on local differences in electric field distribution.

Kelvin Probe Microscopy - measuring the electric potential distribution over the sample surface.

Scanning Capacitance Microscopy - acquiring images of local surface electric capacitance distribution in the sample - conductive tip system.