Phase Contrast Imaging in Atomic Force Microscopy

Extract

Phase detection in TappingMode^™ enhances capabilities of Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) for soft samples (polymers and biological materials). Changes of amplitude and phase changes of a fast oscillating probe are caused by tip-sample force interactions. Height images reflect the amplitude changes, and in most cases they present a sample topography. Phase images show local differences between phases of free-oscillating probe and of probe interacting with a sample surface. These differences are related to the change of the resonance frequency of the probe either by attractive or repulsive tip-sample forces. Therefore phase detection helps to choose attractive or repulsive force regime for surface imaging and to minimize tip-sample force. For heterogeneous materials the phase imaging allows to distinguish individual components and to visualize their distribution due to differences in phase contrast. This is typically achieved in moderate tapping, when set-point amplitude, A_sp, is about half of the amplitude of free-oscillating cantilever, A_o. In contrast, light tapping with A_sp close to A_o is best suited for recording a true topography of the topmost surface layer of soft samples. Examples of phase imaging of polymers obtained with a scanning probe microscope Nanoscope® IIIa (Digital Instruments). Si probes (225 μk long, resonance frequencies 150-200 kHz) were used.