10/12/2018

Scanning Probe Microscopy (SPM)

HEINRICH ROHRER GERD BINNIG

Scanning Tunneling Microscope (STM)

Atomic Force Microscope (AFM): “IBM” spelled in
Xenon atoms
Shared* the 1986 Nobel prize in Physics for
School of Chemical and Materials Engineering (SCME) their invention of the scanning tunneling
National University of Sciences & Technology (NUST)
microscope
* Ernst Ruska was the other winner

JEOL SPM 5200 Scanning Probe Microscopy (SPM)

 A family of instruments used for

studying surface properties of
materials from the atomic to the
micron level.

 All SPMs contain the

components shown in figure.

 Scanning Tunneling Microscope

(STM)
 Atomic Force Microscope (AFM)
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Various techniques of SPM

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When the tip of the STM probe is sufficiently close to the surface of
the specimen (~ 1nm) a tunneling current can become established

The tunneling current is exponentially proportional to the

distance and thus 0.1 nm decrease in distance will
increase current by one order of magnitude Ideally a STM probe tip is very pointed (1-2 atoms at the end) and
has a relatively low work function. Etched tungsten crystals are
ideal and are nearly identical to field emitters.
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Constant Current Mode

Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM)
AFM stemmed from STM. The idea is to use another proximity 
dependent property, i.e. the short range nature of 
interatomic/intermolecular forces

D iffe r e n tia l A m p lifie r

P h o to d e te c to r

Schematic description
soft cantilever spring senses atomic C a n tile v e r

forces s a m p le + p ie z o tu b e

If the tunneling current is kept constant the Z position of the tip must Z c o n tro l

be moved up and down. If this movement is recorded then the

topography of the specimen can be inferred.

Constant Distance Mode ATOMIC FORCE MICROSCOPE

• Several forces typically contribute 
to the deflection of an AFM 
cantilever. 
• The force most commonly 
associated with atomic force 
microscopy is an interatomic force 
called the van der Waals force. 
• The dependence of the van der 
Waals force upon the distance 
between the tip and the sample is 
Alternatively if the Z position of the tip is kept constant the shown in figure below.
tunneling current will change as it moves across the surface. If the
changes in current are recorded the then the topography of the
specimen can be inferred.
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ATOMIC FORCE
MICROSCOPE Position recording!

As with the STM the probe

tip of an AFM must be
very small but because
there is no need to establish
a tunneling current one can
use a variety of materials,
not just those with a low The AFM records the position of the probe by bouncing a
workfunction. laser off the back surface of the probe and recording how
the light is deflected

ATOMIC FORCE
Position recording! MICROSCOPE
By using a four quadrant
detector the relative amount of
laser light hitting each quadrant
can be used to determine how
the tip has been deflected as it
moves over the surface of the
specimen
Similar to a phonograph needle the probe is actually in
contact with the specimen and is physically moved up and
down due to the repulsion of van der Waals forces
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Topography (modes) Parts of a  Scanning Probe Microscope
• sharp tip probing near‐field interactions
• Contact Mode Tapping Mode (tunneling current, chemical binding forces, optical near‐field)
• High resolution ▫ Better resolution • scanner 
• Damage to sample ▫ Minimal damage to (positioning actuator) with atomic precision usually piezoelectric)
• Can measure frictional forces sample • coarse approach
• Non‐Contact Mode (micrometer screws, optical microscope)
• Lower resolution • vibration damping
• No damage to sample (rubber stacks, air‐damped tables)
• control electronics
(pre‐amplifier, distance controller, high‐voltage amplifier)
• Data recording
(computer, software)

Scanning
Scanning Probe Microscopy

There are two types of Scanning Probe Microscopies

Principle: bringing a very sharp probe close to the surface

Scanning Tunnelling Atomic Force Microscopy  The probe is scanned over the
Microscopy (STM): (AFM): surface in a scanning pattern
• Probe does not touch the  •Probe can touch the     similar to that of a SEM.
surface. surface.
• Maintains a constant  •Maintains a constant very 
tunnelling electrical 
current. small force. Each coordinate (X,Y, & Z) is
• Very high resolution (x‐y:  •High resolution (x‐y: 2‐10  recorded by a computer.
0.1 nm, z: 0.01 nm). nm, z: 0.1 nm)
• Limited to conducting  •Suitable for all surfaces.
materials.
better resolution but limited to low resolution but all types of surfaces
conducting materials
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Scanning… Piezo Scanner!

Crystals which acquire a charge when compressed, twisted or

distorted are said to be piezoelectric. Piezoelectric ceramic
PZT
materials have found use in producing motions on the order
of nanometers in the control of STMs and other devices.

Piezo Scanner! AFM Tip

Tip

Cantilever
Substrate
The ability to precisely position the probe of an STM is made
possible by an XYZ Piezo-Scanner which coupled to a Probes
feedback regulator keeps track of the tunneling current and
precisely positions the tip accordingly.
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AFM Tip Vibration damping

One of the most important factors influencing there solution which may be
achieved with an AFM is the sharpness of the scanning tip. best tips may have
a radius of curvature of only around 5nm.

Figure 4. Three common types of AFM tip. (a) normal tip (3 µm tall); (b)
supertip; (c) Ultralever (also 3 µm tall). Electron micrographs by Jean-
Paul Revel, Caltech. Tips from Park Scientific Instruments; supertip
made by Jean-Paul Revel.

Coarse movement & Microscope

AFM Artifacts
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Sources of artifacts
Tip broadening arises when the radius of curvature of the tip is comparable with, or greater than, the 
size of the feature to be imaged.

Image Processing
Probe

Scanner

Vibrations
• Size • Hysteresis • Floor • Imaging
• Sharpness • Geometry • Acoustic • The diagram illustrates this problem; as
• … • Position the tip scans over the specimen, the sides
of the tip make contact before the apex,
• Large and the microscope begins to respond to
• Small the feature. This is what we may call tip
convolution.
• Strange
• Repeating

Features on a Surface Appear Too Large

Tip Artifacts
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Features in an Image Appear Too Small Repeating Strange Patterns in an Image
• If the features on a surface are much smaller than the probe, it is possible to see large numbers of repeating 
patterns in an image.

Strangely Shaped Objects Probe / Sample Angle
• If the features that are being imaged by the AFM are much larger in
profile than the probe, and the image does not seem “correct”, the
artifact may be caused by a non‐perpendicular probe surface angle.
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X‐Y Calibration / Linearity Background Bow / Tilt

Z Calibration / Linearity Background Bow / Tilt
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Z Edge Overshoot X‐Y Angle Measurements
• If the motion generated by the X‐Y scanner is not orthogonal, then
there can be errors in the horizontal measurements in an image. This
error, or artifact, can best be seen when imaging a test pattern with
squares.

Z Angle Measurements
Scanner Drift
• Drift in AFM images can occur because of “creep” in the piezoelectric
scanner and because an AFM can be susceptible to external
temperature changes.
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Image Processing Image Looks Too Good
• As a rule of thumb, if the image has no noise in 
• Leveling it, then the data has probably been 
• Low Pass Filter compromised.
• Matrix Filter / Smoothing  Because AFM data is 
• Fourier Filtering completely electronic, it is 
• Image Looks Too Good possible to take an image and 
alter it with image 
enhancement techniques to 
create a beautiful picture that 
does not represent the 
structure of the surface

Leveling
• There are a number of background subtraction 
options that are possible. The two most  Vibrations
common types are:
• Line by line leveling ‐ 0 to 4(th) order • Floor Vibrations
• Plane Leveling ‐ 0 to 4(th) order
• Acoustic Vibrations

• Surface Contamination
• Electronics
• Vacuum Leaks
• PID Settings / Scan Rate
• Laser Interference Patterns
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Floor Vibrations
• The floor vibrations, if not properly filtered, 
Surface Contamination
can cause periodic structure in an image.
• elevator in motion • Substantial contamination at the surface of a sample such as a 
• a train going by fingerprint or oil film can cause AFM image artifacts.
• or even people walking in a hallway

 Sound waves can cause artifacts in AFM images.
 airplane going over a building 
 or from the tones in a person’s voice

Acoustic Vibrations Applications
• The primary uses for the AFM are:
• Below is an image that shows the noise derived from a person talking 
• Visualization: The AFM measures three 
in the same room as the microscope. dimensional images of surfaces and is very helpful 
for visualizing surface topography.
• Spatial Metrology : Nanometer sized dimensions of 
surface features are measurable with the AFM.
• Physical Property Maps: With many of the modes 
(see Chapter 4) it is possible to measure surface 
physical property maps. These techniques are, for 
the most part, qualitative.
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Physical Science
• Polymer Composites
• Phase Transitions
• Surface Texture
• Defects
• Crack / Scratch Propagation
• Coatings
• Nanoparticles
• Carbon Nanotubes
• Crystal Structure
Nanoindentation
metal-foil
diamond tip
• Using a diamond tip to indent a surface and immediately
image the indentation. Using indentation cantilevers, it is
possible to indent various samples with the same force in
order to compare hardness properties.

Lithography using AFM

Life Sciences
• Cells
• Bio‐Molecules

• Semiconductor
• Data Storage
• Advanced Optical
A recent development uses an AFM to “write” with biomolecules
such as DNA sequences. This will allow for the creation of micro
DNA chips which can be used a wide variety of applications
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Nanomanipulation

Iron corrals on Cu

Positioning of atoms for a

mass data storage system

Nanomanipulation
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Pentacene molecular structure

Thank You