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Atomic force microscopy at MHz frequencies
Author(s) -
Rabe U.,
Arnold W.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
annalen der physik
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.009
H-Index - 68
eISSN - 1521-3889
pISSN - 0003-3804
DOI - 10.1002/andp.19945060704
Subject(s) - cantilever , non contact atomic force microscopy , atomic force acoustic microscopy , vibration , michelson interferometer , materials science , amplitude , optics , heterodyne (poetry) , transducer , microscope , ultrasonic sensor , interferometry , magnetic force microscope , microscopy , acoustics , physics , kelvin probe force microscope , magnetization , quantum mechanics , magnetic field , composite material
Cantilevers of atomic force microscopes usually have spring constants of less than 1 N/m and fundamental resonance frequencies for free vibration between 10 and 100 kHz. If, however, the tip is in contact with the surface of a sample vibrating at MHz frequencies, we have observed that the cantilever can be forced to vibrate also at these high frequencies with high amplitude. For the detection of the high frequency vibrations of the cantilever we added in our experiment a fast optical knife‐edge detector to a commercial Atomic Force Microscope. Ultrasonic pulses were excited by a piezoelectric transducer bonded to the sample and the ultrasonic signals transmitted to the cantilever were recorded. Furthermore, the vibrational amplitude of the cantilever was measured locally along the cantilever. For comparison we also measured the absolute surface amplitude by a Michelson‐heterodyne interferometer. The spectral components of the cantilever vibration were examined and discussed theoretically.