Force Imaging
Force Modulation with ‘Negative LiftMode’
214
MultiMode SPM Instruction Manual
Rev. B
11.7.2 Obtain a TappingMode Image
While negative LiftMode force modulation data is imaged using
Channel 2
, height data is obtained
using TappingMode on
Channel 1
. You must obtain a satisfactory TappingMode image to generate
good data.
1. Verify that the
Interleave mode
parameter on the
Interleave Controls
panel is
Disabled
.
2. Verify that the
AFM mode
parameter in the
Other Controls
panel is set to
Tapping
.
3. Select
Realtime
>
View
>
Sweep
>
Cantilever
or the
Cantilever Tune
icon.
Enter a
main controls
Start frequency
value of
5kHz
and
End frequency
value of
100kHz
for
FESP tips.
4. Set
Target Amplitude
to
1
-
2V
, and click the
Auto Tune
button, or tune manually.
5. Click the
Interleave
Controls
button to verify that the bimorph drive parameters are correct.
6. Exit the
Cantilever Tune
dialog box.
7. Verify that all
Scan controls
and
Feedback Controls
parameters are set for obtaining a
TappingMode image.
8. Set the
Channel 1
panel
Data type
parameter to
Height
.
9. Set the
Line direction
to
Retrace
and enter an appropriate
Data Scale
value for your
sample.
10. Engage the tip on the surface and obtain a good TappingMode image.
11.7.3 Obtain a Negative LiftMode Force Modulation Image
1. Set the
Data type
parameter in the
Channel 2
panel to
Amplitude
. Set the
Line direction
parameter to
Retrace
.
2. Switch the
Interleave mode
parameter in the
Interleave Controls
panel to
Lift
. Negative
LiftMode imaging is now in effect.
3. Using the left arrow key, optimize the negative LiftMode image by slowly decreasing the
Lift scan height
parameter in the
Interleave Controls
panel from zero until you reach the
surface. In most cases, you should not go below -
60.0nm
.
Note:
This is sometimes best performed while in
Realtime
>
View
>
Scope
Mode
.When the interleaved scan is enabled, the tip’s TappingMode height
above the sample reduces by the
Lift scan height
amount. This places the
oscillating tip in contact with the sample as surface features are pro
fi
led. The
contrast between light and dark reveals areas of high and low elasticity, with the
dark area indicating harder material and the lighter areas indicating softer
material.