Parametric resonance in atomic force microscopy: A new method to study the tip-surface interaction

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel dynamical AFM technique utilizing parametric resonance to measure derivatives of tip-surface interactions, enabling enhanced contrast in surface imaging.

Contribution

The paper presents a new method for AFM that leverages parametric resonance to simultaneously measure higher derivatives of the interaction potential.

Findings

Allows measurement of second and third derivatives of interaction potential

Provides sharp contrast in surface imaging

Demonstrates threshold behavior in resonance detection

Abstract

We propose a new method to investigate interactions involved in atomic force microscopy (AFM). It is a dynamical method relying on the growth of oscillations via parametric resonance. With this method the second and third derivatives of the tip-surface interaction potential can be measured simultaneously. Because of its threshold behavior parametric resonance AFM leads to sharp contrasts in surface imaging.