Çiftçi H Tunç, Verhage Michael, Cromwijk Tamar, Pham Van Laurent, Koopmans Bert, Flipse Kees, Kurnosikov Oleg
Department of Applied Physics, Eindhoven University of Technology, PO Box 513,, 5600 MB Eindhoven, the Netherlands.
DRF/IRAMIS/SPEC-LEPO, Centre CEA de Saclay, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette, France.
Microsyst Nanoeng. 2022 May 16;8:51. doi: 10.1038/s41378-022-00379-x. eCollection 2022.
We present a new approach to tuning-fork-based atomic force microscopy for utilizing advanced "tip-on-chip" probes with high sensitivity and broad compatibility. Usually, such chip-like probes with a size reaching 2 × 2 mm drastically perturb the oscillation of the tuning fork, resulting in poor performance in its intrinsic force sensing. Therefore, restoring initial oscillatory characteristics is necessary for regaining high sensitivity. To this end, we developed a new approach consisting of three basic steps: tuning-fork rebalancing, revamping holder-sensor fixation, and electrode reconfiguration. Mass rebalancing allows the tuning fork to recover the frequency and regain high Q-factor values up to 10 in air and up to 4 × 10 in ultra-high vacuum conditions. The floating-like holder-fixation using soft wires significantly reduces energy dissipation from the mounting elements. Combined with the soft wires, reconfigured electrodes provide electrical access to the chip-like probe without intervening in the force-sensing signal. Finally, our easy-to-implement approach allows converting the atomic force microscopy tip from a passive tool to a dedicated microdevice with extended functionality.
我们提出了一种基于音叉的原子力显微镜的新方法，用于利用具有高灵敏度和广泛兼容性的先进“芯片上的探针”。通常，这种尺寸达到2×2毫米的芯片状探针会极大地干扰音叉的振荡，导致其固有力传感性能不佳。因此，恢复初始振荡特性对于恢复高灵敏度是必要的。为此，我们开发了一种由三个基本步骤组成的新方法：音叉重新平衡、改进支架-传感器固定以及电极重新配置。质量重新平衡使音叉能够恢复频率，并在空气中重新获得高达10的品质因数，在超高真空条件下高达4×10。使用软线的类似浮动的支架固定显著减少了安装元件的能量耗散。与软线相结合，重新配置的电极在不干扰力传感信号的情况下为芯片状探针提供电连接。最后，我们易于实现的方法允许将原子力显微镜探针从一个被动工具转变为一个具有扩展功能的专用微器件。
