3D Generation of Multipurpose Atomic Force Microscopy Tips

Abstract

In this work, 3D polymeric atomic force microscopy (AFM) tips, referred to as 3DTIPs, are manufactured with great flexibility in design and function using two‐photon polymerization. With the technology holding a great potential in developing next‐generation AFM tips, 3DTIPs prove effective in obtaining high‐resolution and high‐speed AFM images in air and liquid environments, using common AFM modes. In particular, it is shown that the 3DTIPs provide high‐resolution imaging due to their extremely low Hamaker constant, high speed scanning rates due to their low quality factor, and high durability due to their soft nature and minimal isotropic tip wear; the three important features for advancing AFM studies. It is also shown that refining the tip end of the 3DTIPs by focused ion beam etching and by carbon nanotube inclusion substantially extends their functionality in high‐resolution AFM imaging, reaching angstrom scales. Altogether, the multifunctional capabilities of 3DTIPs can bring next‐generation AFM tips to routine and advanced AFM applications, and expand the fields of high speed AFM imaging and biological force measurements.

Unclonable MXene Topographies as Robust Anti‐Counterfeiting Tags via Fast Laser Scanning and Siamese Neural Networks

“…[17][18][19][20][21] First, conventional fabrication processes for the 3D PUF tags with rich, accessible structural information are highly sophisticated with low scalability. [17][18][19] Second, conventional approaches to extract 3D information involve electron imaging (e.g., scanning electron microscopy (SEM)) [22,23] or contact tapping (e.g., atomic force microscopy (AFM)), [24] which are normally time-consuming and require professional equipment training. Third, to authenticate 3D PUF keys, an efficient and robust strategy is required to process and compare these higher dimensional, complex security tags under various external disturbances (e.g., tag dislocations/shifts/tilts).…”

Large Range Atomic Force Microscopy with High Aspect Ratio Micropipette Probe for Deep Trench Imaging

“…For manufacturing applications, a one-step, ondemand electrohydrodynamic process was introduced to fabricate metallic HAR-AFM probes on a tip-less micro-cantilever; in addition, its resistance to wear was tested and its regenerated tip was demonstrated. [16] Another emerging versatile method of fabricating AFM tips is two-photon polymerization, [17] which facilitates flexibility in their design and function for application to the imaging of samples in both liquid and air environments. However, such additive manufacturing methods are limited in terms of improving imaging resolution without the utilization of postprocessing procedures such as FIB etching and carbon nanotube integration.…”