Recent development of PeakForce Tapping mode atomic force microscopy and its applications on nanoscience

Abstract

Nanoscience is a booming field incorporating some of the most fundamental questions concerning structure, function, and applications. The cutting-edge research in nanoscience requires access to advanced techniques and instrumentation capable of approaching these unanswered questions. Over the past few decades, atomic force microscopy (AFM) has been developed as a powerful platform, which enables in situ characterization of topological structures, local physical properties, and even manipulating samples at nanometer scale. Currently, an imaging mode called PeakForce Tapping (PFT) has attracted more and more attention due to its advantages of nondestructive characterization, high-resolution imaging, and concurrent quantitative property mapping. In this review, the origin, principle, and advantages of PFT on nanoscience are introduced in detail. Three typical applications of this technique, including high-resolution imaging of soft samples in liquid environment, quantitative nanomechanical property mapping, and electrical/electrochemical property measurement will be reviewed comprehensively. The future trends of PFT technique development will be discussed as well.

Preparation of Amine‐ and Disulfide‐Containing PAMAM‐Based Dendrons for the Functionalization of Hydroxylated Surfaces: XPS as Structural Sensor

“…Figure ( top ) shows the AFM topography images in PeakForce Tapping mode of the samples D‐G2 , D‐G3 and D‐G4 after evaporation of the methanol solutions. D‐G2 micrograph exhibits flattened and irregular dendron aggregates with an average diameter of 36 nm and a height around 1.1 nm; this behavior has been reported before for initial dendrimer generations .…”

The Quantitative Nanomechanical Mapping of Starch/Kaolin Film Surfaces by Peak Force AFM

“…Quantitative nanomechanical analysis of the samples was conducted using a MultiMode 8 with a NanoScope V controller equipped with a J-type scanner (Bruker, Billerica, MA, USA), using the PeakForce QNM mode. PFQNM is based on the Peak Force Tapping mode, wherein the material property mapping is based on the individual force vs. the separation curves obtained from each tap ( Figure 1 a) [ 41 ]. Each force curve represents a deflection of the probe lever relative to the change in the z-axis piezo position ( Figure 1 b).…”

Complementary sample preparation strategies (PVD/BEXP) combining with multifunctional SPM for the characterizations of battery interfacial properties

“…Fig. 3 shows the examples of nanomechanical property measurements on the PVD and BEXP prepared specimens by Peak force QNM (PF-QNM) [27] and Ultrasonic Force Microscopy (UFM) [28 , 29] . PF-QNM and UFM are advanced SPM techniques that enable the measurement of the material properties such as adhesion, elastic modulus, deformation under stress, revealing near-surface and sub-surface defects [30] .…”