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In-Situ Measurement of Atomic Force Microscope Tip Wear by Contact Resonance Force Microscopy

Published

Author(s)

Jason P. Killgore, Roy H. Geiss, Donna C. Hurley

Abstract

Contact resonance force microscopy (CR-FM) mapping provides a means of continuously tracking contact stiffness while scanning an AFM tip in contact with a substrate. Because the contact stiffness is a function of contact radius, tip wear leading to changes in contact radius is directly detected in situ. We find that in-situ results agree well with existing ex-situ techniques, while providing additional robust wear information that would not be resolved ex situ. Additionally, we find that CR-FM mapping does not affect the wear mechanism compared to standard contact scanning.
Citation
Small

Keywords

Contact Resonance Force Microscopy, Atomic Force Microscope, Tip Wear, tribology, nanotribology

Citation

Killgore, J. , Geiss, R. and Hurley, D. (2011), In-Situ Measurement of Atomic Force Microscope Tip Wear by Contact Resonance Force Microscopy, Small, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=907208 (Accessed October 16, 2025)

Issues

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Created March 15, 2011, Updated February 19, 2017
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