On the Spatial Resolution of a Piezoresonance Probe Sensor with a Tungsten Needle.

Gorbenko, O. M.; Zhukov, M. V.; Lukashenko, S. Yu.; Pichahchi, S. V.; Sapozhnikov, I. D.; Felshtyn, M. L.; Golubok, A. O.

In scanning-probe microscopy, various types of force-interaction probe sensors are used. Silicon cantilevers with optical recording of their deviation under the influence of force interaction with the surface under study are the most widespread. Also self-sensing probe sensors based on a silicon cantilever or piezoelectric tubes using the piezoresistive or piezoresonance principle for measuring their deviation, respectively, are known. In this work, a self-sensing piezoresonance probe sensor is investigated. The sensor is a piezoelectric tube, at the free end of which a W needle with a length of several millimeters is fixed. It is generally assumed that the spatial resolution of SPM probe sensors is due to the radius of the sphere at the apex of the needle tip. However, in the oscillatory modes of scanning-probe-microscopy operation the spot of the probe's contact with the sample can be blurred, impairing the spatial resolution. In this work, the amplitude-frequency characteristic of the piezoelectric-tube–W-needle system and the size of the effective contact spot of the probe with the sample are calculated by the finite-element method. The calculation results are compared with the experimental frequency-response curve.

Journal of Surface Investigation: X-Ray, Synchrotron & Neutron Techniques, 2023, Vol 17, Issue 3, p578

1027-4510

Academic Journal

10.1134/S1027451023030059