In the atomic force microscope, the nanoscale force topography of even complex surface superstructures is extracted by the changing vibration frequency of a scanning tip. An alternative dissipation topography with similar or even better contrast has been demonstrated recently by mapping the (x,y)-dependent tip damping but the detailed damping mechanism is still unknown. Here we identify two different tip dissipation mechanisms: local mechanical softness and hysteresis. Motivated by recent data, we describe both of them in a one-dimensional model of Moiré superstructures of incommensurate overlayers. Local softness at “soliton” defects yields a dissipation contrast that can be much larger than the corresponding density or corrugation contrast. At realistically low vibration frequencies, however, a much stronger and more effective dissipation is caused by the tip-induced nonlinear jumping of the soliton, naturally developing bistability and hysteresis. Signatures of this mechanism are proposed for experimental identification.

AFM dissipation topography and hysteretic phenomena at adsorbed overlayers / C. Negri, N. Manini, A. Vanossi, G. E. Santoro, E. Tosatti. - In: PHYSICAL REVIEW. B, CONDENSED MATTER AND MATERIALS PHYSICS. - ISSN 1098-0121. - 81:4(2010), pp. 045417.045417.1-045417.045417.5.

AFM dissipation topography and hysteretic phenomena at adsorbed overlayers

N. Manini
Secondo
;
2010

Abstract

In the atomic force microscope, the nanoscale force topography of even complex surface superstructures is extracted by the changing vibration frequency of a scanning tip. An alternative dissipation topography with similar or even better contrast has been demonstrated recently by mapping the (x,y)-dependent tip damping but the detailed damping mechanism is still unknown. Here we identify two different tip dissipation mechanisms: local mechanical softness and hysteresis. Motivated by recent data, we describe both of them in a one-dimensional model of Moiré superstructures of incommensurate overlayers. Local softness at “soliton” defects yields a dissipation contrast that can be much larger than the corresponding density or corrugation contrast. At realistically low vibration frequencies, however, a much stronger and more effective dissipation is caused by the tip-induced nonlinear jumping of the soliton, naturally developing bistability and hysteresis. Signatures of this mechanism are proposed for experimental identification.
Settore FIS/03 - Fisica della Materia
2010
Article (author)
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2434/141880
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