V. L. Mironov The textbook for students of the senior courses of higher educational institutions Fundamentals of Scanning Probe Microscopy THE RUSSIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES INSTITUTE OF PHYSICS OF MICROSTRUCTURES Nizhniy Novgorod 2004 V. L. Mironov Textbook for students of the senior courses of higher educational institutions _ _ Fundamentals of scanning probe microscopy THE RUSSIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES INSTITUTE FOR PHYSICS OF MICROSTRUCTURES Nizhniy Novgorod 2004 V. L. Mironov The textbook for students of the senior courses of higher educational institutions THE RUSSIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES INSTITUTE FOR PHYSICS OF MICROSTRUCTURES Nizhniy Novgorod 2004 Abstract This work is a text-book for senior students, dedicated to one of the most modern technique in the field of surface science: the Scanning Probe Microscopy (SPM). The book takes into account the basic SPM types: Scanning Tunneling Microscopy (STM), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Electric Force Microscopy (EFM), Magnetic Force Microscopy (MFM), Scanning Near-field Optical Microscopy (SNOM), which have found the most widespread application in scientific research activities. 2004, NT-MDT All right reserved Table of Contents Foreword.4 Introduction.5 1. The scanning probe microscopy technique.6 1.1. Working principles of scanning probe microscopes.6 1.2. Scanning elements (scanners).7 1.3. Devices for precise control of tip and sample positions.13 1.4. Protection of SPM against external influences .17 1.5. Acquisition and processing of SPM images.21 2. Operating modes in scanning probe microscopy .36 2.1. Scanning tunneling microscopy.36 2.2. Atomic force microscopy.52 2.3. Electric force microscopy.74 2.4. Magnetic force microscopy.77 2.5. Near-field optical microscopy.85 Conclusion.92 Basic stages of SPM development.93 REFERENCES.95 Fundamentals of the scanning probe microscopy Foreword This textbook is written on the basis of the course of lectures given by the author in 2002 2003 to the students of senior courses of the radiophysical faculty and the Advanced school for general and applied physics faculty with the State University of Nizhny Novgorod. The underlying motive for making this effort, although there is an extensive literature on scanning probe microscopy available today 1-13, was a nearly total lack of educational manuals on the SPM methodology. The textbook was written within a short period of time (two months, actually) at the request of the NT-MDT company (Moscow, Russia), producer of scanning probe microscopes for scientific research and a special SPM educational system. I admit that within the short time available for completing this work certain drawbacks cant have been avoided and will be grateful to everyone for pointing out possible errors, inaccuracies and for other critical remarks. The writing of the textbook was in many ways inspired by S.V.Gaponov, Director of the Institute for physics of microstructures of the Russian Academy of Science, corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Science. I express deep gratitude to the IPM RAS employees, D.G.Volgunov, S.A.Treskov and O.G.Udalov, for numerous fruitful discussions