Simultaneous and rapid measurement of the surface potential (SP) and nanomechanical properties (NMPs) of materials plays an important role in the study of, for example, piezoelectric materials and multi-component composites. In our previous study, a multiparametric Kelvin probe force microscopy (MP-KPFM) was developed to simultaneously measure SP and NMPs using traditional silicon probes. However, its temporal resolution is severely limited by the lower mechanical bandwidth of traditional silicon probes. Here, a composite atomic force microscope (AFM) probe capable of effectively increasing the measurement rate of MP-KPFM was developed. The proposed composite probe consisting of a polymer microcantilever and a silicon tip was fabricated using photolithography and microassembly techniques. Compared to the traditional silicon probe with a similar stiffness, its mechanical bandwidth is increased by about 4 times, which enables fast measurement by implementing the MP-KPFM at higher peak force drive frequencies. Experimental results show that the composite probe's peak force drive frequency is up to 4 kHz, whereas the traditional silicon probe is limited to about 1 kHz. Multiparametric mapping results of a polymer grating demonstrate the capability of the composite probe in fast and simultaneous measurement of SP and NMPs. The proposed composite probe has excellent compatibility and scalability due to the combination of the high mechanical bandwidth of the polymer microcantilever and the rigidity of the silicon tip, which provides a new idea for the development of multifunctional AFM probes.INDEX TERMS Kelvin probe force microscopy, polymer microcantilever, high-bandwidth, surface potential, nanomechanical properties.
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