Development of dual-probe atomic force microscopy system using optical beam deflection sensors with obliquely incident laser beams

Abstract

We developed a dual-probe (DP) atomic force microscopy (AFM) system that has two independently controlled probes. The deflection of each cantilever is measured by the optical beam deflection (OBD) method. In order to keep a large space over the two probes for an objective lens with a large numerical aperture, we employed the OBD sensors with obliquely incident laser beams. In this paper, we describe the details of our developed DP-AFM system, including analysis of the sensitivity of the OBD sensor for detection of the cantilever deflection. We also describe a method to eliminate the crosstalk caused by the vertical translation of the cantilever. In addition, we demonstrate simultaneous topographic imaging of a test sample by the two probes and surface potential measurement on an α-sexithiophene (α-6T) thin film by one probe while electrical charges were injected by the other probe.

Effective Tilting Angles for a Dual Probes AFM System to Achieve High-Precision Scanning

“…Mancevski et al [11] proposed a caliper CD-AFM using dual atomic force microscope probes that operate together as a caliper for accessing vertical and highly reentrant sidewalls of high aspect-ratio. Tsunemi et al [12] developed a dual-probe AFM system with two cantilever probes and proposed an optics based cantilever's sensing mechanism, which gives an effective way to deal with the complexity problems occurred in a dual-probe AFM. Xie et al [13] proposed a high-efficiency force microscopy with parallel imaging/manipulation, where one tip is responsible for image scanning and the other is for manipulation, and the purpose of the entire setup is to quickly find the sample position and to decide the manipulation direction.…”

Adaptive tilting angles to achieve high‐precision scanning of a dual probes AFM

“…Satoh et al [14] developed a self-sensing multi-probe AFM system by integrating the piezo-resistor with cantilever. Tsunemi et al [16] developed a dual-probes AFM system with two independently controlled probes and proposed an optical-based probe deflection sensing mechanism, which provides an effective way to not only simplify the optical path design for the laser sensors but also eliminate crosstalk caused by the vertical translation of the cantilever. Tsunemi et al [16] developed a dual-probes AFM system with two independently controlled probes and proposed an optical-based probe deflection sensing mechanism, which provides an effective way to not only simplify the optical path design for the laser sensors but also eliminate crosstalk caused by the vertical translation of the cantilever.…”

“…Mancevski et al [15] designed a dual-probes CD-AFM, the two probes of which operate as a caliper for sidewall measurement of high-aspect-ratio features. Tsunemi et al [16] developed a dual-probes AFM system with two independently controlled probes and proposed an optical-based probe deflection sensing mechanism, which provides an effective way to not only simplify the optical path design for the laser sensors but also eliminate crosstalk caused by the vertical translation of the cantilever. Xie et al [17] proposed an approach for pick-and-place nanomanipulation by dual-probes AFM.…”

Upgrade of a commercial four-probe scanning tunneling microscopy system

“…However, initially STM/SPM systems had only one probe, and this single-probe (1-P) configuration limited its application in measuring the lateral electrical conductivity of nanostructures, 17,18 such as nanowires and 2D materials. In order to fully utilize the ultra-high spatial resolution of STM in traditional transport measurements, multi-probe SPM systems have emerged, with double probes, [19][20][21] triple probes, 22,23 or even four probes. [24][25][26][27][28][29][30] Among these, the four-probe (4-P) STM is ideal for combining the ultra-high spatial resolution of STM with standard four probe transport measurements in situ.…”