Patterning of supported gold monolayers via chemical lift-off lithography

• Liane S. Slaughter,
• Kevin M. Cheung,
• Sami Kaappa,
• Huan H. Cao,
• Qing Yang,
• Thomas D. Young,
• Andrew C. Serino,
• Sami Malola,
• Jana M. Olson,
• Stephan Link,
• Hannu Häkkinen,
• Anne M. Andrews and
• Paul S. Weiss

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2017, 8, 2648–2661, doi:10.3762/bjnano.8.265

• noncontact regions. Next, hydroxyl-terminated alkanethiols were self-assembled on the patterned Au masters (Figure 1, left). Topographically flat, activated PDMS was brought into contact with the patterned Au masters to carry out a second round of CLL that resulted in otherwise featureless PDMS that was

• containing mercaptoundecanol (noncontact regions associated with the first CLL step), but also in the contact regions dominated by inserted octadecanethiol. Residual mercaptoundecanol in the contact regions is due to the incomplete removal of molecules during the first CLL step. This partial removal has been

• Au in the noncontact regions. We note that the contrast in the topographic AFM map of the Au–alkanethiolate monolayers produced via two-component SAMs (Figure 3B) appears lower than that of the monolayers produced via Au-on-Si masters (Figure 1E–H). We attribute the low topographic contrast in the

Nanoprofilometry study of focal conic domain structures in a liquid crystalline free surface

• Anna N. Bagdinova,
• Evgeny I. Demikhov,
• Nataliya G. Borisenko and
• Sergei M. Tolokonnikov

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2017, 8, 2544–2551, doi:10.3762/bjnano.8.254

• substrate without electrodes. On the glass substrate the same surface structures were observed. It is important to note that the FCDs are not observed on the smectic-free surface. The conditions for FCD formation are given in [4]. The nanoprofilometer presented in this work is a noncontact method which can

Comparing postdeposition reactions of electrons and radicals with Pt nanostructures created by focused electron beam induced deposition

• Julie A. Spencer,
• Michael Barclay,
• Miranda J. Gallagher,
• Robert Winkler,
• Ilyas Unlu,
• Yung-Chien Wu,
• Harald Plank,
• Lisa McElwee-White and
• D. Howard Fairbrother

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2017, 8, 2410–2424, doi:10.3762/bjnano.8.240

• (L) = 10−6 Torr·s. Atomic force microscopy Deposits created by FEBID from cis-Pt(CO)2Cl2 were imaged before and after AH cleaning by atomic force microscopy (AFM) in noncontact mode with a 75 ± 15 kHz HQ:NCS18 probe (Mikromasch USA, Watsonville, CA) on a PicoSPM SE AFM. Image processing of line-by

Material property analytical relations for the case of an AFM probe tapping a viscoelastic surface containing multiple characteristic times

• Enrique A. López-Guerra and
• Santiago D. Solares

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2017, 8, 2230–2244, doi:10.3762/bjnano.8.223

• the lower order derivatives, down to the zero-th order, which corresponds to the value of Fts(t). Additionally, the vdW interaction has been included as during the noncontact portion of the interaction. This expression was derived through pairwise addition using the non-retarded Hamaker summation

Vapor-phase-synthesized fluoroacrylate polymer thin films: thermal stability and structural properties

• Paul Christian and
• Anna Maria Coclite

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2017, 8, 933–942, doi:10.3762/bjnano.8.95

• . The integration time was set to one minute, meaning that a temperature resolution of 2 °C could be achieved. Atomic force micrographs were taken in noncontact mode on a Nanosurf easyScan 2, equipped with a PPP-NCLR-10 cantilever (NanoWorld AG, Switzerland). The data are corrected for artifacts with

Surface improvement of organic photoresists using a near-field-dependent etching method

• Felix J. Brandenburg,
• Tomohiro Okamoto,
• Hiroshi Saito,
• Benjamin Leuschel,
• Olivier Soppera and
• Takashi Yatsui

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2017, 8, 784–788, doi:10.3762/bjnano.8.81

• show that 325 nm illumination changes the cross-sectional width of the photoresist to a greater extent than 405 nm illumination. Conversely, 405 nm light reduced surface roughness to a greater extent than 325 nm light. Overall, this paper proves that near-field etching, through its noncontact nature

Optimizing qPlus sensor assemblies for simultaneous scanning tunneling and noncontact atomic force microscopy operation based on finite element method analysis

• Omur E. Dagdeviren and
• Udo D. Schwarz

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2017, 8, 657–666, doi:10.3762/bjnano.8.70

• ; noncontact atomic force microscopy; quartz tuning forks; scanning tunneling microscopy; self-sensing probe; Introduction Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) [1] and non-contact atomic force microscopy (NC-AFM) [1][2][3] are powerful methods allowing the visualization of the atomic structure of a surface

Analysis and modification of defective surface aggregates on PCDTBT:PCBM solar cell blends using combined Kelvin probe, conductive and bimodal atomic force microscopy

• Hanaul Noh,
• Alfredo J. Diaz and
• Santiago D. Solares

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2017, 8, 579–589, doi:10.3762/bjnano.8.62

• of the surface aggregates disappeared during C-AFM imaging, due to the use of the stiffer cantilever Multi75E-G (Budget Sensors, force constant k ≈ 2 N/m, setpoint: 10–20 nN) to perform tapping-mode bimodal AFM sequentially with contact-mode C-AFM and noncontact-mode KPFM. The cantilever used for

Nanostructured SnO₂–ZnO composite gas sensors for selective detection of carbon monoxide

• Paul Chesler,
• Cristian Hornoiu,
• Susana Mihaiu,
• Cristina Vladut,
• Jose Maria Calderon Moreno,
• Mihai Anastasescu,
• Carmen Moldovan,
• Bogdan Firtat,
• Costin Brasoveanu,
• George Muscalu,
• Ion Stan and
• Mariuca Gartner

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2016, 7, 2045–2056, doi:10.3762/bjnano.7.195

• were analyzed directly (samples were immobilized on a double-sided carbon tape, without coating). AFM measurements were carried in noncontact mode with an XE-100 apparatus from Park Systems (2011), using sharp tips (<8 nm tip radius; PPP-NCHR type from Nanosensors). The XEI (v.1.8.0) image processing

Noncontact atomic force microscopy III

• Mehmet Z. Baykara and
• Udo D. Schwarz

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2016, 7, 946–947, doi:10.3762/bjnano.7.86

• that they rely on the establishment of light contact between a sharp probe and the sample surface of interest for topographical imaging. This results unavoidably in the formation of a finite contact area and the loss of atomic-scale resolution. The invention of noncontact atomic force microscopy (NC

• publication of two installments in the Thematic Series titled “Noncontact Atomic Force Microscopy” in the Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology [1][2]. This Thematic Series focusing on NC-AFM complements two other series titled “Advanced Atomic Force Microscopy Techniques” [3][4] and “Scanning Probe Microscopy

• and Related Methods” [5], making the Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology a well-recognized outlet for scanning probe microscopy research. The current and third installment in the “Noncontact Atomic Force Microscopy” Thematic Series again demonstrates the constant development in the field. In

High-resolution noncontact AFM and Kelvin probe force microscopy investigations of self-assembled photovoltaic donor–acceptor dyads

• Benjamin Grévin,
• Pierre-Olivier Schwartz,
• Laure Biniek,
• Martin Brinkmann,
• Nicolas Leclerc,
• Elena Zaborova and
• Stéphane Méry

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2016, 7, 799–808, doi:10.3762/bjnano.7.71

• dyads are used as model nanostructured heterojunctions for local investigations by noncontact atomic force microscopy (nc-AFM) and Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM). With the aim to probe the photo-induced charge carrier generation, thin films deposited on transparent indium tin oxide substrates are

• elementary building block level. Keywords: donor–acceptor co-oligomers; donor–acceptor lamellae; donor–acceptor-ordered bulk heterojunction; Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM); noncontact atomic force microscopy (nc-AFM); organic photovoltaics; surface photo-voltage (SPV); Introduction Nowadays, with

• self-assembled dyads. Conclusion Self-assembled thin films of donor–acceptor dyads have been investigated by noncontact atomic force microscopy and Kelvin probe force microscopy. Consistent with the results of transmission electron microscopy, the nc-AFM images reveal that the dyads self-assemble

Contact-free experimental determination of the static flexural spring constant of cantilever sensors using a microfluidic force tool

• John D. Parkin and
• Georg Hähner

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2016, 7, 492–500, doi:10.3762/bjnano.7.43

• micro- and nanocantilever sensors, experimental techniques that do not require contact between the sensor and a surface at some point during the calibration process are still the exception rather than the rule. We describe a noncontact method using a microfluidic force tool that produces accurate forces

Rigid multipodal platforms for metal surfaces

• Michal Valášek,
• Marcin Lindner and
• Marcel Mayor

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2016, 7, 374–405, doi:10.3762/bjnano.7.34

• adamantane-based tripodal molecules have been reported by Yamakoshi and co-workers [83][90]. They designed and examined azobenzene-terminated tripodal derivatives 13 (Figure 5), which are suitable as a single-molecular tip for noncontact atomic force microscopy (NC-AFM). The reversible photoisomerisation of

Dependence of lattice strain relaxation, absorbance, and sheet resistance on thickness in textured ZnO@B transparent conductive oxide for thin-film solar cell applications

• Kuang-Yang Kou,
• Yu-En Huang,
• Chien-Hsun Chen and
• Shih-Wei Feng

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2016, 7, 75–80, doi:10.3762/bjnano.7.9

• rates were 1, 500, and 550 sccm, respectively. Characterization The surface morphology was revealed by atomic force microscopy (Park Systems, XE-70) performed in noncontact mode using a silicon tip with a curvature of less than 10 nm. The scanning electron microscope and cathodoluminescence results were

A simple and efficient quasi 3-dimensional viscoelastic model and software for simulation of tapping-mode atomic force microscopy

• Santiago D. Solares

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2015, 6, 2233–2241, doi:10.3762/bjnano.6.229

• of force curve for bimodal AFM, showing a double impact. The blue arrows indicate in each case the position where the tip first reaches the sample, and the red arrows indicate the position where the tip leaves the sample. Van der Waals forces have been included in the attractive (noncontact) region

Modeling viscoelasticity through spring–dashpot models in intermittent-contact atomic force microscopy

• Enrique A. López-Guerra and
• Santiago D. Solares

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2014, 5, 2149–2163, doi:10.3762/bjnano.5.224

• customarily used in contact-mode methods [28][29], for which there is no transition between contact and noncontact regimes as in tapping mode, so the sudden force artifact discussed above does not occur. Standard Linear Solid (SLS) model The SLS model is recognized as being the simplest one that is able to

Trade-offs in sensitivity and sampling depth in bimodal atomic force microscopy and comparison to the trimodal case

• Babak Eslami,
• Daniel Ebeling and
• Santiago D. Solares

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2014, 5, 1144–1151, doi:10.3762/bjnano.5.125

• addition to the noncontact forces. Figure 1 provides an example of single-mode attractive and repulsive images of a Nafion® fuel cell membrane (these images were acquired by using the standard amplitude modulation method [14]). A difference between the two images can be seen in terms of contrast inversion

Noncontact atomic force microscopy II

• Mehmet Z. Baykara and
• Udo D. Schwarz

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2014, 5, 289–290, doi:10.3762/bjnano.5.31

• achieved in 1994 with the invention of noncontact atomic force microscopy (NC-AFM). The basic idea behind NC-AFM is based on the detection of minor changes in the resonance frequency of a micro-machined cantilever carrying a sharp probe tip due to attractive force interactions while it is oscillated above

Noise performance of frequency modulation Kelvin force microscopy

• Heinrich Diesinger,
• Dominique Deresmes and
• Thierry Mélin

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2014, 5, 1–18, doi:10.3762/bjnano.5.1

• electrostatic forces in amplitude modulation Kelvin force microscopy (AM-KFM) [1] or the measurement of the electrostatic force gradient in FM-KFM [2], in analogy with the FM mode used in noncontact atomic force microscopy (nc-AFM) [3]. The FM-KFM mode is often favored either because when a higher derivative of

• of reduced frequency shift [12] and was 0.15 nm/mV. The principle of this method is to maintain a constant reduced frequency shift by varying simultaneously the excitation amplitude and the frequency shift setpoint of the noncontact mode following a certain algorithm. Then, the lower turning point of

• MEMS benchmark f0Q and a merit factor f0Q/k found by Albrecht [3] for the minimum detectable force by noncontact AFM. If the noise PSD is dominated by detector noise, Equation 40, then we obtain a merit factor MS instead of Equation 45: similarly as above, D0 is a fraction of z and hence Using Equation

Challenges in realizing ultraflat materials surfaces

• Takashi Yatsui,
• Wataru Nomura,
• Fabrice Stehlin,
• Olivier Soppera,
• Makoto Naruse and
• Motoichi Ohtsu

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2013, 4, 875–885, doi:10.3762/bjnano.4.99

• -based technique can be applied to other materials including semiconductors, dielectric materials, insulators, and plastics. DPP etching is a noncontact method and therefore does not cause damage owing to mechanical polishing, and hence, this technique should help to improve the electrical, optical, and

Dynamic nanoindentation by instrumented nanoindentation and force microscopy: a comparative review

• Sidney R. Cohen and
• Estelle Kalfon-Cohen

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2013, 4, 815–833, doi:10.3762/bjnano.4.93

• contact geometry, an assumption of some contact model and/or force potential, and in some cases the input of some parameters of the material. Thus the inherent fundamental limitations of quantitative nanomechanical testing must be accounted for. New noncontact techniques allow for the monitoring of the

• entire force profile while starting at noncontact positions. The deconvolution implemented to convert the experimentally observed frequency shift/amplitude change to a force can also introduce some uncertainty [91]. Single-frequency techniques are still more readily accessible in most laboratories

• cantilever. In liquid, this drag force is very significant. Mahaffy et al. recorded this force in an aqueous environment as the tip approached the surface, but before it made contact and thus comprised a noncontact measurement of the phase shift [104]. A combination of the two corrections was made in a study

k-space imaging of the eigenmodes of sharp gold tapers for scanning near-field optical microscopy

• Martin Esmann,
• Simon F. Becker,
• Bernard B. da Cunha,
• Jens H. Brauer,
• Ralf Vogelgesang,
• Petra Groß and
• Christoph Lienau

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2013, 4, 603–610, doi:10.3762/bjnano.4.67

• is controlled using a tuning fork-based force sensor in a noncontact-mode atomic force microscope (AFM). This microscope is a modified version of the setup described in [10]. The taper probe is attached to one prong of a quartz tuning fork that oscillates with a peak-to-peak amplitude of 1 nm. The

Optimal geometry for a quartz multipurpose SPM sensor

• Julian Stirling

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2013, 4, 370–376, doi:10.3762/bjnano.4.43

• microscopes (AFM) and lateral force microscopes (LFM), however, the sensor is more complex. The atomically sharp probe must be combined with a force sensor, usually a cantilever, with either piezoelectric or optical deflection detection. For noncontact AFM (NC-AFM) and dynamic LFM (DLFM), where the sensor is

Determining cantilever stiffness from thermal noise

• Jannis Lübbe,
• Matthias Temmen,
• Philipp Rahe,
• Angelika Kühnle and
• Michael Reichling

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2013, 4, 227–233, doi:10.3762/bjnano.4.23

• demonstrate that the latter method is in particular useful for noncontact atomic force microscopy (NC-AFM) where the required simple instrumentation for spectral analysis is available in most experimental systems. Keywords: AFM; cantilever; noncontact atomic force microscopy (NC-AFM); Q-factor; thermal

• of the cantilever is small, is given by where kn and Qn are the modal stiffness [4] and Q-factor of the nth cantilever eigenmode [5], respectively. The relation is of relevance for any practical application involving microcantilevers and specifically important for high-resolution noncontact atomic

Selective surface modification of lithographic silicon oxide nanostructures by organofunctional silanes

• Thomas Baumgärtel,
• Christian von Borczyskowski and
• Harald Graaf

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2013, 4, 218–226, doi:10.3762/bjnano.4.22

• topography depends strongly on these parameters for noncontact AFM operation. Binding of OTS and 11-bromoundecyltrichlorosilane (both ABCR, Germany) was carried out by immersion of the structures into a 10 mM solution of the silane in toluene (spectroscopic grade, Merck, Germany). After a specific amount of