Advanced atomic force microscopy techniques V

• Philipp Rahe,
• Ilko Bald,
• Nadine Hauptmann,
• Regina Hoffmann-Vogel,
• Harry Mönig and
• Michael Reichling

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2025, 16, 54–56, doi:10.3762/bjnano.16.6

• 10.3762/bjnano.16.6 Keywords: AFM; atomic force microscopy; conductivity; drift correction; force spectroscopy; NC-AFM; non-contact atomic force microscopy; resistivity; tip–surface interaction; With the restrictions on travelling and social distancing lifted, we were delighted to continue two series of

• precision of scanning probe microscopy experiments by introducing a software for lateral drift correction [1]. Post-data acquisition drift correction for longer series of consecutively recorded image sets can be cumbersome and extremely time consuming. Here, the authors develop an easy-to-use and robust

• software tool (”unDrift”), which allows reliable and fast drift correction. Dickbreder et al. demonstrate the robust performance of the software tool by AFM data recorded under varying conditions (vacuum or liquid environment) on calcite surfaces with recording times up to several hours. The work by Nony

unDrift: A versatile software for fast offline SPM image drift correction

• Tobias Dickbreder,
• Franziska Sabath,
• Lukas Höltkemeier,
• Ralf Bechstein and
• Angelika Kühnle

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2023, 14, 1225–1237, doi:10.3762/bjnano.14.101

• for drift during the measurement (online drift correction) or afterwards (offline drift correction). With the currently available software tools, however, offline drift correction of SPM data is often a tedious and time-consuming task. This is particularly disadvantageous when analyzing long image

• series. Here, we present unDrift, an easy-to-use scientific software for fast and reliable drift correction of SPM images. unDrift provides three different algorithms to determine the drift velocity based on two consecutive SPM images. All algorithms can drift-correct the input data without any

• additional reference. The first semi-automatic drift correction algorithm analyzes the different distortion of periodic structures in two consecutive up and down (down and up) images, which enables unDrift to correct SPM images without stationary features or overlapping scan areas. The other two algorithms

High-throughput synthesis of modified Fresnel zone plate arrays via ion beam lithography

• Kahraman Keskinbora,
• Umut Tunca Sanli,
• Margarita Baluktsian,
• Corinne Grévent,
• Markus Weigand and
• Gisela Schütz

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2018, 9, 2049–2056, doi:10.3762/bjnano.9.194

• in Figure 1b–d. Removal of large volumes of material (for instance, 100 µm diameter, 500 nm gold thickness [36]) usually means lengthy processes that require an multi-pass-exposure (MP-E) strategy as depicted in Figure 1b, and involves drift correction steps in between cycles [29][35][36]. In some

• cases, the drift correction can be unnecessary, but the MP-E can still be desired when a better dose distribution or a well-defined wall geometry is aimed for in structures with higher aspect ratio [38]. We have shown that a much faster process can be devised by employing a single-pass-exposure (SP-E

• written in the gold film using a focused Ga+ ion beam. Several fabrication strategies are shown in b), c) and d). In b) a multi-pass exposure (MP-E) scheme with drift correction steps in between each cycle is followed. MP-E is a good strategy for large patterns and thicker gold films [35][36]. In c) a

Exploring wear at the nanoscale with circular mode atomic force microscopy

• Olivier Noel,
• Aleksandar Vencl and
• Pierre-Emmanuel Mazeran

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2017, 8, 2662–2668, doi:10.3762/bjnano.8.266

• 35 nm) and B shows the AFM topographic images, before and after wear respectively, for a given location on a copper-based composite (the counter-body is a silicon nitride probe); C (grey scale is 16 nm) is the height difference of the topographic images (B) − (A). The drift correction has been

Lower nanometer-scale size limit for the deformation of a metallic glass by shear transformations revealed by quantitative AFM indentation

• Arnaud Caron and
• Roland Bennewitz

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2015, 6, 1721–1732, doi:10.3762/bjnano.6.176

• from 19.5 to 170 pm/s. After drift correction the indentation curves coincide as expected in the low load regime that corresponds to the elastic deformation. A drawback of AFM indentation experiments is that no controlled manufacturing of the tip apex is available at the nanometer scale and one has to

• ) before and (b) after drift correction; the drift velocity difference with respect to the fastest measurements were Δv = −19.5, 46, and 170 pm/s for dP/dt = 36, 72, and 144 nN/s, respectively. (a) SEM image of the diamond coated AFM tip used for all measurements presented in this report; tip geometry

Possibilities and limitations of advanced transmission electron microscopy for carbon-based nanomaterials

• Xiaoxing Ke,
• Carla Bittencourt and
• Gustaaf Van Tendeloo

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2015, 6, 1541–1557, doi:10.3762/bjnano.6.158

• metal-oxide semiconductor) sensor up to 1600 fps [50]. The high sensitivity and fast acquisition in detecting has made possible the automated and ultra-fast acquisition of a series of under-exposed images from the same region. After drift correction, the images of such a sequence are stacked and can

High sensitivity and high resolution element 3D analysis by a combined SIMS–SPM instrument

• Yves Fleming and
• Tom Wirtz

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2015, 6, 1091–1099, doi:10.3762/bjnano.6.110

• topographies are taken as reference maps for linearly extrapolating the z-position of each of the intermittent SIMS recorded voxels. SARINA was developed as a plugin for the ImageJ software [13]. The drift correction of the different recorded SIMS stacks were performed using the OpenMIMS software [14], which

Dimer/tetramer motifs determine amphiphilic hydrazine fibril structures on graphite

• Loji K. Thomas,
• Nadine Diek,
• Uwe Beginn and
• Michael Reichling

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2012, 3, 658–666, doi:10.3762/bjnano.3.75

• creep to a minimum during measurements. Furthermore, images used for structural analysis were those with minimal thermal drift, and a drift correction was done whenever feasible. For imaging of molecular structures, the tip was retracted slightly, and a drop of the solution was applied onto the basal

Probing three-dimensional surface force fields with atomic resolution: Measurement strategies, limitations, and artifact reduction

• Mehmet Z. Baykara,
• Omur E. Dagdeviren,
• Todd C. Schwendemann,
• Harry Mönig,
• Eric I. Altman and
• Udo D. Schwarz

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2012, 3, 637–650, doi:10.3762/bjnano.3.73

• unit cell in the time required to collect an image, are also potentially problematic and in some cases limit layer-by-layer data acquisition to low temperatures [23]. An alternative approach to x–y drift correction involves manual post-data-acquisition shifting of images acquired by the layer-by-layer

• inability to correct for elastic deformations of the tip apex jeopardizes the reliability of such real-time approaches to drift correction to the extent that it is unclear a priori which approach to drift correction, i.e., real-time or post-acquisition, is superior. The effects of tip asymmetry on simulated

• drift correction at set time intervals (“method C”) [28][31]. Table 1 summarizes to what extent the methods listed above address the specific experimental issues discussed earlier. Note, however, that other combinations of experimental and data analysis procedures are possible, and experimentalists can