Proposal for Simultaneous Estimation of Sample Surface Topography and Elasticity Utilizing Contact-Mode AFM

Abstract

An atomic force microscope can be used to measure the surface topography of samples at the nano-scale. Because the cantilever maintains physical contact with the sample, it is also possible to measure the elasticity of samples in principle. However, compared with the advances of scanning performance, the technologies for measuring viscosity and elasticity are still underdeveloped. The proposed method measures the surface topography during the forward scan (FWS) and the elasticity during the backward scan (BWS). We also introduce a surface topography observer (STO) and perfect tracking control (PTC) in order to improve the measurement accuracy.