Dissipative interaction due to Joule heat through displacement current on mica nanosheets examined by non-contact atomic force microscopy

Abstract

In the present study, we characterize the distance and voltage dependence of the dissipation measured by nc-AFM using a sample of pure artificially synthesized phlogopite mica, exfoliated and affixed on an iridium (Ir) coated Si(111) (N-type with resistance 0.4 to 0.9 Ohmcm) substrate. We used a polyurethane hand roller for exfoliation. Au-coated Si cantilevers ( f ₀ = 308 kHz, A = 33 nm, Olympus) were used, over-coated with Ir using DC magnetron sputtering by 10 nm to increase its conductivity and durability. All AFM experiments were done in a chamber filled with argon gas chamber.