Mechanical design for tailoring the resonance harmonics of an atomic force microscope cantilever during tip-surface contact

Jonathan R. Felts, William P. King

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

We describe an atomic force microscope cantilever design for which the second flexural mode frequency can be tailored relative to the first mode frequency, for operation in contact with a substrate. A freely resonating paddle internal to the cantilever reduces the stiffness of the second flexural mode relative to the first while nearly maintaining the mass of the original cantilever. Finite element analysis is used to predict the performance of various cantilever designs and several cantilevers are fabricated and tested. This strategy allows the ratio of the first two resonant modes f 2/f1 to be controlled over the range 1.6-4.5. The ability to vary f2/f1 could improve a variety of dynamic contact-mode measurements.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number115008
JournalJournal of Micromechanics and Microengineering
Volume19
Issue number11
DOIs
StatePublished - 2009

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Mechanics of Materials
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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