NANOMECHANICAL INVESTIGATIONS AND MODIFICATIONS OF THIN-FILMS BASED ON SCANNING FORCE METHODS

We have studied the nanomechanical properties of thin C-60 films epita xially grown on GeS(001) substrates by scanning force methods. The loc al frictional coefficient derived for C-60 islands was found to be sig nificantly smaller than on the GeS(001) substrate demonstrating that w ell ordered C-60 films can lower the frictional force even compared wi th a layered material. In the second part of our study, we have used a scanning force microscope (SFM) for nanomechanical modification of a variety of thin film substrates including high-T-c superconductors and thin metallic films on insulating substrates. A combination of photol ithography and SFM-based nanofabrication allowed to link the nanoscopi c to the macroscopic world and to perform transport measurements on th e nanofabricated structures.