INFLUENCE OF SPRING STIFFNESS AND ANISOTROPY ON STICK-SLIP ATOMIC-FORCE MICROSCOPY IMAGING

This paper presents a detailed analysis of high-load friction atomic f orce microscopy (AFM) images of layered structures in terms of a discr ete stick-slip model. It turned out that based on a geometric approach , the characteristics of slip behavior can be linked to the cantilever /sample spring anisotropy. In particular, the use of polar scans is em phasized to analyze and to quantify these characteristics. The measure d stiffness as derived from the slip behavior is in correspondence wit h the stiffness inferred from static friction. It is concluded that th e combined stiffness of substrate and cantilever is constant during an AFM scan in a given direction, which supports the simple stick-slip m odel. (C) 1996 American Institute of Physics.