SCANNING SHEARING-STRESS MICROSCOPY OF GOLD THIN-FILMS

Gold thin films have been observed using scanning shearing-stress micr oscopy (SSSM), which is a new scanning probe microscopy based on a sca nning tunneling microscope (STM) and a frequency shift of an AT-cut qu artz resonator. The quartz resonator coupled to an STM sample is oscil lated at its resonance frequency. The resonance frequency shift corres ponds to the shearing-stress changes in the sample under tip scanning. Images of STM and SSSM topographies of gold thin films can be observe d simultaneously. The shearing-stress distribution is caused by scanni ng-direction slope changes in STM profiles; therefore these stresses a re caused by frictional force between the STM tip and sample.