STRUCTURING OF MICA SURFACES WITH A VIBRATING AFM TIP

Mica surfaces were structured in ambient environment with a vibrating AFM tip. Considerable cantilever vibration amplitudes Forced by sample vibration occur at the resonance frequencies of the driving piezo irr espective of the type of cantilever. Grooves were written into the sur face which are stable for weeks. The removal of material starts at def ects and proceeds from there by peeling off sub-micrometer flakes of l ess than 1 nm thickness, i.e. less than the mica layer-to-layer distan ce. The removed material grows very slowly in the vicinity of the groo ves in islands with irregular boundaries. It is suggested that these i slands consist of Al-hydroxide. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rig hts reserved.