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.