ATOMIC-FORCE MICROSCOPY PROBE TIP VISUALIZATION AND IMPROVEMENT OF IMAGES USING A SIMPLE DECONVOLUTION PROCEDURE

A simple numerical procedure for separating the probe tip from images obtained by atom;e force microscopy (AFM) is presented. The importance of this is 2-fold: first, it provides a way of visualizing the probe tip in a nondestructive manner, which is useful in eliminating artifac ts; second, it enables the deconvolution of the probe tip from the ima ge, resulting in a more accurate picture of the sample. Examples of de convolution using both an idealized tip and a real tip are given. Such a quick and effective procedure enables incorporating the visualizati on of AFM tips as a daily routine.