title: High-resolution friction force microscopy under electrochemical control.
abstract: We report the design and development of a friction force microscope for high-resolution studies in electrochemical environments. The design choices are motivated by the experimental requirements of atomic-scale friction measurements in liquids. The noise of the system is analyzed based on a methodology for the quantification of all the noise sources. The quantitative contribution of each noise source is analyzed in a series of lateral force measurements. Normal force detection is demonstrated in a study of the solvation potential in a confined liquid, octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane. The limitations of the timing resolution of the instrument are discussed in the context of an atomic stick-slip measurement. The instrument is capable of studying the atomic friction contrast between a bare Au(111) surface and a copper monolayer deposited at underpotential conditions in perchloric acid.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec H3A 2T8, Canada.
authors.forename: Aleksander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Labuda
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Paul
authors.forename: Brendan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pietrobon
authors.forename: R Bruce
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Lennox
authors.forename: Peter H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Grütter
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bennewitz