title: Subsurface imaging of soft polymeric materials with nanoscale resolution.
abstract: Nondestructive depth-resolved imaging of ∼20-nm-thick surface layers of soft polymeric materials is demonstrated using amplitude modulation atomic force microscopy (AM-AFM). From a map of amplitude-phase-distance curves, the tip indentation into the specimen is determined. This serves as a depth coordinate for reconstructing cross sections and volume images of the specimen's mechanical properties. Our method reveals subsurface structures which are not discernible using conventional AM-AFM. Results for surfaces of a block copolymer and a semicrystalline polymer are presented.
authors.affiliation: Chemische Physik, Technische Universität Chemnitz, D-09107 Chemnitz, Germany. eike-christian.spitzner@physik.tu-chemnitz.de
authors.forename: Eike-Christian
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Spitzner
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Riesch
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Magerle