title: Fast frequency sweeping in resonance-tracking SPM for high-resolution AFAM and PFM imaging.
abstract: A new resonance-tracking (RT) method using fast frequency sweeping excitation was developed for quantitative scanning probe microscopy (SPM) imaging. This method allows quantitative imaging of elastic properties and ferroelectrical domains with nanoscale resolution at high data acquisition rates. It consists of a commercial AFM system combined with a high-frequency lock-in amplifier, a programmed function generator and a fast data acquisition card. The resonance-tracking method was applied to the atomic force acoustic microscopy (AFAM) and to the piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM) modes. Plots of amplitude versus time and phase versus time for resonant spectra working with different sweeping frequencies were obtained to evaluate the response speed of the lock-in amplifier. It was proved that this resonance-tracking method allows suitable spectral acquisition at a rate of about 5 ms/pixel, which is useful for SPM imaging in a practical scanning time. In order to demonstrate the system performance, images of RT-AFAM for TiN films and RT-PFM for GeTe are shown.
authors.affiliation: CINVESTAV Unidad Querétaro, Lib. Norponiente 2000, Real de Juriquilla, 76230 Querétaro, Qro., Mexico. cenriquez@qro.cinvestav.mx
authors.forename: C I
authors.initials: CI
authors.lastname: Enriquez-Flores
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Gervacio-Arciniega
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cruz-Valeriano
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: de Urquijo-Ventura
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Gutierrez-Salazar
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Espinoza-Beltran
mesh_terms: D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000295:instrumentation*; D055617:Micro-Electrical-Mechanical Systems / Q000295:instrumentation*; D033401:Microscopy, Acoustic / Q000295:instrumentation*; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force / Q000295:instrumentation*; D020527:Microscopy, Scanning Probe / Q000295:instrumentation*