title: Laser actuation of cantilevers for picometre amplitude dynamic force microscopy.
abstract: As nanoscale and molecular devices become reality, the ability to probe materials on these scales is increasing in importance. To address this, we have developed a dynamic force microscopy technique where the flexure of the microcantilever is excited using an intensity modulated laser beam to achieve modulation on the picoscale. The flexure arises from thermally induced bending through differential expansion and the conservation of momentum when the photons are reflected and absorbed by the cantilever. In this study, we investigated the photothermal and photon pressure responses of monolithic and layered cantilevers using a modulated laser in air and immersed in water. The developed photon actuation technique is applied to the stretching of single polymer chains.
authors.affiliation: 1] Department of Applied Mathematics, Research School of Physics and Engineering, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 0200, Australia [2] Thin Film Coatings Group, Mawson Institute, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes, SA 5095, Australia.
authors.forename: Drew R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Mathematics, Research School of Physics and Engineering, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 0200, Australia.
authors.forename: Ponlawat
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tayati
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Mathematics, Research School of Physics and Engineering, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 0200, Australia.
authors.forename: Hongjie
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: An
authors.affiliation: Department of Quantum Science, Research School of Physics and Engineering, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 0200, Australia.
authors.forename: Ping Koy
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Mathematics, Research School of Physics and Engineering, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 0200, Australia.
authors.forename: Vincent S J
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Craig
authors.affiliation: Department of Applied Mathematics, Research School of Physics and Engineering, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 0200, Australia.
authors.forename: Tim J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Senden