title: Number density distribution of solvent molecules on a substrate: a transform theory for atomic force microscopy.
abstract: Atomic force microscopy (AFM) in liquids can measure a force curve between a probe and a buried substrate. The shape of the measured force curve is related to hydration structure on the substrate. However, until now, there has been no practical theory that can transform the force curve into the hydration structure, because treatment of the liquid confined between the probe and the substrate is a difficult problem. Here, we propose a robust and practical transform theory, which can generate the number density distribution of solvent molecules on a substrate from the force curve. As an example, we analyzed a force curve measured by using our high-resolution AFM with a newly fabricated ultrashort cantilever. It is demonstrated that the hydration structure on muscovite mica (001) surface can be reproduced from the force curve by using the transform theory. The transform theory will enhance AFM's ability and support structural analyses of solid/liquid interfaces. By using the transform theory, the effective diameter of a real probe apex is also obtained. This result will be important for designing a model probe of molecular scale simulations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Energy and Hydrocarbon Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyoto University, Kyoto 615-8510, Japan. amano.kenichi.8s@kyoto-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Ken-Ichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Amano
authors.forename: Yunfeng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Keisuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Miyazawa
authors.forename: Kazuya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Kota
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hashimoto
authors.forename: Kazuhiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fukami
authors.forename: Naoya
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nishi
authors.forename: Tetsuo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sakka
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Onishi
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fukuma