Chronocoulometry for quantitative control of mass removal in micro-structures and sensors

Theoretical and experimental study of the dynamic response of absorber-based, micro-scale, oscillatory probes for contact sensing applications

This paper presents two models for predicting the frequency response of micro-scale oscillatory probes. These probes are manufactured by attaching a thin fiber to the free end of one tine of a quartz tuning fork oscillator. In these studies, the attached fibers were either 75 μm diameter tungsten or 7 μm diameter carbon with lengths ranging from around 1 to 15 mm. The oscillators used in these studies were commercial 32.7 kHz quartz tuning forks. The first theoretical model considers lateral vibration of two beams serially connected and provides a characteristic equation from which the roots (eigenvalues) are extracted to determine the natural frequencies of the probe. A second, lumped model approximation is used to derive an approximate frequency response function for prediction of tine displacements as a function of a modal force excitation corresponding to the first mode of the tine in the absence of a fiber. These models are used to evaluate the effect of changes in both length and diameter of the attached fibers. Theoretical values of the natural frequencies of different modes show an asymptotic relationship with the length and a linear relationship with the diameter of the attached fiber. Similar results are observed from experiment, one with a tungsten probe having an initial fiber length of 14.11 mm incrementally etched down to 0.83 mm, and another tungsten probe of length 8.16 mm incrementally etched in diameter, in both cases using chronocoulometry to determine incremental volumetric material removal. The lumped model is used to provide a frequency response again reveals poles and zeros that are consistent with experimental measurements. Finite element analysis shows mode shapes similar to experimental microscope observations of the resonating carbon probes. This model provides a means of interpreting measured responses in terms of the relative motion of the tine and attached fibers. Of particular relevance is that, when a "zero" is observed in the response of the tine, one mode of the fiber is matched to the tine frequency and is acting as an absorber. This represents an optimal condition for contact sensing and for transferring energy to the fiber for fluid mixing, touch sensing, and surface modification applications.

Calculation of the effect of tip geometry on noncontact atomic force microscopy using a qPlus sensor

In qPlus atomic force microscopy the tip length can in principle approach the length of the cantilever. We present a detailed mathematical model of the effects this has on the dynamic properties of the qPlus sensor. The resulting, experimentally confirmed motion of the tip apex is shown to have a large lateral component, raising interesting questions for both calibration and force-spectroscopy measurements.