Non-contact Mode

Category General
Difficulty Level Normal
Audience Level General
Description Microscopic characterization methods refer to scientific techniques Which allow determination of both composition and structure of a material. Optical microscopy, scanning probe microscopy and electron microscopy are known as microscopic techniques. This course illustrates how microscopic characterization techniques are used.
Overview
Microscopic methods play an essential role in nanomaterials characterization. Microscopic and X-ray based characterization of nanomaterials techniques are used for the determination of surface morphology and dispersion characteristics of nanomaterials. This course deals with details of these aspects, and will provide a fundamental understanding of morphological tools, such as instrumentation, sample preparation and different kinds of analyses, etc.


Booklet
Description
NC-AFM measures surface topography by utilizing the attractive inter-atomic force between the tip and a sample surface. In order to realize NC-AFM in an ambient atmosphere, it is critical to maintain the tip-sample distance at a certain constant value and prevent tip from contacting sample surface. In non-contact mode, imaging of molecules can be done during the chemical reactions.

Mental Challenge
What is the difference between the imaging speeds of non-contact mode with semi-contact? 

Quizzes and Activities
Activity: Sketch the imaging process in non-contact mode AFM. 

Further Reading Sources
1. https://www.ntmdt-si.com/resources/spm-principles/atomic-force-microscopy/amplitude-modulation-afm/non-contact-mode