"Polystyrene Spheres on Mica Substrates: AFM Calibration, Tip Parameters and Scan Artefacts, " M. van Cleef, S. A. Holt, G. S. Watson and S. Myhra, J. Microsc. 181, 2(1996).

 

Description:

Atomic force microscopy, AFM, is limited by lack of reliable and convenient methodologies for calibration over the wide dynamic range of magnification. Polystyrene beads deposited on mica substrates form hexagonal close-packed layers. The unit cell parameters are suitable for calibration of the AFM in the lateral plane, while the perpendicular spacing of the layers is appropriate for calibration along the vertical axis. Using different size fractions, it is straightforward to determine the extents of linearity, orthogonality, thermal and instrumental drifts over distances from 100 nm to tens of mm. The methodologies can be adapted to contact as well as non-contact imaging modes.  Polystyrene spheres can be chosen with an optimal diameter (those in this image are on the order of 150nm), and have known shapes. The resultant artefacts can be used to infer tip parameters and to determine effects of force delocalization.


 

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