Improvement in Q-factor of Atomic Force Microscopy Probe using Crystal-Quartz Tuning Fork

摘要

We report that the effectiveness of crystal-quartz tuning fork as Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) probe. The tuning fork probe is fabricated by quartz micromachining technology and integrated a tip structure by using focused-ion-beam (FIB) system. We actuated the tuning fork in two different vibration mode; in-phase and anti-phase mode, and clarified that high Q-factor of 5247 was obtained at antiphase mode. The value of Q-factor is more than ten times that of the conventional cantilevered probe, and it would have high resolution in non-contact AFM system. We further applied anti-phase mode for AFM observation and images were successfully with dynamic AFM system.