An important figure of merit in atomic force microscopy is the spring constant of the cantilever probe. To create high aspect ratio tips, cantilever probe manufacturers commonly use dynamic etch techniques that modify the shape and dimensions of both the tip and the beam. Most of the methods used to determine beam stiffness assume a rectangular cross section even though the commonly used etches produce beams with trapezoidal cross sections. We present herein an improved method for determining beam stiffness that takes into account the actual geometry of the cantilever.
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