A lateral modulation technique for simultaneous friction and topography measurements with the atomic force microscope

A lateral sample modulation technique is presented to measure simultaneously lateral friction forces and topological features with an atomic force microscope (AFM). The employed technique allows one to use an AFM without any additional displacement sensor. This dynamic detection scheme is well suited for AFMs equipped with a fiber-optic displacement sensor. The technique and the mechanism of the contrast formation are discussed. The performance of the microscope is demonstrated by imaging flat surfaces and large corrugated films as well as low friction samples.