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Atomic-Scale Contrast Formation in AFM Images on Molecular Systems

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Noncontact Atomic Force Microscopy

Part of the book series: NanoScience and Technology ((NANO))

Abstract

Imaging individual molecules with atomic resolution is now possible using non-contact atomic force microscopy (AFM). In all cases where atomic resolution imaging of molecules was demonstrated, chemically passivated tips were used. This chapter will discuss the factors influencing the atomic scale imaging of molecular systems. We will first discuss the effect of the tip passivation on the atomic scale contrast. Subsequently, we will consider the factors affecting the quantitative details of the apparent atomic positions (background from the neighbouring atoms, flexibility of the tip apex and non-planar samples). Finally, we will discuss how the tip flexibility affects the appearance of the inter- and intramolecular bonds imaged with AFM.

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Acknowledgments

We are indebted to all our co-authors who have contributed to the work described in this chapter. In particular, we thank Ingmar Swart, Mark Boneschanscher, Joost van der Lit, Zhixiang Sun and Daniël Vanmaekelbergh from Utrecht University, where all the experiments shown in this chapter were conducted, for a fruitful collaboration. This research was supported he European Research Council (ERC-2011-StG No. 278698 “PRECISE-NANO”) and the Academy of Finland through its Centre of Excellence “Low-temperature quantum phenomena and devices” (project no. 250280).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Applied Physics, Aalto University School of Science, PO Box 15100, 00076, Aalto, Finland

    Fabian Schulz, Sampsa Hämäläinen & Peter Liljeroth

Authors
  1. Fabian Schulz
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  2. Sampsa Hämäläinen
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  3. Peter Liljeroth
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Peter Liljeroth .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research, Osaka University Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Center, Osaka, Ibaraki, Japan

    Seizo Morita

  2. Institute of Experimental and Applied Physics, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany

    Franz J. Giessibl

  3. Department of Physics, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland

    Ernst Meyer

  4. ERC Advanced Research Group "FURORE", University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany

    Roland Wiesendanger

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Schulz, F., Hämäläinen, S., Liljeroth, P. (2015). Atomic-Scale Contrast Formation in AFM Images on Molecular Systems. In: Morita, S., Giessibl, F., Meyer, E., Wiesendanger, R. (eds) Noncontact Atomic Force Microscopy. NanoScience and Technology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-15588-3_10

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