Accurate detection of subsurface microcavity by bimodal atomic force microscopy

Subsurface detection capability of bimodal atomic force microscopy (AFM) was investigated using the buried microcavity as a reference sample, prepared by partially covering a piece of highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) flake with different thickness on a piece of a cleaned CD-R disk substrate. This capability can be manifested as the image contrast between the locations with and without the buried microcavities. The theoretical and experimental results demonstrated that the image contrast is significantly affected by the critical parameters, including the second eigenmode amplitude and frequency as well as local structural and mechanical properties of the sample itself. Specifically, improper parameter settings generally lead to incorrect identification of the buried microcavity due to the contrast reduction, contrast reversal and even disappearance. For accurate detection, the second eigenmode amplitude should be as small as possible on the premise of satisfying the signal-to-noise ratio and second eigenmode frequency should be close to the resonance frequency of the cantilever. In addition, the detectable depth is closely related to microcavity dimension (thickness and width) of the HOPG flake and local stiffness of the sample. These results would be helpful for further understanding of the detection mechanism of bimodal AFM and facilitating its application in nano-characterization of subsurface structures, such as the micro-/nano- channels to direct the flow of liquids in lab-on-a-chip devices.