TY - JOUR
T1 - Compact metal probes
T2 - A solution for atomic force microscopy based tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy
AU - Rodriguez, R. D.
AU - Sheremet, E.
AU - Müller, S.
AU - Gordan, O. D.
AU - Villabona, A.
AU - Schulze, S.
AU - Hietschold, M.
AU - Zahn, D. R.T.
PY - 2012/12/1
Y1 - 2012/12/1
N2 - There are many challenges in accomplishing tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS) and obtaining a proper tip is probably the greatest one. Since tip size, composition, and geometry are the ultimate parameters that determine enhancement of intensity and lateral resolution, the tip becomes the most critical component in a TERS experiment. However, since the discovery of TERS the cantilevers used in atomic force microscopy (AFM) have remained basically the same: commercial silicon (or silicon nitride) tips covered by a metallic coating. The main issues of using metal-coated silicon cantilevers, such as wearing off of the metal layer or increased tip radius, can be completely overcome by using all-metal cantilevers. Until now in TERS experiments such probes have only been used in a scanning tunneling microscope or in a tuning fork-based shear force microscope but not in AFM. In this work for the first time, we show the use of compact silver cantilevers that are fully compatible with contact and tapping modes in AFM demonstrating their superb performance in TERS experiments.
AB - There are many challenges in accomplishing tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS) and obtaining a proper tip is probably the greatest one. Since tip size, composition, and geometry are the ultimate parameters that determine enhancement of intensity and lateral resolution, the tip becomes the most critical component in a TERS experiment. However, since the discovery of TERS the cantilevers used in atomic force microscopy (AFM) have remained basically the same: commercial silicon (or silicon nitride) tips covered by a metallic coating. The main issues of using metal-coated silicon cantilevers, such as wearing off of the metal layer or increased tip radius, can be completely overcome by using all-metal cantilevers. Until now in TERS experiments such probes have only been used in a scanning tunneling microscope or in a tuning fork-based shear force microscope but not in AFM. In this work for the first time, we show the use of compact silver cantilevers that are fully compatible with contact and tapping modes in AFM demonstrating their superb performance in TERS experiments.
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U2 - 10.1063/1.4770140
DO - 10.1063/1.4770140
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84875476635
VL - 83
JO - Review of Scientific Instruments
JF - Review of Scientific Instruments
SN - 0034-6748
IS - 12
M1 - 123708
ER -