Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

The Ultrasonic/Shear-Force Microscope: Integrating Ultrasonic Sensing Into A Near-Field Scanning Optical Microscope, Andres H. La Rosa, Xiquan Cui, J. Mccollum, Nan Li, Richard Nordstrom

Physics Faculty Publications and Presentations

An ultrasonic transducer is incorporated into a near-field scanning optical microscope (NSOM) to augment its versatility to characterize the properties of layers adsorbed to a sample's surface. Working under typical NSOM operation conditions, the ultrasonic transducer--attached underneath the sample--demonstrates sufficient sensitivity to monitor the waves generated by the tapered NSOM probe that oscillates in the proximity of, and parallel to, the sample's top surface. This capability makes the newly integrated ultrasonic/shear-force microscope a valuable diagnostic tool in the study of sliding friction and surface phenomena in general. Here, it is used to concurrently and independently monitor the effects that probe-sample …