(164m) Direct Force Balance Method for Afm Lateral Force Calibration

A new and simple calibration method for the atomic force microscope (AFM) is developed. Until now, calibration of the AFM for lateral force microscopy has been difficult and nontrivial. This non-scanning method is based on direct force balances on surfaces with known slopes. From the collection of force-distance measurements on surfaces with known slopes, the lateral calibration is determined. This method requires a substrate with known slopes, the z-motion of the piezo calibrated, and the normal spring constant known. This technique determines not only the lateral detector sensitivity (N/V) but also the detector off-set (V/m) and off-centering angle (á) for asymmetric cantilevertip geometries. Because it is non-scanning, the AFM cantilever can be calibrated without dulling the tip.