Manipulating the frequency response of small high-frequency atomic force microscope cantilevers

Abstract

We study small (less than 10 mu m-long) high-frequency (greater than 1 MHz) cantilevers specially designed for visualization of biomolecular processes in high-speed atomic force microscopes. The frequency responses of the first three flexural eigenmodes are investigated for the modified geometries. It is found that the Q-factors can be significantly altered in the desired way by reengineering the cantilever geometry without affecting its main operational parameters, such as the spring constant and the resonance frequency of the first flexural eigenmode in an air environment. In addition, higher-order flexural resonances can be moved away from the fundamental resonance with these geometrical modifications. The Q-factors in liquid, on the other hand, do not show a significant difference due to high viscous damping of the medium. Regular cantilevers modified by a focused ion beam are used to demonstrate the validity of the finite element simulation model.