Calculating Kelvin force microscopy signals from static force fields

We present an analytical formula to achieve numerical simulations of Kelvin force microscopy (KFM) signals from static force fields, which can be employed to describe amplitude-modulation or frequency-modulation KFM, as well as simultaneous topography and KFM modes for which the tip probe exhibits a nonzero oscillation during KFM imaging. This model is shown to account for side-capacitance and nonlinear effects taking place in KFM experiments, and can therefore be used conveniently to extract quantitative information from KFM experiments at the nanoscale. (C) 2010 American Institute of Physics. [doi: 10.1063/1.3323098]