Phase mode nanomachining on ultra-thin films with atomic force microscopy

Machining or patterning ultra-thin films with specified structures are critical challenges. In this work, a novel mode of atomic force microscopy nanomachining is proposed. The phase response of the cantilever is used as the input of feedback control to modulate the machining force to achieve the desired machined depth. The proposed phase mode, overcoming the disadvantages of force mode, is not affected by the debris piled-up and has the ability to sense the interface of an ultra-thin film and predict the machining depth without post-imaging. The effectiveness of the phase mode has been proven by experiments. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.