Manipulating Si(100) at 5 K using qPlus frequency modulated atomic force microscopy : role of defects and dynamics in the mechanical switching of atoms

Sweetman, A. and Jarvis, S. and Danza, R. and Bamidele, J. and Kantorovich, L. and Moriarty, P. (2011) Manipulating Si(100) at 5 K using qPlus frequency modulated atomic force microscopy : role of defects and dynamics in the mechanical switching of atoms. Physical review B, 84 (8): 085426. ISSN 1098-0121

Abstract

We use small-amplitude qPlus frequency modulated atomic force microscopy (FM-AFM), at 5 K, to investigate the atomic-scale mechanical stability of the Si(100) surface. By operating at zero applied bias the effect of tunneling electrons is eliminated, demonstrating that surface manipulation can be performed by solely mechanical means. Striking differences in surface response are observed between different regions of the surface, most likely due to variations in strain associated with the presence of surface defects. We investigate the variation in local energy surface by ab initio simulation, and comment on the dynamics observed during force spectroscopy.