P Paolino and L Bellon 2009 Nanotechnology 20 405705 doi:10.1088/0957-4484/20/40/405705
P Paolino and L Bellon1
Show affiliationsWe measure the mechanical thermal noise of soft silicon atomic force microscope cantilevers. Using an interferometric setup, we obtain a resolution down to 10−14 m Hz−1/2 on a wide spectral range (3–105 Hz). The low frequency behavior depends dramatically on the presence of a reflective coating: almost flat spectra for uncoated cantilevers versus a 1/f like trend for coated ones. The addition of a viscoelastic term in models of the mechanical system can account for this observation. Use of Kramers–Kronig relations validate this approach with a complete determination of the response of the cantilever: a power law with a small coefficient is found for the frequency dependence of viscoelasticity due to the coating, whereas the viscous damping due to the surrounding atmosphere is accurately described by the Sader model.
46.35.+z Viscoelasticity, plasticity, viscoplasticity
07.79.Lh Atomic force microscopes
68.37.Ps Atomic force microscopy (AFM)
85.85.+j Micro- and nano-electromechanical systems (MEMS/NEMS) and devices
Instrumentation and measurement
Surfaces, interfaces and thin films
Issue 40 (7 October 2009)
Received 16 February 2009, in final form 7 July 2009
Published 8 September 2009
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