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Improving AFM Images with Harmonic Interference by Spectral Analysis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 January 2012

Marek Kiwilszo ,
Artur Zieliński ,
Janusz Smulko  and
Kazimierz Darowicki
Marek Kiwilszo*
Affiliation:
Faculty of Electronics, Telecommunications and Informatics, Department of Optoelectronics and Electronics Systems, Gdańsk University of Technology, Narutowicza Str. 11/12, 80-233 Gdańsk, Poland
Artur Zieliński
Affiliation:
Chemical Faculty, Department of Electrochemistry, Corrosion and Material Engineering, Gdańsk University of Technology, Narutowicza Str. 11/12, 80-233 Gdańsk, Poland
Janusz Smulko
Affiliation:
Faculty of Electronics, Telecommunications and Informatics, Department of Optoelectronics and Electronics Systems, Gdańsk University of Technology, Narutowicza Str. 11/12, 80-233 Gdańsk, Poland
Kazimierz Darowicki
Affiliation:
Chemical Faculty, Department of Electrochemistry, Corrosion and Material Engineering, Gdańsk University of Technology, Narutowicza Str. 11/12, 80-233 Gdańsk, Poland
*
Corresponding author. E-mail: Marek.Kiwilszo@gmail.com
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Abstract

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is one of the most sensitive tools for nanoscale imaging. As such, it is very sensitive to external noise sources that can affect the quality of collected data. The intensity of the disturbance depends on the noise source and the mode of operation. In some cases, the internal noise from commercial AFM controllers can be significant and difficult to remove. Thus, a new method based on spectrum analysis of the scanned images is proposed to reduce harmonic disturbances. The proposal is a post-processing method and can be applied at any time after measurements. This article includes a few methods of harmonic cancellation (e.g., median filtering, wavelet denoising, Savitzky-Golay smoothing) and compares their effectiveness. The proposed method, based on Fourier transform of the scanned images, was more productive than the other methods mentioned before. The presented data were achieved for images of conductive layers taken in a contact AFM mode.

Keywords

impedance spectroscopyatomic force microscopeimproving imagesdisturbances elimination
Type
Techniques Development
Information
Microscopy and Microanalysis , Volume 18 , Issue 1 , February 2012 , pp. 186 - 195
Copyright
Copyright © Microscopy Society of America 2012

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