How electronic charge is distributed over a molecule determines to a large extent its chemical properties. Here, we demonstrate how the electrostatic force field, originating from the inhomogeneous charge distribution in a molecule, can be measured with submolecular resolution. We exploit the fact that distortions typically observed in high-resolution atomic force microscopy images are for a si...

Natural and synthetic fibers exhibit a huge diversity regarding their dimension, structure and physical-chemical properties. The wanted properties of textiles are adjusted by directed selection, development and processing of fiber material. Atomic force microscopy offers as sole method the possibility to acquire quantitative information in the nanoand micro range under environmental conditions ...

Titanium oxide coatings have been deposited by the sol-gel dip-coating method. Crystallization of titanium oxide coatings was then achieved through thermal annealing at temperatures above 400 °C. The structural properties and surface morphology of the crystallized coatings were studied by micro-Raman spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy, respectively. Characterization technique, based on le...

All surfaces exposed to ambient conditions are covered by a thin film of water. Other than at high humidity conditions, i.e., relative humidity higher than 80%, those water films have nanoscale thickness. Nevertheless, even the thinnest film can profoundly affect the physical and chemical properties of the substrate. Information on the structure of these water films can be obtained from spectro...

In the Tapping mode, a variation of the oscillation amplitude and phase as a function of the tip sample distance is the necessary measurement to access quantitatively to the properties of the surface. In the present work, we give a systematic comparison between experimental data recorded on two surfaces, phase and amplitude, and theoretical curves. With an interaction between the tip and the su...

Molybdenum oxide (α-MoO)thin films were prepared on quartz and silicon substrates by thermal oxidation of Mo thin films deposited using DC magnetron sputtering method. The influence of thermal oxidation times ranging from 60-240 min on the structural and morphological properties of the preparedfilms was investigated using X-ray diffraction, Atomic force microscopy and Fourier transform infrared...

The viscosity of thin films of liquid poly(dimethylsiloxane) have been studied on silicon and fluoropolymer-coated silicon by means of a perturbation technique applied using colloid probe atomic force microscopy. The liquid film supported by a silicon substrate exhibited a greater viscosity than the bulk liquid, due to the strong interaction between the molecules near to the liquid/solid interf...