Primary information sensors for AFM based on quasiparticle flows

Abstract

A new class of experimental techniques is presented which allows the behavior of elementary collective excitations (quasiparticles) in solids to be studied at the mesoscopic scale. New experimental equipment is being constructed in the classical scheme of an atomic force microscope in which the sensor of primary information is a cantilever. The defining feature of the proposed sensor based on a cantilever is the addition of a generator and detector of quasiparticles to its design. The generator is located either on the tip of the cantilever or in close proximity to the needle on the cantilever, so that the flow of quasiparticles emitted by the generator propagates along the needle of the cantilever to the point where the needle tip touches the surface. The detector is located in a similar way. The measured quantity is the reflection coefficient of the flux of quasiparticles from the interface between the cantilever needle tip and the surface being scanned.