Probe-induced soft sample damage in atomic force microscopy (AFM), as well as the resulting alteration of local mechanical and electrical properties of the material are explored, specifically comparing contact-mode and intermittent-contact-mode imaging methods. In our experiments, performed on conductive polymer films, induced changes are present in contact-mode imaging while they are negligible or absent in tapping-mode imaging. To understand this result, a viscoelastic parameter extraction is performed, which suggests that permanent sample deformation can readily occur for tip-sample interactions with a duration on the timescale of contact-mode interactions. Using the extracted viscoelastic parameters, a dynamic AFM simulation is conducted, which suggests that the material responds more elastically with reduced or absent sample damage in tapping-mode AFM, due to the higher rate of mechanical deformation and shorter timescales.

中文翻译：

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接触和分接模式原子力显微镜下的软样品变形，损坏和感应的机电性能变化

研究了探针在原子力显微镜（AFM）中引起的软样品损伤，以及由此引起的材料局部机械和电气性能的变化，特别是比较了接触模式和间歇接触模式成像方法。在我们对导电聚合物薄膜进行的实验中，接触模式成像中存在感应变化，而敲击模式成像中则可忽略或不存在感应变化。为了理解该结果，进行了粘弹性参数提取，这表明对于尖端-样品相互作用，在接触模式相互作用的时间尺度上，持续时间容易发生永久性样品变形。使用提取的粘弹性参数进行动态AFM仿真，