New Opportunities of Atomic Force Microscopy Probes upon Polyaniline Functionalization

NSG01 industrial atomic force microscope probes were functionalized by the electrically conductive polymer, polyaniline, during in situ oxidative polymerization of aniline at the probe point, which was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy. The quality of the deposited polymer can be controlled by measuring the resonance frequency of the gauge during functionalization. The comparative test of the probes prior to and after functionalization was performed using a TGT01 calibration grate, as well as on a special polyaniline test layer with a complex nanosized morphology in the semicontact mode of surface relief study and the phase contrast mode. Local current spectroscopy showed that the functionalized probe can be converted repeatedly from the conducting to nonconducting state owing to a reversible change in the conductivity of the polymer coating.