Huefner, MagdalenaPivonka, AdamKim, JeehoonYe, CunForsythe, Martin Blood ZwirnerZech, MartinHoffman, Jenny2012-11-202012Huefner, Magdalena, Adam Pivonka, Jeehoon Kim, Cun Ye, Martin A. Blood-Forsythe, Martin Zech, and Jennifer E. Hoffman. 2012. Microcantilever Q control via capacitive coupling. Applied Physics Letters 101(17): 173110.0003-6951http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:9925387We introduce a versatile method to control the quality factor Q of a conducting cantilever in an atomic force microscope (AFM) via capacitive coupling to the local environment. Using this method, Q may be reversibly tuned to within ~ 10% of any desired value over several orders of magnitude. A point-mass oscillator model describes the measured effect. Our simple Q control module increases the AFM functionality by allowing greater control of parameters such as scan speed and force gradient sensitivity, which we demonstrate by topographic imaging of a VO\(_{2}\) thin film in high vacuum.en-USatomic force microscopycantileversmicromechanical devicesoscillatorsQ-factorthin filmsvacuum techniquesJournal Article2012-11-2010.1063/1.4764025