Reconstruction of height of sub-nanometer steps with bimodal atomic force microscopy.

Obtaining topographic images of surfaces presenting terraces with heights in the nanometer and sub-nanometer range has become routine since the advent of atomic force microscopy (AFM). There remain however several open questions regarding the validity of direct topographic measurements. Here we turn to recent advances in AFM to correct the height of nanometric terraces by exploiting the four observables of bimodal AFM operated in the non-invasive attractive regime. We first derive expressions based on the van der Waals theory and then image model terraces in air in standard bimodal AFM while simultaneously correcting and decoupling the sources of loss/gain of height.