[摘要]：Atomic force microscopy experiments were conducted to investigate the scratching characteristics of platinum thin-films for making microscale or nanoscale structures. The wear behavior of the diamond-like-carbon coated tip used was first studied to quantify the wear rate for scratching Pt films. The influences of the scratching parameters on the resulting geometries were then investigated. The scratching parameters to be considered included the applied tip force, number of scratch cycles, and scratch speed. All results indicated that the scratched groove size could be well correlated with and precisely controlled by the applied force and the scratch cycle number. With the aid of the correlation parameters and the known tip wear rate, the scratched geometry can be better controlled and fabricated. The associated scratchability, which is a measure of the easiness of the material to be removed by scratching, can also be determined. (C) 2012 American Vacuum Society. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1116/1.3694242]
