Fig. 1.
Microscopy photographs of bubbles in the AFM with schematics of the two interacting bubbles and the water film between them. (A) Side view of the bubble anchored on the tip of the cantilever. (B) Plan view of the custom-made cantilever with the hydrophobized circular anchor pad for the bubble. (C) Side perspective of the bubble on the substrate. (D) Bottom view of the bubble showing the dark circular contact zone of radius, a (in focus) on the substrate and the bubble of radius, Rs. (E) Schematic of the bubble geometry in the AFM and the axisymmetric coordinate system and water film thickness, h(r,t), between the bubbles.