GUIDELINES TO SIMULATE LINEAR VISCOELASTIC MATERIALS WITH AN ARBITRARY NUMBER OF CHARACTERISTIC TIMES IN THE CONTEXT OF ATOMIC FORCE MISCROSCOPY

Abstract

We provide guidelines for modeling linear viscoelastic materials containing an arbitrary number of characteristic times, under atomic force microscopy (AFM) characterization. Instructions are provided to set up the governing equations that rule the deformation of the material by the AFM tip. Procedures are described in detail in the spirit of providing a simple handbook, which is accompanied by open-access code and workbook (Excel) sheets. These guidelines seek to complement the existing literature and reach out to a larger audience in the awareness of the interdisciplinary nature of science. Examples are given in the context of force-distance curves characterization within AFM, but they can be easily extrapolated to other types of contact characterization techniques at different length scales. Despite the simplified approach of this document, the algorithms described herein are built upon rigorous classical linear viscoelastic theory.