Fine atomic image of mica cleavage planes obtained with an atomic force microscope (AFM) and a novel procedure for image processing Original Research Article

Potassium layers and basal oxygen layers in muscovite and biotite cleavage planes were clearly discerned by an atomic force microscope (AFM) with a novel procedure for image processing. Unit cell sizes of muscovite and biotite determined by this procedure were in good accordance with those determined by X-ray structural analysis. Expected differences in the structures of muscovite and biotite, that is, the atomic arrangement of oxygen in the tetrahedral sheet, were clearly demonstrated from the processed images.