  With recent advances in dynamic scanning probe microscopy techniques, it is
now a routine to image the sub-molecular structure of molecules with
atomically-engineered tips which are prepared via controlled modification of
the tip termination and are chemically well-defined. The enhanced spatial
resolution is possible as atomically-engineered tips can preserve their
integrity in the repulsive interaction regime. Although the mechanism of
improved spatial resolution has been investigated both experimentally and
theoretically, the ultimate temporal resolution while preserving picometer
scale spatial resolution still remains an open question. Here, we
computationally analyze the temporal resolution of atomic force microscopy
imaging with atomically-engineered tips. Our computational results reveal that
non-metal terminated tips, e.g. oxygen-terminated copper, are well-suited for
enhanced temporal resolution up to video rate imaging velocities while
preserving picometer range spatial resolution. Contrarily, the
highest-attainable spatial resolution of atomically-engineered tips with
low-stiffness, e.g. CO-terminated, deteriorate with increasing imaging
velocity. Our results reveal that when atomically-engineered tips terminated
with molecules are in use, imaging velocities in the order of nanometers per
second at most are inevitable even for atomically flat surfaces to retain
atomic resolution and avoid slip-stick motion. In addition to shedding light on
the temporal resolution of atomic force microscopy imaging with
atomically-engineered tips, our numerical results provide an outlook to the
scalability of atom-by-atom fabrication using scanning probe microscopy
techniques.
