Topography imaging alone does not always provide the answers that researchers need and the surface topology often does not correlate to the material properties.
For these reasons, advanced imaging modes have been developed to provide quantitative data on a variety of surfaces. Now, many material properties can be determined with AFM techniques, including friction, electrical forces, capacitance, magnetic forces, conductivity, viscoelasticity, surface potential, and resistance.
The development of the family of scanning probe microscopes started with the original invention of the STM in This instrument would later win Binnig and Rohrer the Nobel prize in physics in The atomic force microscope AFM was developed to overcome a basic drawback with STM — it can only image conducting or semiconducting surfaces.
The AFM has the advantage of imaging almost any type of surface, including polymers, ceramics, composites, glass, and biological samples. Atomic force microscopy is arguably the most versatile and powerful microscopy technology for studying samples at nanoscale. It is versatile because an atomic force microscope can not only image in three-dimensional topography, but it also provides various types of surface measurements to the needs of scientists and engineers.
It is powerful because an AFM can generate images at atomic resolution with angstrom scale resolution height information, with minimum sample preparation. So, how does an AFM work? In this page, we introduce you to the principles of an AFM with an easy to understand video animations. Feel free to share this page with others, and to email us if you have any questions. Nano World Nano , from the Greek word for 'dwarf', corresponds to a prefix denoting a factor of 10 Thus, a nanometer is one billionth of a meter, which is the length scale at which intermolecular force and quantum effect take hold.
To put the nanoscale in a more understandable perspective, consider that the size of an atom relative to an apple is similar to the size of an apple relative to the planet Earth!
As the tip approaches the surface, the close-range, attractive force between the surface and the tip cause the cantilever to deflect towards the surface.
However, as the cantilever is brought even closer to the surface, such that the tip makes contact with it, increasingly repulsive force takes over and causes the cantilever to deflect away from the surface. Oxford Instruments. Sustainability Investors Careers News Events en. Investors Careers. Case Studies. About Us. Sales Inquiries. Customer Support. Probe Selection Guide. The Underlying Principle of AFM AFM microscopes operate on the principle of surface sensing using an extremely sharp tip on a micromachined silicon probe.
Additional AFM Microscope Principles AFM microscopes are extremely versatile tools that are not limited to topographical measurements and imaging applications. Find out more. How can we help you?
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