Probing Nano-Scale Forces with the Atomic Force Microscope

The ability of the atomic force microscope (AFM) to create three-dimensional micrographs with resolution down to the nanometer and Angstrom scales has made it an essential tool for imaging surfaces in applications ranging from semiconductor processing to cell biology. In addition to this topographical imaging, however, the AFM can also probe nanomechanical and other fundamental properties of sample surfaces, including their local adhesive or elastic (compliance) properties.