Scanning Probe Microscopy (SPM) evolved with the invention of Scanning Tunnelling Microscope (STM). Later, with the development of the Atomic Force Microscope (AFM), topographic images of both conductive and insulating materials could be generated. Earlier AFM was used to map only the topography of samples but as the research in nanotechnology progressed, AFM was developed further to quantify not only the surface topography but the physical information of the sample. Unlike other microscopes such as optical and electron microscopes, AFM generates the information of the sample surface by feeling rather than looking at the samples by using a sharp tip. When the tip interacts with the sample surface it experiences interaction forces. These forces can be mapped by detecting the bending/deflection of the cantilever and converted into topographic information. Depending on the interaction forces the tip engages on the sample surface in contact, tapping and non-contact mode. These are fundamental modes in an AFM. The advanced modes techniques cater to map different properties of samples such as electrical, magnetic, nanomechanical, electromechanical etc. The scope of this webinar is to discuss the basic as well as the advanced modes showcasing the capability of an AFM and what more an AFM has to offer.
