The Atomic Force Microscope

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that there are several different types of atomic force microscopes, which are used at very close ranges and without a lens, that operate by measuring a local property, whether height, optical absorption or magnetism, by using a probe placed very close to the sample. The author points out that AFMs constitute a subset within the larger group known as scanning-probe microscopes, which can utilize many different types of tips. The paper relates that the accuracy of the AFM depends on the state of the tip and a worn tip can produce blurred images resulting in the recent development of an automatic tip evaluation system showing when the tip needs to be replaced.

From the Paper:

"Kevin Kjoller considers how to measure the true resolving power of an atomic force microscope, noting first that resolution means the same as it does for an optical microscope, meaning the minimum distance between two adjacent objects that a microscope can identify as separate. Kjoller complains that most manufacturers substitute some meaningless term for resolution and ignore the reality. Several issues need to be considered, such as the size of the probe and three types of limiting noise, electrical, mechanical, and acoustic. Kjoller defines electrical noise as "the sum of the thermal and operating noise from all components inside the AFM electronics, including any noise due to cross-talk and less-than-optimal grouping.""

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