ABSTRACT
AFM. Today, there are a multitude of AFM designs, each having its own unique set of functionality. However, all the AFM designs can be classied essentially into two groups: (A) sample moves relative to the cantilever or the other scenario and (B) the cantilever is scanned over a stationary sample. ere are signi- cant merits and demerits in both designs. For example, in design A, the optics required for laser feedback is relatively straightforward in design. However, since the heavy sample stage has to move, this design can only scan at speeds up to the resonant frequency of the stage. In design B, there is no restriction on scan speed as the moving cantilevers are relatively light, but on the other hand this design requires a more complex optical feedback setup. Applications of the AFM today involve a wide variety of areas including inorganic chemistry, biomolecules, polymers, crystallography, thin lms, force-distance measurements, surface indentation and nanofabrication studies, and a host of AFM-based sensing approaches. Detailed reviews of AFM applications in biophysics, force measurements, nanofabrication, and cantilever-based sensing approaches can be found in the literature (Butt et al. 2005, Tseng et al. 2005, Gadegaard 2006).
