ABSTRACT
The A F M is an ideal tool for the study of viscoelastic effects because of its realtime acquisition of data during controlled dynamic measurements. The data that are directly obtainable are the force as a function of the drive distance for both loading and unloading, and the adhesion. Detailed analysis of these data using the elastic and viscoelastic theories described above should allow the extraction of the amount of deformation, and the values of the elastic parameters and relaxation times.
