ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a description of the characteristics and applications of contact mode imaging. The importance of cantilever deflection and subsequent detection with a laser and photodiode are discussed in this chapter. Readers will find inclusion of a section that describes the operation of the feedback loop during contact mode operation. A discussion about the setpoint imaging parameter and its role in feedback loop operation is included. This chapter also describes several surface roughness parameters and associated equations. At the end of this chapter, readers will find a laboratory investigation involving the determination of surface roughness parameters for bare and metallized polymer nanostructures.
