Evolution of SPM for Biological Imaging Application Note

About this manual

The document provides an overview of the history of scanning probe microscopy, starting with the Scanning Tunneling Microscope (STM) and evolving into the Atomic Force Microscope (AFM). It highlights how AFM overcomes limitations of STM by being able to image non-conductive materials like biological samples.

What's inside

• Introduction
• Evolution of the AFM
• Imaging with AFM: Contact Mode
• Imaging with AFM: Dynamic or AC AFM

Frequently asked questions

What types of biological samples can AFM image that STM cannot?

AFM is able to image non-conductive or insulating materials, such as proteins, DNA, and living cells.

Why must biological samples be firmly affixed when using contact mode AFM?

Physical interactions in contact mode create significant lateral force, so samples must be firmly affixed to an atomically flat substrate.

How does AC AFM avoid the sample degradation seen in contact mode?

AC AFM encounters negligible lateral forces, making it a gentler technique that prevents severe sample degradation.