Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM)
Description
An Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) provides 3 dimensional topographic information about a sample by probing its surface structure with a very sharp tip. The tip is scanned laterally across the surface, and the vertical movements of the tip are recorded and used to construct a quantitative 3 dimensional topographic map. The lateral resolution of the image can be as small as the tip radius (typically 5-15 nm), and the vertical resolution can be on the order of angstroms.
Rates
Click here to view current pricing rates
Technique Advantages
- Quantitative topographical information at high lateral resolution
- Little or no sample prep in many cases
- Non-destructive
- Applicable to conductive and insulating materials
Typical Applications
- High-resolution surface profilometry
- Surface roughness measurements
- Microstructural studies of metallic, ceramic, semiconducting and polymeric materials
- Defect and failure analysis
- Pit analysis for optical disk storage media
- Magnetic domain and surface roughness analysis for computer hard-disks
- Semiconductor device structural analyses
- Surface cleaning and polishing studies
- Phase separation in polymers
- Critical Dimension Measurements
- Investigation of local mechanical properties (i.e. stiffness, adhesion, friction)
- High-resolution imaging of biological samples
- Studies of nano-scale forces
A more detailed list of applications can be found at www.veeco.com.
Other information
Related PSU coursework
Materials Science 430, Materials Characterization, 3-credits (Fall only)