Researchers develop integrated nanomechanical sensor for atomic force microscopy
Thursday, June 2, 2011 - 10:30
in Physics & Chemistry
(PhysOrg.com) -- The atomic force microscope (AFM) is an important tool for nanoscale surface metrology. Typical AFMs map local tip-surface interactions by scanning a flexible cantilever probe over a surface. They rely on bulky optical sensing instrumentation to measure the motion of the probe, which limits the sensitivity, stability, and accuracy of the microscope, and precludes the use of probes much smaller than the wavelength of light.