Advances in Scanning Probe Microscopy Research

In this review, advances in scanning probe microscopy (SPM) from the last two decades are presented. Progress analyzing C60 molecules is described as an example of molecular imaging quality improvement for each decade. Innovations and progress SPM techniques then outlined, especially atomic force operating ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) or aqueous environments, widely spread low-temperature and/or high-performance UHV tunneling microscopy.