Introduction to Scanning Probe Microscopy

Today’s research laboratory is required to solve difficult problems that span multiple disciplines. Advanced techniques are required to answer pressing questions related to adhesion, bonding, contamination and surface cleanliness, corrosion, surface morphology, surface roughness, surface topography, failure analysis, process monitoring, surface chemistry, biological characterization, local surface properties — both electrical and mechanical, and thin film analysis. Rarely can one analytical technique effectively span such a wide range of applications. The rapid rise of scanning probe microscopy (SPM) provides a truly marvelous tool that provides useful information about all these topics and many more. Few scientific instruments have received as much attention and enjoyed such rapid growth as the atomic force microscope (AFM). The inherent simplicity of the AFM coupled with its ability to apply nanoNewton forces to surfaces with sub-nanometer lateral precision have led to a significant expansion in both the scope and context of the instrument. Originally used to probe the atomic roughness of a surface, the AFM has quickly evolved into a probe of surface forces using primarily only two modes of operation (contact and dynamic). Of particular significance are the rapidly evolving techniques that allow quantitative material property maps of surfaces with nanometer-scale resolution. Furthermore, the ability to position and precisely move a biased tip has been exploited to demonstrate novel nanoscale device fabrication. Taken together, these developments have led to the widespread use of AFM in all fields of science and engineering. The intelligent use of SPM and AFM requires broad training in a multitude of different disciplines spanning many areas of science and engineering.