Atomic Force Microscopy: A Concise Introduction

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) provides a gateway to the nanoworld. While the operational principle of an AFM is simple, the complexity of data acquisition and understanding is surprisingly intricate. This book concisely guides newcomers to high-quality data and a sound scientific foundation for interpreting the results. The assumed background is that of first-year university-level mathematics and physics. Part I of the book is focused on instrumentation, after which the reader should be able to confidently acquire topographic images from any AFM. Part II concentrates on force-curve acquisition and interpretation, through which relevant physics and materials-science concepts are developed. The last chapter of the book is more advanced, requiring familiarity with complex numbers and differential equations, to help the reader understand resonance-based AFM techniques. The text with its learning objectives and homework problems, in conjunction with online videos and an electronic instructional supplement, can be used for self-study, as the basis for a workshop, or as the main textbook for a course.