Advances in atomic force microscopy

TLDR

The review traces the evolution of atomic force microscopy in ultrahigh vacuum, emphasizing its invention and recent advances, especially the widespread use of frequency‑modulation AFM for atomic‑resolution imaging. The article aims to explain in detail the operation of frequency‑modulation AFM and other dynamic methods. It details how frequency‑modulation AFM and related dynamic techniques function in practice. Dynamic force microscopy now achieves atomic resolution on conductors and insulators, with recent work expanding empirical knowledge and theory, improving resolution and usability, and enabling new experiments such as imaging insulators with true atomic resolution and measuring interatomic forces.

Abstract

This article reviews the progress of atomic force microscopy in ultrahigh vacuum, starting with its invention and covering most of the recent developments. Today, dynamic force microscopy allows us to image surfaces of conductors and insulators in vacuum with atomic resolution. The most widely used technique for atomic-resolution force microscopy in vacuum is frequency-modulation atomic force microscopy (FM-AFM). This technique, as well as other dynamic methods, is explained in detail in this article. In the last few years many groups have expanded the empirical knowledge and deepened our theoretical understanding of frequency-modulation atomic force microscopy. Consequently spatial resolution and ease of use have been increased dramatically. Vacuum atomic force microscopy opens up new classes of experiments, ranging from imaging of insulators with true atomic resolution to the measurement of forces between individual atoms.