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Measuring the nanomechanical properties and surface forces of materials using an atomic force microscope
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1989
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Force ResolutionEngineeringMicroscopyMechanical EngineeringSoft MatterNanotribologyAtomic Force MicroscopeSurface ForcesNanometrologySpatial ResolutionNanomechanicsMaterials ScienceNanotechnologyNanomanufacturingNanomechanical PropertiesNanostructuringMaterial MechanicsMechanical PropertiesNanomaterialsScanning Probe MicroscopyMaterials CharacterizationApplied PhysicsScanning Force MicroscopyNanofabricationNanostructures
An AFM is configured to measure tip–surface forces as a function of separation, enabling nanoindentation of elastic and plastic behavior, hardness, van der Waals forces, and adhesion with unprecedented force and spatial resolution. The instrument achieves a force resolution of 1 nN, a depth resolution of 0.02 nm, and is compact and relatively inexpensive.
An atomic force microscope (AFM) has been configured so that it measures the force between a tip mounted on a cantilever beam and a sample surface as a function of the tip–surface separation. This allows the AFM to study both the nanomechanical properties of the sample and the forces associated with the tip–surface interaction. More specifically, the AFM can measure the elastic and plastic behavior and hardness via nanoindentation, van der Waals forces, and the adhesion of thin-film and bulk materials with unprecedented force and spatial resolution. The force resolution is currently 1 nanonewton, and the depth resolution is 0.02 nm. Additionally, the instrument itself is compact and relatively inexpensive.