Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions about Atomic Force Microscopy

This section of the website was obtained from the afmhelp website, with the kind permission of its author, Peter Eaton, who is also the author of the book Atomic Force Microscopy (2010), 256 pp, OUP. ISBN: 9780199570454

List of articles in category Frequently Asked Questions
Title
1. How does AFM work?
2. What's the difference between AFM and SPM? What are STM, SFM, etc?
3. What kind of samples can be analysed by AFM? What are the applications of AFM?
4. Can I see individual atoms with the AFM?
5. Can we scan in liquid?
6. Will it take long? (are we there yet?)
7. How big can my sample be?
8. How do I prepare my particulate sample (i.e. a powder)?
9. What concentration (of particles) should I use?
10. Does my sample have to be clean?
11. What do I do with these strange files?
12. What if I want to do the analysis myself?
13. My image has weird horizontal lines all over it.
14. My image has weird vertical/diagonal bands lines all over it, or oscillations in the force curve.
15. What are Phase/Amplitude/Friction images?
16. How do I use the AFM?
17. What is setpoint? Should I change it?
18. How do I optimise the feedback parameters?
19. What kind of artifacts can occur in AFM images, and how can I avoid artifacts in my images?
20. I need to get an accurate height measurement. Should I calibrate?