Atomic force microscope
Atomic Force Microscope (pronunciation: a-tom-ic force mi-cro-scope, etymology: Atomic - from the Greek atomos meaning indivisible, Force - from the Latin fortis meaning strong, Microscope - from the Greek mikros meaning small and skopein meaning to look at) is a type of scanning probe microscope that provides a three-dimensional profile of a material at a very small scale.
The Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) was first developed in 1986 by Gerd Binnig and Christoph Gerber, who wanted to improve the resolution of their Scanning Tunneling Microscope. The AFM operates by using a very small probe, often only a few atoms in size, to scan the surface of the material. The probe is attached to a cantilever which bends in response to the forces between the probe and the surface. This bending is measured and used to create an image of the surface.
The AFM has several advantages over other types of microscopes. It can image non-conductive materials, which is not possible with a scanning tunneling microscope. It also does not require any special preparation of the sample, such as coating with a conductive material. The AFM can also operate in a variety of environments, including liquids, which allows for the study of biological samples in their natural environment.
Related terms include Cantilever, Probe, Scanning Tunneling Microscope, Non-conductive material, and Biological samples.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Atomic force microscope
- Wikipedia's article - Atomic force microscope
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