Scanning Probe Microscopy: Present Status and New Development. Status and Development of Atomic Force Microscopy.

Abstract

In 1995, a true atomic resolution was achieved for the first time, using an ultrahigh-vacuum noncontact-atomic force microscope (AFM) with frequency modulation (FM) detection method that enables to measure change in mechanical resonant frequency (frequency shift) of an atomic force probe (AFM cantilever). At present, noncontact AFM method is established as a novel microscopy with true atomic resolution, which can observe even insulator. Here, to make clear the next development on AFM, we introduced a force mapping of atomic force on an atomic scale, i.e., atomic force mi-crospectroscopy and control of atomic force by change of atom on tip apex of an atomic force probe. AFM, which utilizes atomic force itself based on the atomic interaction, can provide observation, spectroscopy, discrimination, identification, control and manipulation of individual atomic force and atom, so that AFM has large possibility as the coming generation of atomic and molecular technique and is expected to develop in very wide fields of science and engineering.