Imaging on the Nanoscale: Improving Techniques in Atomic Force Microscopy

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) provides the means to image surfaces with nanometre resolution, allowing scientists to look at the individual building blocks and forces that make up the world around us. Professor Nancy Burnham of Worcester Polytechnic Institute and her colleagues Lei Lyu and Lily Poulikakos at the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa) have worked on how we can reduce artefacts in these images and ensure they are accurately interpreted. By considering and applying these techniques, high-quality AFM research can be produced.