AWM's AFM page - AFM principle

AFM

How does it work? (under construction)

My AFM papers:

A.W.Marczewski and K.Higashitani, Computers Chem. 21(3) 129-142 (1997) “Modeling and Analysis of Experimental Atomic Force Microscope Images of Hard Colloidal Particles" (pdf).
The fundamentals of atomic force microscopy of hard colloidal particles are described: image modeling, image deconvolution, calibration of tip-shape with hard spherical colloidal particles (not necessarily monodisperse!). Necessary easy-to-use algorithms (many details) and examples of experimental data analysis are also presented.
The Fortran sources of the modeling / deconvolution / calibration program mentioned in the above paper are available upon e-mail request (see below).

and conference papers/communications:

A.W.Marczewski, T.Yako and K.Higashitani, Proc. 60th. Conf.of Soc.Chem.Eng., Japan, Osaka, March 28-30, 1995, paper C108 (vol.I, p.49) (oral presentation AWM), "Modelling the AFM Images of Colloidal Particles".
A.W.Marczewski and K.Higashitani, Proc. 48th Syposium of Colloidal and Surface Chemistry, Jpn.Chem.Soc, Japan, Sapporo, October 12-14, 1995, paper 1C 05, pp.154-155, "Morphological Modelling of AFM Images of Hard Colloidal Particles" (oral presentation AWM).
A.W.Marczewski, T.Yako and K.Higashitani, Proc. 48th Syposium of Colloidal and Surface Chemistry, Jpn.Chem.Soc, Japan, Sapporo, October 12-14, 1995, paper P 015, pp.390-391, "Analysis of Experimental AFM Images of Colloidal Particles: AFM Tip Calibration and Image Deconvolution" (poster).
A.W.Marczewski, T. Taniguchi and K.Higashitani, Proc. 61st. Conf.of Soc.Chem.Eng., Japan, Nagoya, April 2-4, 1996, paper R211 (vol.2, p.239) (oral presentation AWM), "Computer Analysis and Improvement of Experimental AFM Images of Colloidal Particles".

Simplified idea of topographical AFM:

Comparison of AFM image (raw) with deconvoluted image for AFM cantilever with large sperical tip apex (e.g. worn-out tip or a tip with a colloidal particle glued to its end) - image features' half-height width are marked:

(1) Creation of AFM image, (2) deconvolution of AFM image (for the known tip shape), (3) deconvoluted tip shape (e.g. calibrated on sperical particles).

AFM papers