About Scanning Probe Microscopy

Scanning probe microscopes, like the Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) and the Scanning Tunneling Microscope (STM), are used to image and measure properties of material, chemical and biological surfaces. SPM images are obtained by scanning a sharp probe over a surface while compiling the tip-sample interactions to provide an image. 

The CMSC lab at MSU is equipped with the Nanoscope IV Multimode SPM fromVeeco, which provides a combination of easy-to-use, powerful software and innovative hardware design, which gives it the flexibility to easily acquire images from the atomic and microscopic scales. It performs the full range of scanning probe microscopy techniques to measure surface characteristics, including topography, elasticity, friction, adhesion, magnetic fields, electrochemical, thermal, and electrical fields. 

The AFM is used regularly for training, and now routinely as an advanced microscopic method for examining polymer materials for such applications as engineering plastics, paints and coatings, rubber, packaging, fibers, and a wide range of consumer goods.

Training

If you wish to be trained on this instrument, please send an email to hosein@egr.msu.edu.

Resources

There are many good resources of information available on the internet. Here is one example.

Publications

Here is a partial list of references which showcase some of the images captured with our AFM.

1. Crystallization of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) by exfoliated graphite nanoplatelets. [link]

2. Structure Property Correlation of Bio-nanocomposites [link]