The tip "drags" across the surface. It provides high resolution but can damage soft samples like biological tissues.
While optical microscopes use light and electron microscopes use beams of electrons, Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) works by "feeling" a surface—much like a record player needle or a person reading Braille. It is one of the most powerful tools in nanotechnology because it doesn't just see atoms; it interacts with them. 1. The Fundamentals: How It Works Fundamentals and Application of Atomic Force Mi...
It measures nanomechanical properties —how hard, elastic, or sticky a new composite material is at a specific point. The tip "drags" across the surface
AFM isn't "one size fits all." Depending on the sample's delicacy, researchers choose different modes: researchers choose different modes: