title: Nanoscale compositional mapping with gentle forces.
abstract: Microscopists have always pursued the development of an instrument that combines topography and materials properties analyses at the highest resolution. The measurement of the tiny amount of energy dissipated by a vibrating tip in the proximity of the sample surface has provided atomic force microscopes with a robust and versatile method to determine the morphology and the compositional variations of surfaces in their natural environment. Applications in biology, polymer science and microelectronics illustrate the potential of phase-imaging force microscopy for nanoscale analysis.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Microelectrónica de Madrid, CSIC, 28760 Tres Cantos, Madrid, Spain. rgarcia@imm.cnm.csic.es
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: García
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Magerle
authors.forename: Ruben
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Perez
mesh_terms: D001672:Biocompatible Materials / Q000737:chemistry; D003460:Crystallization; D004581:Electronics; D004867:Equipment Design; D019563:Mechanics; D018625:Microscopy, Atomic Force / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D015233:Models, Statistical; D053758:Nanoparticles; D049329:Nanostructures; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D011108:Polymers / Q000737:chemistry; D012984:Software
chemical_list: D001672:Biocompatible Materials; D011108:Polymers