Atomic force microscope.

G. Binnig, C. F. Quate, Ch. Gerber.

Physical Review Letters 56, 930-933 (1986).

The scanning tunneling microscope is proposed as a method to measure forces as small as 10^-18 N. As one application for this concept, we introduce a new type of microscope capable of investigating surfaces of insulators on an atomic scale. The atomic force microscope is a combination of the principles of the scanning tunneling microscope and the stylus profilometer. It incorporates a probe that does not damage the surface. Our preliminary results in air demonstrate a lateral resolution of 30 A[ring ] and vertical resolution less than 1 A[ring ].