Atomic Force Microscope Reveals Chemical Identity of Atoms

New Scientist reports (Nature article) that a group of researchers at Osaka University in Japan developed a technique to identify atoms using atomic force microscopy at room temperature for the first time. Atomic force microscopes(AFM) work by measuring the deflection of a microscopic probe as it moves over a sample. The probe's deflection is a result of forces between the probe's tip and individual atoms on the surface of the sample. Each element interacts with the probe differently producing slightly different deflections; these variations can then be used to discern chemical identity of the atom. Previously, this type of measurement required the researchers to cool samples to extreme temperatures to reduce mechanical vibration. The researchers at Osaka University overcame this difficulty "by carefully compensating for the motion of the sample that occurs at higher temperatures." Combined with ability to manipulate atoms (PDF), the atomic force microscope becomes an even more powerful tool for materials manufacture and nanotechnology research.

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