Scanning Probe Microscopy

Abstract

Scanning probe microscopy (SPM) is a suite of related imaging methods, in which variations in the interaction force between a probe and a sample surface are used to generate image contrast. These instruments are incredibly sensitive; they can measure forces on the order of those required to break physical and chemical bonds, and under the most optimal conditions, atomic-scale resolution can be achieved. Although SPM is still primarily used for imaging, it is increasingly being used to measure nanoscale properties and interaction forces. This chapter serves as an introduction to the fundamentals of SPM and to the most prevalent methods needed for the investigation of mineral-microbe interactions.