Atomic Force Microscopy Gets Its Master Guidebook

The 2026 edition of the definitive AFM Modes Handbook has been released, serving as a comprehensive guide to atomic force microscopy techniques. This handbook details the evolution and current capabilities of AFM, a technology that has become essential for mapping structures at the micrometer and nanometer scales since its development in the 1980s. It's now used across diverse fields including semiconductors, materials science, energy research, and biology, enabling everything from mapping live cells to achieving atomic resolution on crystal lattices.

The updated handbook provides researchers with practical guidance on modern AFM modes that extend measurements to soft and fragile samples, broaden applications beyond basic topography, and improve measurement consistency and ease of use. For engineers and scientists working at the nanoscale, this resource consolidates decades of advancements into a common analytical toolbox, making advanced microscopy techniques more accessible across disciplines and accelerating discovery at the smallest scales.