Noncontact Atomic Force Microscopy and Its Related Topics

The scanning probe microscopy (SPM) such as the STM and the NC-AFM is the basic technology for the nanotechnology and also for the future bottom-up process. In Sect. 4.2, the principles of AFM such as operating modes and the frequency modulation method of the NC-AFM are fully explained. Then, in Sect. 4.3, applications of NC-AFM to semiconductors that make clear its potentials such as spatial resolution and functions are introduced. Next, in Sect. 4.4, applications of NC-AFM to insulators such as alkali halides, fluorides and transition metal oxides are introduced. At last, in Sect. 4.5, applications of NCAFM to molecules such as carboxylate (RCOO

−

) with R = H, CH

3

, C(CH

3

)

3

and CF

3

are introduced. Thus, the NC-AFM can observe atoms and molecules on various kinds of surfaces such as semiconductor, insulator and metal oxide with atomic/molecular resolutions. These sections are essential to understand the status of the art and the future possibility of NC-AFM that is the second generation of atom/molecule technology.