Rapid surface topography using a tapping mode atomic force microscope

In an atomic force microscope (AFM), it is possible to scan at high speeds without sacrificing resolution if the imaging is accomplished by combining the rapidly varying signal from the vibrating cantilever, which indicates the detailed surface features, with the more slowly varying feedback control signal to the piezotube. Scanning speed in this case is limited by the fundamental resonance of the cantilever-not, as in conventional AFM, by the feedback bandwidth-and about 10 s is required to image a surface area of 21 mu m(2) for 512X512 scanning points. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951(99)04110-8].