Atomic force microscopy has been widely applied to acquire high resolution 3D surface topography at micro- and nanometer scale. As the AFM technology has evolved, different modes have been developed so that a wide array of data types can be collected in order to gain different information on the examined sample. Here we introduce a mechanical mode called Contact Resonance Amplitude Imaging.

In this application report we compare Contact Resonance Amplitude Imaging with tapping mode. In CR Amplitude Imaging the cantilever deflection is kept constant, similar to contact mode, while a very small amplitude (typically sub-nm) is modulating the cantilever and the amplitude and phase of this modulation is detected. Changes in amplitude and phase correlate to surface mechanical properties like stiffness and dissipation.

About Anton Paar USA
Anton Paar USA is a subsidiary of the Graz, Austria-based Anton Paar. Anton Paar is the world’s premier manufacturer of measuring and analytical instrumentation used by laboratories and manufacturers during both research and development and quality control. Founded in 1922, Anton Paar now has subsidiaries in 31 different countries across the world.

Since the beginning of 2018, Anton Paar USA has expanded its USA operations to include four regional offices, with full sales and laboratory operations now taking place in Torrance, California, Houston, Texas, and Chicago, Illinois, while the main Anton Paar USA headquarters remains in Ashland, Virginia.