Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is also called scanning force microscopy (SFM) is a very high-resolution type of scanning probe microscopy. This works more than 1000 times better than the optical diffraction limit. The lower version of AFM, the scanning tunneling microscope, was developed by Gerd Binnig and Heinrich Rohrer in the early 1980s at IBM Research – Zurich. This development got the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1986.

    The first atomic force microscope was introduced in 1989 for commercial purpose. This is one of the foremost tools for imaging, measuring, and manipulating matter at the nano-scale. The information is gathered by studying the surface with a mechanical probe. Piezoelectric elements that facilitate small but accurate and precise movements on (electronic) command are responsible for very precise scanning.

    In this microscopy, sharp probe moves over surface of specimen at constant distance. There is up and down movement of probe as it maintains constant distance is detected and used to create image.