How does contact mechanics apply to atomic force microscopes?

Contact mechanics studies the deformation of solids that touch at one or more points, ranging from macroscopic systems down to the microscopic and nano-scales. At the microscopic and nano-scales, contact mechanics is used to engineer advanced devices such as atomic force microscopes and MEMS devices. Atomic force microscopy utilizes high-resolution scanning probe techniques to examine surfaces at fractions of a nanometer.

What we know

• Contact mechanics is the study of solid body deformation when bodies touch at one or more points. [3]
• At the microscopic and nano-scales, contact mechanics helps in the engineering of advanced devices like atomic force microscopes and MEMS devices. [3]
• Atomic force microscopy is a very-high-resolution type of scanning probe microscopy with demonstrated resolution on the order of fractions of a nanometer. [2]

Where to go next

• compared withWhat are the intermediate and macroscopic scales of contact mechanics?
• the bigger pictureHow does nanotribology study friction at the nanoscale?
• a case in pointHow does a magnetic force microscope use atomic force microscopy principles?
• how it workedWhat is scanning probe microscopy?
• what caused itHow do quantum effects influence nanotribology?
• an unexpected connectionHow do rubber ball bounces connect to atomic force microscopes?Both macroscopic phenomena like a bouncing rubber ball and nanoscale devices like atomic force microscopes are understood through different scales of the exact same field of contact mechanics.

Sources

• [1]atomic force microscopy (Wikidata Q10329629) · CC0 1.0
• [2]Atomic force microscopy · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [3]Frictional contact mechanics · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [4]Magnetic force microscope · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [5]Nanotribology · CC BY-SA 4.0