AFM-IR (Atomic Force Microscope InfraRed) is a general term for techniques based on detecting mechanical response of the AFM cantilever upon pulsed illumination of sample with IR light. AFM-IR is typically utilized for sample absorption mapping and spectroscopy of materials with relatively large absorption coefficient (polymers, organic materials, etc.).
Basic probing principle:
- focus pulsed IR laser light onto sample;
- illuminated sample absorbs IR radiation and thermally expands, exerting force on the AFM tip and stimulating cantilever motion;
- cantilever motion is detected using standard AFM technology, delivering thermal expansion maps and spectra for spectroscopic IR analysis.
Challenge: Detecting small expansion of nanoparticle and thin films relies on the mechanical enhancement provided by a cantilever resonance. The cantilever resonance shifts depending on the local sample mechanics (e.g. sample stiffness, dissipation, etc. ) and measurement conditions, thus coupling optical and mechanical sample properties in the AFM-IR signal and resulting in:




Solution: neaspec’s tapping AFM-IR+ actively tracks the cantilever resonance, ensuring the maximum resonant enhancement and helping to decouple the optical sample properties from the mechanical properties, which provides:




List of neaspec AFM-IR technologies:
- tapping AFM-IR+: tapping mode AFM-IR imaging & spectroscopy.
- PTE+: contact mode AFM-IR with resonance enhanced sensitivity.
- PTE: legacy contact mode PTE technique suitable for thick sample.
Compare different AFM-IR technologies and learn why neaspec is the market leader