High-speed atomic force microscopy in liquid

High-speed constant force imaging with the atomic force microscope (AFM) has been achieved in liquid. By using a standard optical lever AFM, and a cantilever with an integrated zinc oxide (ZnO) piezoelectric actuator, an imaging bandwidth of 38 kHz has been achieved; nearly 100 times faster than conventional AFMs. For typical samples, this bandwidth corresponds to tip velocities in excess of 3 mm/s. High-speed AFM imaging in liquid will (1) permit chemical and biological AFM observations to occur at speeds previously inaccessible, and (2) significantly decrease measurement times in standard AFM liquid operation. (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0034-6748(00)01705-6].