NONCONTACT FORCE MICROSCOPY IN LIQUIDS

Force microscopy in liquids offers many advantages including the mitig ation of capillary forces and the simulation of real environments for biological and technological processes. Noncontact force microscopy in liquids adds the advantage of probing electrical and magnetic fields above surfaces. Here we demonstrate magnetic force imaging of recorded bits on a computer hard disk in air and in liquid. A method of noncon tact force microscopy (patent pending, Digital Instruments) is used in which the tip is first scanned in contact to image topography and the n rescanned above the surface to image long-range forces.