Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Atomic Force Microscopy

Atomic Force Microscopy

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is a type of scanning probe microscopy that can analyze topographic details of various specimens like ceramics, glass, polymers, and biological samples. AFM offers over 1000 times more resolution than the optical imaging system. Images generated from AFM are three-dimensional surface profiles, offering an advantage over the flat, two-dimensional images from other imaging techniques.
The AFM Probe
The probe is regarded as the heart of any AFM setup and comprises the...

Electrostatic Boundary Conditions in Dielectrics

Electrostatic Boundary Conditions in Dielectrics

When an electric field passes from one homogeneous medium to another, crossing the boundary between the two mediums imparts a discontinuity in the electric field. This results in electrostatic boundary conditions that depend on the type of mediums the field propagates through.
Consider a case where both the mediums across a boundary are two different dielectric materials. Recall that the electric field and electric displacement are proportional and related through the material's permittivity.

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

pH-Activated Targeting Drug Delivery System Based on the Selective Binding of Phenylboronic Acid.

ACS applied materials & interfaces·2016

Same author

Sublytic C5b-9 triggers glomerular mesangial cell apoptosis in rat Thy-1 nephritis via Gadd45 activation mediated by Egr-1 and p300-dependent ATF3 acetylation.

Journal of molecular cell biology·2016

Same author

Improving the hydrogen selectivity of graphene oxide membranes by reducing non-selective pores with intergrown ZIF-8 crystals.

Chemical communications (Cambridge, England)·2016

Same author

The Association Between Genetic Polymorphism rs703842 in CYP27B1 and Multiple Sclerosis: A Meta-Analysis.

Medicine·2016

Same author

High-Flexibility, High-Toughness Double-Cross-Linked Chitin Hydrogels by Sequential Chemical and Physical Cross-Linkings.

Advanced materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)·2016

Same author

Synthesis, structure, and magnetic and catalytic properties of metal frameworks with 2,2'-dinitro-4,4'-biphenyldicarboxylate and imidazole-containing tripodal ligands.

Dalton transactions (Cambridge, England : 2003)·2016

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 13, 2026

Covalent Attachment of Single Molecules for AFM-based Force Spectroscopy

Covalent Attachment of Single Molecules for AFM-based Force Spectroscopy

Published on: March 16, 2020

AFM force mapping for characterizing patterns of electrostatic charges on SiO2 electrets.

Yiheng Zhang¹, Dan Zhao, Xinxin Tan

¹Key Lab of Organic Optoelectronics and Molecular Engineering, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China.

Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids

|May 19, 2010

Summary

Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) force mapping visualizes charge patterns on silicon dioxide electrets. This method works on both conductive and nonconductive substrates, offering an alternative to Kelvin Probe Force Microscopy (KFM).

More Related Videos

Concurrent Quantitative Conductivity and Mechanical Properties Measurements of Organic Photovoltaic Materials using AFM

Concurrent Quantitative Conductivity and Mechanical Properties Measurements of Organic Photovoltaic Materials using AFM

Published on: January 23, 2013

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 13, 2026

Covalent Attachment of Single Molecules for AFM-based Force Spectroscopy

Covalent Attachment of Single Molecules for AFM-based Force Spectroscopy

Published on: March 16, 2020

Concurrent Quantitative Conductivity and Mechanical Properties Measurements of Organic Photovoltaic Materials using AFM

Concurrent Quantitative Conductivity and Mechanical Properties Measurements of Organic Photovoltaic Materials using AFM

Published on: January 23, 2013

Area of Science:

Materials Science
Surface Science
Nanotechnology

Background:

Electrets require accurate charge characterization for various applications.
Kelvin Probe Force Microscopy (KFM) is a standard tool but is limited to conductive substrates.

Purpose of the Study:

To demonstrate Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) force mapping as a method for visualizing charge patterns on electrets.
To overcome the substrate limitations of KFM for electret characterization.

Main Methods:

Utilizing AFM force mapping to detect electrostatic potentials on electrets.
Introducing functional groups to the AFM tip to enhance resolution and mapping capabilities.
Characterizing electrets on both conductive and nonconductive substrates, including silicon dioxide (SiO2).

Main Results:

AFM force mapping successfully visualized charge distribution patterns on SiO2 electrets.
The technique proved effective for electrets on both conductive and nonconductive materials.
Functionalized AFM tips improved the resolution of charge pattern visualization.

Conclusions:

AFM force mapping is a viable and versatile alternative to KFM for characterizing electrets.
This method expands the possibilities for studying charge patterns on a wider range of insulating materials.