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

Overview of Microscopy Techniques

Overview of Microscopy Techniques

The early pioneers of microscopy opened a window into the invisible world of microorganisms. In 1830, Joseph Jackson Lister created an essentially modern light microscope. The 20th century saw the development of microscopes that leveraged nonvisible light, such as fluorescence microscopy that uses an ultraviolet light source and electron microscopy that uses short-wavelength electron beams. These advances significantly improved magnification, image resolution, and contrast. By comparison, the...

Super-resolution Fluorescence Microscopy

Super-resolution Fluorescence Microscopy

Super-resolution fluorescence microscopy (SRFM) provides a better resolution than conventional fluorescence microscopy by reducing the point spread function (PSF). PSF is the light intensity distribution from a point that causes it to appear blurred. Due to PSF, each fluorescing point appears bigger than its actual size, and it is the PSF interference of nearby fluorophores that causes the blurred image. Various approaches to achieving higher resolution through SRFM have recently been developed.

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...

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by

Same author

A molecule with half-Möbius topology.

Science (New York, N.Y.)·2026

Same author

Combined In-Solution and On-Surface Synthesis of a Fully Fused Cross-Shaped Phthalocyanine Pentamer.

Angewandte Chemie (International ed. in English)·2025

Same author

Skeletal Editing by Tip-Induced Chemistry.

Journal of the American Chemical Society·2025

Same author

Synthesis and Characterization of a π-Extended Clar's Goblet.

Journal of the American Chemical Society·2025

Same author

Multiconfigurational Ground State of a Diradicaloid Characterized at the Atomic Scale.

Journal of the American Chemical Society·2025

Same author

Tip-Induced Nitrene Generation.

ACS nano·2025

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 3, 2026

Studying Dynamic Processes of Nano-sized Objects in Liquid using Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy

Studying Dynamic Processes of Nano-sized Objects in Liquid using Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy

Published on: February 5, 2017

Recent advances in submolecular resolution with scanning probe microscopy.

¹IBM Research-Zurich, 8803 Rüschlikon, Switzerland. lgr@zurich.ibm.com

Nature Chemistry

|March 25, 2011

Summary

Scanning probe microscopy now images organic molecules with atomic resolution, revealing molecular structures and bonds. Atomically controlled microscope tips are key to this breakthrough in single-molecule studies.

More Related Videos

All-electronic Nanosecond-resolved Scanning Tunneling Microscopy: Facilitating the Investigation of Single Dopant Charge Dynamics

All-electronic Nanosecond-resolved Scanning Tunneling Microscopy: Facilitating the Investigation of Single Dopant Charge Dynamics

Published on: January 19, 2018

Picometer-Precision Atomic Position Tracking through Electron Microscopy

Picometer-Precision Atomic Position Tracking through Electron Microscopy

Published on: July 3, 2021

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 3, 2026

Studying Dynamic Processes of Nano-sized Objects in Liquid using Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy

Studying Dynamic Processes of Nano-sized Objects in Liquid using Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy

Published on: February 5, 2017

All-electronic Nanosecond-resolved Scanning Tunneling Microscopy: Facilitating the Investigation of Single Dopant Charge Dynamics

All-electronic Nanosecond-resolved Scanning Tunneling Microscopy: Facilitating the Investigation of Single Dopant Charge Dynamics

Published on: January 19, 2018

Picometer-Precision Atomic Position Tracking through Electron Microscopy

Picometer-Precision Atomic Position Tracking through Electron Microscopy

Published on: July 3, 2021

Area of Science:

Chemical Physics
Surface Science
Nanotechnology

Background:

Scanning probe microscopy (SPM) has advanced significantly in imaging organic molecules.
High lateral resolution allows visualization of individual atoms and bonds within molecules.

Purpose of the Study:

To review techniques for high-resolution molecular imaging using SPM.
To discuss implementations, advantages, limitations, and applications of these techniques.

Main Methods:

Atomically controlled functionalization of the SPM tip is crucial.
Various SPM techniques are employed for molecular imaging.

Main Results:

SPM can resolve atomic and bond-level details in organic molecules.
This enables detailed study of molecular structure, bonding, and dynamics.

Conclusions:

Atomically precise SPM offers unprecedented insights into single molecules.
Potential applications span molecular structure, chemical reactions, and conformational changes.