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Updated: May 27, 2026

Atomic Force Microscopy Cantilever-Based Nanoindentation: Mechanical Property Measurements at the Nanoscale in Air and Fluid
Published on: December 2, 2022
Note: curve fit models for atomic force microscopy cantilever calibration in water
Scott J Kennedy1, Daniel G Cole, Robert L Clark
1Center for Biologically Inspired Materials and Material Systems, Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708, USA. scott.kennedy@duke.edu
Abstract:
Atomic force microscopy stiffness calibrations performed on commercial instruments using the thermal noise method on the same cantilever in both air and water can vary by as much as 20% when a simple harmonic oscillator model and white noise are used in curve fitting. In this note, several fitting strategies are described that reduce this difference to about 11%.
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