Development of the technology and applications of the scanning probe microscope

This paper chronicles the research in the laboratory of the author at the IBM Research Division during the 1984-1994 time frame that significantly contributed to the development of the scanning probe microscopy technology and its applications. Several key technologies that are now considered commonplace in SPM were developed during that time. These include the vibrating probe AFM (also called AC AFM, non-contact AFM, or tappingmode AFM), introduction of single crystal silicon cantilevers/tips, laser sensing of the cantilever vibration, full wafer positioning and closed-loop scanning systems. Our application-driven approach led to several new microscopes for nanoscale probing of the magnetic, electrostatic, thermal and optical properties of surfaces that are widely used today. They are among the early members of the family that is now classified as scanning probe microscopes.