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Zoom into a Pencil Line of Graphene with an Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) - Illustration

This poster feature zoomed images of a pencil line down to the molecular level.

DESCRIPTION

This illustration shows how an Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) is used to image a line of graphene made by a pencil. The scale spans ten orders of magnitude, from the microscope and pencil to the atoms that compose the scanning probe and pencil line. As the viewer zooms into the line, graphite flakes, and eventually a single layer of graphene, become visible. On the AFM, a silicon cantilever with a sharp atomic tip and a laser with a photodiode measure the up and down motion as the probe maps out the graphene sample.

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  • Poster illustration a zoomed image from graphene pencil line down to the molecular level
  • Poster illustration a zoomed image from graphene pencil line down to the molecular level

DESCRIPTION

This illustration shows how an Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) is used to image a line of graphene made by a pencil. The scale spans ten orders of magnitude, from the microscope and pencil to the atoms that compose the scanning probe and pencil line. As the viewer zooms into the line, graphite flakes, and eventually a single layer of graphene, become visible. On the AFM, a silicon cantilever with a sharp atomic tip and a laser with a photodiode measure the up and down motion as the probe maps out the graphene sample.

JUMP TO BROWSE RELATED RESOURCES

OBJECTIVES

NANO CONTENT MAP

Nanometer-sized things are very small, and often behave differently than larger things do.

Scientists and engineers have formed the interdisciplinary field of nanotechnology by investigating properties and manipulating matter at the nanoscale.

Credits

YEAR CREATED
2012
OWNING INSTITUTION

Developed for the Center for Probing the Nanoscale, an NSF NSEC at Stanford University, supported under Grant No. PHY-0830228. Graphic design by Linda Nye.

FUNDING

Developed for the Center for Probing the Nanoscale, an NSF NSEC at Stanford University, supported under Grant No. PHY-0830228.

PERMISSIONS

This linked product was created by another institution (not by the NISE Network). Contact owning institution regarding rights and permissions.