The new future of scanning probe microscopy: Combining atomic force microscopy with other surface-sensitive techniques, optical microscopy and fluorescence techniques

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is in its thirties and has become an invaluable tool for studying the micro- and nanoworlds. As a stand-alone, high-resolution imaging technique and force transducer, it defies most other surface instrumentation in ease of use, sensitivity and versatility. Still, the technique has limitations to overcome. A promising way is to integrate the atomic force microscope into hybrid devices, a combination of two or three complementary techniques in one instrument. In this way, a comprehensive description of molecular processes is at hand; morphological, (electro)chemical, mechanical and kinetic information are simultaneously obtained in one experiment. Hereby we review the recent efforts towards such development, describing the aim and the applications resulting from the combination of AFM with spectroscopic, optical, mechanical or electrochemical techniques. Interesting possibilities include using AFM to bring optical microscopies beyond the diffraction limit and also bestowing spectroscopic capabilities on the atomic force microscope.