FURI | Fall 2024

Deconvolution of Atomic Force Microscopy Data from the Effects of Destructive Indentation and Rigid Body Motion of Embedded Particles in Heterogeneous Systems

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) has become a crucial tool for researchers who have used the technique to make discoveries in fields such as polymers and composites, microbiology, semiconductors, and more. However, the heterogeneity of composite materials introduces challenges in making accurate measurements with AFM. The risk of destructive indentation is heightened by varying degrees of stiffness and hard particle inclusions undergo rigid body motion under indentation load. To further develop AFM, this research aims to study the influence of these effects on AFM data and develop a technique to deconvolute it.