| The Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) began as an instrument used to image the surfaces insulating materials. Since then, the AFM has become a versatile tool used to probe a wide array surfaces in different environments on the nanoscale. The AFM has been adapted to not only image surfaces to obtain topography, but also to probe the various properties such as mechanical, electrical, magnetic, and even chemical characteristics of a sample. This thesis will focus on the use of AFM to obtain quantitative information on designer surfaces tailored by controlled radical polymerization. A second focus will be the further understanding of AFM operation, in particular, the tip-sample interaction. By understanding the tip-sample interaction, further development of AFM techniques can take place that can quantitatively characterize the various properties of a sample. |
