Journal of Vibration and Sound

Journal of Vibration and Sound

Developing a Macro-Scale Amplitude-Modulation Atomic Force Microscope

Document Type : research article

Authors
Amir Barandak
Arash Bahrami
Ali Sadighi
School of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
This study presents the design, fabrication, and evaluation of a macro-scale atomic force microscope (AFM) aimed at providing a low-cost platform for educational and research applications. Unlike conventional atomic force microscopes, the proposed system does not employ a piezoelectric actuator or an optical sensor. Instead, simultaneous self-sensing and self-actuation are achieved through the interaction between a moving magnet and a coil based on the Hall effect. In this system, a cantilever beam, coil, and magnet are employed to generate and control the beam vibrations in amplitude-modulation mode. The mechanical and electromagnetic components of the system are designed using numerical analysis and simulation, followed by fabrication of a laboratory-scale prototype. After dynamic characterization of the system, an integral controller is implemented on an Arduino development board. The developed microscope is then calibrated using a reference sample, and its performance is evaluated through surface topography imaging. The results demonstrate that the microscope can detect surface variations with a lateral resolution of 1.1 mm and a vertical resolution of 0.2 mm. The findings indicate that, despite its low fabrication cost and simple structure, the proposed system provides a suitable platform for educational purposes, development of control methods, and further improvement of future generations of atomic force microscopes.
Keywords
Atomic Force Microscope
Mechatronics
Amplitude Modulation
Self Sensing
Self Actuating
Subjects
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Journal of Vibration and Sound
Volume 15, Issue 29 - Serial Number 29
September 2026
Pages 108-120