How much does an atomic force microscope cost?

There is a wide range in costs for an atomic force microscope. There are do-it-yourself (DIY) AFMs that can be made for less than $1,000 USD and there are highly specialized AFMs for imaging at extremely high resolution with sophisticated set-ups that cost upwards of $1 million or more.

If you are looking to purchase an AFM for your lab, consider your requirements:

What are the dimensions of samples will you be scanning?

AFMs are classified into small and large sample systems.

Most “small-sample” and benchtop AFMs are made to scan samples the size of a small coin (10 mm x 10 mm), while there are some systems that can scan samples up to about 100 mm x 100 mm.

AFMs that can accommodate large samples like 300-mm (12”) wafers or even larger substrates, such as for displays and solar panels can command a hefty premium, but provide immense value for the right customer. 

 

What types of samples are you measuring and in what environment?

Is scanning samples in air ideal for you, or do you need vacuum or liquid operation?

 

What kind of Z resolution do you need in the scans themselves?

Do you need to measure individual atoms or are you measuring at the microscale? How tall are the features you are measuring? Height sensitivity is related to the specification called the “noise floor” – look for at least 5-10x lower noise floor compared to the objects you are looking at. For example, to measure monolayer graphene that is 0.34 nm thick, you’d want a noise floor of 0.07 nm rms or lower, while to measure a 10-nm nanoparticle, a noise floor of 1-2 nm would be sufficient. 

 

Who will be using the instrument?

Will the users be experienced AFM users, or will they be totally new to AFM and have to be trained? AFMs vary widely in their ease-of-use. We recommend searching YouTube for live demo videos of the instrument to see what the operation is like to figure out whether it would fit your workflow.

 

How often will the instrument be used? 

Are you intending for the AFM to be a workhorse tool, or will it only be used for occasional scans? Consider the ease-of-use of the instrument, especially if it will be used heavily.

 

How much time do the users have?

AFMs vary greatly in the amount of time it takes from set-up to acquiring data. This time is known as “time to data”. The amount of time can range from minutes to hours between different systems.

 

How much budget is set aside for maintenance and operating expenses?

AFMs can be low-maintenance tools that just have a few parts, but most traditional AFMs are  complex and fragile with hundreds of components. Many AFMs have replaceable parts that can cost thousands of dollars or have expensive maintenance contracts.

 

How much space do you have and how noisy is your environment?

Traditional AFMs are delicate tools that are affected by the environment. They require sophisticated vibration isolation systems that may take up a lot of space.

 

What kind of environment do you need to scan in and how sensitive are your samples? 

If you’re working on sensitive samples such as battery electrodes or 2D materials, you may need to use your AFM in a glovebox, so a small and portable instrument could be ideal.

 

Do you need specialized measurement modes? 

AFM is just one technique out of many of the scanning probe microscopy (SPM) family. Do you need sophisticated modes like magnetic force microscopy (MFM), kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM), scanning microwave microscopy (SMM)? 

If you only occasionally need a specialized mode, there may already be an AFM you can access in a shared facility or contract out when required. Consider the training and analysis of these data as well: if you only need the specialized mode occasionally, it might be best to collaborate or get the services of an expert.