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On-Demand Session: Advances in AFM for the Characterization of 2D Materials

See how the versatility of AFM meets the diverse needs of 2D materials researchers
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Introduction

Presented by Bede Pittenger, Ph.D., Sr. Staff Development Scientist, AFM Applications at Bruker Nano Surfaces (April 8,  2026).

 PRESENTATION HIGHLIGHTS:

[00:00:00] Introduction and Outline

[00:00:20] Graphene Discovery, aided by Bruker AFM

[00:01:27] Van der Waals heterostructures

[00:03:00] Tapping Mode of Moiré Pattern of Epitaxial Graphene on hBN

[00:03:50] Role of SPM in investigation of VdW materials & heterostructures

 

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High-Resolution Imaging

Presented by Bede Pittenger, Ph.D., Sr. Staff Development Scientist, AFM Applications at Bruker Nano Surfaces (April 8,  2026).

 PRESENTATION HIGHLIGHTS:

[00:00:14] Moiré Patterns affect a variety of properties & associated AFM modes

[00:01:33] Torsional Force Microscopy (TFM)

[00:03:05] Torsional Resonance and TFM

[00:04:45] TFM has made Moiré and lattice imaging routine

[00:06:05] Moiré and lattice resolution or point defects: TFM

[00:07:42] Atomic Resolution

[00:09:46] Moiré and lattice resolution or atomic defects: CAFM

[00:11:42] Practicalities

[00:14:00] Simultaneous TFM and C-AFM?

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Property Characterization

Presented by Peter De Wolf, Ph.D., Director of Technology & Application Development at Bruker Nano Surfaces (April 8,  2026).

 PRESENTATION HIGHLIGHTS:

[00:01:45] Nanomechanical Characterization

[00:04:40] Nanoelectrical Characterization

[00:07:46] Scanning Microwave Impedance Microscopy (sMIM) on buried structure

[00:07:46] Scanning Microwave Impedance Microscopy (sMIM) on buried structure

[00:010:04] sMIM at domain stacking wall

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NanoChemical Characterization

Presented by Peter De Wolf, Ph.D., Director of Technology & Application Development at Bruker Nano Surfaces (April 8,  2026).

 PRESENTATION HIGHLIGHTS:

[00:00:08] Co-localized AFM-Raman on Graphene flake

[00:02:23] Practical Aspects for Co-Localization

[00:03:47] Photothermal AFM-IR on Chemical Patterned

[00:05:34] AFM-IR on Rhombohedral Graphene

[00:06:33] AFM-IR spectroscopy and imaging of Rhombohedral Graphene

[00:07:32] Correlated AFM-IR & sMIM

[00:08:19] Photothermal AFM-IR for Subsurface Imaging

[00:08:47] AFM-IR study of phonon polaritons

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Nanolithography & Nanomanipulation

Presented by Ming Ye, Ph.D., Applications Scientist at Bruker (April 8,  2026).

 PRESENTATION HIGHLIGHTS:

[00:00:40] Nano-Lithography Review

[00:01:27] Nano-Lithography (Electrical)

[00:02:20] Nanoman software

[00:04:44] Nano-Lithography case study

[00:06:40] Twistable electronics with dynamically rotatable heterostructures

[00:07:44] 2D material friction measurement with nano-lithography scripts

[00:08:28] Nano-Lithography with heater accessory

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Quantum Twisting Microscopy

Presented by Ming Ye, Ph.D., Applications Scientist at Bruker (April 8,  2026).

 PRESENTATION HIGHLIGHTS:

[00:00:10] Quantum Twisting Microscope

[00:01:21] Revealing Electron–Electron Interactions in Graphene at Room Temperature with a Quantum Twisting Microscope

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2D Material Cleaning

Presented by Ming Ye, Ph.D., Applications Scientist at Bruker (April 8,  2026).

 PRESENTATION HIGHLIGHTS:

[00:00:00] 2D material cleaning by AFM scan

[00:01:25] Probe solution for cleaning

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Question & Answer

Recorded April 8,  2026

 PRESENTATION HIGHLIGHTS:

[00:00:00] If TFM can routinely resolve lattice and moiré patterns but not point defects, is that a limitation fundamentally set by contact mechanics, by the torsional resonance transfer function, or by the contrast mechanism itself?

[00:01:00] Is a glove box needed for 2D material imaging or studying 2D materials, and can it be done in ambient?

[00:02:28] If the domain wall contrast is not describable by stacking order alone, then in what sense is AFM-IR actually identifying stacking unambiguously rather than just producing wavelength-dependent contrast that is later interpreted post hoc?

[00:04:02] Is there currently any AFM exfoliation technique similar to 2D flakes for nanomanufacturing functionality? As shown in the PowerPoint, AFM tips can be used for rotation in heterostructures, but can AFM be used for further exfoliation on already exfoliated flakes to obtain clean monolayers?

[00:06:25] Is it possible to combine such high-resolution AFM modes and force spectroscopy to 2D materials? What about tip functionalization?