Scanning ion conductance microscopy-morphology and mechanics

Scanning ion conductance microscopy (SICM) belongs to the family of scanning probe techniques. These techniques exploit the interaction between a sharp probe and a sample surface; by moving the probe along parallel lines, the local physical properties can be thus mapped. SICM main characteristics are the working environment, a bath of saline solution, and the absence of contact between probe and sample. It is mainly used to obtain high-resolution topographic images of nonconducting surfaces; however, it can be also employed to measure the stiffness of compliant samples.