A virtual instrument to standardise the calibration of atomic force microscope cantilevers

TL;DR

This paper introduces a web-based virtual instrument that standardizes AFM cantilever calibration across laboratories, enabling consistent force measurements without extra equipment or complex data processing.

Contribution

It presents a novel internet-based platform for global, non-invasive calibration of AFM cantilevers, improving comparability of force measurements worldwide.

Findings

Successful demonstration with five laboratories across three countries.

Enabled comparison and assessment of current calibration standards.

Facilitated standardization without additional instrumentation.

Abstract

Atomic force microscope (AFM) users often calibrate the spring constants of cantilevers using functionality built into individual instruments. This is performed without reference to a global standard, which hinders robust comparison of force measurements reported by different laboratories. In this article, we describe a virtual instrument (an internet-based initiative) whereby users from all laboratories can instantly and quantitatively compare their calibration measurements to those of others - standardising AFM force measurements - and simultaneously enabling non-invasive calibration of AFM cantilevers of any geometry. This global calibration initiative requires no additional instrumentation or data processing on the part of the user. It utilises a single website where users upload currently available data. A proof-of-principle demonstration of this initiative is presented using measured data from five independent laboratories across three countries, which also allows for an assessment of current calibration.