Standardizing Force Reconstruction in Dynamic Atomic Force Microscopy

TL;DR

This paper evaluates and compares various force reconstruction methods in dynamic AFM, introduces an open-source software for benchmarking, and aims to standardize force measurement for improved reproducibility and interpretation.

Contribution

It systematically analyzes existing reconstruction techniques, clarifies their theoretical bases, and provides a unified software tool to enhance consistency in AFM force spectroscopy.

Findings

Different methods have distinct assumptions and performance regimes.

The software enables side-by-side comparison of methods.

Standardization improves reproducibility in AFM force measurements.

Abstract

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) enables high-resolution imaging and quantitative force measurement, which is critical for understanding nanoscale mechanical, chemical, and biological interactions. In dynamic AFM modes, however, interaction forces are not directly measured; they must be mathematically reconstructed from observables such as amplitude, phase, or frequency shift. Many reconstruction techniques have been proposed over the last two decades, but they rely on different assumptions and have been applied inconsistently, limiting reproducibility and cross-study comparison. Here, we systematically evaluate major force reconstruction methods in both frequency- and amplitude-modulation AFM, detailing their theoretical foundations, performance regimes, and sources of error. To support benchmarking and reproducibility, we introduce an open-source software package that unifies all widely used methods, enabling side-by-side comparisons across different formulations. This work represents a critical step toward achieving consistent and interpretable AFM force spectroscopy, thereby supporting the more reliable application of AFM in fields ranging from materials science to biophysics.