AFM

AFM Optical Platform

Designed to be combined with Optical Spectroscopies

The AFM platform allows fully-integrated use of confocal Raman microscopy and AFM for Tip-Enhanced Optical Spectroscopies (such as Tip-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (TERS) and Tip-Enhanced PhotoLuminescence (TEPL)), but also for truly co-localized AFM-Raman measurements.

The myriad of AFM (Atomic Force Microscope) techniques that allow study of topographical, electrical and mechanical properties can be performed with any laser source available in Raman spectrometer, or with other external illumination (e.g., solar simulator or other tunable or continuum source). TERS and TEPL can provide nanoscale chemical and structural information, making the AFM-Raman platform a two-way road; where complimentary techniques provide novel and unique imaging capabilities to each other.

Download our AFM-Raman/TERS eBook!

AFM-Raman presentation

Nano Spectroscopy Solutions with AFM-Raman, TERS, NSOM

HORIBA's leading Raman technology is now integrated with Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). The end result is a more comprehensive sample characterization in one versatile instrument, for fast simultaneous co-localized AFM-Raman measurements, Tip-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (TERS) and Tip-Enhanced PhotoLuminescence (TEPL).

NanoRaman Webinar

Correlated Tip-Enhanced Optical Spectroscopy and SPM

We present in this webinar new nano-imaging capabilities. Tip-Enhanced Optical Spectroscopies (TEOS) such as TERS (Tip-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy) and TEPL (Tip-Enhanced PhotoLuminescence) provide a unique capability for the characterization of molecules, 1D and 2D materials, semiconducting nanostructures and bio-materials.

Technology & F.A.Q.

AFM-Raman (co-localized measurements & TERS)

TERS brings Raman Spectroscopy into nanoscale resolution imaging. Learn more about this super-resolution chemical imaging technique.

Testimonials

“(…) Thanks to the customer-oriented culture of HORIBA, the nano-Raman team of LPICM is currently updating its “historical” prototype with the novel TERS system. It will allow us (…) to initiate new research areas, impossible to address with the present system.”
Prof. Razvigor OSSIKOVSKI, nano-Raman team leader, LPICM, Ecole Polytechnique, France

User's papers

Access a list of AFM-Raman user's publications and discover how TERS & TEPL create a high scientific impact.

AFM-Raman Trainings

Our trainers are experts in AFM-Raman technique. They will provide trainings advice and guidance to make the most of your HORIBA Scientific instrument. You will gain confidence and experience in the analysis of your samples.

Featured

Correlated TERS, TEPL and SPM Measurements of 2D Materials

This application note reports on nano-characterization of 2D transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) materials which are considered of very high potential semiconductors for future nanosized electronic and optoelectronic devices. Scanning probe microscopy giving access to the critical topographic and electronic properties at the nanoscale is coupled to photoluminescence (PL) and Raman spectroscopies by means of plasmon enhancement to yield correlated electrical and chemical information down to the nanoscale.

RamanFest 2025

The 12th International Conference on Advanced Applied Raman Spectroscopy (RamanFest 2025) will feature presentations from world-leading Raman experts and researchers using the technique across varied applications within life science, materials science, and energy and environmental analysis. It will bring together the world's Raman community to share, learn and discuss how Raman spectroscopy is being applied to today's problems, and pioneering tomorrow's capabilities.

Discover Recent Advances in TERS Imaging of 2D Materials

In this webinar, a number of exciting developments in the tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (TERS) field will be discussed, including non–trivial excitation wavelength dependence of the gap-mode TERS response of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) on silver that resulted in reconsidering the role of resonance effects and strong optical coupling in TERS and completely unexpected discovery of the normally forbidden Raman bands in TERS spectra of the monolayer h-BN on gold caused by the proximity of TMD monolayer to multiple layers exfoliated on top...

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Simultaneous structural and chemical characterization with colocalized AFM-Raman

The combination of Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and Raman spectroscopy provides deep insights into the complex properties of various materials. While Raman spectroscopy facilitates the chemical characterization of compounds, interfaces and complex matrices, offering crucial insights into molecular structures and compositions, including microscale contaminants and trace materials. AFM provides essential data on topography and mechanical properties, such as surface texture, adhesion, roughness, and stiffness at the nanoscale.

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Webinar: Characterizing semiconductor materials by optical microspectroscopies

The growing of semiconductor materials industrialization requires technologies to characterize their properties. Optical microspectroscopic platforms like Raman microscopes offer both physical and chemical information in one system. Thus, process qualification, wafer uniformity assessment, or defects inspection of wafers can be achieved with Raman microscopy. These can also be applied to new materials characterization.

In this webinar, we will highlight how Photoluminescence and Raman microscopies can address semiconductor challenges. We will also show how the combination of micro-spectroscopies with AFM (Atomic Force Microscopy) can provide nano resolution and deeper understanding of these structures.

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Colocalized AFM-Raman Analysis of 2D Materials Heterostructures

True colocalized topographic, electrical, and chemical characterization of Van der Waals heterostructures

Van der Waals heterostructures, with their unique properties arising from the weak interlayer coupling and strong in-plane bonding, offer exciting opportunities for the design of novel materials with tailored electronic, optical, and mechanical properties.

TERS Characterization of Lipid Nanotubes as Carbonaceous Material for Electrodes

TERS characterization of pyrolyzed lipid nanotubes for the fabrication of nano-electrodes

For thirty years there has been a research focused onto carbonization of 3D structures especially to be employed in electronic applications. These structures are prepared with the help of lithography and pyrolyzed afterwards. For making features below 100 nm, a bottom-up approach using lipids nanotubes is attempted.

TERS Characterization of Single- to Few-Layer Ti₃C₂Tₓ MXene

Nanoscale chemical imaging of Single- to Few-Layer Ti₃C₂Tₓ MXene

MXenes is the largest and fastest growing 2D materials. They have unique properties such as good conductivity and a hydrophilic surface. The control of nanoscale composition would ultimately allow for engineering properties locally, gaining more control over the 2D material-based systems.

TERS on Functionalized Gold Nanostructures for Nano-scale Biosensing

TERS Nano-localization of SERS hot spots

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is a powerful plasmonics-based analytical technique for biosensing. SERS effect relies on nanostructures that need to be designed to maximize enhancement factors and molecular specificity. In addition to numerical modeling, an analytical tool capable of imaging localized enhancement would be an added value.

TERS Characterization of phospholipid bilayers and detection of nanoparticles

Non-destructive and label-free hyperspectral chemical imaging of phospholipid bilayers with spatial resolution of 7 nm

Phospholipid bilayers, major constituents of membranes act as a barrier of selective permeability for the nanoparticles now largely into our environment. Studying the interactions between nanoparticles and cellular membranes requires a molecular chemical probe with nanometer resolution capability.

Correlated TERS and KPFM of Graphene Oxide Flakes

AFM-Raman and its TERS mode are used to show nanoscale surface mapping of structural defects and chemical groups on graphene oxide (GO) flakes with 10 nm spatial resolution. TERS mapping is combined with Kelvin probe force microscopy measurements for simultaneous topographical, electronic and chemical imaging of GO surface. The multi-parameter measurement methodology proposed in this note extends the capability of TERS allowing a direct correlation of local chemical composition and physical properties at the nanoscale not only for 2D materials but for almost any sample surface.

AFM-TERS measurements in a liquid environment with side illumination/collection

This application note reveals the key instrumental details to succeed in TERS measurements in liquids using side illumination/collection geometry. Such capability aims at bringing breakthroughs in many applications such as heterogeneous catalysis, electrochemistry, cellular biology and biomaterials. In this note, nanoscale chemical imaging of graphene oxide flakes and carbon nanotubes immersed in water is demonstrated with a TERS resolution down to 20 nm along with true non-contact AFM images.