Correlating AFM-IR with Confocal Raman and µ-IR for all-in-one Vibrational Analysis at Multiple Length Scales

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) has long been established as a versatile tool for imaging and probing materials at the nanoscale. Over the years, numerous AFM modes such as PFM, KPFM, and cAFM have extended its capabilities from purely topographic imaging. Building on these advances, AFM-IR emerged as a powerful technique to access local vibrational information, linking mechanical interaction with chemical specificity. The addition of confocal Raman microscopy further expanded the spectroscopic dimension, while maintaining AFM as the structural backbone of the analysis.

In this talk, we will present the next evolutionary step in this trajectory: a correlative approach that unifies AFM, AFM-IR, Raman micro-spectroscopy, nano-IR, and µ-IR analysis. This seamless integration enables researchers to investigate samples across length scales ranging from micrometers down to sub-10 nm resolution, with direct correlative power.

We will illustrate these capabilities through several case studies. For instance, phase separation in thin polymer blend films can be visualized topographically by AFM, chemically resolved at the nanoscale by AFM-IR and nano-FTIR, and cross-validated with Raman signatures. Likewise, the analysis of micron-sized MOF crystallites demonstrates how AFM and AFM-IR reveal nanoscale heterogeneity and contaminants, while Raman and LDIR provide complementary chemical mapping on larger scales.

By presenting this evolutionary path—from AFM to multimodal correlative vibrational spectroscopy—we will show how IRa-SCOPE [1] enables comprehensive micro- to nanoscale characterization, supporting advanced research in polymer systems or functional materials.

[1] attocube systems GmbH, IRa-SCOPE correlative nano-IR and Raman microscope: https://www.attocube.com/en/products/microscopes/nanoscale-imaging-spectroscopy/ira-scope