Nanoscale Force and Displacement Sensing

This chapter presents a comprehensive introduction to sensor systems, with particular emphasis on force and displacement measurements at the nanoscale. Beginning with a broader perspective, we explore sensor design as transducers to convert signals in various energy domains, gradually refining our focus to elaborate on nanoscale motion and force measurement. Specifically, we delve into the principles common to atomic force microscope (AFM) systems used for nanoscale positioning and cantilever probe deflection measurement. The chapter is structured to facilitate understanding of performance characteristics, enabling the reader to make informed choices for application-specific sensor selection.