Question

Which of the following microscopic techniques provides the highest resolution images of the surface morphology of a specimen?

1) Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)
2) Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM)
3) Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM)
4) Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (CLSM)

Answer 1

Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) provides the highest resolution images of specimen surface morphology, delivering atomic-scale resolution which is superior to that of SEM and TEM.

Step-by-step explanation:

The microscopic technique that provides the highest resolution images of the surface morphology of a specimen is the Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). AFM falls under the category of scanning probe microscopy and operates by measuring feedback from sharp probes that interact with the specimen. It can achieve atomic-scale resolution, which is superior to the resolution of other forms of electron microscopy such as Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM).

While SEM offers magnification up to 500,000x and a resolution of 3.0-20.0 nm, allowing for detailed 3-D images of surfaces, and TEM offers an even greater magnification up to 2 million times and a resolution of approximately 2.0 nm for internal structures, AFM goes beyond by providing an atomic-scale view of the specimen surface. This enables researchers to obtain extremely high-resolution images and measurements of the surface morphology.