Scientists in the US and Israel have demonstrated an atomic force microscope that can take images of periodic processes with a time resolution of microseconds.

Higher temporal resolutions can be obtained by using the AFM in a “force-sensing” mode, which can detect movements from a single point on a sample. They improved on the technique by combining a series of individual force-sensing measurements to construct images.

The method can resolve features 10 nanometers across with a time resolution of 5 microseconds.