To explain "Dynamic Force" AFM, let’s first repair the tip, shrink the cantilever, and move in closer.
We then make visible the black plastic tripod on which these components are mounted.
Notice the tan cube? This is a "piezoelectric crystal" (or just "piezo"). Piezoelectric crystals have the unusual property that, when a voltage is applied across them, they can shrink and expand in certain directions.
(To see a full presentation on how piezoelectric crystals work, CLICK HERE).
