Cantilevers with torsional sensitivity providing force spectroscopy imaging in tapping mode for mapping of local adhesion and elastic modulus. The probe has a tip that is offset from the long axis of the cantilever. The materials properties can be calculated from the torsional harmonic signal.

The cantilevers are individually measured at the facility using nondestructive methods of force constant determination. The technique is based on the analysis of cantilever oscillation damping in liquids developed by J. E. Sader (Univ. of Melbourne). The uncertainty of the calibrated value shown in the individual cantilever specifications is about 10 %.

Cantilevers with attached particles of a well-known size and properies may be used as AFM probes for quantitative measurements of specific interactions. Tipless cantilevers can be useful for mounting particles in the hundreds of nanometer range. For larger particles, there are ways of attaching to cantilevers with tips.