Advances in Scanning Ion Conductance Microscopy: Principles and Applications

Scanning ion conductance microscopy (SICM) has been widely used in biological and other fields due to its ability for noninvasive, nanoscale investigation. In this article, we present the principles of SICM and recent advances of feedback control in SICM. An overview of SICM application in noncontact topography mapping of soft samples is summarized as well. Furthermore, other SICM applications, including mechanical stiffness measurement and surface charge mapping, are also briefly discussed.