Assembling and testing an atomic force microscope to examine carbonaceous meteoritic fragments

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is a technique that can be used to analyze several properties of a sample’s surface (e.g., optical, topographical, mechanical, chemical, magnetic and electrical properties) through non-destructive and accurate measurements with very high resolution at the nano- and micro-scales. In this work, we assemble and test an educational AFM system with different AFM tips and appropriate samples with the final goal of characterizing fragments of carbonaceous chondritic meteorites by examining their topography and mechanical properties, such as adhesion and hardness. These properties allow us to investigate what structures are on the surfaces of the samples and how they have stuck together. Our findings can provide novel valuable evidence about how planets formed in our Solar System since carbonaceous chondritic meteorites are relics that date back to the origin of the planets. In addition, from a pedagogical point of view, this study was conceived as an undergraduate research project to expose students, in particular physics majors, to all the stages of an experimental scientific work.