Thin liquid films studied by atomic force microscopy

Since its invention twenty years ago the atomic force microscope (AFM) has become one of the most important instruments in colloid and interface science. The ability of tracing force profiles between single particles or particles and flats in liquid environment makes it a tool-of-choice for investigating thin liquid films. In this paper we review experimental work on confined Newtonian and non-Newtonian liquids using the AFM.