The AFM technique has made a remarkable progress recently. However, relatively few studies using the UHV-AFM have been reported compared to those using atmospheric AFMs or UHV-STMs. Atomic-resolution images of the clean sample surface in ultrahigh vacuum, which is relatively active and not observable in atmosphere, have been reported only few examples. The intense reaction between the tip of the cantilever and the sample in contact mode imaging, one of the techniques used in atomic imaging in atmosphere, often damages the surface of the sample, making it difficult to acquire atomic-resolution images in UHV.

In order to reduce the strong interaction between the tip and the sample, the noncontact imaging technique for the UHV-AFM (NC-AFM: JAFM-4500XT) has been developed. However, none of the atmospheric NC-AFMs has succeeded in achieving atomic level resolution.