Surface potential analysis of nanoscale biomaterials and devices using Kelvin probe force microscopy

In recent years, Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) has emerged as a versatile toolkit for exploring electrical properties on a broad range of nanobiomaterials and molecules. An analysis using KPFM can provide valuable sample information including surface potential and work function of a certain material. Accordingly, KPFM has been widely used in the areas of material science, electronics, and biomedical science. In this review, we will briefly explain the setup of KPFM and its measuring principle and then survey representative results of various KPFM applications ranging from material analysis to device analysis. Finally, we will discuss some possibilities of KPFM on whether it is applicable to various sensor systems. Our perspective shed unique light on how KPFM can be used as a biosensor as well as equipment to measure electrical properties of materials and to recognize various molecular interactions.