Why we believe in Correlative Microscopy

Combining different analytical methods into one instrument is of great importance for the simultaneous acquisition of complementary information.
Here at Quantum Design Microscopy we combine two of the most powerful microscopy methods – scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) – in order to gain completely new insights into the micro- and nano-world using correlative microscopy.
Especially the capability to integrate the AFM system directly inside the high-vacuum environment of the SEM enables a completely new way to perform your research and your experiments.
It allows to directly combine the complimentary strengths of both techniques in-situ without the need to transfer your sample or to break vacuum.


The possibility to work simultaneously with SEM and AFM offers the great advantage that – in in addition to simply measure the 3D topography – you can also work with the advanced AFM modes, in order to measure, e.g., mechanical, magnetic, or conductive properties.
This enables completely new possibilities for true correlative microscopy and allows you to extract unique information from your sample.
Latest News
2022, October 17: New Publication by AFSEM customer Wood K plus
Our AFSEM customers at Wood K plus used their system to observe quality metrics such as surface staind and scuff resistance of wood-based materials. This publication highlights well the versatility of the AFSEM and its open-design. Our AFM was combined with a KEYENCE digital microscope to perform the measurements showcased in this Journal of Microscopy article 🔬 Click the link below to learn more!
2022, October 11-12: FusionScope at the MS&T 2022 in Pittsburgh
The FusionScope is turning heads at the Materials Science and Technology Meeting in Pittsburgh. Come and experience the power of correlative microscopy with our Fusionscope and AFSEM products. More info...
2022, October 7: QD Japan Visit at our Lab
We were happy to welcome our colleagues from Quantum Design Japan at our lab. After a short training, they were able to measure the fossil sample they brought with them and obtain impressive SEM and AFM data.
2022, September 19-23: FusionScope at the MNE 2022
FusionScope at the MNE 2022 was a great succees. We were able to talk to many scientists and researchers interested in correlative microscopy and FusionScope's unique capabilities. More info...
AFSEM® users about our product…

"Constantly, applications and challenges arise for which the AFSEM is not only practical, but essential. That starts with direct correlation of specific particles or structures and ends with vacuum conditions as prerequisite, such as thermal measurements. Furthermore, the AFSEM accelerates the work-flow and therefore increases the efficiency for many studies."

"The high spatial resolution of AFSEM, especially in Z direction, strongly stretched the application of our SEM. Combined with the high angle resolution of EBSD, the AFSEM becomes a powerful tool for the research of phase transformation."

"What was really convincing to us is the huge versatility of this combination of an Atomic Force Microscope with our excellent optical microscope for our challenging materials and problems. We simply can use real life specimen without big preparation."

"AFSEM® not only extends the resolution of our microscopes by an order of magnitude, it extends our measurement capabilities beyond topography concerning material composition."

"Thanks to the AFSEM we can now perform in situ investigations in our FIB microscope, which were not possible before. Especially the possibility to immediately control the result of your nanofabrication experiment is a real benefit!"