Conductive Atomic Force Microscopy (C-AFM) is a mode of Atomic Force Microscopy in which a conductive tip is scanned in contact with the sample surface, while a voltage is applied between the tip and the sample, generating a current image. At the same time, a topographic image is also generated. Both, the current and the topographic images are taken from the same area of the sample, which allows the identification of features on the surface conducting more or less current

After acquiring a topographic image, the tip may be moved to a specific desired location.The voltage is then ramped while the current is measured to generate local current versus voltage ( I-V ) curves.

Several kinds of conductive tips can be used in C-AFM, but the most successful are the conductive diamond-coated silicon tips. Besides having a good conductivity, the diamond layer is resistant to wear. The main advantage of C-AFM over standard electrical measurement techniques is the high spatial resolution.

For example, C-AFM measurements on polycrystalline thin films have been able to identify differences in the conductivity between grain boundaries and the interior of the grains. Also, C-AFM has been shown to be suitable to identify conducting paths in solar cells and to locate microshunts.

Researchers map variations of electrical conductivity for a range of studies and processes, including electrical defect characterization and investigation of conductive polymers, semiconductors, nanotubes, and even certain organic materials.