A comprehensive study of AFM stiffness measurements on inclined surfaces: theoretical, numerical, and experimental evaluation using a Hertz approach.

Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) is a leading nanoscale technique known for its significant advantages in the analysis of soft materials and biological samples. Traditional AFM data analysis is often based on the Hertz model, which assumes perpendicular indentation of a planar sample. However, this assumption is not always valid due to the varying geometries of soft materials, whether natural, synthetic or biological.