Image correction for atomic force microscopy images with functionalized tips

It has been demonstrated that atomic force microscopy imaging with CO-functionalizedtips provides unprecedented resolution, yet it is subject to strong image distortions. Here we propose a method to correct for these distortions. The lateral force acting on the tip apex is calculated from three-dimensional maps of the frequency shift signal. Assuming a linear relationship between lateral distortion and force, atomic force microscopy images could be deskewed for different substrate systems.