Seeing even what we would rather overlook

PUBLICATION — Förster, M.W., Otter, L.M., Brocks, J.J., Jayasoma, K., Cisneros-Lazaro, D., Nowak, D., Stolarski, J., Knowles, B. 2025. Quality control measures for enhancing confidence in nanoscale IR spectroscopy. Geostandards and Geoanalytical Research, https://doi.org/10.1111/ggr.70014.

Figure: examples of contaminants detected by PiFM on sample surfaces: (a) silica particles used for polishing; (b, c) silicone (PDMS) patches before (b) and after (c) ethanol cleaning; (d, e) carbonate filler material of nitrile gloves after 10s (d) and 20h (e) of contact.

Imagine a microscope so powerful it can “see” molecules a billion times more precisely than traditional tools. That’s what Photo-induced Force Microscopy (PiFM) does, offering new insights into Earth and environmental sciences. But such sensitivity also means it easily picks up unwanted traces from gloves, skin, or lab materials. Our study identifies these hidden contaminants and shows how to avoid them, ensuring discoveries rest on solid ground.