The success of the Springer Series Applied Scanning Probe Methods IVII and the rapidly expanding activities in scanning probe development and applications worldwide made it a natural step to collect further speci c results in the elds of development of scanning probe microscopy techniques (Vol. VIII), characterization (Vol. IX), and biomimetics and industrial applications (Vol. X). These three volumes complement the previous set of volumes under the subject topics and give insight into the recent work of leading specialists in their respective elds. Following the tradition of the series, the chapters are arranged around techniques, characterization and biomimetics and industrial applications. Volume VIII focuses on novel scanning probe techniques and the understanding of tip/sample interactions. Topics include near eld imaging, advanced AFM, s- cializedscanningprobemethodsinlifesciencesincludingnewselfsensingcantilever systems, combinations of AFM sensors and scanning electron and ion microscopes, calibration methods, frequency modulation AFM for application in liquids, Kelvin probe force microscopy, scanning capacitance microscopy, and the measurement of electrical transport properties at the nanometer scale. Vol. IX focuses on characterization of material surfaces including structural as well as local mechanical characterization, and molecular systems. The volume covers a broad spectrum of STM/AFM investigations including fullerene layers, force spectroscopy for probing material properties in general, biological lms .and cells, epithelial and endothelial layers, medical related systems such as amyloidal aggregates, phospholipid monolayers, inorganic lms on aluminium and copper - ides,tribological characterization, mechanical properties ofpolymernanostructures,technical polymers, and near eld optics.

Ultrathin Fullerene-Based Films via STM and STS.- Quantitative Measurement of Materials Properties with the (Digital) Pulsed Force Mode.- Advances in SPMs for Investigation and Modification of Solid-Supported Monolayers.- Atomic Force Microscopy Studies of the Mechanical Properties of Living Cells.- Towards a Nanoscale View of Microbial Surfaces Using the Atomic Force Microscope.- Cellular Physiology of Epithelium and Endothelium.- Application of Atomic Force Microscopy to the Study of Expressed Molecules in or on a Single Living Cell.- What Can Atomic Force Microscopy Say About Amyloid Aggregates?.- Atomic Force Microscopy: Interaction Forces Measured in Phospholipid Monolayers, Bilayers and Cell Membranes.- Self-Assembled Monolayers on Aluminum and Copper Oxide Surfaces: Surface and Interface Characteristics, Nanotribological Properties, and Chemical Stability.- High Sliding Velocity Nanotribological Investigations of Materials for Nanotechnology Applications.- Measurement of the Mechanical Properties of One-Dimensional Polymer Nanostructures by AFM.- Evaluating Tribological Properties of Materials for Total Joint Replacements Using Scanning Probe Microscopy.- Near-Field Optical Spectroscopy of Single Quantum Constituents.