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In the present study we test a compact disk pickup as the cantilever position sensor in an atomic force microscope (AFM). The pickup is placed on top of the optical microscope used for the visual inspection and alignment of the specimen. The AFM is also equipped with its own cantilever movement sensor system. Both the built-in and the new detection devices are simultaneously active for comparison purposes. Two different measurements are performed in sequence on the same sample each using one sensor at a time as the error signal source for the AFM feedback loop. The pickup has demonstrated good sensitivity as well as excellent performance in terms of compactness, reliability, and cost.

Observations of electron paramagnetic resonance by means of the angular momentum absorbed by a small sample are reported. The method is based on the detection of the torque induced in a microcantilever, like the ones employed in atomic force microscopy, integral with the sample. The results obtained with this experimental scheme are compared with the ones of the Sidles–Rugar method exploiting a force detection of the magnetic resonance in presence of strong magnetic field gradients. In particular, the signal drawn by angular momentum absorption shows opposite trends when the static magnetic field is swept in opposite directions, contrary to the case of experiments performed with force detection. The shape of the signal is characterized at different values of the static field and of radiation intensity.