An α-Al2O3(012) wafer was immersed in an aqueous KCl solution of 1 mol L−1 and observed with a frequency-modulation atomic force microscope. The tip−surface force was precisely determined as a function of the tip−surface distance. The force−distance relationship contained oscillations accompanied with an exponentially decayed, electric double layer force. The force oscillations were ascribed to liquid water layers confined over the Al2O3 surface.