Recent Progress in Self-sensing Probe Technology in Atomic Force Microscope

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ke Xu ◽  
Chenghao Ji ◽  
Fanan Wei ◽  
Zhushan Zhai

: The imaging speed of atomic force microscope (AFM) is limited by the cantilever mechanical bandwidth, which can be increased by reducing the size of the cantilever. However, the ordinary laser reflection method cannot measure the deflection of a small cantilever. And some samples are sensitive to light detection and not suitable for the laser reflection method. Therefore, the self-induction probe technology was developed to solve this problem. This article reviews the latest AFM self-induction probe technology and introduces three types of self-induction probes. Firstly, it is introduced that the current self-sensing probes can be divided into piezoresistive type, piezoelectric type and tuning fork type according to the working mechanisms and preparation materials. Then, the latest materials and structures of various self-sensing probe technologies are introduced to improve imaging performance and their applications in various fields. And, compared with traditional laser reflection methods, the self-sensing probe technologies have a simpler structure, take up less space and can be integrated in a large cantilever array and adopted for imaging of photosensitive products. Finally, some prospects of the novel imaging and sample characterization techniques and new applications of atomic force microscopy are also discussed.

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin N. Baumann ◽  
Luca Piantanida ◽  
Javier García-Nafría ◽  
Diana Sobota ◽  
Kislon Voïtchovsky ◽  
...  

The self-assembly of the protein clathrin on biological membranes facilitates essential processes of endocytosis in biological systems and has provided a source of inspiration for materials design by the highly ordered structural appearance. By mimicking the architecture of clathrin self-assemblies to coat liposomes with biomaterials, new classes of hybrid carriers can be derived. Here we present a method for fabricating DNA-coated liposomes by hydrophobically anchoring and subsequently growing a DNA network on the liposome surface which structurally mimics clathrin assemblies. Dynamic light scattering (DLS), ζ-potential and cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) measurements independently demonstrate successful DNA coating. Nanomechanical measurements conducted with atomic force microscopy (AFM) show that the DNA coating enhances the mechanical stability of the liposomes relative to uncoated ones. Furthermore, we provide the possibility to reverse the coating process by triggering the disassembly of the DNA coating through a toehold-mediated displacement reaction. Our results describe a straightforward, versatile, and reversible approach for coating and stabilizing lipid vesicles by an interlaced DNA network. This method has potential for further development towards the ordered arrangement of tailored functionalities on the surfaces of liposomes and for applications as hybrid nanocarrier.


Friction ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xinfeng Tan ◽  
Dan Guo ◽  
Jianbin Luo

AbstractDynamic friction occurs not only between two contact objects sliding against each other, but also between two relative sliding surfaces several nanometres apart. Many emerging micro- and nano-mechanical systems that promise new applications in sensors or information technology may suffer or benefit from noncontact friction. Herein we demonstrate the distance-dependent friction energy dissipation between the tip and the heterogeneous polymers by the bimodal atomic force microscopy (AFM) method driving the second order flexural and the first order torsional vibration simultaneously. The pull-in problem caused by the attractive force is avoided, and the friction dissipation can be imaged near the surface. The friction dissipation coefficient concept is proposed and three different contact states are determined from phase and energy dissipation curves. Image contrast is enhanced in the intermediate setpoint region. The work offers an effective method for directly detecting the friction dissipation and high resolution images, which overcomes the disadvantages of existing methods such as contact mode AFM or other contact friction and wear measuring instruments.


2015 ◽  
Vol 29 (25n26) ◽  
pp. 1542039
Author(s):  
X. Wang ◽  
A. P. Liu ◽  
X. H. Yang

The design of atomic force microscopy (AFM) with high resolution is introduced in this paper. Mainly, we have developed the system design of the apparatus based on tunneling. AFM.IPC-208B, this kind of apparatus combines scanning tunnel microscopy (STM) and AFM availability, and its lens body with original frame enhances the capability of the machine. In order to analyze the performance of AFM.IPC-208B, as a new tool in the field of Life Science, we make use of the system to study natural mica and molecular protein structures of Cattle-insulin and human antibody immunoglobulin G (IgG) coupled with staphylococcus protein A (SPA). As the results of new applications, the resolution of AFM.IPC-208B is proved to be 0.1 nm, and these nanometer measurement results provide much valuable information for the study of small molecular proteins and HIV experiments.


2002 ◽  
Vol 17 (6) ◽  
pp. 1276-1282 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Hinojosa ◽  
J. Aldaco

The possible role of microstructural features in determining the self-affinity of the fracture surface of a cast aluminum alloy is explored in this work. Fracture surfaces generated both in tension and impact tests were topometrically analyzed by atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and stylus profilometry. The roughness exponent exhibited the “universal” value ζ ≈ 0.78, and the correlation length ζ was of the order of the grain size. The brittle intermetallic compounds known to be important in crack initiation did not show any correlation with the self-affine parameters of the resulting fracture surfaces in this particular case.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-23
Author(s):  
Rafiul Shihab ◽  
Tasmirul Jalil ◽  
Burak Gulsacan ◽  
Matteo Aureli ◽  
Ryan Tung

Abstract Numerous nanometrology techniques concerned with probing a wide range of frequency dependent properties would benefit from a cantilevered sensor with tunable natural frequencies. In this work, we propose a method to arbitrarily tune the stiffness and natural frequencies of a microplate sensor for atomic force microscope applications, thereby allowing resonance amplification at a broad range of frequencies. This method is predicated on the principle of curvature-based stiffening. A macroscale experiment is conducted to verify the feasibility of the method. Next, a microscale finite element analysis is conducted on a proof-of-concept device. We show that both the stiffness and various natural frequencies of the device can be highly controlled through applied transverse curvature. Dynamic phenomena encountered in the method, such as eigenvalue curve veering, are discussed and methods are presented to accommodate these phenomena. We believe that this study will facilitate the development of future curvature-based microscale sensors for atomic force microscopy applications.


1995 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 2159-2161 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.H. Schneibel ◽  
L. Martínez

Fe–40 at. % Al–0.1 at. % B specimens were polished flat, strained at room temperature, and examined in an atomic force microscope. The angles of height contours perpendicular to the slip lines were interpreted as shear strains and were statistically evaluated. The frequency distributions of these shear strains correlated well with the macroscopic strains. The maximum shear strains found were not much larger than the macroscopic strains. In particular, no steep slip steps corresponding to large local shears were found.


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