Atomic Froce Microscope designed for high resolution biological imaging

We operate a Nanotec Atomic Force Microscope (Madrid) which incorporates ‘‘jumping mode’’ imaging. The relevant feature of this mode is that the lateral displacement of the tip occurs always when it is not in contact with the sample so that shear forces are avoided. During imaging with jumping mode, the tip performs a rapid succession of force–distance (FZ) curves, each taken in several milliseconds in a raster scanning fashion. The maximal applied force is well defined because each individual approach is stopped at the cantilever deflection corresponding to the set force. FZ curves were recorded by measuring cantilever deflection (force) as a function of the vertical position of the piezo to which the sample was mounted. The experiments can be performed in liquid using this setup.



Contact person at LCVU: Gijs wuite (gwuite@nat.vu.nl)