Tip-sample distance control using photothermal actuation of a small cantilever for high-speed atomic force microscopy

Journal Article · Wed Aug 15 00:00:00 EDT 2007 · Review of Scientific Instruments

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2766825· OSTI ID:21024137

Yamashita, Hayato; Kodera, Noriyuki; Miyagi, Atsushi; Uchihashi, Takayuki; Yamamoto, Daisuke; Ando, Toshio ^[1]

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1. Department of Physics, Kanazawa University, Kakuma-machi, Kanazawa 920-1192 (Japan)

We have applied photothermal bending of a cantilever induced by an intensity-modulated infrared laser to control the tip-surface distance in atomic force microscopy. The slow response of the photothermal expansion effect is eliminated by inverse transfer function compensation. By regulating the laser power and regulating the cantilever deflection, the tip-sample distance is controlled; this enables much faster imaging than that in the conventional piezoactuator-based z scanners because of the considerably higher resonant frequency of small cantilevers. Using this control together with other devices optimized for high-speed scanning, video-rate imaging of protein molecules in liquids is achieved.

• OSTI ID: 21024137
• Journal Information: Review of Scientific Instruments, Vol. 78, Issue 8; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.2766825; (c) 2007 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0034-6748
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
ATOMIC FORCE MICROSCOPY
BENDING
CONTROL
DISTANCE
EQUIPMENT
LASERS
LIQUIDS
MOLECULES
PROTEINS
SURFACES
TRANSFER FUNCTIONS
VELOCITY