Scanning-Probe Microscopy (SPM)

Scanning-probe microscopy (SPM) is a technique for imaging surfaces at the nanometre scale by rastering a fine probe across the surface and measuring the interaction between the two. SPM is a general term comprising a wide variety of techniques based on different surface-probe interactions.

Technique

SPM instruments can be operated in either contact mode, which measures the static deflection of the cantilever as it travels over the surface, or in non-contact mode, which measures changes in the dynamic properties of an oscillating cantilever. Numerous SPM techniques, defined by the type of surface-probe interaction being measured, have been established; including, atomic force microscopy (AFM), electrostatic force microscopy (EFM), magnetic force microscopy (MFM), and kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM). Unlike XPS and ToF-SIMS, the technique is not limited to UHV-compatible samples, and can even be conducted on samples immersed in liquid.

Instruments

Asylum Research MFP-3D-SA

• 90 μm X-Y raster.
• Operating Modes: contact and non-contact (AC) AFM, EFM, MFM, lateral force microscopy (LFM), conductive AFM, KPFM, and nanolithography.
• Accessories: closed fluid cell, electrochemistry fluid cell, temperature-controlled fluid exchange (BioHeater™), and polymer heater.
• 
• Mounted on an active-damping vibration-isolation table in an acoustic-isolation enclosure.

Asylum Research MFP-3D-BIO

• Mounted on inverted optical microscope, for integrated scanning-probe and optical microscopy.
• 90 μm X-Y raster.
• Operating Modes: contact and non-contact (AC) AFM, EFM, MFM, lateral force microscopy (LFM), conductive AFM, KPFM, and nanolithography.
• Accessories: closed fluid cell, electrochemistry fluid cell, temperature-controlled fluid exchange (BioHeater™), polymer heater.
• Mounted on an active-damping vibration-isolation table in an acoustic-isolation enclosure.